He'd always pegged Julian King as a pampered playboy, but he never imagined that beneath the surface lurked someone cunning and merciless.
Mo Zixuan looked at David Zhou with a half-smile, half-frown.
He was willing to take a hit himself, as long as it made the Chow Family suffer.
Once it was all done, Julian King would lose a bit of cash, but the Chow Family would have to weather the board's wrath and pay out a fortune to smooth things over.
"David Zhou Jr., you're so eager to pledge loyalty to my wife—did you ever ask me first?" Julian King's voice sounded from the side.
The next second, Julian King calmly walked over from the seat beside them, sat down next to Mo Zixuan, and said with a look of grievance, "Zixuan, is it really okay to toy with him like this?"
"I want to know who's been pulling your strings." Julian King poured David Zhou a drink and said, "That person is coming after the King Family, coming after me! If I just let it slide, what kind of man would I be?"
"I honestly don't know who they are. All I know is, they seem to know your every move." David Zhou replied, his face drained of color. "I admit, I wanted to steal some talent, but I never went after the King Family directly."
"Makes sense. You're just a pawn to them." Julian King nodded. "You don't have what it takes to go up against the King Family. If you did, you'd be the Chow Family heir—not your older brother."
Mo Zixuan said calmly, "Alright, I'm pretty much done eating. I'll leave first. You two can talk as long as you want."
With that, Mo Zixuan picked up her bag and left gracefully and calmly.
"Zixuan!" David Zhou tried to stop Mo Zixuan, but Julian King blocked him immediately.
"Doesn't matter. Just tell me—if that person stood before you and spoke, would you recognize them?" Julian King asked.
David Zhou's expression darkened. "There's nothing for us to talk about."
"Good." Julian King smiled. "In a few days, I might need you to help pick someone out."
"Alright..." At this point, David Zhou had already guessed he had no chance with Sophie Mo and could only give in. "I'll do as you say. So, about the Chow Family's stocks...?"
David Zhou immediately answered. On the other end, someone wailed, "Second Young Master, something's wrong! Someone's buying up the Chow Family's stocks like crazy! Two major shareholders have already sold all their shares! That person said if you don't back off, thirty percent of the Chow Family's shares will change hands..."
"Thank you." David Zhou finally let out a long breath, relief washing over him.
Meanwhile, overseas, Charles Yin sat in the King Family's grand hall, sipping exquisite tea and listening to their endless tales of hardship.
Charles Yin idly traced the rim of his teacup, appearing to listen to the King Family's complaints—or maybe he was just tuning them out.
He'd always thought Julian King was just a spoiled rich kid, but he never expected that beneath that facade was someone cold, ruthless, and calculating.
"You're being too hard on yourself, Patriarch King." Charles Yin finally set his tea down and said coolly, "It's really not as complicated as you think. I only broke off cooperation with the King Family because of the Monroe Family's request. Instead of pleading with me, you'd do better to ask your in-laws, the Monroe Family. After all, Sophie Mo is your daughter-in-law—if you ask her, I'm sure she won't refuse."
He'd rather hurt himself just to make the Chow Family suffer.
Right now, he didn't have the dignity to go beg Sophie Mo.
Charles Yin had put everything on the table—he clearly wasn't interested in sparing the King Family's pride.
"What do you want to talk about?" David Zhou finally gave in, recognizing the situation.
"I want to know who's been guiding you behind the scenes." Julian King poured David Zhou a glass of wine and said, "This person is targeting the King Family, targeting me! If I just swallow this, am I even a man?"
"But to the outside world, the King Family stands or falls together. Who can say whose idea it was, or who actually made the move?" Charles Yin's gaze drifted to Mrs. King, full of quiet suspicion.
"I get it, you're just a pawn in their game." Julian King nodded. "You don't have the ability to take on the King Family. If you did, you'd be the Chow Family heir, not your big brother."
Anger flashed in David Zhou's eyes, but he didn't dare show it.
"Of course. Since I'm here, I do want to resolve this properly." Charles Yin's tone shifted. "But this might be something you'll have to handle yourself, Patriarch King."
"I want to help, but I can't—it's always been a one-way contact." David Zhou gritted his teeth. "I really don't know who they are."
"Doesn't matter. Just answer me this: if that person stood in front of you and spoke, would you recognize them?" Julian King asked.
"I would." David Zhou nodded.
"Good." Julian King smiled slightly. "In a few days, I might need your help to identify someone."
"Alright..." At this point, David Zhou had already guessed he had no chance with Mo Zixuan and could only give in. "I'll do as you say. So, about the Chow Family's stocks...?"
Julian King looked at him calmly and said, "As long as you do what I say, the stocks I hold will be returned to the Chow Family at market price."
"Thank you." David Zhou finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Naturally, it came from a thorough investigation." Charles Yin sat down calmly across from Patriarch King. "All because of a romantic scandal from over thirty years ago, your son—and the entire King Family—got dragged into this mess. Patriarch King, do you have anything to say for yourself?"
With those words, Charles Yin tore away the King Family's last shred of dignity.
"Mr. Yin, about this situation..." Patriarch King spoke anxiously, "It's all because the younger generation didn't behave, and they've upset you."
"You're being too hard on yourself, Patriarch King." Charles Yin finally set his tea down and said coolly, "It's really not as complicated as you think. I only broke off cooperation with the King Family because of the Mo Family's request. Instead of pleading with me, you'd do better to ask your in-laws, the Mo Family. After all, Mo Zixuan is your daughter-in-law—if you ask her, I'm sure she won't refuse."
Patriarch King's face flushed red.
Right now, he didn't have the dignity to go beg Mo Zixuan.
Charles Yin had laid it all out—he wasn't planning to save face for the King Family.
"Mr. Yin, this has nothing to do with our main, second, or third branches. We weren't involved in Julian King's mess." Mrs. King couldn't help speaking up.
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"But to outsiders, the King Family rises and falls together. Who knows whose idea it was, or who acted?" Charles Yin's gaze casually landed on Mrs. King.
Mrs. King involuntarily shuddered.
This young man's gaze was truly terrifying!
"Of course, since I'm here, I do want to resolve this issue properly." Charles Yin suddenly changed his tone. "But this matter may require Patriarch King to handle it personally."
"Mr. Yin, what do you mean?" Patriarch King looked over, confused.
Charles Yin glanced around and said coolly, "Are you sure you want to discuss this here, Patriarch King?"
With that, Charles Yin nodded to Xiao A, who handed a folder to Patriarch King.
Patriarch King glanced through it, his face instantly changing. He stood up abruptly. "Mr. Yin, can we talk in the study?"
"Of course." Charles Yin nodded slightly.
Soon, Patriarch King led Charles Yin to the study—no one else was allowed near.
"Mr. Yin, where did you get this?" As soon as they entered the study, Patriarch King couldn't wait to ask.
"It was uncovered through investigation, of course." Charles Yin calmly sat down in front of Patriarch King. "Just because of a romantic affair over thirty years ago, your son—and even the whole King Family—has been dragged into this. Patriarch King, do you have anything to say?"
With this, Charles Yin had ripped away the King Family's last bit of dignity.