Chapter 15
After departing the clothing store, Gavin embarked on another tour of the mall with his sister, where they proceeded to procure a variety of essential items.
This time, everything unfolded without a hitch.
The scene at this place was truly expansive, and now, with Gavin escorting his sister through the mall, they attracted a variety of respectful and curious glances.
Currently, Gavin sat in a luxurious senior suite at a hotel.
The sound of running water continuously emanated from the bathroom.
Zoe was now taking a shower.
The bathroom door had been intentionally left ajar, driven by Zoe’s apprehension that Gavin might make a stealthy departure.
However, it posed a dilemma for Gavin.
The bathroom featured clear, high-tech gla*s.
When the door was closed, the gla*s turned into an opaque frosted surface, concealing the interior.
However, with the door slightly ajar, anyone outside had a clear view of the inside.
Moreover, the person presently immersed in a shower was none other than his own sister.
Throughout the wait, Gavin steadfastly fixed his gaze on his feet, for he dared not lift his head. After all, the scene in the bathroom was rather indescribable.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too long before Gavin caught the sound of his sister’s voice.
“Gavin.”
Upon hearing her voice, Gavin looked up, and his eyes instantly brightened.
Zoe, now cleaned up, was wearing the latest limited-edition dress.
She exuded an aura of purity, loveliness, agility, and natural charm.
She appeared as if a stunning woman had emerged from the depths of a timeless masterpiece.
Originally, Zoe possessed a charming countenance, but her overall appearance had taken a hit due to the absence of proper attire and a layer of grime on her b*dy, making her look like a beggar.
However, now it seemed Gavin was not good enough to be her brother.
Gavin rose to his feet and reached out, clasping his sister’s hand, all the while fixing his gaze upon her delicate face.
He spoke with a gentle tone, inquiring, “Are you tired?
“If you are, you can take a break for a while.”
“I am not tired at all!” Zoe shook her head and asked.
“Gavin, are we going to find Layla next?”
Gavin nodded his head.
1/5
He was indeed planning to meet Layla.
At the same time, as thoughts of his former fiancée coursed through his mind, Gavin couldn’t help but feel a bit worried.
His fiancée once had a close relationship with him ten years ago.
However, ten years had pa*sed, and Gavin had no idea about how she was doing now and remained ignorant of her current
circumstances.
Initially, Gavin had no intentions of disrupting Layla’s life, considering his decade-long disappearance, believing she had undoubtedly moved forward.
Nevertheless, Gavin found himself bereft of any further details regarding the obliteration of the Clifford family, and it appeared the Taylor family held the sole key to that knowledge.
Therefore, he felt compelled to see Layla.
Afterward, Gavin made his way over to see Layla in the company of Zoe.
At the same time, Vincent had just been discharged from a private hospital, where he had received treatment for a wound on his forehead. He received a phone call from Greenwald.
When he noticed “Joshua Bailey” displayed on the caller ID, his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, and a discernible expression of displeasure washed over his face.
Of course, he was well aware of the purpose of this call.
Joshua was Greenwald’s most affluent patron and also the father of Isaac, to whom Vincent had previously administered a slap.
It should be that the rich*st man’s son Isaac was calling to complain to his father about being beaten by Vincent.
And that was precisely the reason Joshua was reaching out to him now.
Vincent couldn’t help but think to himself, “This Joshua will never amount to anything.”
Vincent proceeded to answer the call, infusing his tone with an unmistakable sense of disdain.
“What do you want?”
On the other end of the line, Joshua was furious upon learning that his son had been beaten by Vincent.
However, he knew that Vincent held a prominent position in Brookspring as the rich*st man there, so he intended to approach the conversation with politeness.
Yet, he was taken aback when he realized that Vincent didn’t reciprocate the courtesy.
Joshua’s tone then turned cold at once as he responded.
“I’ve heard that you slapped my son. I demand an explanation.”
“There’s no F***ing explanation!” Vincent retorted in a nonchalant tone, throwing profanity into his response.
Joshua was completely caught off guard by Vincent’s use of profanity.
Was this really the way that the wealthiest man in Brookspring should talk to people?
How could he resort to such unsavory language?
Joshua’s anger flared up, and he shot back with a frigid demeanor.
2/5
“Vincent, what do you intend by this? Are you endeavoring to position yourself in opposition to me and become my adversary?”
When Joshua mentioned “adversary”, he was alluding to a business rival.
If the two most prosperous individuals engaged in such an intense commercial war, it could have grave repercussions for the economies of both cities.
Vincent, however, remained undaunted by Joshua’s ultimatum and issued a direct response.
“If that’s your inclination, I, Vincent, am prepared to take up the challenge.
“But I would strongly recommend that you become apprised of your son’s actions in Brookspring before reaching a decision.”
Upon hearing Vincent’s words, Joshua’s eyes darkened a bit.
He was a smart person of high status.
If Vincent would prefer to engage in a commercial war rather than apologize for what he did, Joshua surmised that his son must have done something in Brookspring to provoke such anger.
Still, Joshua maintained an air of confidence and inquired..
“Wasn’t my son just trying to teach a hillbilly a lesson in Brookspring? Why are you so furious?”
“A hillbilly?” Vincent sneered with a hint of contempt. He then retorted in a cold tone.
“Do you know who your son referred to as a ‘hillbilly’?”
Joshua momentarily paused and inquired subconsciously. “Who, exactly?”
Vincent slowly uttered two words, “Gavin Clifford.”
“What?” Joshua on the other end of the line couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment, his voice even registering a higher pitch.
“Damn it!” he cursed, his words becoming less composed than Vincent’s.
His voice even trembled as he slowly asked, “You… You mean… That man has returned?”
Vincent spoke as coldly as ever, “Do you think I would joke with you about that man?”
“Gulp!” Joshua swallowed hard.
He knew just how terrifying that man called Gavin was.
Ten years ago, aside from those at their level, very few knew that in Riverrun’s business circle, Gavin held sway as the preeminent and most formidable figure.
Not only that, but the Frostpeak Dark Warriors that were under his command stood head and shoulders above any other fighting force in the entire world. Without Gavin’s resounding stamp of approval, Joshua, by no stretch of the imagination, could have ascended to the position of the most affluent and prosperous individual in all of Greenwald.
These facts were little known, and for outsiders, Gavin was merely perceived as the youthful scion of the Clifford family, yet within this circle, he was the true Master.
Joshua spoke up again in a trembling voice.
“Thank you, Vincent.”
3/5
Of course, he was expressing his heartfelt gratitude to Vincent for stepping in just in the nick of time, giving his son a much- needed slap, and preventing his son from causing a major problem.
However, Vincent replied with a cold snort, “The person you should thank is not me but our Master.”
“Yes, you’re absolutely correct!” Joshua hurriedly agreed to say, “I shall promptly make my way to Brookspring without delay to personally admit my mistake to Master”
Upon hearing Joshua’s words, Vincent directly spoke again.
“There’s no need. Master has no time to deal with your son right now.”
“Huh?” Joshua, on the other end of the phone, was curious and asked.
“Why? Are there more important matters for Master right now?”
Vincent replied with a flat voice, “It’s about the Taylor family.”
Upon hearing what Vincent said, Joshua involuntarily drew in a sharp breath.
He quickly realized something and said, “Does Master want to uncover the events from that year? But will the Taylor family cooperate with him?”
After hearing Joshua’s words, Vincent spoke as icily as Gavin when he talked.
“If the Taylor family don’t cooperate, they will have no reason to exist in this world.”
Joshua fell into a worried silence, like Vincent before. Not even the incessant buzzing of the phone’s busy signal could divert his attention.
Vincent didn’t talk to Joshua further as he had more pressing matters at hand today.
After hanging up the call, he turned to the man behind him and inquired.
“Is everything about today’s bidding conference ready?”
The man, who appeared to be Vincent’s a*sistant, replied at once.
“Mr. Dunn, everything has been squared away. All the requisite documents and contracts have been dispatched to the venue.
“Also, as per your request, the winning company will be internalized as the Taylorizon Group of the Taylor family.”
“Well done.” Vincent nodded with satisfaction.
At this time, with a curious look in his eyes, the a*sistant turned to Vincent Dunn and said.
“Mr. Dunn, there’s one thing I don’t understand. For all these years, Horizon Group has been actively engaged in a mutually beneficial collaboration with the Taylor family for an extended duration, significantly propelling their business to the very zenith of the Riverrun market. However, despite our substantial efforts and investments, we have thus far received only meager reciprocation. Therefore, I find it difficult to comprehend the compelling rationale behind our continued involvement in this partnership.”
Vincent turned to look at his a*sistant and said calmly.
“That’s because Layla, the adopted daughter of the Taylor family, is the fiancée of the chairman of Horizon Group.”
“What?” The a*sistant’s eyes widened in shock, and he looked directly at Vincent while asking.
“But Mr. Dunn, isn’t the chairman of Horizon Group you?”
As soon as the a*sistant finished speaking, Vincent raised his hand and slapped the a*sistant hard without hesitation. He then
spoke sternly.
“Remember, there is always only one chairman in Horizon Group, and that is Gavin.”
