Invincible Heir

Baron froze, initially thinking he'd done something wrong again, but soon, he gleaned everything from her eyes.

He beamed. "Because I love you!"

At that, Tracy finally lost her composure and teared up, but she kept her eyes trained on Baron. "You know full well I don't think of you romantically. Is it worth lavishing that much of your attention on me?" Baron produced a wad of tissues and dabbed at her cheeks, a gentle smile on his face. "You don't need to be burdened by this at all. Just think of me as an admirer."

"Admirer?" Tracy said, surprised at his turn of phrase.

Baron nodded. "Just treat me as a man who likes you and is in the middle of courting you. If, one day, you find that you truly can't accept me, you're free to refuse." Tracy fell silent, and Baron soothed, "Don't worry about it so much. Go on, eat!"

After breakfast, Baron began driving Tracy to the office.

"Baron, if you don't have anything else to do, can you take me to the Perry company first?" Tracy spoke up suddenly.

Baron didn't ask questions. He only replied, "Sure!"

Tracy's mood remained sunken all the way to the Perry Clan. It took Baron reminding her before she snapped out of it.

The moment the pair stepped out of the car, they saw a familiar figure.

"You're still alive? How unexpected," Phillip growled as he saw Baron approaching.

Baron, in the meantime, wore a mocking expression. "Run out of men to play with after just these few days?"

Phillip flew into a rage. "You really think no one can touch you, Baron?"

"You're certainly not on the list of people who can touch me," Baron sneered.

"Don't think that Wallace is holding off moving on you because he's scared. He just doesn't have time to tidy up trash like you. When the time comes, you'll be bleeding out in the streets!" Phillip said through clenched teeth.

Ever since the video of him and Wallace leaked, the denizens of the internet had made living memes out of his reactions on tape - the sort that was enjoying it, too - and given him the nickname "Phips". Paparazzi had begun swarming him at home and in front of the office.

Even the directors of porn movies were reaching out to him for a debut as the main star.

He'd just passed a high school, where someone yelled "It's Phips!" out of nowhere.

Cue the masses of degenerate shut-ins surrounding him snapping picture after picture.

All this was thanks to the bastard in front of him. Phillip wanted nothing more than to rush Baron that instant and kill him right there, but he took a look at his arm still wrapped in its cast and swallowed the urge. "No need to tangle with this horrid excuse of a human being. Let's go find Granddad," Tracy said to Baron.

"Stop right there!"

Phillip blocked the way, raging, "Your entire family's been expelled from the clan! What are you still doing in our offices?"

"Phillip, I'd get out of the way if I were you. If you did anything to hinder the collaboration between the Perry Clan and the Samho Group, Granddad's not going to let that go," Tracy said coldly.

Ever since the Samho Group had been bought out by a certain mystery man, they had acquired contracts with the Brone Group and the Lewis Clan, and the company's future was looking bright. Phillip wasn't stupid. He frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Tracy waved the bag of documents in her hand. "This is a contract written up by Samho. Collaboration with the Perry Clan is now under my jurisdiction. If you think the Perry Clan can do without, then I can leave right now."

At those words, Phillip's face grew slack with shock.

He knew, of course, that it was the Samho Group that had stepped in and resolved the crisis when the Perry Clan faced bankruptcy.

"You know what, Baron? I pity you; I really do," Phillip sneered, shooting a glance at him.

Baron cocked an eyebrow. "I'd think the pitiful one was you."

"Your wife opened her legs countless times just to return to Samho, but idiot that you are, you're still convinced she's yours alone." Phillip's sneer stretched across his face. "Phillip!"

Tracy spat, incensed. "What are you babbling about?"

"Oh, you know full well I'm not just babbling. Every direct clan member in Samho got fired but you. How is that possible unless they kept you around as the public bike?" Phillip capered.

Tracy lifted her hand and promptly slapped him across the face. Ear ringing, Phillip began, disbelievingly, "Why, you bitch..."

The word had scarcely left his mouth before a foot planted itself in his chest and sent him flying down the stars.

His arm, still in plaster, cracked for a second time, and the pain drew a howl from his throat.

It was rush hour, and the scene drew a shocked crowd.

With a glacial expression on his face, Baron walked up to Phillip and looked down upon him from above. "Tolerance only goes so far, Phillip. This is the last time. If I hear you insult her again, I won't stop at a kick."

Eyes blazing hatred, Phillip snarled, "Just you wait, Baron. I'll get you back. Just you wait!"

"Hmph!"

Baron released a disdainful snort, then turned and led Tracy into the office.

Perry company penthouse, guest room.

"Mr. Perry, on behalf of the Reflix Group, it's an honor to be working with you. We'll be counting on you from now on."

A youthful figure sat opposite Henry. The man was in his thirties, dressed properly, wearing an amicable smile.

Henry was plenty honored himself. He knew full well who this young man was. Not of a family of Cona, but he certainly counted as one of the elite in other cities.

"You're too kind, Mr. O'Wen. It's our duty as the Perry Clan. Rest easy, the Reflix Group's investment in our family will not go to waste," Henry said hastily.

The young man gave a slight smile. "No need to stand on ceremony, Mr. Perry. Wayne is fine."

"Ha ha. Very well, then, as you wish," Henry's smile was brilliant.

"And who might the maiden beside you be, Mr. Perry?" Wayne said suddenly, his gaze falling on the lady next to Henry.

"Zoey, get up and greet the man properly," Henry barked.

Zoey was Henry's granddaughter, and he'd specifically dolled her up and brought her to the meeting today to get her in contact with Wayne. Now that Wayne was asking about her on his own, Henry was growing excited.

If a marriage could be arranged, the Perry Clan could easily squeeze its way into becoming a first-class family.

Shyly, Zoey stood and graced Wayne with a wan smile. "Hello, Mr. O'Wen. I'm Zoey Perry, but you can call me Zoey."

Wayne's eyes crinkled at the corners. Zoey was no supermodel, but after putting on makeup, she didn't look half bad.

Obviously, he wasn't about to tie any knots with a lowdown family like the Perry Clan, but Henry was clearly trying to put the two in contact. He wasn't going to marry this woman, but a bit of fun wasn't out of the question.

"As expected of a daughter of the Perry Clan. Zoey, your beauty shines bright across all Cona. It can't be matched by many?" Wayne's unrelenting praise was also unrepentantly false, but only he knew that. The pair of young and old idiots in front of him bought it hook line and sinker.

"Aha, you're too kind, Wayne."

Henry laughed loudly, motioning at Zoey with his eyes. "Zoey, since Wayne is staying with us for a few days, you must treat him with due courtesy as host."

Zoey contained her inward excitement, still exuding the aura of soft submissiveness. "Of course, Granddad. I'll treat Mr. O'Wen as well as I can."

"Then you have my thanks, Zoey," Wayne smiled.

At that moment, there came a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

The smile on Henry's face vanished the instant he saw Tracy and Baron. Coldly, he spoke. "What are you two doing here?"

Baron frowned - not because of Henry, but because the other man in the room hadn't taken his eyes off Tracy since the moment she entered. Without broadcasting the motion, Baron shifted his feet and blocked Tracy behind him. Wayne locked eyes with him, then actually smiled and nodded at him. Seeing Henry's frigid attitude towards her hadn't changed, Tracy felt her heart ache. She had grown up in the Perry Clan, after all. Family was still family. "Granddad, this is a contract with the Samho Group. Take a look, if you would."

Henry, who was rather upset with seeing Tracy and Baron, heard the words "Samho Group" and sneered, his face changing slightly. "Not too shabby, Tracy. Every direct clan member got fired, while you alone managed to squeeze into the company."

Tracy knew that, no matter what she said, the depth of Henry's hostility against her wouldn't change. So she remained silent.

Zoey had noticed where Wayne's eyes were lingering herself, felt a surge of displeasure. Sneering, she scoffed, "Granddad, my dear cousin is quite capable. Of course, we don't know exactly what sorts of things she got up to behind closed doors just to get into Samho."

Baron raised his eyebrows. "The Perry Clan really doesn't know when to quit. A certain pile of garbage downstairs just received a lesson in mouthing off. Now it seems another one of you want a turn." As if on cue, Phillip stormed into the meeting room.

"Phillip, what's this?" Noticing the splintered cast on his arm and the dust surrounding him, Henry's temper flared.

Phillip said through grit teeth, "It's this bastard, Granddad. I tried to stop him from heading inside, so he decided to cripple me right there. You have to do something."

"That's not what happened, Granddad. Phillip just..."

Tracy was about to explain when Henry barked, "Shut your mouth!"

Baron glanced at Henry, intrigued to see how the old man would deal with things this time.

Henry simply raged, "Get out this instant, trash! Before I call security on you!"

“We're leaving, then. Don't regret it."

Baron mocked. "Come on, Tracy. Let's go."

The others didn't understand, but Tracy did. Baron was the one who bought out Samho. The matter of collaboration was completely in his hands.

Hearing that Baron was leaving, she felt a surge of panic.

"Baron, could you try giving the Perry Clan another chance?" Tracy's expression was sincere, pleading.

"Am I hearing this right? My dear cousin wants that garbage to give us another chance?" Zoey wore an exaggerated grin.

A disparaging note entered Phillip's voice. "Not bad acting from a mongrel and a bitch."

"That's a slap!"

A glint flashed in Baron's eyes, and he lunged.

With a hard splat of flesh on flesh, the fan of Baron's palm slammed into Phillip's face and rocketed him to the side, suspended alongside several dislodged teeth.☐☐