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."

Theo’s face twisted with disdain. He let out a derisive snort. "You? The sky beyond the sky? Don’t make me laugh."

He stepped closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "Kid, just because you’re the Harper Family’s son-in-law, don’t think you can act like some big shot here."

Then he smirked, his next words sending a cold chill down my spine. "You probably don’t even know it yet, do you? Ms. Harper—she’s about to divorce you."

The moment Theo’s words left his mouth, the room filled with laughter and mocking sneers. The so-called business elites of Boston seemed to take great pleasure in my humiliation. Their faces, twisted with derision, only deepened my disappointment. So, this is the Boston business world?

I had only refused to drink because of my alcohol allergy, yet these men treated it as if it were some great crime. They called me names—son-in-law, gigolo—as if their words carried weight. I never cared about such trivialities, but what truly struck me was the realization that I couldn’t even control my own company’s people. Was this the result of my decision to keep a low profile?

For years, because of my unique status, I had remained in the background, staying out of the public eye. Even when I heard whispers and mockery behind my back, I chose to ignore them, thinking such things beneath me. But it seemed my indifference had emboldened others, turning my silence into their justification for disrespect.

Theo, mistaking my quiet for submission, pushed a tray of ten wine glasses toward me. “Rudy, drink these ten cups and you can leave. We’ll forget everything that happened tonight and you can go back to being the little white boy of the Harper Family.” His smirk widened. “But if you refuse, I’m afraid you won’t be walking out of this room.”

I clenched my fists beneath the table, reigning in my anger as I locked eyes with him. “Assistant Theo, you know very well I’m allergic to alcohol.”

Theo scoffed, rolling his eyes. “It’s just a few glasses. It won’t kill you.” His voice dripped with contempt. “Drink or don’t drink—it’s your choice.”

His arrogance almost made me laugh. Even Zayden, the head of the Harper Family, would not dare speak to me in this manner. Where did this mere assistant get such courage? Unless, of course, he had someone powerful backing him.

I leaned back, a cold smile playing at my lips. “Theo, there’s no point in talking to you any longer. Why don’t you call out the person hiding behind you? Or is he too much of a coward to face me himself?”

As if on cue, the door to the private room swung open.

A man, roughly my age, sauntered in, his presence commanding immediate attention. His tailored suit, his air of confidence—everything about him screamed power. The moment he stepped into the room, the atmosphere shifted. Even Theo, who had been so brazen before, straightened up nervously.

“Mr. Rudy,”, the man said smoothly, “seems you’re not as clueless as the rumors suggest.”

Theo’s eyes widened and he nearly stumbled over himself to greet the newcomer. “Mr. Mark Roosevsalt? Why are you here?”