Wanda felt both excited and uneasy. The situation before her was far more sophisticated than she had imagined. Any one of the people present—taken individually—would have been a huge upgrade for her. In the past, they would all have been valid targets. And now? Most of them were merely Jason's executives or subordinates.
That realization alone made Wanda, who usually thrived on calculation and manipulation, feel an unfamiliar nervousness. For the first time in a long while, she didn't know where to start. She forced herself to calm down. This might be the only chance I get in my entire life. She couldn't rush it.
The first thing she did was quietly distance herself from her current companion. There was no reason to keep another man around once she was preparing to approach someone at Jason's level. He had already served his purpose.
Carrying a glass of red wine, Wanda moved with measured elegance, stopping at a spot that was neither too close nor too far from Jason. Close enough to be noticed. Far enough to avoid looking desperate. She waited.
Just as Wanda was gauging the timing, a small commotion arose near the hotel entrance. Several young men hurried in, escorting a burly middle-aged man.
"Hank, he should be inside."
"Are you sure Charlotte really came all the way to someone else's annual meeting just for a man?"
"I saw it with my own eyes."
"This woman is unbelievable. You, Hank—you've invited her again and again, even arranged a luxury vacation, and she still refused to meet you. I thought she was just busy. Turns out it was all excuses. That guy looks like some pretty boy. Women really are superficial."
The middle-aged man—Hank Miller, owner of Redwood Leather Works—had a dark expression. He had been with countless women, including many female streamers. Concepts like pure love didn't exist for him. But Charlotte was different. Naturally seductive. Strikingly captivating.
He had been eyeing her for a long time and had spent a great deal of money on her. For months, he had been the top contributor in her live streams. Yet she rejected him time and time again. That alone had already made him restless. He assumed she was simply reserved—and that was fine. A little difficulty only made things more interesting.
What he hadn't expected was for her to actively appear for another man. That thought irritated him deeply. He wanted to know—who exactly was this man? How high was he ranked? Why wouldn't Charlotte entertain the top spender instead? Was she out of her mind?
They soon reached the entrance to the banquet hall. Since Hank hadn't received an invitation, security stopped him politely. Hank didn't make a scene. Instead, he calmly took out his business card. "Hank Miller, owner of Redwood Leather Works. I'm here to congratulate Mr. Carter. Please let him know."
The security guard glanced at the card, nodded, and replied, "Please wait a moment. I'll notify them."
This annual meeting had invited many influential figures, and it was an open, celebratory event. Guests were welcome to bring companions. Even uninvited business owners weren't immediately turned away. After all, the more people who came to offer congratulations, the better.
Inside the hall, unaware of the subtle undercurrents forming, Jason Carter remained the calm center of the storm.
The security guard took the business card and handed it to a young man nearby. That person was Evan, a graduate of Riverport Academy of Fine Arts. He had once been a suitor of Angela, but now worked under Jason, and this annual gathering was largely coordinated by him. So far, everything had been going smoothly.
Evan glanced at the card and quickly searched Redwood Leather Works on his phone. The company itself was legitimate and met the threshold, but its purpose for coming was unclear. Arriving this late was awkward. If they were here to offer congratulations, they would normally have arrived much earlier. If they were here to cause trouble, they absolutely could not be allowed in.
Evan didn't think anyone could truly cause problems for Jason in Riverport City—but bothering Jason over something this trivial would be inappropriate. As an assistant, it was his responsibility to resolve minor issues quietly. There was no need to involve Olivia.
Evan walked over and shook hands warmly with the middle-aged man. "Mr. Miller, thank you for coming to congratulate us," he said with a bright smile. His tone was friendly and welcoming, but he didn't immediately lead the group inside.
Hank Miller nodded calmly. Evan continued, still smiling, "Tonight is our company's annual meeting—a private gathering that technically requires an invitation. However, considering your status, we might make an exception. Do you know anyone inside? Or have any prior business connections? If so, we can ask them to introduce you."
As soon as Evan finished speaking, one of the young men behind Hank became unhappy. "What's with all this back-and-forth? Our Brother Hank is here for Char—"
Before he could finish, Hank raised his hand to stop him. "So your company is this arrogant? It seems my Redwood Leather Works isn't even worth mentioning. You're saying I'm not qualified to enter on my own? Fine. Then tell me—who exactly are the guests inside? Let me see if I know any of them."
His tone was calm on the surface, but beneath it was clear displeasure and suppressed anger. On the surface, he was asking for names. In reality, he wanted to measure strength.
Hearing the half-spoken name earlier, Evan already roughly understood the situation. He also caught the arrogance in Hank's voice. Instead of reacting emotionally, Evan smiled even more calmly.
"Then allow me to briefly introduce the guests inside. First, the senior executives of Nine Continent Group. The General Manager of Grand Hotel. The CEOs of Starlight Fashion, CloudWeave, Porcelane, OmniCraft, and Infinity Media. The Director of Riverport Medical Center. The CEO of the Classical Heritage Innovation Park. And the CEO of Starline Luxury Cruises."
Evan paused deliberately before continuing. "In addition, we have other honored guests. Lewis, Vice Chairman of New Vision Media. Ethan, owner of Cloudwing Real Estate. Lucas, owner of Summit Real Estate. Chairman Mark of Global Freight Express. And Blue, owner of Magnetech Industries."
By the time Evan finished listing just a few names, Hank's mind was already blank. The names that followed hit even harder. His ears buzzed. His thoughts emptied.
Every single title was above him. Some of them were figures who managed companies worth billions of dollars. And now he was being told that these people were merely executives under Jason?
At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded behind him. Two young men quickly approached. Evan's expression brightened instantly. He greeted them warmly.
The two young men took out their invitations and said apologetically, "Sorry, traffic was bad. We're late."
Hank turned instinctively—and froze. He recognized them immediately. William, the heir of one of the city's most prominent families. Kevin, the heir of another. Both were well-known second-generation elites in Riverport City. Figures whose reputations carried weight just by name alone.
And now they were attending someone else's company annual meeting. Not only that. They were apologizing. Sincerely. When had these two ever humbled themselves like this?
The arrogance on Hank's face vanished instantly. He stood there, completely stunned. Only now did he realize he had acted recklessly. He hadn't properly investigated the other party's identity before coming.
And the truth was clear. The person behind this annual meeting—Jason Carter—was someone he absolutely could not afford to offend.
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