Mr. Carson’s eyes flickered with hesitation but quickly regained composure. "Nonsense. I’m just stating the facts. Everyone at this table earned their success through hard work—except you. You’re just a freeloader. And as a client, if I tell you to drink, you drink. Understand?"

Laughter erupted around the table, their mockery filling the air.

I let my gaze sweep across the circle of men before I spoke, my voice chillingly calm. "Mr. Carson, I admit that I am quite good-looking, but I don’t particularly like being called a ‘kept man.’ I suggest you refrain from using that term in the future.". My smile faded. "Because if you don’t, I might just get angry."

By the end, my eyes had darkened and a sharp chill filled the air. "If I get angry, I’m afraid no one sitting here will have a good time."

The moment those words left my mouth, Theo shot up from his seat, his expression twisted with disdain.

"Rudy, stop acting tough. You think anyone here is scared of you?" He sneered. "Others might not know your true status, but I do.". His voice dripped with contempt as he continued, "Mr. Harper told me long ago that you only managed to join the Harper Family because of old family ties. From beginning to end, General Manager Harper never truly acknowledged you."

I narrowed my eyes at him, my gaze turning cold. "Oh? Is that so? Did Anna really say that?"

Theo nodded smugly, his eyes gleaming with malicious excitement. "Of course. Ms. Harper has wanted to divorce you for a long time. You’re the one shamelessly clinging on and refusing to leave."

For a moment, his words left me stunned. I couldn't immediately tell whether he was fabricating things or if there was some truth behind them. But one thing was certain—an assistant wouldn’t dare to challenge me so openly unless someone was pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

I needed to get to the bottom of this. I had to confront Anna in person.

As I moved to stand up, a heavy hand clamped down on my shoulder, forcing me back into my seat.

"The wine hasn’t even been drunk yet. Where do you think you’re going?"

I slowly lifted my head, my expression unreadable. "Where I go is none of your concern. You’re just an assistant. Know your place."

Theo snorted, his eyes unwavering. "As long as I’m here, you’re not going anywhere."

I studied the man before me, baffled by his audacity. Just where did he get the nerve to act this way?

"Assistant Theo," I said calmly, "I am officially informing you that you are fired."

Rather than backing down, Theo’s arrogance only grew. He burst into laughter. "You? Fire me? Do you even have the authority?"

He scoffed, crossing his arms. "You should take a good look at your own position before speaking so recklessly."

I exhaled sharply and stood up, shoving him back. "Theo, you’ve provoked me again and again. Do you really think I’m someone you can just trample over?"

The second my words landed, Theo’s face darkened. His hand shot out, grabbing me by the collar.

"Rudy," he spat, his grip tightening, "you’re just the Harper Family’s lapdog. How dare you raise your voice at me?"

He leaned in, his tone dripping with mockery. "No one in Harper Group can fire me except Mr. Harper himself."

For a second, I almost wondered if I was the one who had been drinking tonight. Even if the Harper Family were powerful, I never considered them untouchable. Yet here was a mere assistant, acting as if he owned the world. It seemed I had been too low-key for far too long.

"Theo," I warned, my voice dangerously calm, "let go of me now, or not even your connections will be able to protect you."

I reined in my anger, giving him one last chance. But some people simply refuse to recognize when they’re out of their depth.

Theo's bloodshot eyes locked onto mine. "And what if I don’t? What can you do to me?"

He scoffed, tightening his grip. "I am the chairman’s assistant. Everyone in the industry respects me. But you? You’re nothing."

Before I could respond, the other guests chimed in.

"That’s right! Everyone in this city even knows that Assistant Theo played a huge role in Harper Group’s success."

"He’s not just some useless son-in-law sitting here thinking he’s important. He’s just a kept man, isn’t he?"

"Exactly! Some people live off their wife and still act like they’re important. It’s honestly pathetic."

I understood then. In the eyes of these people, my position as the company’s sales manager held less value than that of a mere assistant. I had no idea who gave them this level of arrogance.

Theo seemed to bask in the approval of the people around him, his smug expression almost unbearable. "Rudy, if I were you, I’d just obediently drink the wine. Otherwise, you might have a hard time explaining yourself to your wife when you get back."

I met his gaze with ice-cold eyes, my tone indifferent. "Theo, this is the last time I’m warning you. Don’t push me past my limits.". I leaned in slightly, my voice steady but firm. "The General Manager Harper that you keep boasting about—she only got to where she is today because of me."

I let that statement linger in the air, allowing it to sink in. The reason behind it was not something these people needed to know, but I wanted to make one thing clear: they had no idea who they were dealing with. More than Theo’s provocations, I was far more interested in uncovering the mastermind pulling the strings behind all of this.

And if that mastermind turned out to be my own wife, Anna… well, that would be truly amusing.

My mind drifted back to three years ago. Back then, the Harper Family was nothing more than a third-rate household, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

Then one day, Anna’s father, Zayden Harper, came to see me. The first words out of his mouth were that he wanted me to marry his daughter. He claimed it was a marriage arranged by my late father before his death. I had always been a filial son. To fulfill my father’s last wish, I had no choice but to agree.

On the surface, I was nothing more than the Harper Family’s live-in son-in-law. But in reality, the reason the Harper Family had risen to its current heights was because of me—because of the efforts I made behind the scenes. But now, it seemed that some people had grown bold enough to believe they could kick me aside and soar on their own.

Theo looked around at the gathered businessmen before speaking again. "You all heard that just now, didn’t you? This little white boy actually has the audacity to claim that the Harper Family’s success is thanks to him!" He laughed mockingly, shaking his head. "What a joke. The Harper Family is now at the top of Boston’s Four Great Families and you? You’re just a worthless piece of trash."

“To be frank, if it weren’t for you holding them back, the Harper Family might have already moved up another level and broken into the New York elite."

Hearing those words, a realization dawned on me. This dinner wasn’t just a simple business gathering—it was a setup. These so-called business elites weren’t just casual acquaintances. They were handpicked actors, planted here to push me into a corner, to force a divorce between me and Anna. That meant whoever orchestrated this had an influence that wasn’t to be underestimated.

Even after enduring endless provocations, I had held back. I had tolerated them because I knew that these men were prominent figures in the business world. I didn’t want to cause an unnecessary scene. But my restraint only invited more ridicule. Enough. I stood up abruptly, my sharp gaze sweeping across the room.

"There will be no business discussions tonight," I declared, my voice firm. "I’m giving everyone here two choices."

"The wise ones will leave now. The rest? Consider yourselves my enemies.". I let my words settle before continuing coldly, "And I do not show mercy to my enemies."

A burst of laughter filled the room.

"Did you all hear that? This little white boy actually thinks he can make demands!"

"Rudy, do you really see yourself as someone important?"

"Every single person in this room is worth over a hundred million. And you? You think you can threaten us?"

I clenched my fists but forced myself to remain composed. Slowly, I turned my head and met their eyes, my voice calm yet filled with an unmistakable edge.

"I don’t know if any of you have heard the saying—there is always a sky beyond the sky and a man beyond the man."

I leaned forward slightly. "I suggest you all choose wisely. Otherwise, by the time you regret it, it’ll be far too late."