Chapter 1

There was a black Mercedes Benz parked outside a prison.

Daniel Carter's wife's assistant, Sophia Gray, stood in front of the car. Before Daniel could enter the car, she stopped him.

Then, she told him to sign a document. "Daniel, there's no need for you to get into the car. Just sign here, and I'll leave."

They were divorce papers, and the large text at the top seemed to be glaring at him.

His wife's name, "Victoria Page", was written as the wife.

Daniel looked up at her, stunned. "What are you talking about?"

Sophia replied, "Daniel, this is the last time I'll call you by your name. Now, you and Ms. Page are no longer on the same level."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "We're no longer equals?"

"That's right. Daniel, you were in prison for five years. Ms. Page started her own business from scratch, and her net worth is now millions. She's an upcoming star among Skysea's entrepreneurs, yet you're—"

Sophia gave him a once-over and continued, "—you're a convict. How could you be Ms. Page's match? Her company is about to be listed on the market, and you'll only become a stain on her reputation."

"A stain? Where is she? Ask her to tell me all this herself."

Sophia replied, "Ms. Page is extremely busy now and doesn't have time to see you."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Is she so busy that she has to ask other people to handle her own divorce papers?

"My guess is that she doesn't have the guts to meet me, right? I went to prison for her for five years, yet this is how she treats me?"

Five years ago, Victoria had killed someone while she was driving. She had then used Daniel to have him bear her crimes.

She had told him she would use the best lawyer to help him. At most, he would be in jail for two to three years and even be let out early on parole.

To not let Victoria suffer, he had chosen to bear her sentence. Yet, he had been unexpectedly given a five-year sentence!

The moment Sophie wanted to speak, the window of the black Mercedes Benz behind her rolled down.

A beautiful woman appeared, wearing an indifferent expression on her face. She was Victoria Page!

She had become even more elegant and gorgeous than before, and age had barely made its mark on her face.

So, she had been there all along. That meant that Sophie's every word was true.

Victoria turned around and looked at him.

Her gaze was icy cold, and there was barely any emotion on her face. After staring at Daniel for some time, she finally said, "Daniel, our time together has come to an end."

Taking out a bank card, she reached over the window and said, "There's five million dollars in here. If you sign the papers, the money is yours."

Daniel retorted, "Is our relationship only worth this much?"

Victoria said in a cold tone, "You want more? Five million dollars is enough for someone to be jobless for at least ten years. One might even be able to survive on this money for 50 years! I can give you a house as well.

"That's the most I'll give you. Back then, I didn't force you to go to jail for me either. I hope you won't make a fuss out of this."

There was no expression on Daniel's face as he questioned, "Make a fuss?"

Was she planning to brush all her begging and bouts of panic under the rug?

After a slight pause, he questioned, "Can money buy everything for you?"

Instead of answering his question, Victoria merely replied, "It's time to face reality, Daniel. Our statuses and identities are vastly different now. We no longer come from the same background. On top of that, he's back too."

At the mention of "him", a hint of a smile appeared on Victoria's cold face.

"Him"? Was she talking about her first love?

Daniel came to a realization. After all, how could he not know who she was talking about?

Back then, that man broke up with Victoria when he had to study overseas. Victoria was extremely heartbroken, and she made the first move to pursue Daniel.

Daniel felt moved by her efforts, and they got together. After that, they got married.

Their marriage lasted a total of seven years, and Daniel had been in prison for five of them.

What was the point in doing so much for her? Even going to prison wasn't enough for him to beat her first love. She had a smile on her face at the mere mention of him.

So, he had been the replacement the entire time.

Daniel gave her a relaxed smile and said nonchalantly, "You're right. You and I are indeed different now. In just five years, you started a business from scratch and your net worth is worth millions now.

"Victoria, have you ever thought why everything went so smoothly for you? Hasn't it occurred to you that someone might be pulling strings for you behind the scenes?"

Sophia rolled her eyes. "You're not going to say that you're that person, right?"

She had initially pitied him, yet at the moment, she felt a slight disdain. "Ms. Page's current achievements are all due to her own hard work. She forged this path herself. Even if someone helped her out, it would only be because they were impressed by her abilities.

"I'm sure you've heard of the Miller family. They're one of Skysea's Five Great Families. They've worked with Ms. Page before. Today, Ms. Page will attend the Miller family's great-grandmother's birthday banquet.

"Those who have helped Ms. Page are all extremely wealthy folk. You, Daniel Carter, could never be one of them."

"It doesn't matter if I've helped her or not. Since you want a divorce, I'll acquiesce," Daniel retorted.

Daniel seemed to recover quickly. With a smile on his face, he briskly signed the divorce papers.

Victoria took the papers. She looked down at his signature as if to verify that he hadn't signed at the wrong spot. Without even raising her head, she said, "Daniel, I hope you can understand that my actions today are for your own good. Take the money and leave."

Daniel's voice was pleasant as he said, "Since we're going to cut ties, then we better do it cleanly. I don't want any of your money. I merely hope that you won't come begging me for money one day."

Then, he turned around and left. He gave Victoria a wave, not showing any hint of remorse.

Victoria finally raised her head and saw his back retreating into the distance. For some reason, she felt a twinge in her heart, as if a part of her life had just disappeared. She felt slightly empty.

Yet, that feeling merely lasted for a second.

She rolled the windows up after that. The Mercedes Benz then drove past Daniel, kicking up a cloud of dust.

While holding onto his luggage, Daniel stayed rooted to the spot. As he watched the luxurious Mercedes Benz, he couldn't help but smile in self-deprecation.

If it weren't for the fact that he had encountered that old man in prison, he would have probably lost it after going through such an incident right after he was set free.

Yet, if he hadn't met that old man, perhaps he would have been alright as well. He had learned many skills from him and used those skills to help Victoria with her career. Perhaps Victoria's business wouldn't have lasted till that day without him.

Perhaps her first love wouldn't even have the chance to meet her.

None of that mattered anymore. Without that old man, Daniel could have died in some unknown corner of the prison as well.

Inside the Mercedes Benz, Sophie was insulting Daniel, "That guy is so full of himself! How dare he think that you'll beg him for money? He better not come to us! He's so stupid! I can't believe he turned down five million dollars.

"Ms. Page, you're smart for divorcing him. His brain must have gone haywire after being in prison for five years."

Victoria, still staring at the divorce papers, replied, "Perhaps that was the only way he could preserve his pathetic dignity."

After scolding Daniel, Sophie suddenly looked at the car headed in the opposite direction. "Ms. Page, look! Isn't th—"

A row of luxurious cars was headed toward them.

Sophia exclaimed, "Holy moly, doesn't that fleet of cars belong to the Miller family? Those are cars designated for Mr. Miller Senior. Where is he headed with so many cars? Isn't it his mother's 90th birthday banquet today?"

Another luxury car whizzed past them.

"It's actually Mr. Miller Senior!"

Sophia was shocked upon spotting Andrew Miller in the backseat of the car. He was the formidable head of the Miller family.

Confusion flashed across Victoria's eyes as well.

They were on the city's outskirts, and the most famous landmark there was Skysea Prison.

They couldn't be headed for Skysea Prison, could they? Was anyone from the Miller family being let out that day?

According to her knowledge, Daniel was the only one who would be released that day.

Were they going to meet him? Would that be possible?

After all, it was quite a preposterous idea.

Chapter 2

"Ms. Page, should we follow them? The Miller family has invested in us for so long, and Jordan has always been the one at the helm of operations. They invited you to their birthday banquet. If you enter the venue with them later, your position in Skysea will definitely rise tremendously."

With a small smile on her face, Victoria made her decision. "Turn back!"

Her driver turned the steering wheel, and the car made a smooth U-turn. They could barely catch up to the last car in the Miller family's fleet.

Sophia was surprised. "Isn't this the way to Skysea Prison? Are they really on the way there?"

The road the Miller family took had a dead-end; there were no other junctions ahead. Skysea Prison was located at the end of it.

Victoria and Sophia had just come from that road as well.

Sophia was curious. "Why are they headed to the prison? Are they going to pick someone up? What kind of person would require Mr. Miller Senior to make an appearance? He's even brought a fleet of cars and so many people with him."

Then, she questioned, "Is he here for Daniel? Is he really as powerful as he said?"

Victoria scoffed. "Do you really think that's possible? Don't you know what kind of predicament he's in?"

Sophia replied, "You're right. Daniel and the Miller family come from such different backgrounds. How could he deserve to be picked up by them? I'm looking too much into this."

"Let's stop making guesses. We'll find out soon enough."

They continued to follow the fleet of cars, quickly arriving at the entrance located at the dead end.

However, the three cars in front suddenly swerved away from the fleet and formed a row, blocking off the remaining road.

Then, Victoria's car was stopped by two people.

"I'm sorry, but this is the Miller family's personal business. Outsiders' cars are strictly prohibited from entering."

Victoria got out of the car and said politely, "I'm the president of the Victhomas Group, Victoria Page. I've worked together with Mr. Miller Senior before. I just wanted to greet Mr. Miller Senior since I've run into him now. Could you inform him that I'm here?"

The bodyguard rejected her coldly, "I'm very sorry, but Mr. Miller Senior has ordered that no one can enter the premises. If you'd like to meet him, you must wait for him here."

Victoria kept her cool, replying, "Alright."

A family as grand as the Miller family had a higher status than her. Allowing her to wait in front of the prison was already a small mercy.

However, as long as she could meet Jordan, she didn't mind waiting. It didn't matter whether she was allowed inside.

Victoria and Sophia went back to the car and waited for Jordan.

In front of Skysea Prison, Jordan bowed respectfully to Daniel and said, "Mr. Carter, I'm extremely sorry. I'm late!"

Daniel flicked his cigarette, the butt of it landing precisely into the garbage bin. "It's good that you're slightly late."

After all, if Jordan had gotten there earlier, he would have witnessed Victoria's true colors.

Jordan breathed a sigh of relief when Daniel found no fault with him.

He said, "Mr. Carter, you've gone through a hard time. We've prepared toiletries for you in the RV. You can wash up inside."

Daniel replied, "Alright."

He hadn't taken a shower in a long time, so he desperately needed a good wash and a clean change of clothes.

The clothes he was currently wearing were the same ones he wore when he entered prison five years ago. They no longer fit him as well.

Daniel entered the RV and took a shower. Then, he came out.

His former lazy demeanor had long changed. He now wore a suit and a tie. He was around five feet nine inches tall, with sharp features and dark eyes.

All in all, he was extremely handsome. Perhaps it was true that a man reached his peak during his 30s.

Daniel was practically oozing masculinity.

Daniel stretched his limbs. "Stop flattering me. I'm not used to such formal clothes. If it weren't for the fact that my clothes didn't fit me well, I wouldn't wear something like this."

After all, he preferred casual clothes.

"Let's go, Jordan. We can't waste any more time."

Jordan personally opened the car door for Daniel, inviting him to sit. "Alright."

The interior of the car was luxurious and spacious, so there was no need for them to squeeze together when inside. The driver's skills were steady as well.

Jordan opened the cooler inside the car and took out a bottle of liquor.

Then, he said, "Mr. Carter, I know you don't like heavy liquor. Instead, you prefer white wine. So, this bottle of white wine is a collectible wine from 1953. It should suit your tastes."

Jordan opened the bottle without any hesitation and poured a glass. Then, the scent of the white wine wafted in the air.

That bottle of wine cost millions of dollars. One small glass of it was worth more than ten thousand dollars.

He held the glass before him and handed the bottle to Daniel. "Mr. Carter, have a drink."

Daniel took the bottle over, gulping down two mouthfuls of it.

On the other hand, Jordan took small sips. Then he took a document out of the safe and said, "Mr. Carter, three years ago, you saved my family overseas. Back then, I promised you that once I returned to Skysea, I would transfer all the Miller family's assets to you.

"Since you haven't been back in so long, I've been helping you handle these matters. These are all the assets I have, and they're all worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Please have a look."

Daniel glanced at the document before setting it aside. "You're well aware that I'm not interested in matters like these. Money is nothing but a fleeting thing. Additionally—"

Suddenly, he smiled and continued, "—there's no need for you to do something like this. I know that you're cunning.

"Even if you're willing to hand over the Miller family's assets worth hundreds of billions of dollars to me, do you think your grandchildren would allow that? If you do that, they'll kill me."

Jordan answered solemnly, "To be honest, I know that they'll be dissatisfied and displeased with me if I do this. However, they'll have to get past me if they want to harm you."

"Alright, stop that. There's no need for you to say such things. I'm glad that you've come to pick me up. But there's no need for me to be pulled into these games."

Daniel took another swig of white wine and said, "You can handle your businesses yourself. I don't like getting into trouble."

Jordan said seriously, "Mr. Carter, it's alright if you don't believe me. However, whenever you need my help, I'll drop everything for you."

Suddenly, the driver spoke, "Mr. Miller Senior, Ms. Victoria Page of Victhomas Group and her assistant are waiting for you in front of the prison. She mentioned that she wishes to meet you and head to the birthday banquet with you."

There was a dark pane of glass between the driver's seat and the backseat, so the driver's voice was conveyed through an intercom.

People in the backseat could pick up on any sounds from the front, but the driver wouldn't hear anything happening in the back.

Jordan was taken aback. "Victoria Page?"

Per Daniel's request, the Miller family had been secretly helping Victoria for many years.

Since Victoria appeared on the same day Daniel was released from prison, Jordan immediately guessed they had a history.

"Mr. Carter, what's the relationship between you and Victoria?" Jordan asked.

"She's my wife."

Jordan was shocked! Victoria was Daniel's wife? Did she save the world in her past life to become so lucky to marry him?

Daniel added, "However, that's in the past. As of today, we've divorced."

Jordan gasped in surprise despite all that he had experienced before. "What? What is she thinking? Why would she divorce you?"

Daniel replied, "She thinks I've been in prison for the past five years. You're well aware that I can't tell anyone about what I actually did during that time. Our encounter three years ago was also a coincidence.

"She now thinks that I'm a stain on her reputation. Now, her first love, who dumped her back then, has returned, and she wants to rekindle their relationship."

Chapter 3

Daniel didn't plan on keeping the divorce a secret—it wasn't worth keeping under wraps.

Jordan was still dumbfounded. He could hardly believe that Victoria felt Daniel was a stain on her reputation!

It was his first time hearing something so ridiculous!

After regaining his composure, Jordan suddenly perked up. "Mr. Carter, I have a granddaughter. She's incredibly pretty, and she just turned 18 years old. She's quite slim as well. If you don't mind…"

Daniel harshly turned him down, "No, thanks."

The driver spoke through the intercom again. "Mr. Miller Senior, we're almost at the entrance. Do you want to meet Ms. Page?"

Jordan gave Daniel a look.

Daniel took another swig of white wine. "Why are you looking at me? She's not here for me. It's up to you."

Victoria was still in her car, parked by the entrance. She opened her laptop and did her work as she chatted with someone named "Thomas".

She wore a small but sweet smile on her face as she did so.

Suddenly, Sophia alerted her, "Ms. Page, Mr. Miller Senior's car is coming!"

Turning her head, she spotted a fleet of cars headed slowly toward them. They were the cars with the Miller family.

She hurriedly shut her laptop and straightened her clothes. Then, she quietly waited at the entrance.

Three cars drove past her before another car appeared. That car was the one specifically meant for Jordan!

Victoria smiled, stepping forward to greet him. "Mr. Mi—"

However, the car showed no signs of stopping and merely drove past her.

Victoria stood there dumbly. Had she been rejected?

There was nothing but disbelief in her gaze.

After all, she was extremely confident in her social skills and looks. Ever since she started her own business, she had rarely been rejected, and many powerful figures got along well with her.

She had even had coffee with Jordan before. He had been friendly and humble when talking to her, even calling her by her name.

Yet, at that moment, he had driven past her without stopping after she had waited for so long.

How could such a thing happen? Could it be that Jordan wasn't in that car?

She raised her head and peered at the car. Faintly making out a man's side profile, she was certain that that face belonged to Jordan!

Sophia hinted for her to look at the person opposite Jordan, "Ms. Page, look at them."

Another figure sat in front of Jordan, and they were in a relaxed posture. They had quite a huge and burly figure.

Victoria followed Sophia's line of sight. A hint of shock flashed across her gaze!

Who was that? Had Jordan come to pick that person up?

It had to be!

After all, there was no one else in the backseat.

The figure grew familiar to Sophia the more she looked at them. So, she couldn't help but blurt out, "Ms. Page, don't you think he looks like D-Daniel?"

Taken aback, Victoria echoed, "Daniel?"

Then, she laughed. "Do you really think that's possible? You saw how he looked just now. Do you really think that's him in the car? He's a convict who had nothing before he went in. How could he have the right to have Mr. Miller Senior pick him up?"

Sophia smiled. "You're right."

Daniel indeed wasn't worthy of such a privilege.

"However, he does look a lot like Daniel."

Maybe the food in prison wasn't too bad, contributing to the inmates' growth. Their heights were similar, and that was probably why they looked alike.

Sophia then said, "Ms. Page, should we now—"

Victoria merely sighed. "I'm not surprised that he doesn't want to meet me. After all, we've only worked with the Miller family briefly. Before this, we've only partnered with one of their subsidiaries.

"We've managed to be invited to their great-grandmother's birthday banquet because of Thomas. Let's head to the airport now to pick him up. He's back early from his trip."

Victoria wore a bright and affectionate smile on her face at the mention of Thomas.

Thomas Ferguson always held a special place in her heart, and she could never forget him.

"We'll head to the birthday banquet after we pick him up," she said.

"Alright."

Daniel sat in the car as he watched Victoria fade into the distance. To him, she was as familiar as she was distant.

Far too many things had happened in five years. Both he and Victoria had changed.

Jordan took another document out. "Mr. Carter, since you don't plan to manage these assets now, I'll handle them on your behalf for now. Additionally, you need a place to stay now that you've returned to Skysea.

"I bought a villa for you a few days ago. Once you sign here, it'll belong to you."

Daniel gave the papers a look and signed them. "Alright."

Then, Jordan took out another bank card. "There's a million dollars in this card under your name. It doesn't have a passkey. You can spend the money inside for now.

"Mr. Carter, I know you're not lacking in money, but your cards can't be used once you reach Jornca. The bank might block them."

Daniel didn't reject Jordan, and he took the bank card over. "You're quite considerate, aren't you?"

"Mr. Carter, there's one more thing. It's my mother's birthday, and we have a birthday banquet at Celestial Bay Manor. Could I please invite you to make an appearance?"

"Sure, I'll go. Before that, send me to Floraville. I need to get some things."

He had bought a house in Floraville before he was sentenced. It was supposed to be a surprise for Victoria since it was the first house he had ever bought.

Yet, before he could even tell her about it, he took the fall for her and went to prison.

After so many years, the formerly decent house clearly looked abandoned compared to its new neighbors. After telling Jordan to head back first, he entered the house and went to the third floor.

He took a key out to open the door, yet failed.

Hence, he could only gently push the door in exasperation.

The door immediately opened, and Daniel entered the house, closing it behind him.

To his surprise, the first thing he saw was a woman walking out from the washroom, wrapped in only a towel. Her hair was so long that it reached her waist, and she looked at him with gleaming eyes in shock.

There was a moment of silence before she shrieked.

Daniel was quick to dash toward her and cover her mouth.

Amidst her panic, the woman's towel had fallen to the floor. Her fair legs were exposed, and she kicked one toward his chest.

Daniel looked down at her legs—they looked quite exquisite!

The woman seemed to be five feet seven inches tall, and her legs were fair and slim. They had no flaws or excess fat, so she appeared to be in her 20s.

The woman, Catherine Moore, glared at him in shock. Although she wanted to scream, barely any sound could escape her throat.

She continued to struggle against his hold.

Feeling helpless, Daniel explained, "Don't panic. I'm not a bad guy here to hurt you. I'm the owner of this house. I just got out of prison and came home. This is merely a mishap.

"Please calm down first. If you promise not to scream, I'll let go of you, alright?"

Catherine's chest rose and fell. She was clearly nervous.

After some time, she nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Alright, that's good."

Then, Daniel slowly let go of her.

The moment he slackened his hold, Catherine screamed, "He—"

Before she could finish shouting, Daniel covered her mouth again.

Suddenly, he frowned. "Careful!"

He forcefully pounced toward her.

At the same time, a bullet flew past the window, breaking it. It fell right where Catherine had been standing, and the wall had a dent in it.

Daniel remained on top of Catherine, indicating for her to keep quiet.

"There's a sniper here. Who have you offended? That shot was meant for your head!" Daniel snapped.

Then, he slowly removed his hand.

Catherine no longer shrieked again. Her face was ashen, and she didn't dare to move.

"Go to your room to put on some clothes first," he instructed.

Daniel took his suit jacket off and draped it over her shoulders. "Don't get up. Crawl your way over."

Chapter 4

Catherine's face was pale, and she was slightly out of it.

Still, she followed Daniel's orders and slowly crawled toward her room. Her perky butt was arched toward the sky, making her look alluring.

Daniel sucked in a deep breath before instructing, "Remember, you can only take the one in the middle of your closet. Get that red one."

At such a dangerous moment, Catherine followed his instructions exactly. She took the sexy translucent lingerie over and carefully put it on, afraid that the sniper would notice her.

As she changed her clothes, Daniel looked at the fruit knife on the coffee table nearby.

The fruit knife hovered on its own and landed in Daniel's hands. Then, he flicked it toward the window.

With a sharp glint in the air, the knife flew past the crack in the window. Then, it stabbed the sniper, who was hidden in the room opposite, right in the head.

Blood splattered from the back of his head as the sniper fell to the ground with a thud.

After killing the sniper in one hit and getting rid of him, Daniel turned around to enjoy the view of Catherine in lingerie.

An average person could hardly make such lingerie look good, but it seemed tailored for her. She looked extremely alluring, and her perfect figure was faintly visible through the garment. The lingerie accentuated her good looks.

Catherine was shocked as well after witnessing Daniel's moves for herself.

He was extremely skilled!

Then, a peculiar glint flashed across her gaze.

Daniel picked the bullet up from the floor and toyed with it. "What happened to you? Why are you staying at my place?"

"My name is Catherine Moore, and I rented this place. The management said that no one had stayed here for many years, and the owner owed them property charges. So, they rented this place out to me to make up for the owner's debt. Are you actually the owner?"

Her eyes regained some spark as she regained her composure. After all, she wasn't naive.

Daniel sat on the couch, crossing his legs. "Yes, it's me."

Catherine curiously asked, "Why did you tell me to wear this? Would I gain the sniper's attention if I grabbed anything else?"

"No, it's not that. You're looking too much into things. I just think that this nightgown is sexy, and it looks good. I like it.

Then, he continued to ask, "What kind of background do you come from? Why would the Aquila Association put out a hit on you?"

He threw the bullet to Catherine's feet, and it landed squarely.

The graphic of an eagle was clearly imprinted on it. It was the logo of the Aquila Association!

They were an international assassin organization. It would cost a hefty amount to employ their services.

"It was probably a month ago when I messed with my competitor's business. They told me that I would pay the price for it. So, I rented this place out to hide since I thought they would seek revenge. I didn't think that they would find me.

"I thought it was just some business spat. I never imagined they would hire an assassin to kill me," Catherine explained.

There was a hint of relief on her face after surviving such an ambush. At the same time, a harsh glint appeared as well.

Daniel fixed his eyes on her as he said, "It must be quite some business for them to come after your life."

"It was quite a big deal. It probably cost quite a few million dollars."

Catherine noticed Daniel's perverted gaze and looked back at him. Yet, she didn't seem to mind as she merely replied, "Am I that attractive? Don't you want to touch me?"

"Watch your tone. I'm sure I'm only ten years older than you at most. If it weren't for me, you would've died."

Daniel wasn't interested in Catherine's identity and background, and he also didn't want to pursue the matter of the management renting his place out without his permission.

Then, he asked, "What about the things that were originally here?"

"I didn't touch any of them. They're in that room." Catherine gave a nearby room a look.

Daniel stood up and entered the room, where his belongings were neatly arranged and still clean.

It seemed like someone had cleaned the room quite nicely.

He found a set of casual clothes and changed into them. Then, he took a locked old steel box and opened it, revealing an emerald pendant inside.

Daniel had never met his biological parents, and his adoptive parents had raised him.

The emerald pendant was the only thing his biological parents left for him.

In the past five years, Daniel hadn't remained in Jornca, and he was also unable to return. Yet, he had found them using his own methods! They were located in Skysea.

The emerald pendant could prove his identity.

Since he had returned, he would naturally return to Jornca and meet his parents.

After keeping the emerald pendant, Daniel left the room. He noticed that Catherine had changed into a long dress, and her previous sexiness had disappeared.

Yet, she remained beautiful and ethereal as ever.

Daniel gave her a once-over and tutted. "Ms. Moore, you can continue to stay here if you want. However, the lock is broken, so remember to change it. Since you're renting my place out, I'll help you handle the Aquila Association.

"I still have some matters to handle. I'll see you again in the future."

Catherine shouted, "Wait!"

Turning around, Daniel asked, "Is something the matter?"

He seemingly nearly went into a spell after looking into her eyes, and Catherine finally asked, "What kind of person are you?"

Daniel managed to kill a sniper and recognize an assassin organization. He could even help her handle the Aquila Association even though that they were quite complex to deal with.

It was impossible that he was an average citizen.

Daniel smiled. "Me? My name is Daniel Carter. I'm a man who likes messing around with girls."

Then, he closed the door behind him, disappearing in front of Catherine.

A small smile appeared on her face.

Although he hadn't said much, his words gave her a little insight into him. Daniel Carter was quite an interesting man!

Then, she left the house as well.

There was an unmarked car parked outside Floraville.

Catherine opened the car door and sat inside. There was a middle-aged man already inside the car.

He said, "Ms. Moore, the preparations for the party will be completed in about two days."

Catherine replied, "Alright. Help me investigate the owner of the place I'm renting. His name is Daniel Carter, and I want all of his information in 24 hours."

"Roger that, Ms. Moore."

"On top of that, I managed to survive an assassination attempt today by sheer luck. Check whether the assassin was hired by the business owner I previously messed with. If it's the same person, let them pay."

"I'll get right to it."

The man inside the car, Nash Glover, replied, "Ms. Moore, the mayor's secretary called us just now. The meeting with them will be delayed for an hour. An urgent matter came up for Mr. Peterson."

The man Nash called "Mr. Peterson" was Herbert Peterson, the mayor of Skysea.

…

Meanwhile, Daniel was on the phone as he stood before a high-rise building in Floraville.

"Herbert, hurry up. Stop dawdling. I have other things to handle. I'll hang up now."

He watched the unregistered car fade into the distance before kicking the sniper's body. Then, he sat back down on the couch and hung up on Herbert.

He dialed a different number—an overseas number this time.

On the other end of the line, a dissatisfied voice sounded. "Who is it?"

They were speaking in a foreign language.

Daniel spoke in Jorncanese, which was Jornca's official language. "Have a guess."

The person's voice suddenly turned respectful as they also replied in Jorncanese, "Lord Carter, is that you?"

"Do you have a death wish? How dare you touch one of mine?"

"One of yours? Lord Carter, I would never dare to do such a thing! I would never do such a thing even if someone gave me balls of steel!"

"The sniper's code name is 95638. I've killed him. Inform the entirety of the assassin organizations under you to never accept another hit like this. If they do so, I'll teach them a lesson myself," Daniel warned.

Chapter 5

The Golden Triad was the main base of the Aquila Association.

Eagle, who always wore a ferocious expression, broke out in cold sweat. His legs were even shaking.

"L-Lord Carter, don't worry. The Aquila Association will never agree to take this hit again," he replied.

He wasn't extremely fluent in Jorncanese, and his tone was fearful. He held his phone with both hands while waiting for Daniel's reply.

However, only the sound of the line disconnected followed.

Daniel had hung up on him. Then, he sat on the couch again, waiting for someone to handle the sniper.

In less than ten minutes, a man in a black jacket appeared, seemingly in his 60s.

He appeared at the doorway. Despite it being open, he still straightened his clothes and knocked on the door respectfully.

"There's no need for such formalities. Come in," Daniel said.

The man, Herbert, entered the room and closed it behind him. He quickly went toward Daniel and bowed to him. "Lord Carter, as the mayor of Skysea, it's an honor to meet you! When did you arrive?"

Daniel replied nonchalantly, "I've just returned. Stop calling me 'Lord Carter.' I'm not some high and mighty lord. Don't ever call me that again in the future."

Herbert quickly changed his way of address. "I understand, Mr. Carter."

"This sniper is from Golden Triad, and he wanted to kill a young lady. Order someone to take care of this. You must have a lot of time on your hands to handle this personally."

Herbert replied solemnly, "Mr. Carter, any order from you is my priority. Don't worry; I'll make arrangements myself and handle this properly."

Daniel tucked his hands into his pockets. "Alright."

Then, he left.

When he arrived downstairs, a large group of people, all under Herbert, were guarding the entrance.

Daniel couldn't help but be impressed.

The mayor of Skysea was truly formidable—there were people with him wherever he went.

After he exited Floraville, Daniel hailed a cab and headed toward Celestial Bay Manor.

There was a crowd in front of the manor, and the scene was incredibly rowdy.

Various luxury cars came and went. Mercedes Benz seemed to be a common car brand in the area. There were also other brands, such as Lamborghini and Porsche. There was even a Rolls-Royce with a car plate that had a row of three identical numbers.

Everyone walking around the manor exuded class. They were all dressed in beautiful formal attire, and even the children wore branded clothes and accessories.

Birds of the same feather indeed flocked together.

Daniel had arrived in a cab, dressed in casual clothes. He stood out in the crowd and attracted many peculiar gazes. Even the guard approached him.

After all, the birthday banquet was for the elder matriarch of the Miller family. Not just anyone could enter the venue. Daniel understood where the guard was coming from.

Just as he was about to call Jordan, a cold voice sounded behind him. "Daniel, is that you?"

That familiar yet icy voice belonged to only one person Daniel knew.

He turned around and saw Victoria standing there. Apart from Sophia, there was another man beside her. He seemed to be the same age as Daniel.

The man wore a suit and had a confident smile. He was Thomas Ferguson, Victoria's first love and the man who gave up on her to move abroad.

Sophia frowned and asked, "Daniel, what are you doing here?"

She was utterly disappointed in him. With a disdainful expression, she added, "You were the one who rejected the compensation money. What is it? Do you regret it? Are you here for us?"

She regretted telling Daniel they would attend the Miller family's birthday banquet.

Victoria felt the same way. Thinking it was the case, she walked toward Daniel in her heels.

She said, "Daniel, if you think five million dollars and a house aren't enough, we can discuss the details in the future. Don't come here and make a fuss."

Daniel frowned. "Do you think I specially came here to ask you for the compensation money?"

He could understand Sophia's train of thought, but he was upset with Victoria for thinking that way.

Seven years had passed, and he and Victoria had been with each other for two of those years. He had always kept his promises, and Victoria should know him better than anyone.

However, she didn't suspect a thing. She merely said, "You don't think five million dollars is enough? Daniel, I didn't think you were someone like this. I'm disappointed in you for coming here to hinder me."

Thomas stepped forward and patted her shoulder, acting as if they were still familiar with each other. He gently said, "Victoria, Daniel was in prison for five years. It's understandable that he would want more money."

Then, he took out a card and handed it to Daniel, acting generous.

"Daniel, there are five million dollars here. Spend it first. If that's not enough, you can ask me for more. I also wanted to meet you to thank you for taking care of Victoria all these years."

Daniel recognized the bank card. It was the same one that Victoria handed to him after he was released.

So, after he rejected her, she gave it to Thomas, who was lending it to him? How could he use someone's belongings to do charity?

Daniel couldn't help but laugh.

Victoria had a cold expression as she asked, "Daniel, what are you laughing at? You're lucky Thomas is here. If it were any other person, they would've kicked you out. Why can't you just take the money and leave?

"You're not supposed to be here. You might affect my reputation if you make a fuss here, but the damage will be even greater for you. Not just anyone can mess with the Miller family. I'm asking you to leave for your own good, not because I'm scared of you."

Thomas straightened his back and said arrogantly, "Daniel, you should listen to Victoria. Take the money and leave. This isn't a place any average citizen can visit. You can't even enter this manor if your net worth is less than 50 million dollars."

Sophia took the chance to suck up to Thomas. "Even if your net worth meets the requirement, you must have some form of status to deserve an invitation. Ms. Page didn't even receive one at first. She could only attend this banquet due to her connection with Thomas."

"I'm grateful that I know Mr. Miller's son. We knew each other when we were overseas. I've helped him out twice," Thomas said arrogantly.

Although Thomas came off as humble, there was an arrogant look on his face. "We're practically brothers now."

Victoria stepped forward and hugged Thomas' arm. They looked incredibly affectionate together.

She asked, surprised, "Honey, are you talking about David Miller, Mr. Miller Senior's son? Isn't his son Anthony Miller?"

Thomas nodded. "Yes, I'm talking about him!"

A bright smile appeared on Victoria's face. "Honey, you're so powerful. Why didn't you tell me anything about it?"

Thomas bragged, "I wanted to introduce you to him today as a surprise."

Daniel watched as they put on a show and displayed their affection.

Despite their lovey-dovey behavior, he didn't feel the slightest bit affected.

After all, he had always been a resolute person. Since they were divorced, there were no more ties between them.

They had parted ways peacefully, and it would be best if they didn't mess with each other.

The bank card was still in Thomas' outstretched hand. "Daniel, my arm is sore from holding the card out. Aren't you going to take it?"

His eyes showed a hint of annoyance as he said, "Mr. Anthony is going to get mad at you if he sees you stirring up trouble when he comes to greet me."

Daniel rolled his eyes at Thomas. "That's none of my business. It's your choice to hold your arm out for so long. I never asked you for money. You were the one who assumed things."

Sophia scoffed. "If you aren't here for money, are you here for the birthday banquet?"