Ch. 231..240
Life at the Top Chapter 231
Liliana snorted and said, “Oh, don’t be so full of yourself. Who do you think you are?”
As she said that, Liliana glanced at the magazine in Jasper’s hands and sneered disdainfully, “Look at you, reading Terra’s Financial Weekly like the rest of us. Only figures in Harbor City and big shots in the business world are featured on it. All a Mainlander like you can do is watch.”
“Liliana, you really need to get your eyes checked,” Queenie said with a sigh.
Liliana frowned upon hearing this and said coldly, “What do you mean?”
Queenie pulled out a copy of Terra’s Financial Weekly that was in front of her seat and tossed it to Liliana. “Look carefully at the man on the cover.”
Liliana looked over and noticed how the man on the cover resembled the Mainlander in front of her…
No, not just ‘resembled’ but it was the same person!
Liliana was taken aback abruptly, then turned her head in horror to look at Jasper. She then confirmed over and over again before realizing that they were indeed the same man.
“Who… Who are you?!” Liliana exclaimed.
“Queenie is an artist under Advent Entertainment Group and you’re her agent. Now that the group has been restructured, you should only do what you’re required to do as an agent, no?” Jasper said lightly.
“You’re now fired.”
In an instant, Liliana felt as though she had been struck by thunder and lightning. She looked at Jasper with a pale face, opened her mouth, and stammered, “You’re… You’re… Mr. Laine?!”
Queenie stood up, glanced at Liliana with an exceedingly indifferent expression, and said mildly, “Thanks for taking care of me all these years, Liliana. I wish you a safe journey in the future.”
As they spoke, Queenie came to Jasper’s side and greeted respectfully, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Laine.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Jasper nodded. He adopted a neutral feeling toward Queenie. In his opinion, Queenie was just a cash cow!
Queenie asked carefully, “Can I sit next to you, Mr. Laine?”
“Sure,” Jasper said lightly.
Most female celebrities in the entertainment circle were conscious about serving their bosses. Most of the time, unwritten rules were done out of mutual consent, and Queenie was no exception either.
Especially when Jasper was also the boss of her company. He carried more weight than anyone else.
At this moment, Jasper’s status could get eight out of ten female celebrities in Harbor City to readily line up to serve him if he wanted to.
Of course, Queenie had ideas too.
Jasper was young, handsome, influential, and wealthy.
If she could become acquainted with a boss like that, then why would she even bother working so hard? She could just be his very own canary without worrying about anything else.
Unfortunately for Queenie though, no matter how well she tried to perform after that, Jasper simply treated her in a lukewarm manner.
His indifference that kept her at arm’s length made Queenie realize just how naive she was.
How could a man like Jasper possibly fall in love with a woman like her?
“Mister… Mr. Laine, that was very wrong of me. I shouldn’t have said those things. I deserve to be punished. Please forgive me!”
Liliana stepped forward and pleaded, crying.
She knew better than anyone that an agent like her could offend anyone, even the celebrities themselves and the sponsors, but not the boss.
The moment she offended her boss, everything would be over.
“Be quiet.”
Jasper said softly, “I’m a gentleman. I don’t want to have anything to do with a woman who yells for no reason.”
“Pfft…”
Seated next to him, Queenie could not help but snigger after hearing what Jasper said. Jasper was not only young and capable, but he was pretty humorous too!
Liliana was in total despair. She turned her gaze to Queenie for help.
Queenie pretended not to see it.
She did not have the power to do so, but even if she did, she would not help Liliana either.
Liliana sat slouched in her seat. At the moment, the plane was above 10,000 meters in the sky, and she was tempted to jump off of it to end her life…
“Hi, do you need a blanket?”
The stunning flight attendant did not know what had just happened in the first-class cabin and came forward to deliver them blankets politely.
“I’ll have one.”
Queenie quickly took the blanket, then carefully and thoughtfully placed the blanket on Jasper’s thighs, saying, “Mr. Laine, feel free to let me know if you need anything.”
At this time, the flight attendant had recognized the popular celebrity, Queenie Shaw. Before she could express her surprise, she saw how obsequious Queenie was toward Jasper.
The flight attendant’s gaze changed. Who was this young man?
After more than two hours, the plane landed smoothly at Province International Airport.
As soon as the plane landed, Jasper got off the plane straight away.
Queenie knew that Jasper had things to attend to, hence she very tactfully chose not to follow him.
She turned back to glance at the pale-looking Liliana and shook her head, then walked off straight away.
When Jasper left the airport, he saw Wendy standing not far away waiting for him.
After being apart from each other for so long, both Jasper and Wendy missed each other a lot.
They walked toward each other and eventually came face to face with one another.
Wendy smiled sweetly.
Jasper’s eyes were full of smiles. When Wendy was about to speak, he suddenly reached out and hugged her.
“Oh!”
Wendy exclaimed and softly hammered Jasper with her fists in embarrassment.
“What are you doing? Lots of people are staring.”
Jasper embraced Wendy, feeling her soft and warm body in his arms. He thought to himself, ‘Money? Company? Business Landscape? Nah. They’re all nothing in comparison.’
He went full-on ostentatious mode!
The onlookers exclaimed at this sight, “How nice it is to be young!”
“Let them watch then. Why won’t you let others stare when you look so beautiful?”
Jasper buried his face in the crook of Wendy’s neck, took in the fragrance of her hair and body, and teased.
Wendy blushed and stopped resisting, resting her chin on Jasper’s shoulder peacefully. She said, “You must be really tired after your trip to Harbor City, right?”
“A little!”
Jasper let go of Wendy, took her hand, and left the airport.
Wendy drove while Jasper sat lazily in the front passenger seat.
Jasper looked at the province’s scenery and said slowly, “I plan to take a two-day break.”
Wendy agreed. “It’s time you take a break. Your body won’t be able to stand working around the clock like that.”
Amid the shakiness of the car during the journey, Jasper chatted with Wendy about his experience in Harbor City and felt his eyelids growing heavier and heavier.
When Wendy did not get Jasper’s reply after saying a few words, she turned to look curiously and noticed that Jasper had fallen asleep.
Wendy felt her heart aching and slowed down the car to drive at a much steadier pace.
Life at the Top Chapter 232
Schulers’. Dawson was waiting for the two at the door.
When he saw Wendy’s car, he walked over and saw Wendy tiptoeing out of the car while giving him a ‘shh’ gesture.
“He fell asleep. He’s probably too exhausted during this period of time. When we talked on the phone, he would often stay up until two or three in the morning. Let him sleep for a while,” Wendy said.
Dawson glanced at Jasper who was sleeping in the front passenger seat and nodded, saying with a smile, “Okay then. I’ll ask someone to make dinner. Let him rest.”
When Jasper woke up, he found himself sitting in the car with a shirt placed on top of him.
He got out of the car and happened to see Wendy walking toward him.
“Let’s go, dinner is ready. My dad is waiting for you,” Wendy said.
Jasper did some stretches. “When did I fall asleep? Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“I just wanted you to rest longer.”
Wendy said softly, “Your career may be important, but your health is your asset. Have you ever seen anyone work as hard as you?”
When Jasper recalled himself chatting and drinking with Anna last night and that was why he had slept late, he suddenly felt a little guilty.
At the dining area. Jasper said to Dawson, “I’m sorry, I overslept.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re still young and healthy,” Dawson said while pointing at the seat from across the table. “I asked the cook to make something nutritious for you. Let’s eat first.”
Jasper drank the spiced lentil & butternut squash soup before asking, “How’s the real estate company doing now?”
“It’s doing okay overall, but we bumped into a bit of a problem in one of our projects in Brac County. Our subordinates can’t handle it. I simply don’t have the time to go. Maybe you can go and take a look two days later once you’ve gotten the rest you need,” Dawson said.
Jasper nodded and agreed.
“How’s Harbor City? Wendy told me that everything went smoothly for you,” Dawson asked.
Jasper said with a chuckle, “Everything went very well indeed. It even exceeded my expectations. I made five billion this time. I left part of it as an investment and I’ve brought back the rest of it. I don’t have to worry about insufficient funds for now.”
Dawson and Wendy were both startled.
They knew that Jasper had gone to Harbor City to make some money but did not know the details about it, let alone the fact that he had made five billion dollars.
“I heard that the dot-com bubble burst some time ago and caused quite a stir. The domestic stock market was greatly affected too. Was this the opportunity you took?” Dawson asked.
At this time, the dot-com bubble had yet to have a great impact on the domestic stock market and thus avoided an economic loss that might happen due to the burst. There was a slight impact, but not so much compared to other places.
Moreover, the domestic news was still relatively restricted and not as developed as in the future, so they did not know much about the things happening out there in the world.
Jasper said, “Yes, I predicted that the dom-com bubble would burst soon, so I went to Harbor City ahead of schedule. Fortunately, I seized the opportunity this time. Otherwise, the rapid development of JW Capital in the future would require a lot of funds. I guess you can say that I’ve earned all my capital back.”
“I’m old now compared to young people like you.” Dawson laughed. “The money I made this entire lifetime can’t even compare to the money you earned from just one investment.”
Jasper shook his head and said, “Venture investment is all about tricks. There are both benefits and risks, and no one can say for sure if they’ll fail. However, one failure is enough to bury the benefits of ten successes. It’s important for the industry to have a solid foundation.”
If someone else said these words, they would seem really pompous and arrogant.
However, Jasper proved with facts as not one of his investments had failed, hence the things he said just made him seem genuinely dope.
Dawson was pleased to see Jasper keeping a humble and cautious attitude. He was not haughty and arrogant just because he had achieved a win or two.
“I’ve contacted someone with regards to the entertainment company you mentioned earlier, but there’s no rush in this. The seller is still considering it. You can go when you have the time.”
“Which company? What’s its name?” Jasper asked curiously.
“I think it’s called… Easy Media. It’s a company run by two brothers with the last name King,” Dawson mulled it over and said.
Easy Media!
Jasper suddenly grew interested.
The company would later turn into one of the leading companies in the domestic film, television, and entertainment industry in the future.
As for the King brothers, they would also become the uncrowned kings of the domestic entertainment industry.
He was surprised to learn that they had plans to sell the company at this time.
“Uncle Dawson, can you confirm with the other party as soon as possible? I acquired an entertainment company in Harbor City and I think the ones in Mainland need to keep up as soon as possible. I plan to open up both territories and create a major entertainment group across the straits.”
Upon hearing what Jasper said, Dawson said seriously, “Okay, I’ll arrange a time for you as soon as possible.”
After dinner, Wendy sat on the couch and propped her chin as she stared at Jasper who was carefully reviewing JW Capital’s documents that had piled up during the time he was away.
Jack had taken care of many things for him, but there were still many major decisions that he needed to make.
“You said you were going to rest for two days first, didn’t you?!” Wendy was a little displeased.
“Now you’re reading documents and two days later you’re going to the entertainment company for a discussion. There’s simply no time for you to rest.”
Jasper shifted his attention away from the documents and smiled at Wendy. “I’ve made plans. We’ll drive to the beach tomorrow to have a relaxing time together.”
“Really?” Wendy suddenly grew excited.
“Yes, we’ll go to Brac County. One of the projects in the real estate company has hit a wall. It’s not far from there, about a two-hour car journey. We can go there and drop by while we’re at it. Besides, it’s just next to the beach. There’s a beach, barbeque, and even a beer festival there,” Jasper said with a smile.
Wendy said happily, “I’ll go and pack my luggage then.”
“We’ll just be there for a day or two. Two changes of clothes will do,” Jasper said.
“What do you know, big man? Every time a woman goes out, that’s like going to war. We mustn’t let our guards down!” Wendy had already walked out the door when her words fell into his ears.
Jasper gave a chuckle, picked up his mobile phone, and booked a five-star hotel in Brac County.
“I want to book a suite, the most expensive one.
“Yes, one… The kind with only one bedroom.”
…
The next day, Jasper and Wendy returned to the city together.
After greeting his parents and getting nagged as usual, Jasper and Wendy drove to Brac County.
More than two hours later at Brac County’s Marriott Hotel, Jasper tossed the car keys to the valet and accompanied Wendy into the hotel to check-in.
As soon as they got to the entrance, Jasper and Wendy heard a young man passing by while talking on the phone. His voice was harsh and grating to the ears.
“Stop talking nonsense, damn it. JW Real Estate? Never heard of it. I, Mark Zion, am the king in Brac County. If they want that piece of land, ask them to come and speak to me. If I’m in a good mood, then I’ll talk to them. If not, I’ll kick them out of Brac County overnight!”
Life at the Top Chapter 233
Mark captured both Jasper and Wendy’s attention when he mentioned JW Real Estate.
Wendy frowned, a little displeased with the insulting tone in Mark’s words.
Mark had come to the front desk while still talking on the phone.
Jasper was currently doing the check-in procedure at the moment. He had handed in his ID and deposit. He was waiting for his room card now.
Mark squeezed in like Jasper was not there, tossed the signature sheet that Jasper had placed on the counter aside, and said to the attendant, “I want a suite.”
The attendant who was currently handling the check-in arrangements for Jasper was taken aback. She could tell that Mark was not someone she could offend, hence she sounded very sorry when she said to him, “I’m sorry, sir, the last suite has been booked by this gentleman right here. We only have standard rooms left.”
“Do you know who I am? Standard room? F*ck standard room. Do you have a death wish by asking me to stay in a standard room?” Mark slammed the counter and roared.
The attendant was caught off guard, and her face turned pale. She was too afraid to utter a word.
At this time, Jasper’s voice fell into their ears.
“Please give me my room card as soon as possible.”
Jasper sounded very gentle, helping the attendant out of the embarrassing situation tactfully. The young lady glanced gratefully at Jasper and hurried to finish the procedures.
After saying these words, Jasper glanced at Mark indifferently and said mildly, “Line up.”
Mark frowned slightly as he looked at Jasper up and down. He sneered, “Are you not from around here? You don’t know me?
“You really don’t know who I am? I don’t need to line up anywhere in Brac County.”
Having said that, Mark caught sight of Wendy standing next to Jasper. His eyes widened and lit up.
He had never seen such a stunner in Brac County before!
He did not care who Jasper was. With his power and status in Brac County, everyone who saw him would show him respect.
Therefore, Mark started flirting with Wendy straight away.
“Hey gorgeous, are you here in Brac County for a holiday? I’m Mark from the Zion family!” Mark stated his name. He believed that the other party would be interested after knowing who he was.
No one in Brac County could resist his status and charm.
“You can mention my name wherever you go and I guarantee that you’ll be treated like a VIP. So, want to play?”
Mark smiled and stretched out his hand to Wendy.
Smack!
A crisp and clear sound rang through the lobby. Mark’s hand was smacked aside by Jasper.
Mark was taken aback for a moment. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze gleaming fiercely as he stared at Jasper. Hissing, he yelled, “F*ck, how dare you hit me?”
Jasper did not care about his reaction and said mildly, “You and your filthy mouth. I’ll chop your fingers off if you try groping around again. Get behind the line!”
Jasper had the experience of hitting a trust fund baby and even trampled on magnates to the ground before.
He had caused quite a stir in Harbor City and hung out with the top four aristocratic families such as the Laws.
Now that he was back in Mainland, how could he allow an insignificant Brac County trust fund baby to act domineeringly in front of his face?
Mark was furious. He had always been the person to throw his weight around Brac County and had never encountered a person like Jasper before.
Mark gritted his teeth. He wanted to hit Jasper, but he looked robust and full of energy.
Although Mark was young, his body had been damaged a long time ago from all the wine and women. Normally, a young master like him would pay a thug to do the job, so why bother doing it himself?
Therefore, after comparing their size and strength, Mark decided to put up with it first.
“Fine, you’re really something, huh? We’ll see about that!”
After saying those words, Mark stormed off with an extremely sullen expression.
Life at the Top Chapter 234
As long as Jasper was still staying in Marriott Hotel and was in Brac County, he was not worried that he would not have the chance to seek revenge.
Jasper did not even see Mark leave and grabbed his room card from the attendant’s hand. When he walked to the elevator, Jasper said to Wendy, “Get Brac County’s real estate company’s person in charge here.”
Wendy replied and started making a call.
They had just taken a two-hour car ride to Brac County, and after encountering this incident, Wendy was no longer in the mood to go out and enjoy herself.
After taking a shower in the hotel, Wendy and Jasper waited for the person in charge to come over.
The person in charge took his big boss’ orders very seriously and merely took a little over half an hour to get to Jasper.
“Ms. Schuler, Mr. Laine.”
The person in charge, Mr. Lambert, was a shrewd and capable middle-aged man in his early 40s. He was previously the backbone for Schuler Group, a competent worker. As such, he was transferred by Dawson to the real estate company to help with opening up new markets.
In Brac County, however, not just his but all of JW Real Estate’s projects had now sunken in a quagmire.
“Tell me all about JW Real Estate’s situation in Brac County.” Jasper grabbed a bottle of red wine and poured two glasses, motioning Mr. Lambert to take a seat before speaking.
Mr. Lambert responded to him. Despite Jasper’s young age, Mr. Lambert, who had just left Schuler Group, knew that the Mr. Laine who was sitting across from him was not only JW Real Estate’s second-largest shareholder but also Dawson’s future son-in-law.
The real estate company aside, even the entire Schuler Group would belong to him in the future.
In addition to that, Jasper was mostly acquainted with the upper-class social circle. His aura was growing stronger and stronger every day. It was nothing like what he used to be anymore.
With those two things in mind, Mr. Lambert dared not let his guard down anymore.
“Currently, JW Real Estate is mainly doing a real estate project in Brac County called Landscape City.
“This land has been auctioned off to JW Real Estate before this. It’s located by the sea. The plan is to build a high-end residential building in Brac County, focusing on the concept of sea view properties.
“There’s a problem though. When the land was first auctioned off, JW Real Estate’s main competitor, Majestic Real Estate which is also the core industry of Brac County’s Zion family, started using all sorts of means to hinder our development when they failed to auction for the land.
“They even arranged for a bunch of households to refuse to move from the property, and that hindered our demolition work greatly. Then there are also local thugs coming over to give us trouble every now and then. We simply can’t start the project.”
As Mr. Lambert spoke, he wore a wry expression. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have sought help from the headquarters in the province either. The Zions are too powerful here. They said that JW Real Estate will either have to take out 50% of the profits to give them a bonus or do nothing at all.”
“They want half of the profits? Is Brac County’s last name Zion? They’re simply asking for too much!” Wendy raged.
“What’s Mark’s position in the Zion family?”
Jasper asked suddenly.
He recalled the man he met in the lobby today who happened to be called Mark. Moreover, he had also mentioned that he was a Zion!
He seemed really confident. It looked like the Zions were really influential in Brac County.
Mr. Lambert replied, “He’s Harvey Zion’s only son, the head of the Zion family. He’s arrogant and domineering and doesn’t care about the law. No one in Brac County is bold enough to offend him.”
Jasper nodded, then discussed the progress and work arrangements of the entire project with Mr. Lambert before sending him away.
“Jasp, never condone forces like the Zions!” Wendy said to Jasper.
Jasper smiled and said, “Temple is small but evil winds heavy, the pond is shallow yet wicked cuckolds too many. The smaller a place, the easier it is to encounter rebellious people. It’s okay, I’m great at dealing with all sorts of people who refuse to cooperate.”
It was nearly evening after their discussion, hence Jasper took Wendy downstairs to have dinner at a restaurant.
“We’ll fill our tummies first then go to the beach to have a walk after dinner,” Jasper said to Wendy, taking a seat at the table.
“And beach barbeque too!” Wendy said with a sweet smile.
“We can’t forget that, can we?” Jasper said with a smile.
The two were still talking when Mark returned. He was standing at the entrance of the restaurant. This time, he brought two tall and hunky bodyguards with him.
As soon as he entered the restaurant, Mark saw the duo engaging in a delightful conversation. He let out a vicious and smug smile.
Mark swaggered over to Jasper and Wendy’s table, displaying an insincere smile. “Hey, kid. Having dinner?”
Life at the Top Chapter 235
Wendy wore an unpleasant expression. This feeling was like when one was in a good mood and when it was about time to enjoy a meal, a fly kept lingering around them, making all sorts of disturbing noises from beside.
Jasper glanced at Mark and said calmly, “I’m not used to having my meals with someone pacing back and forth at a corner.”
A smile remained on Mark’s face, but the evil chills within his gaze were getting more intense.
Placing one of his hands on Jasper’s chair, Mark then leaned forward and whispered into Jasper’s ear, “I love seeing this arrogant side of you, because the more arrogant you are right now, the more miserable you’ll be later on.
“I don’t care what kind of person you are. In Brac County, regardless of your capability, it’s best you behave appropriately. Or else, your family won’t have a place to mourn your death once I’m done with you!”
As Mark was talking, he let out a burst of devilish laughter and immediately pulled a chair from the table beside. He then called the waiter over to order.
The man beside him also followed to take a seat. He went around Jasper with ill intention and said, “Young Master Zion, aren’t you going to make fun of him straight away?”
Another man joined in and giggled, saying, “That’s right, Young Master Zion. Just let us siblings torture him to death. That lady is f*cking gorgeous. Young Master Zion, you should personally go comfort that beauty. Isn’t this the perfect solution?”
Mark sneered, “What do you guys know about? It’s only meaningful if you slowly torture a person like that.”
“One glance and it’s obvious he’s not from here. I’m guessing this guy has some cash on him and brought this beauty over here for a meal to put on an act. If I want to make this beauty admire me, I have to first let her know that in Brac County, there’s no one richer than me nor more powerful than me.
“Just look at the day and age! We don’t kill and murder people anymore. That’s the lowliest method.” Mark deliberately raised his voice so that Jasper and Wendy could hear him crystal clear.
“He wants to use fortune and authority to make you admire him,” said Jasper to Wendy with a smile.
Wendy glared at Jasper, and for the first time, she gave him a warning glance. “Stop making me feel disgusted.”
At that moment, Mark had already summoned the waiter.
“High-quality foie gras, abalone vegetable dish, then according to the headcount, I want codfish from the deep ocean, tuna, and salmon. Also a set of platter Albino Sturgeon Caviar.”
Even though they were having their meal in a five-star restaurant, ordering dishes that were worth hundreds of thousands was enough to shock the manager of the restaurant.
The manager rushed over and said to Mark in a polite, cautious tone, “Sir, aside from others, in regards to the Albino Sturgeon Caviar, our restaurant does not have many in stock. One gram will cost approximately 20,000, and there are three of you here, which sums it up to 60,000.”
“Do you think I can’t afford it?” Mark’s expression was dark.
The manager quickly answered, “No, that’s not what I meant. I’m just trying to confirm with you, sir.”
“Then cut the nonsense and just serve what I ordered.”
Mark waved his hand with a calm face. Then, he glanced at Jasper disdainfully and said faintly, “That’s all. It’s just hundreds of thousands, a simple meal.”
Knowing Mark was trying to use his money to suppress other people, the two underlings he had brought with him naturally showed their support. With a mystifying manner, they worked together and said, “Young Master Zion is generous! However, for someone else, perhaps they won’t be able to earn these hundreds of thousands, right?”
“Don’t say so. It wasn’t easy for a certain someone to save more than half a year’s worth of salary to bring a beauty over to a five-star hotel to enjoy a meal. If you guys are here triggering him, won’t he lose his composure when he returns home?”
“Hahaha!”
Ear-piercing sounds kept traveling over, but Jasper’s expression remained calm.
“Manager, I’m going to order some dishes.”
The manager walked over to him. As someone with a discerning eye, one glance was all it took for him to know that the guests from those two tables were trying to compete with each other. This made the manager hope for more good things to happen.
“Give me a portion of whatever they ordered. For that Albino Sturgeon Caviar, give me two boxes of it.”
The manager was dumbfounded when he heard Jasper’s words.
“Two… Two boxes?!”
“Sir, you heard the price just now. One box has six grams, and two boxes will be 12 grams. It’ll cost 214,000…”
Subconsciously, the manager emphasized the price of Albino Sturgeon Caviar.
“For foods like this, what’s the meaning of being so calculative when eating? It’s only by having a big spoonful per mouthful can I make out the taste,” said Jasper calmly.
When the manager heard this, he dared not even let out a sound. He dared not offend someone who could afford a meal costing more than 200,000. He spun around and placed the order.
Mark’s expression changed for the worst.
He bought Albino Sturgeon Caviar according to grams while Jasper immediately ordered two boxes of it.
This made him feel that he was being overwhelmed by Jasper.
The truth was indeed that way.
Mark was rich, but there was a limit to it. After all, his money was sourced from the Zion family, which was the source of his monthly pocket money.
He had not reached a level where he was able to enjoy a meal worth 200,000 to 300,000.
If his family found out about it, he would be in trouble.
The corners of Mark’s mouth were twitching as he wore a dark expression. He stared at Jasper and said, “Cut the overacting. Later you won’t be able to pay for the bill.”
At that moment, the dishes for both tables were being served. Jasper immediately opened up a box of Albino Sturgeon Caviar and poured all of it on his foie gras. He took a bite and frowned gently.
It was not as delicious as he thought it would be.
Jasper took the remaining box of Albino Sturgeon Caviar and waved to a waiter who was doubting his life. He said a word or two to him.
The waiter’s expression changed drastically.
Wendy was laughing sneakily.
That scene made Mark curious because he did not know what Jasper had told the waiter. His sixth sense was telling him that it would not be a good thing.
Following then, the waiter looked at Jasper with a troubled look, then looked at Mark.
Finally, he gulped a mouthful of saliva and walked over while holding onto the box of Albino Sturgeon Caviar.
“What are you trying to do?!”
Mark saw the waiter who was walking toward him and asked, suppressing the unpleasantness and anger within him.
The waiter let out a dry smile and said awkwardly, “That man said he can’t bear to see you three eating on such a tight budget, so he’s giving you guys one box. Just help yourself to it… This is what he said.”
‘Eating… on such a tight budget?!’
Mark felt the flames of rage burning within him. In his entire life, he had never been humiliated in this manner before.
What was more, it was regarding the wealth he was so proud of.
Just when he was about to open his mouth and roar at Jasper, a young gentleman suddenly came in from the outside. He rushed over.
“I beg your pardon, Young Master Zion! I came late…”
Mark did not speak a word after hearing it. He looked unhappy.
Seeing Mark’s awful expression, the man thought Mark was exasperated because he was late.
When he was about to apologize, he noticed Mark’s dark gaze staring in another direction not far away.
The man looked in that direction. When he saw the familiar face that was not far away, his face was decorated with astonishment. “Wendy… Wendy Schuler?!”
Life at the Top Chapter 236
Steve did not expect to meet Wendy, who he had been dreaming of for nearly ten years, at Brac County.
He had a crush on Wendy since their high school days. Steve was considered the most passionate one among the group of pursuers courting Wendy back then.
However after so many years and even up till graduation, Wendy had not spoken more than three sentences to him, let alone became closer to him.
Later after graduating, Steve’s family business that was involved in building materials shifted over to Brac County. As such, he gradually let go of his feelings for her.
He did not expect to be able to meet Wendy once again.
Even though a few years had already passed, Steve was still able to recognize Wendy with just a glance.
In the meantime, he spotted Jasper beside her.
“Jasper?”
Steve’s tone was laced with some doubt, but then he let out a smile. “What the f*ck? A poor guy like you also has what it takes to show up in a five-star hotel?”
It was plain obvious that Steve thought Jasper was pestering Wendy, and in light of them being old classmates, he made Wendy treat him to a meal at this hotel.
‘Otherwise, this poor guy wouldn’t be able to come to such a high-end place in his lifetime.’
The thought of it made Steve glance at Jasper with much disdain.
“Steve, you guys know each other?” Mark asked coldly.
“Yes,” said Steve with a chuckle, “Wendy was a goddess in my high school. How can I not know her? As for Jasper, he’s also our schoolmate, but he’s just a genuine poor guy.
“He could wear the same set of school uniform for one whole year, and I never saw him change to another set of clothing. Even if the clothes had a hole in them, he still continued to wear them. Every day, he would eat buns and pickles. Some people found him pitiful and would offer him food, and he would be happier than a dog.”
Mark was delighted when he heard it.
“What the f*ck, a poor guy is putting on an act against me?”
Mark was slightly exasperated as he was terrified of a poor guy just earlier.
The thought of it made Mark so mad that he wanted to just tear off Jasper’s skin.
“Steve, please mind your language,” Wendy said coldly. Currently, what irritated Wendy was other people teasing Jasper.
Steve witnessed Wendy shielding Jasper, and all of a sudden, it made him disgruntled.
“I said nothing wrong. Isn’t he the famous poor brat in the entire school?”
“Wendy, I know you’re very kind, but you have to pay more attention. Don’t get used by these useless beings because of this matter.”
Steve said in a mystifying manner and then said to Jasper with a smile, “As a man, I really f*cking look down on you!
“However, as your old schoolmate, I’ll just give you a piece of advice. Wendy is already showing you some dignity by treating you to a meal. Or else, a poor guy like you won’t be able to come to a five-star hotel like this for the rest of your life.
“You’d better leave this instant after gaining the benefits. Don’t be such a drag and insist on staying here.”
“What a splendid speech.” Mark stared at Jasper with a dark gaze. He then said with a sinister smile, “Hey brat, you’re quite good at putting on an act. I nearly got scared by you. Now, how do you wish to die? Huh?”
Steve immediately understood when he saw the scene.
‘It must be Jasper, this fool, who came to a five-star hotel and went overboard. He ended up offending Mark!’
When he thought about how his family’s business relied on the Zion family, it made Steve all hyped up.
“Young Master Zion, did this fool offend you?” asked Steve politely.
“Does he have what it takes to do so?” Mark smiled coldly. “At most, I’m just disgusted by the filthy smell coming off his body. It affected my mood.”
“Got it.” Steve nodded, spun around, and barked at Jasper. “Why are you still daydreaming here? Hurry and apologize to Young Master Zion, then get lost!”
“We haven’t seen each other for so many years, yet you’re still the same,” Jasper looked at Steve and said calmly.
“Back in school, you were a lackey to those young masters from rich families. You were good at getting on other people’s good side. Then, your family managed to gain some profits through a business involving building materials and you became so proud. Right now, it seems that Mark is your new owner?”
Hearing Jasper’s comment made Steve’s expression become darker.
He did not see any fault in getting on good terms with those with power and fortune, but with Jasper blurting it out like this, it was like a slap on his face.
“Who are you to comment about me?”
Steve was looking fierce. “It’s way better than being a poor brat like you, pestering an old female schoolmate and making Wendy bring you over to a high-end hotel to treat you to a meal.
“I advise you to apologize to Young Master Zion if you know your standing, then get lost. After all, you’ve already eaten. You can return to the construction site and show off to your colleagues about how you’ve been to a five-star hotel.”
As he was saying, Steve suddenly burst into laughter and was proud. “Someone like you can only work as a laborer at a site, moving bricks around, right? You can beg me. If you beg me and if I’m in a good mood, I can arrange to have you take up a foreman position, hahaha.”
Mark sneered and said, “A fool like him wants to be a foreman? Just put on a metal string around his neck and make him squat at the entrance of the site. He can be a watchdog who looks after the site. That would suit him best.”
“You’re right, Young Master Zion, hahaha.” Steve raised a thumb to Mark, putting on a flattering expression to get on his good terms.
“You guys are so full of yourselves and look down on others!” Wendy got up with a stony expression.
“Jasp, let’s go. It makes me want to puke being together with these people.”
Mark snorted and blocked Wendy with his body, saying with a delighted face, “Hey beauty, don’t be in such a rush to leave. What’s so good about this watchdog? This world is so vast. A beauty like yourself should only be a match to someone as splendid as me.”
Steve’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Mark staring at Wendy while drooling.
Wendy was his goddess.
It was a rare chance for him to bump into her. Hence, he still had some thoughts about it…
However, the moment he thought of his family’s business relying on the Zion family’s charity, Steve made a decision after weighing the pros and cons.
“That’s right, Wendy. Young Master Zion is the heir to the huge Zion family of Brac County. He’s not someone who can be compared to some brats. Seeing that we’re old schoolmates, I’ll just remind you that it’s your luck that Young Master Zion is willing to be friends with you.”
Mark was very satisfied with Steve’s comment. He clapped his shoulder and said with satisfaction, “Not bad, you’re good at analyzing the situation. I’m very satisfied with your action.”
Steve put on a lowly smile and said to Mark, “I’m just stating the facts. In the entire Brac County, who doesn’t know that Young Master Zion is the number one person among the younger generation?”
Wendy glanced at Steve coldly and said, “Last time, I only felt that you were just a spineless person. But now, why is it that your actions disgust me?”
Hearing that comment made Steve twitch the corners of his mouth, and his expression looked awful.
At that moment, Jasper also stood up and looked at both Steve and Mark coldly.
Before he could even speak, Mark saw his reaction and immediately smiled coldly before saying disdainfully, “F*cker! Hey brat, earlier I was petrified by you because I didn’t know about your background, but now, are you still thinking of scaring me?
“Utter rubbish! Let me tell you, in Brac County, I’m the one with the most authority!”
Life at the Top Chapter 237
”How boastful you are!”
Jasper let out a smirk and placed his gaze on Mark. He said with a deep voice, “So far, the Zion family supporting you can’t control the entire Brac County. With just you alone, you dare claim yourself as the king of Brac County?”
Hearing Jasper’s comment made Steve sneer. He looked at Jasper as if he was looking at a mentally disabled person and said, “You b*stard. You have no ability yet you sure talk big. Do you know who the Zion family is? Is the Zion family someone the likes of you are able to comment on? Who do you think you are?”
“Hehe, I’m someone from JW Real Estate. Young Master Zion, you must be familiar with JW Real Estate, right?” Jasper did not continue hiding his identity but blurted it flat out.
His comment made both Steve and Mark stunned.
The Zion family had high authority in Brac County. Most of the citizens were afraid of the Zion family, hence only a handful of people dared to go head-on with the Zion family.
During this period, the only defeat the Zion family had ever suffered was the incident with that piece of high-quality land.
They were unable to do anything as the opponent had lots of funds. Even though the Zion family was one of the big families in Brac County, when being compared to JW Real Estate which was being supported by the Schuler family of the province, their funds were not even comparable!
It was because of this incident, the Zion family had been very exasperated lately.
“Hey brat, you’re someone from JW Real Estate?” Mark squinted his eyes to look at Jasper and said with a hostile tone.
While speaking, he looked straight at Wendy who was beside Jasper as something suddenly struck his mind.
“Wendy Schuler, the Schuler family… JW Real Estate?!”
He suddenly thought of something. Wendy, the person before him, was perhaps the daughter of Dawson Schuler of the Schuler family!
“Someone from the JW Real Estate, my ass. I say you’re just a worker. I wonder what makes you so proud? However, your boss is just a dog,” Steve said with a cold smile.
Wendy, who was beside, heard this and was not willing to continue with the conversation with them both. She felt that the two men before her were way too lame. She spun around and said to Jasper, “Jasp, Let’s go.”
Jasper let out a thoughtful smile at those two men and brought Wendy out.
This time, Mark did not block them. When Steven was attempting to say something, he was stopped by Mark instead.
“Young Master Zion, are you just going to let that b*stard leave?” asked Stave cautiously.
Mark smirked and said with a deep tone, “You really are stupid. Think about it, who’s the boss of JW Real Estate?”
“Who else if not Dawson Schuler, the chairman of Schuler Group!” Steve answered without thinking further.
“Use that stupid brain of yours and think again. What’s Wendy’s surname?” said Mark coldly.
“Of course, Wendy’s family name is…”
Steve left his statement hanging, then he widened his eyes and said, finding it hard to believe, “Young Master Zion, you’re saying… It cant be, right? How is it possible that something can happen so coincidentally? Wendy and I were schoolmates during high school, and I never knew that Dawson is her father!”
Mark glanced at Steve and said straightforwardly, “I know right? We’ll know if I send someone to go check on it. This is not a secret anyway.”
“It’s Jasper. He doesn’t look like a capable person,” said Mark coldly, “His ability to act is great.”
Steve smirked and said, “He’s just a poor guy who depends on his girlfriend. He’s not worth being wary of. I’ll believe that Wendy is from a super-rich family, though. After all, that aura emanating from her is not usually seen in daughters of any ordinary families.
“But I know about Jasper’s background perfectly. He’s from a poor farming family. During his third year in high school, he was always being looked down on and was treated like a dog.
“He must’ve bumped into Wendy after graduating and used some underhanded methods to make Wendy pity him. She then gave him a job to make ends meet. Right now, it seems that he’s using Wendy’s identity to put on an act.”
Even though Mark said that Steve was stupid, Steve’s words about Jasper were almost just like what Mark was thinking.
“I’ll consider it as you’re not entirely stupid then. I think things are as you said.”
Life at the Top Chapter 238
Mark said coldly, “If Wendy is Dawson’s daughter, then we can’t force our way tonight. However, not to fear. No matter how powerful Dawson is, can he provide a helping hand over at Brac County? If he dares lend a helping hand, I’ll just chop it off!”
Mark chuckled and put on a devilish expression as he said, “I’m still hoping that Wendy is his daughter!”
“Young Master Zion, do you mind elaborating on that?” asked Steve.
“JW Real Estate used up so much money to buy that land. Without the permission of the Zion family, will he dare to start developing it? Impossible. If Wendy is his daughter, then he has to make Wendy come to me to negotiate.
“Hehehe, if I can be Dawson’s son-in-law, there’s no harm letting him develop that land because that’s going to be mine as well!”
Steve looked at Mark who was laughing maniacally. His eyes sparkled, and he buried his greed for Wendy deep within his heart. He raised his thumb and said, “What a splendid strategy you got there, Young Master Zion. Everyone will just plan things as they march forth, but you look a few steps ahead into the future with every move you make.
“Even after taking the entire province into consideration, who can be better than you, Young Master Zion, let alone here in Brac County?”
Marriott Hotel was just at the beach, and there was a large area of their own private beach.
Even though it was a private beach, as long as they were guests of Marriott Hotel, they were free to be there.
Even if that was the case, the environment over here was much better compared to public beaches.
They were holding hands and walking on the beach. Wendy took off her shoes. Her fair feet stepped on the beach which had been drenched by the tides, leaving behind a trail of footprints.
The waves washed up to the beach but did not go over Wendy’s feet. The chilly and exciting experience made the smile on Wendy’s face never once fade away.
“The air here is so nice,” said Wendy, feeling touched.
Jasper let go of his hand, allowing Wendy to jump up and down as she stepped on the waves. He answered with a smile after hearing her, “If you like this, we’ll choose a quiet place, buy it, and build a holiday villa there.”
Wendy tilted her head and looked at Jasper. She said, “Why are you being just like someone who got rich overnight? You’ll just buy everything now. You weren’t like that in the past.”
“It was the period of starting a business previously, so every penny had to be spent carefully. But now that we have a little bit of capital, we should make our lives better. What’s the point of earning so much money if you don’t use it to enjoy life?”
Wendy shook her head after hearing Jasper’s reply and said, “I don’t want to. There’s no meaning to building a holiday villa. It’s enough if we come here occasionally for a trip.”
“As long as you like it,” said Jasper with a soft smile.
Wendy spun around and walked backward. She glanced at her footprints on the beach while pulling Jasper along, insisting he took off his shoes as well.
Jasper would never reject Wendy on such a trivial issue. He immediately took off his shoes and socks before strolling the beach with Wendy.
As such, the beach had a long trail consisting of two pairs of big and small footprints.
“It’ll be winter after a few more months. Let’s make a trip to Capital City during this coming winter.” Wendy suddenly suggested.
Even though Jasper was very surprised to hear this suggestion, he still replied with a smile, “Sure.”
“Let’s choose a time when it’s snowing and visit the Forbidden City,” said Wendy softly.
She would never tell Jasper that she had heard from others that the ancient palace was only called the Forbidden City when it snowed. Legend had that if one accompanied their loved one and walked around the Forbidden City under the snow, without one realizing it, they would have become old together…
After they were tired from the walk, they lay on the lounge chairs that were set up on the beach nearby the hotel. They ordered the waiters to serve them drinks. Both Jasper and Wendy were feeling very relaxed.
“What do you plan to do to those two disgusting people?”
“In three days, I’ll make them both kneel before you and admit their mistakes!”
Life at the Top Chapter 239
Jasper was never a person who lied.
The same applied when he was treating any lady.
He said that he would make both Steve and Mark kneel before Wendy and admit their faults. Since he said it would happen within three days, it would definitely not happen on the fourth day.
Early in the morning after waking up in the hotel, both of them headed downstairs for breakfast. They immediately headed over to the office of JW Real Estate that was located in Brac County.
With the two big bosses’ arrival, Mr. Lambert dared not waste a single second. He immediately went to summon all of the workers in the company for a meeting.
However, Jasper never liked having meetings on a frequent basis. As such, he utilized his authority as the boss and had most of the workers continue on with their own tasks, leaving only Mr. Lambert and his two assistants.
These three people basically comprised the Management Department of the branch company of JW Real Estate in Brac County.
“To be honest, even though the main company knows that the project in Brac County is not easy to do, we’re still not satisfied with your working progress,” Jasper sat in Mr. Lambert’s seat and said.
The three of them exchanged terrified looks at each other and revealed bitter smiles at the same time.
“Mr. Laine, we’re indeed facing some difficulties as well. The main reason is that Brac County is a special place, and our work is facing a great deal of resistance,” said one of the assistants while feeling aggrieved.
“If it’s not a difficult task, then tell me, why should I be spending several times more to pay you all a higher salary than an average employee to work for me?” Jasper asked.
That question left the three of them speechless.
Wendy, who was sitting beside them, was looking at Jasper intently.
She realized that at this moment, Jasper was very handsome…
“I know that the greatest obstacle for the project in Brac County is the all-around obstruction by the local Zion family. To you guys, this is indeed a very critical issue. Mr. Lambert, I heard that you were previously threatened with blades in the office?”
Mr. Lambert quickly nodded and said with a bitter smile, “This is indeed like an educated person bumping into a ruthless being. No logic can go through their minds. It’s not just me, but many people have been threatened as well—both straight to the face and in the shadows.”
“They also warned us that we’re just workers, and there’s no need to endanger our safety for the sake of a job.”
Jasper said coldly, “It’s now the year 2000 already, yet there are still people using such ruthless methods to run their business. And you guys are actually petrified because of this?
“I can tell you guys that you work for JW Real Estate, so JW Real Estate will be your shield as well. Whoever uses underhanded methods is going against JW Real Estate, and JW Real Estate will never let you guys suffer from any threats.
“And if anyone really takes the risk and causes any one of you to suffer from any injury, JW Real Estate will definitely redeem justice for you all—even at the expense of losing this project!”
Jasper’s speech was very influential. His voice was not that loud, yet it brought with it persuasion.
Mr. Lambert and the other two people looked at each other before nodding at the same time. “Mr. Laine, we have faith in you!”
Since Jasper had already said so, they were reassured and comforted.
“How many local building materials suppliers are there in Brac County and which one is cooperating with JW Real Estate?” asked Jasper.
An assistant manager with the surname Wood was mainly in charge of that aspect and quickly answered, “The local market for this industry is mainly composed of Ambition Corporation and Future Industries. These two companies comprise 70% of the building materials market. The one who’s cooperating with us is Ambition Corporation, whose ability is slightly weaker than Future Industries.”
“Future Industries… Is the boss’ surname Quare?” asked Jasper.
Mr. Wood nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Immediately set up an appointment for me to meet with the boss of Ambition Corporation.”
Mr. Wood answered immediately after hearing it, spun around, and went on to proceed with his work.
Life at the Top Chapter 240
”What’s the condition at the site?” Jasper looked at Mr. Lambert.
Mr. Lambert answered with a slight awkwardness, “The demolition work is not able to be completed because of the few families that refuse to move. Initially, we thought of starting with laying the foundation where demolition works have been completed, but because of the hindrances every day, we can’t start on that as well.”
“It means the site is demonstrating a halt in work and I have to witness all sorts of cash outflow every day?” Jasper asked calmly.
Mr. Lambert smiled bitterly and nodded.
Mr. Lambert’s body trembled out of fear when he noticed Jasper’s gaze getting colder.
He knew if he continued to make Jasper dissatisfied, then his position would be handed over to another person.
JW Real Estate was at a stage of developing its company, and the benefits given were way better than usual. If he was fired by JW Real Estate, for sure he would not be holding any position in Schuler Group as well.
He had to bear in mind that the person before him was the son-in-law of Schuler Group.
The chairman only had Wendy as his daughter, which meant his son-in-law would be the future boss. He could not afford to offend him.
“Mr. Laine, this is the report on the Zion family’s business which I compiled yesterday after I went home. I’m not sure if it’s going to be of use but please have a look at it.”
Jasper’s expression became much better when he saw the report Mr. Lambert was cautiously handing to him.
“The core of the Zions’ business is building ships.”
Jasper looked at the report in his hands, and his gaze showed signs of interest.
“Yes, Mr. Laine. Brac County is a city by the beach. It’s not surprising that the shipbuilding industry is more advanced. Old Master Zion was originally a technician in the national shipbuilding factory. Later on, he went to work alone in the oceans, and his business gradually became much better. He even bought over the national shipbuilding factory.”
“Right now, their main business is from cooperating with big companies in Harbor City. Every year, they will receive orders to build a few ships. I heard that one ship can easily earn them tens of millions of profits.
“Adding to the usual maintenance, it’s all under them as well. In one year, with just this shipbuilding company, they can earn tons of fortune. This is also the basis of the financial securement for the Zion family.”
Jasper smiled softly and said, “If they’re from other industries or if they weren’t working with big companies in Harbor City, then it might take some time to defeat them.”
Mr. Lambert’s heart skipped a beat. He was making a guess internally. ‘Does this son-in-law have any connections in Harbor City?’
With that thought in mind, Mr. Lambert’s impression of Jasper was that he was getting more mysterious.
At that moment, the sound of the door being knocked on was heard. It was Mr. Wood from earlier.
“Mr. Laine, the boss of Ambition Corporation, Xavier Johnson, has arrived.”
Jasper waved his hand, beckoning Mr. Lambert and the rest to leave the office. He said, “Allow Mr. Johnson to enter.”
A moment later, the office door was pushed open and a middle-aged man with a prestigious physique entered while giving off a domineering aura.
There was an astonished look on Xavier’s face when he saw that the boss of JW Real Estate, Jasper, was so young. However, very soon, he composed himself and said politely, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Laine. I’m Xavier from Ambition Corporation.”
Jasper smiled and got up. He shook hands with Xavier and asked him to have a seat.
Jasper was no stranger to Xavier.
In his past life, Xavier’s building materials company left Brac County and became the number one building materials supplier in the entire province.
However, the real reason that made him famous was that his family of three was suddenly met with a robbery when his business was at its peak. All three of them were murdered.
Then, his building materials company was inherited by one of his best friends.
Coincidentally, that best friend of Xavier’s went by the surname of Quare!