Filed to story: Disdained Son-in-Law, Destined Riches >>
At this time, Zachary stepped forward before he said in a flattering tone, “Mr. Smith, you’re really incredible! Even someone as frightening as the Butcher Brothers could not defeat you at all. You’re really a god among men!”
After that, Zachary quickly knelt down in front of Joe.
Joe looked at Zachary with a cold expression on his face as he said, “So, Zachary, did you try to run away earlier because you felt that I wouldn’t be able to defeat the Butcher Brothers?”
“No! No!” Zachary replied and he turned pale immediately. After that, he hurriedly explained, “Mr. Smith, you’ve misunderstood me. Why would I possibly doubt your strength or abilities? I was just confused earlier so please don’t take it to heart…”
After he was done speaking, Zachary trembled as he continued saying, “Mr. Smith, I think you’re really a god! I really admit it now. From now on, I won’t worship any gods from the sky or earth but I’ll only worship you alone, Mr. Smith!”
Claire could only shake her head helplessly as she looked at Zachary. After that, she asked Joe, “So, what should we do now? You killed the Butcher Brothers. Should we call the police?”
Joe thought for a short while before he replied, “Why don’t you get into the car first? I’ll resolve this matter immediately.”
Claire nodded before she got into the car with Loreen and Zachary.
After watching the three of them get into the car, Joe took out his cell phone from his pocket and called Isaac, the spokesperson for the Smith family and the person in charge of Shangri-La.
As soon as the call was connected, Isaac greeted Joe in a respected voice. “Mr. Smith, what can I do for you?”
Joe replied in a calm voice, “I had an encounter with the Butcher Brothers. They tried to come at me, and now they’re dead and their bodies are lying by the side of a secluded road. I don’t want any trouble at all. Could you send someone to deal with this on my behalf?”
As soon as Isaac heard Joe’s words, he could not help but gasp in shock. “Mr. Smith, you got rid of the infamous Butcher Brothers? They’re a pair of very famous robbers in the southern region! They’re extremely ruthless and cruel but no one is able to defeat them.”
At this time, Isaac was very excited as he said, “Mr. Smith, you’re really amazing. If the Smith family finds out about your strength, it will definitely cause a huge commotion!”
Joe replied in a calm manner, “It’s enough that you know about it. I don’t want the Smith family to find out about this matter. Otherwise, I’ll never forgive you!”
Isaac respected Joe’s request and he replied in a respectful manner, “Okay, Mr. Smith. You can rest assured that my lips are sealed. I’ll send someone to deal with it immediately.”
Joe was satisfied and he hung up the phone before he walked towards the car.
After getting into the driver’s seat, Joe started the car in a calm and composed manner as though nothing had happened.
At this time, Loreen, who was sitting in the back seat, could not stop staring at Joe’s side profile.
The more she stared at Joe, the more she felt that she really adored and worshipped him. She was completely in love with him.
When they drove into the city, the terrifying storm gradually subsided as if nothing had happened earlier.
Then, a spring breeze dispersed the stormy cloud and a rainbow hung in the sky like a painting. Everyone looked upwards, mesmerized in nature’s beauty.
Joe stopped the car at the entrance of the antiquity commodity market and dropped Zachary off here.
As soon as Zachary got out of the car, he bowed at Joe respectfully and said, “Thank you, Master Smith!”
Joe looked at him and said flatly, “Zach, don’t ever tell anyone about what happened today, do you understand?”
“Yes, of course! Don’t worry, Master Smith,” Zachary said in a gracious and serious tone. His face was full of admiration as he regarded Joe as a godlike figure.
Joe nodded and drove away. Zachary, on the other hand, stood on the same spot and watched him leave, not daring to move even when the car had disappeared from his sight.
Joe sent Loreen, who still remained in the car, directly to the hotel.
Loreen had always lived in Shangri-La ever since she arrived at Aurous Hill. The hotel’s security team was among the top in the city and it was one of the Smith family’s properties. Loreen’s cousin would never dare to attack Loreen here even if he borrowed courage from a lion.
Loreen shot a complex and complicated glance at Joe throughout the journey even after she got out of the car, as if there was a huge boulder smacking her heart. She had a lot to say to Joe. She wanted to thank him, apologize to him, and say how much she regretted looking down on him and misinterpreting him.
But she couldn’t say all these in front of Claire.
There were a few times when her words were hanging by her mouth and she swallowed them back.
When Loreen walked to the lobby entrance, Claire hugged her and said gently, “Loreen, remember to call Joe when you’re in trouble, don’t ever put yourself in danger.”
Loreen nodded and replied, “Don’t worry, Claire, I will.”
Joe was a little jealous when he watched Claire hugging Loreen. He could count on one hand how many times his wife had hugged him but she and her bestie had been hugging each other ever so often. He was utterly jealous.
What he failed to notice was Loreen’s envious gaze at Claire.
Since Loreen was Claire’s best friend, Joe decided to give Loreen as much protection as he could gather. When the ladies were bidding farewell, he sent a text message to Isaac. “Send a message to Eastcliff’s Thomas family on my behalf. If anyone dares to assault Loreen Thomas again, I’ll wipe them off the face of this earth!”
As the Thomas family had much less power than the Smith family, he believed they would not dare to make a move for the time being.
***
As soon as they returned home, Claire hurried to the bathroom to take a shower and change into fresh clothing because she was drenched by the rain.
Joe handed over all the money that Zachary had given him to Jacob.
Jacob took the three hundred grand and laughed triumphantly. “Haha! This is just the beginning! Next time, I’ll use the same tactic and earn three million from him. Finally, it’s my opportunity to provide a good and comfortable life for this family! Hahaha!”
Joe smiled awkwardly and thought to himself, ‘Sigh, my dear father-in-law, please spare Zachary from your stupor. I have no idea how much that dude can earn from the deceptions and scams, but he’s lost three hundred grand to you alone! I bet he’ll still buy scrap and junk from you since you’re my father-in-law and he can’t afford to piss you off, but you’re going to make him bankrupt sooner or later!’
Although Zachary was a dishonest trader, he was not a bad person and it wouldn’t be nice to always take advantage of him.
So Joe cleared his throat and started, “Dad, I think you’d better not deal with Zachary so often. That dude is such a dishonest person and you’ll get the short end of the stick one day if you keep mingling with him.”
Jacob scowled disdainfully. “Hush! What do you know? You’re always out fortune telling for those people and that’s a scam! We’re running a very serious and earnest antique business here! Don’t be such a busybody if you don’t know anything, just watch and see for yourself!”
Looking at the condescending Jacob who was walking on the path of no return, Joe shook his head dejected and returned to his room.
Claire had already taken her shower and she put on lavender silk spaghetti pajamas.
Her pajamas exposed her shoulders. Her skin was so soft and smooth like the silk pajamas and the pajamas barely covered her back and hugged her figure snugly. Joe felt his throat going unusually dry tonight as he stared intensely at Claire.
She was lying sideways on the bed. The thin and silky pajamas lay on the graceful curves of her body like artificial skin. The skirt covered her thighs and her long fair legs stretched out lazily on the bed.
Claire blushed timidly as she noticed Joe’s intense glare that she chided, “Stop looking at me like that, it’s not like you haven’t seen it before.”
Joe plastered a sheepish grin on his face. “Dear, you’re so beautiful that it’s never enough.”