The patriarch of the Brooks family and Iris stood beside me on the manicured green, their expressions shifting from surprise to deep contemplation. The patriarch looked at me, his eyes narrowing slightly as he broke the heavy silence. "Setting business aside for a moment, you are the one who crippled President Kim, and you are constantly defying Karon Smith. How did you manage to stay completely off the radar?"
I offered him a calm, easy smile, resting the handle of my golf club against the turf. "I have my own methods, Mr. Brooks. But despite that, the Smith clan is hell-bent on destroying me, so they are intentionally hiding my identity from the public and other noble families. Their plan is simple: if I suddenly disappear or meet an unfortunate end, no one will ever suspect them or trace it back to their doorstep."
Iris crossed her arms, her sharp gaze locking onto mine. "That sounds like a dangerous game you are playing, Mr. Vance. Karon Smith is not a man to be underestimated."
"It’s a nice dream Karon Smith has," I replied smoothly, my voice carrying an absolute, unshakeable certainty. "But it’s never going to happen."
The patriarch and Iris exchanged a concerned glance. The older man shook his head, stepping a bit closer. "Mr. Vance, you shouldn’t be this overconfident. You might not realize the true scale of power we are dealing with. The major noble families possess their own private security forces, backed by nearly a thousand elite, battle-hardened soldiers."
Instead of answering right away, I chuckled softly. I looked straight into the patriarch’s eyes. "Mr. Brooks, would you like to see something truly wild?"
The patriarch and Iris exchanged another puzzled look. "What could you possibly show me out here?" the patriarch asked, raising an eyebrow.
I didn’t waste words. I simply raised my right hand and gave a sharp snap of my fingers.
Clack. Snap.
Instantly, from behind the trimmed hedges, the clubhouse corners, and the rolling hills of the golf course, fifty high-tech, heavily armed soldiers from my shadow organization emerged in perfect synchronization. Their movements were silent, disciplined, and terrifyingly precise. They moved like ghosts taking up defensive positions, surrounding our little group without making a single sound.
I turned back to the stunned patriarch, gesturing casually to the armed elite standing at attention. "See this, Mr. Brooks? This isn’t even one percent of my total army."
The patriarch’s breath hitched, and even Iris’s collected demeanor cracked as her eyes widened in shock.
"Noble families aren’t the only ones with private armies," I continued, my voice steady and warm, yet laced with undeniable authority. "I hold enough power and influence of my own to go toe to toe with the Smith clan right now. And keep in mind, I am only just approaching my prime. One day, my forces might even surpass the Brooks family and match the legendary heights of the Harrington and Kensington families."
The patriarch let out a dry, disbelieving laugh, trying to brush off the sheer weight of what he had just witnessed. "That is quite a grand dream you have, young man."
I shook my head, smiling gently. "I have to correct you there, Mr. Brooks. It might be a dream to anyone else, but to me, it’s reality. You see, every single soldier in my army is equipped with cutting-edge technology and trained so harshly that a single one of them can take down twenty world-class assassins simultaneously. For me to achieve power on par with the Kensingtons or Harringtons is entirely reachable. It’s just that... I don’t want to."
The patriarch blinked, genuine curiosity bleeding through his shock. "May I ask why?"
I looked at him with a warm, relaxed expression, like a mentor sharing a simple truth. "You’re forgetting what I said earlier, Mr. Brooks. I am a very simple person. I never go out of my way to start trouble. But if someone brings trouble to my doorstep, I guarantee I will be the one ending it. You could say I’m just a teacher who puts bullies in their place when they forget their manners. I’m happy to mind my own business, as long as no noble family stirs up trouble for me or the people I care about."
Iris stared at me, her usual icy, untouchable pop-star persona entirely melting away into a look of absolute fascination. She was seeing me in a completely new light. Up until this moment, every high-society heir, wealthy businessman, and powerful elite she had ever met would either fawn over her fame or cower behind their family name. Yet here I stood, completely unfazed by her grandfather’s terrifying reputation, ignoring her celebrity status, and laying out my absolute terms with calm, human warmth.
Unable to hold back her swirling thoughts any longer, Iris stepped forward, her eyes locked onto mine. "Mr. Vance... are you purposely saying all of this just to intimidate us, so you can lowball us during the price negotiations?"
I chuckled, raising my hand to snap my fingers once more.
Snap.
Instantly, like shadows dissolving back into the morning light, all fifty armed soldiers vanished without a sound, leaving nothing behind but the gentle rustle of the wind through the trees.
I turned my attention back to Iris, my expression softening into an amused smile. "Miss Brooks, you are a remarkably calculated and brilliant young woman. But you don’t know me at all. I would never use such cheap psychological tricks in front of an elder like Mr. Brooks, the head of the great Brooks clan."
I paused for a moment, letting a playful glint enter my eye. "However... you are right about one thing. I am going to negotiate the price. But I want to use a much more entertaining approach."
Iris raised an eyebrow, a competitive spark flashing in her eyes as her lips curved into a rare, intrigued smile. "And what kind of approach do you have in mind, Mr. Vance?"
"I’ve heard through the grapevine that Miss Iris is exceptionally skilled at golf," I said, leaning casually on my club. "So how about a friendly competition? If you win, I will happily pay double the annual rent for the property. But if I win... the entire business agreement will be signed strictly on Belle’s terms. What do you say?"
Iris considered the wager for a second, a confident smirk touching her lips. She clearly believed her lifelong training on private courses gave her the upper hand. "You’re betting on a losing game, Mr. Vance. But your confidence is charming. I accept your challenge."
I stepped up to the tee, planted my feet firmly into the grass, and took a deep breath. I scanned the green, noting the exact distance, measuring the subtle flow and speed of the morning wind. With a smooth, effortless swing, I struck the ball. It soared through the air in a gorgeous, clean arc, landing mere centimeters away from the hole.
The shot was so breathtakingly precise that even Patriarch Brooks broke into applause, clapping his hands together. "Magnificent! Truly an extraordinary stroke!"
"Thank you for your appreciation, Mr. Brooks," I said with a warm nod, stepping aside to offer Iris her turn.
Iris stepped up to the tee, her posture stiff and focused. She tried to mimic the exact mental calculations and wind readings I had just used. But she didn’t account for the subtle differences in physical strength and momentum, nor did she realize the wind had shifted just a fraction of a degree. She swung hard—thwack!—but the ball caught a crosswind and dropped heavily near the edge of a deep sand pit just a few meters short. If it had landed an inch further back in the sand, her next shot would have been nearly impossible.
After a brief moment, all four of us—Belle, Iris, Patriarch Brooks, and myself—hopped into a luxury electric golf cart and drove down to where our balls had landed.
I stepped out, took a quick look at the distance, and selected a light iron club. Knowing the wind would die down right at this patch of grass, I gave the ball a gentle, controlled tap. Just as I calculated, the ball slid smoothly across the green and dropped right into the cup on my second stroke.
I turned to Iris with a friendly, teasing smile. "If you miss this next shot, Miss Iris, the game is mine."
Iris bit her lip, her pride flaring up as she adopted her signature stone-faced, ice-queen diva attitude. "We still have plenty of time to see the final result, Mr. Vance."
She took her stance, adjusted her grip, and swung. The ball bounced awkwardly and rolled past the edge. It took her a third frustrating try before she finally managed to tap the ball into the hole.
I walked over, offering her a polite, encouraging nod. "Well played, Miss Iris. But I believe I won our little wager."
Iris let out a soft sigh, her icy facade cracking into a resigned, respectful smile. She turned to her grandfather. "Send the standard property contract over to the Brooks corporate office, and we will sign it."
"Actually," I added smoothly, wrapping an arm around Belle’s waist as she looked up at me with proud, loving eyes, "there’s one more thing, Miss Iris. My fiancée would love to sign a second contract with the Brooks interior design division. We need our new estate and our commercial office building in River City fully decorated and ready for us to move in within two weeks. And don’t worry—we won’t even negotiate on that price."
Iris looked like she wanted to argue on principle, but old Mr. Brooks immediately stepped in, waving his hand with a hearty laugh. "Consider it done, Mr. Vance! Just send the design blueprints over, and I will personally oversee every single detail to ensure your estate and offices are decorated to absolute perfection."
With the business matters settled, Patriarch Brooks stepped forward and firmly shook my hand. Warm mutual respect hung heavily in the air as the Brooks family delegation turned to take their leave.
Belle and I walked back hand-in-hand toward our custom car, sliding comfortably into the plush leather back seat as our driver smoothly navigated the estate roads back toward Grand View Villa No. 1.
Meanwhile, inside the quiet, luxurious cabin of the Brooks family limousine, old Mr. Brooks sat back against the cushions, looking thoughtfully out the window at the receding skyline. He turned his gaze toward his granddaughter. "Mr. Vance is truly a remarkable man—someone destined to completely reshape the future of River City."
Iris looked up from her tablet, raising an eyebrow at her grandfather’s uncharacteristically high praise. "Grandfather, aren’t you expecting a bit too much from him? He’s powerful, yes, but River City is a deep pond."
The old patriarch smiled wisely, shaking his head. "No, my dear. If anything, I am expecting far too little. Tell me... do you know Mayor Jack?"
Iris nodded instantly, her expression turning serious. "Of course. He is the mayor of River City, and he holds immense political and administrative influence over the entire region. Why do you ask?"