I'm Jax Ryder, heir to the most powerful investment group in Veridian City.

I had just returned from studying abroad.

My father, worried I might impulsively marry the wrong woman, arranged a marriage for me with Everly, the heiress to the up-and-coming Sinclair Group.

It was strictly a business arrangement. But that didn't mean I intended to just go through the motions.

At the very least, I had to personally bid on the mansion that would serve as our marital home.

And so, I found myself at the annual Starlight Charity Gala. When the legendary prime real estate, the "Siren's Cove Estate," was presented as the final auction item, I raised my paddle.

Just as the gavel was about to fall, an arrogant voice cut through the room.

"What right does a nobody like you have to bid? Step aside."

The grand hall fell silent, the only sound the frantic clicking of camera shutters from all corners.

I turned my head. A man in a flashy, sequined suit stood there.

He swirled the champagne in his glass, his posture reeking of arrogance.

Before I could even speak, the auctioneer brought the gavel down.

"Sold! Congratulations to Mr. Brian Vance on winning the 'Siren's Cove Estate'!"

I frowned, a flicker of anger rising within me. "The bidding wasn't over."

"That's against the rules."

Brian sneered. He looked me up and down, his eyes filled with contempt.

"The rules?" He curled his lip. "Listen up. I'm Everly Sinclair's favorite stepbrother. In Veridian City, what I say goes."

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.

This was interesting. My fiancée's stepbrother.

I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. "Everly, your dear brother just snatched the marital home I'd picked out. What are you going to do about it?"

I'm Jax Ryder, heir to the most powerful investment group in Veridian City.

I had just returned from studying abroad.

My father, worried I might impulsively marry the wrong woman, arranged a marriage for me with Everly, the heiress to the up-and-coming Sinclair Group.

It was strictly a business arrangement. But that didn't mean I intended to just go through the motions.

At the very least, I had to personally bid on the mansion that would serve as our marital home.

And so, I found myself at the annual Starlight Charity Gala. When the legendary prime real estate, the "Siren's Cove Estate," was presented as the final auction item, I raised my paddle.

Just as the gavel was about to fall, an arrogant voice cut through the room.

"What right does a nobody like you have to bid? Step aside."

The grand hall fell silent, the only sound the frantic clicking of camera shutters from all corners.

I turned my head. A man in a flashy, sequined suit stood there.

He swirled the champagne in his glass, his posture reeking of arrogance.

Before I could even speak, the auctioneer brought the gavel down.

"Sold! Congratulations to Mr. Brian Vance on winning the 'Siren's Cove Estate'!"

I frowned, a flicker of anger rising within me. "The bidding wasn't over."

"That's against the rules."

Brian sneered. He looked me up and down, his eyes filled with contempt.

"The rules?" He curled his lip. "Listen up. I'm Everly Sinclair's favorite stepbrother. In Veridian City, what I say goes."

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.

This was interesting. My fiancée's stepbrother.

I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. "Everly, your dear brother just snatched the marital home I'd picked out. What are you going to do about it?"

...

So, this Brian Vance was more than just Everly Sinclair's stepbrother.

If Everly couldn't give me a reasonable explanation, I was ready to call off the marriage.

I dialed the number I had saved but never used.

When the call connected, I got straight to the point. "Your dear brother just snatched the marital home I'd picked out. What are you going to do about it?"

There were a few seconds of silence on the line. Then, a cold female voice replied, "Who is this? My dealings with Brian are none of your concern."

I didn't even get the chance to say my name before the call ended abruptly.

Staring at my phone's home screen, I let out a dry laugh. Clearly, she hadn't saved my number.

Brian's laughter echoed through the banquet hall. "What a pathetic loser! You managed to get Everly's number and you actually think she'd talk to you? You're ridiculously stupid!"

He adjusted his expensive cufflinks, his gaze raking over my outfit with disdain.

"Seriously. Look at what you're wearing. Even the janitors at the Sinclair Group tower have more class than you."

The hangers-on around him dutifully burst into laughter.

I've always prioritized comfort and a low profile. But in a room swimming in haute couture and expensive perfume, my preferences clearly didn't matter.

I clenched my fists, my knuckles cracking softly. "Judging a person by the logo on their clothes? Your shallowness is truly astounding. Everly has terrible taste in stepbrothers."

Thanks to this idiot, my patience had completely run out. I turned my head and pointed directly at the holographic model of the "Siren's Cove Estate" on the display stand.

"I'm activating the automatic bidding system," I said. "Whatever he bids, I'll bid double."

The auctioneer, drenched in sweat, glanced at Brian and stammered, "Sir, that system… is reserved for our top VIP clients."

Brian let out a snort. He flicked a diamond-encrusted VIP card onto the table.

"My annual spending here is in the eight figures. Who do you think you are? You've got nothing on me."

I took a deep breath, pulled out a plain, logo-free, solid black titanium card, and tossed it onto the sensor in front of him.

After a crisp "beep."

"Unlimited global black card. Is that a high enough tier for you? Reopen the bidding. Now."

A collective gasp went through the surrounding guests, followed by a ripple of whispers.

Brian's smile vanished, his eyes turning vicious.

"The Sinclair Group is the sponsor behind this gala. Anyone who dares to accept his card, I'll make sure they disappear from Veridian City by tomorrow!"

The auctioneer's face turned deathly pale, and he took a shaky step back.

"Sir, please don't make things difficult for me. I really can't afford to cross the Sinclair family."

A few onlookers nearby lowered their voices, trying to talk me out of it.

"Young man, just let it go. Brian is backed by Everly Sinclair, and she's extremely protective of him."

"The last person who crossed him not only had his company bought out, but he was run out of town."

"Even if you have some money, don't cross the Sinclair Group. You should just apologize to Brian before this gets out of hand."

Hearing the fearful voices around me, Brian's arrogance swelled once more.

He crossed his arms, his smile bordering on delirious.

"Did you hear what they said?"

"If you get on your knees right now, crawl to my feet like a dog and apologize, I might just let you walk out of here."

In my twenty-six years of life, no one had ever dared to speak to me that way.

"Say that again," I said, my voice dangerously low. "What, exactly, do you want me to do?"

"Are you fucking deaf? I said get on your knees like a dog and apologize to me, saying, ' I'm a worthless piece of trash.'"

I chuckled. "You're loud enough. I heard you loud and clear—you are a worthless piece of trash."

Brian's face instantly flushed red as he realized he'd been played. "You're asking for it! How dare you mock me on my own turf?"

He roared and charged at me, his fists flailing wildly. The sight would have been comical if he wasn't so loud.

In Veridian City, I had been training with my family's top combat experts since I was a child. This kind of sloppy, undisciplined brawling wasn't even a warm-up for me.

I lifted my leg and drove a vicious, clean knee strike straight into his gut. Brian slammed onto the ground, curling up and groaning on the Persian rug.

A wave of gasps swept through the banquet hall.

"Oh my god, he actually hit Mr. Brian!"

"When Miss Everly gets here, she'll use the Sinclair Group's power to skin him alive!"

"This kid is dead. No one can save him tonight."

I paid no attention to their idle chatter.

The Sinclair Group's current success was propped up by capital from my father's firm. In Veridian City, there was no one I needed to bow my head to.

I slapped the unlimited black card back onto the display counter.

"I said, whatever his limit is, I'll double it. Draw up the property deeds for the 'Siren's Cove Estate' for me."

The auctioneer's legs had turned to jelly. He could barely stand. With trembling fingers, he completed the authorization and personally handed me the leather-bound property folder.

I took the folder and prepared to leave. But Brian, on the floor, struggled to his feet and shakily blocked my path. "You're not walking out of here alive today!"

I tapped the floor with the toe of my shoe and glanced at him. "What? Ready for another?"

He instinctively flinched back in fear.

I gave a contemptuous smile and turned toward the main entrance.

But I was forced to stop after only a few steps.

A line of men in black suits had suddenly blocked the exit, sealing off the entire passage.

Before the onlookers could process the situation, the wall of security guards parted neatly down the middle. A woman walked through the path they had made.

I looked up, and in the instant our eyes met, my heart did skip a beat.

The hall's brilliant lights cascaded over her, outlining a figure that could set a city on fire.

She had the kind of killer curves that could drive a man mad: a narrow waist, long legs, and a perfect hourglass figure.

Her face was a masterpiece of chiseled, cold beauty, radiating an untouchable wildness.

Brian immediately dropped his arrogant act, putting on a pitiful display as he rushed to her. "Everly, this bastard not only stole the estate I wanted, he also hit me…"

So, this was my fiancée. No wonder the old man was so sure she would be exactly my type.

I had to admit, my father knew me well. He had certainly nailed my preferences.

When it came to women, I was an unapologetic sucker for looks, and Everly checked every single box.

Just seeing that face made me willing to forgive her rudeness on the phone earlier.

I straightened my posture, gave her my most confident smile, and introduced myself. "Hello, Everly. I'm Jax Ryder. Your fiancé."

A wave of incredulous gasps rippled through the crowd.

"Did I hear that right? He's claiming to be Miss Everly's fiancé?"

"Don't be ridiculous! The Ryder heir is famously mysterious. There isn't a single picture of him anywhere! And this guy, dressed in those shabby clothes, dares to claim he's Jax Ryder?"

"Yeah, he must be some clueless fraud! If he were really Jax Ryder, why would he show up here alone?"

Everly gave me a cold glare, her eyes carrying a chilling, unapproachable frost.

"Impersonating the heir to the Ryder Group? You've got some nerve. Besides, there's no way the real Jax Ryder is a lowlife piece of scum like you."

Brian huddled behind Everly, his eyes flashing with the triumphant look of a petty villain.

"Look down at the worthless rags you're wearing! A low-class country bumpkin like you dreams of touching her? You're not even worthy to kneel and shine my shoes!"

People trying to curry favor with the Sinclair Group immediately chimed in.

"Exactly. Miss Everly's future partner will undoubtedly be from the highest echelons of society. How could she possibly condescend to look at a hick?"

"He reeks of poverty! Just having him stand there lowers the tone of this entire gala! Comparing him to Mr. Brian is an insult!"

I admit I was dressed simply, but it was far from "shabby." Yet in the mouths of these snobs, I had somehow been demoted to garbage.

Sucking up to the powerful while kicking down the weak. That has always been the law of survival in this hypocritical world.

I nonchalantly raised my eyes, my gaze sweeping across the entire auction hall before finally returning to Everly's face.

"In that case, you can go home and tell your mother to cancel the wedding. As for the reason? It's because I'm done with you."

My father had mentioned that Everly's mother, Madeline Sinclair, had bet almost everything she had to secure this marriage.

If she knew her own daughter had sabotaged the deal, I would pay good money to watch her breakdown.

The thought eased some of my irritation. I had no interest in wasting any more time with these fools, so I turned to leave.

But Brian clearly wasn't finished.

He advanced menacingly, his leather shoes clicking loudly. Behind him were two burly private security guards, the faint outlines of firearms under their suits instantly silencing the hall.

"You son of a bitch! You think you can just walk away after messing with me? You stole my estate, and now you pull this stunt! This isn't over!"

I eyed him coldly. "Then what is it you want?"

He clearly mistook my disdainful restraint for fear. He suddenly raised his hand and swung it hard at my face. "I'm going to knock your teeth out!"

Before his hand could connect, I grabbed his wrist. I twisted it back forcefully. Then, with my other hand, I slapped him hard across the face.

Brian clutched his instantly swelling cheek, staring at me. "You lowlife scum! How dare you—"

"Why wouldn't I dare?" I cut him off with a cold voice. I swung my hand back and delivered another heavy slap to his other cheek. "Is it symmetrical now?"

Those two slaps completely shattered his arrogant facade. A humiliating glint of moisture appeared in his eyes.

He stumbled back to Everly, hiding behind her for protection. "Everly, he hit me! You have to destroy him!"

Everly didnt hesitate to shield him. Her cold eyes now glittered with malice. "You dare touch my people? You won't be leaving here alive."

She lifted her chin slightly, giving a signal to the surrounding security.

Several professionally trained brutes lunged at me at once.

I took down the first one with a single punch.

But there were too many of them, and their movements were extremely professional.

Heavy blows rained down on me from every blind spot. Intense pain tore at my ribs and spine, and my knees were finally forced to buckle.

Two burly men pinned my arms, forcibly dragging me to the feet of Everly and Brian.

Everly gently touched Brian's swollen face. "Do what you want to him. Anything that happens, the Sinclair Group will take care of it."

Her words restored Brian's confidence. He spat at me, his features twisting with glee.

"You piece of trash! Weren't you so tough just now? Get up and fight! You dare to compete with me for that estate? That's my territory! Good. I'm going to completely cripple your legs, so you can never even dream of setting foot on my property! Let's see how arrogant you are when you have to crawl!"

At his command, the security guards pressed down hard on my shoulders. They forced me to the ground.

I lifted my head, glaring at Everly and Brian. "If you do this, I swear I'll make you both regret it!"

Brian burst into wild, unrestrained laughter.

"The Sinclair Group is one of the top powers in Veridian City. Who the hell are you? An imposter, a nobody, and you have the nerve to threaten me? Tonight, I'll make you remember the price of pissing me off forever!"

He lifted his foot, aiming the hard heel of his custom leather shoe at my ankle, and ground down hard.

The pain felt like it was tearing my bones apart, shooting through my entire body. I bit down on my back teeth until the thick taste of blood filled my mouth.

The crowd looked away, not a single person daring to step forward and stop this brutality.

"He really dug his own grave, messing with the Sinclair family."

"His leg is definitely done for tonight. He'll be spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair."

"The power of money is terrifying. An ordinary person doesn't stand a chance against it."

My legs were my greatest assets in a fight. I couldn't let them be crippled.

The thought of never being able to stand again sent a chill through my limbs.

As I saw Brian lift his shoe again, I gritted my teeth and conceded. "The house is yours! Take it all! Just get your foot off me!"

I could settle the score tomorrow, but a broken leg couldn't be unbroken.

However, Brian had no intention of stopping. His heel stomped down again, even harder than before. A coppery tang of blood filled my mouth.

"Stupid fool! Scared now, are you? Too late! You're not leaving here today unless I say you can crawl out!"

A pained grunt tore from my throat. I turned my head to look at Everly.

"Everly, you have no idea who you're messing with! If you let him do this, I promise you will regret it more than you can ever imagine!"

Everly sneered. "Who are you? You're a nobody. Just a clueless fraud."

Seeing her attitude, Brian's laughter grew more manic. "Still trying to appeal to Everly? In front of me? If I don't break this leg, you'll never learn what a worthless dog you are!"

"Get off! Don't touch me!"

Just then, my phone started ringing in my pocket.

I struggled to reach for it, but Brian was faster.

He snatched the phone, glanced at the screen, and answered it with a sneer.

My father's worried voice came through the speaker. "Jax, why aren't you back yet? The gala should be over by now."

I took a breath and roared into the receiver, "Dad, send everyone! They're trying to break my legs!"

The breathing on the other end of the line stopped, and the old man's voice dropped to absolute zero. "What's going on? Who is this?"

Brian shouted arrogantly into the microphone, "I'm Brian Vance! Your con-artist son was trying to hit on my fiancée, and I'm teaching him a lesson for you!"

"I don't care who you are! Let go of my son right now! If you touch another hair on his head, I promise I'll make you wish you were never born…"

"Come and get me then!" Brian interrupted my father's warning with a wildly arrogant laugh.

He looked down at me on the floor, then taunted into the phone, "I'll be waiting right here! When you get here, you old man, I'll beat you up too!"

He hung up and smashed my phone on the ground. It shattered into pieces.

Then, he waved at the security and ordered them to continue the assault.

A few minutes passed. It wasn't a long time, but it felt like half a lifetime. In this hall, locked down by the Sinclair Group's influence, no one dared to say a word.

Fortunately, I knew the old man happened to be inspecting a branch office just a few blocks away tonight. The discreet security detail outside had clearly relayed the situation to him.

Finally, a black, armored Maybach screeched to a halt in front of the venue. The entire hall fell silent.

My father stepped out of the car, his custom black trench coat making him look devoid of any warmth.

He kicked open the venue doors, his eyes burning with a cold, murderous intent. His voice, authoritative and deep, echoed through the banquet hall.

"Who's the blind fool who said they were going to cripple my son?"