All Chapters of The Intelligence Edge: From Zero to Billionaire: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chris cleared his throat and began his little "performance.""Think about it. I'm single now, aren't I? Sooner or later, I'll start dating again and bring a girl home."The moment he said that, George and Laura's eyes lit up.Chris started painting the picture vividly."Imagine this. It's the first time she visits, she meets you both—and you're still wearing those old, worn-out clothes. The house is bare and shabby; nothing new has been added in years."He paused, letting the tension build, then pressed on with deliberate weight."Do you think she'll see you as thrifty? No! She'll think I'm unfilial."She'll think, 'Look at Chris—he's made money, yet his parents still live like beggars. He must be a selfish, unreliable ingrate.'"And once she gets that impression, she'll be furious, assume I have a rotten character, and cut me off immediately. Tell me, wouldn't my chance at a wife vanish on the spot?"Privately, Chris scoffed at the thought. If a girl only cared about appearan

Chris drew in a deep breath, forcing his heart—still pounding with excitement—to steady itself.He didn't move immediately. He knew better. The more important the matter, the less room there was for haste. Impatience and recklessness could only lead to disaster.So he sat in silence, unmoving, until the clock struck ten. By then, he figured that his parents must already be asleep. Only then did he quietly change clothes, slip open the bedroom door without a sound, and, like a shadowy cat, slip out into the night.The city lay beneath a heavy shroud of darkness. When he reached downstairs, Chris flagged down a taxi by the roadside."Riverside Road, please," he told the driver.The cab weaved through streets washed in neon, carrying him swiftly to his destination.But Chris didn't head straight for the riverside. Instead, he scanned the area, and soon his sharp eyes caught a 24-hour pharmacy lit against the night. Striding inside, he wasted no time with pleasantries."Hello," he s

Garrett gasped for air. He took a long time to steady himself.When he finally looked up at Chris, his eyes were anything but clouded. Instead, they shone with sharp intelligence—the kind honed by years of power—blended with genuine gratitude."Young man… I am not someone who forgets a kindness."Though his voice was weak, each word carried unmistakable clarity."Thank you for saving my life."Chris smiled faintly and reached out to ruffle the head of the Samoyed nudging close to him. The dog's fur was impossibly soft to the touch."You were lucky," he said. "My ex-girlfriend had a heart condition, so I got used to carrying this medicine everywhere. Didn't think I'd actually use it tonight."His tone never faltered as he casually invoked the name of a woman who had never existed, using her as a shield without the slightest hesitation."You've just had an episode. Don't move around," he reminded gently. "Sit and rest a while. Best call your family to come pick you up and take th

"Kept man?"How could he—how could anyone—think something like that?Humiliation and rage washed over her in a scorching wave. She spun around, glaring daggers at the sales manager, who was still wearing that sickeningly obsequious smile."You… how dare you say something like that! We're not buying anything!"Emma seized Chris by the wrist and stormed out, her heels clicking with furious, staccato precision against the gleaming showroom floor."Wait—Miss Jennings! Please, wait!"The sales manager froze, panic flashing across his face. The hefty commission that had been within his grasp was vanishing before his eyes. He made a half-hearted move to follow, but Emma was already shoving the glass door open, pulling Chris out the door."Tch."Watching their retreating figures, he sneered and muttered to a nearby colleague, his voice dripping with bitter jealousy. "Guys these days, I'm telling you. Don't have to do a thing—just turn on the charm and these spoiled rich girls will hand

In the end, Emma went on what could only be described as a shopping spree. After Chris paid for the mountain of clothes, she instructed the store staff to have everything delivered directly to his home.By the time they finally stepped out of the mall, it was already past five—the sky was beginning to soften into evening, and it was just about time for dinner."Why don't we grab dinner together?" Chris suggested.Emma shook her head, her voice softer than it had been that afternoon."Can't. My mom wants me home for dinner tonight.""All right." He didn't press, simply nodded. "Drive safe.""Alright," she answered faintly, then turned toward her fiery red Maserati parked by the curb. Pulling open the door, she slid inside, started the engine, and with a sharp press of the pedal, merged into the stream of traffic. In an instant, all Chris could see was a streak of red vanishing into the city's endless river of lights.His gaze lingered on the rearview mirror until that streak of