Dylan, following instructions, took care of Mia's father as quickly as possible.
Then, he made a call to Rick. Although he knew there was no way to fully explain himself, he still tried to clarify things as best he could.
On the other end, Rick quickly picked up."So, how did it go? Has Mia finally given in?"
Dylan hesitated. "Uh… Mr. Rick, it's like this. My company ran into some problems and has already filed for bankruptcy. I'm afraid I can't help you with what you asked me to do."
Rick went silent for a moment, then sneered."It was fine before. Why the hell would it suddenly go bankrupt? And even if it did, it's easy enough to control that woman's father. What happened? Tell me the truth."
There was no way Dylan could mention Jason Carter. He forced a strained laugh."It really was fine before, but something happened in the last couple of days. Now I'm swamped dealing with the mess. I really can't help you right now."
Rick pressed further, but Dylan gritted his teeth and said nothing. Eventually, Rick hung up in irritation.
Not long after, Rick ordered someone to investigate. It wasn't difficult — tracing from either Dylan's company or from Mia would lead to the same place.
Soon, he found out that after attending the New Vision Media annual gala, Mia had left with Jason Carter, the company's new investor.
Rick also had Jason's background checked, but from what he saw, Jason was just a businessman.
Rick's expression darkened."He's got guts, daring to steal my woman."
He immediately picked up his phone and made a call — to the Department of Business Oversight. For a businessman, the easiest way to cause trouble was through an "investigation."
The man he called was Henry, a deputy section chief who had once clashed with Jason Carter at a private lounge party.
Of course, this wasn't a coincidence. While there were plenty of officials in the department, not many were bold enough to use their authority for personal favors — and Rick knew exactly which kind of man Henry was.
When Henry answered, his voice sounded strained."Mr. Rick, tell me what you need. I'll do what I can, but things haven't been great for me lately. I can't afford any high-risk favors right now."
Rick replied casually, "It's nothing complicated. I wouldn't call you for something difficult. Just submit an application for an investigation. I'll handle the rest from the top."
Hearing that, Henry relaxed. It sounded like Rick just needed a name on the form — a technicality.
"What kind of application?" Henry asked.
Rick said coldly, "I need an investigation launched against someone named Jason Carter. He's been getting way too much attention lately, and I suspect there's something shady behind it—"
Henry froze, then gasped. "Wait… who did you say?"
"Jason Carter," Rick repeated, frowning. "Do you know him?"
Henry's face drained of color. "I'm sorry, Mr. Rick. I can't help you with that."
And before Rick could respond, Henry hung up the phone.
Rick stared at his screen in disbelief, fury rising in his chest. That bureaucrat actually dared hang up on him.
What Rick didn't know was that Henry was already in serious trouble. After his last confrontation with Jason, he had barely managed to keep his position. Submitting another investigation against Jason now would be career suicide — maybe even worse.
Had he known what Rick wanted before picking up, he wouldn't have answered at all. Even receiving the call made him nervous.
Rick's father might be an influential city official, but he was only at the district level. The kind of power Jason Carter had demonstrated last time came from far higher — the kind that could make even department heads tremble.
Jason was already aware of what was going on behind the scenes. Olivia had informed him in advance that Rick was trying to stir up trouble through his connections in the Business Regulation Bureau, the Tax Office, and the Financial Investigation Department.
"Boss, Rick's been digging into us," Olivia said lightly, scrolling through her phone. "But don't worry. He can't do anything serious. We've got eyes everywhere now. Even if he files something, we'll know before it's approved."
Jason leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the armrest. "Rick, huh? The District Chief's son thinks he can play games with me."
He wasn't particularly bothered. To him, Rick was just another spoiled second-generation punk who thought his father's position made him invincible. Jason could make one phone call and crush him easily—but that wasn't the way he wanted to handle things anymore.
He needed to grow beyond that.
"Favor is debt," Jason murmured to himself. "And debt limits power."
He knew that real power wasn't about titles or wealth—it was about control. It was the ability to make others bend to your will without needing to say much.
In a poor neighborhood, money meant power. In a government office, authority meant power. On an isolated island, ability meant power.
Money, position, and prestige were merely tools. Jason wanted to master all three—to build something that couldn't be taken away by anyone.
Across from him, Grace sat quietly, watching him think. The glow from the yacht's cabin lights reflected in her eyes. She didn't understand all his plans, but she could feel the weight of them.
Meanwhile, Mia leaned against the railing, her voice soft, "Jason, are you really not worried? Rick's the kind of guy who won't stop easily."
Jason smiled faintly. "Let him bark. The louder he gets, the more it'll hurt when he falls."
Just then, Amanda stepped out from the cabin with a glass of wine. "So what's the next move, boss?"
Jason glanced at the waves rolling under the moonlight. "We wait," he said. "This isn't about Rick. This is about building something bigger. When the time's right, I'll make sure people like him can't even dream of touching me."
A small silence fell between them. The air was calm, heavy with salt and ambition.
Grace broke the silence, whispering, "You really believe that, don't you?"
Jason turned to her and smiled. "I don't need to believe. I just make it happen."
Grace's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't explain it, but whenever Jason looked at her like that—calm, certain, unshakable—it made her feel safe.Grace: Favorability +1.
That night, Jason and his group stayed aboard the yacht, anchored quietly along the coast. The city lights shimmered in the distance.
Later, as the night deepened, Grace and Mia stayed with him in the master cabin. In the latter half of the night, Agela slipped in quietly.
From outside the room, Olivia couldn't sleep at all. Her face flushed as faint sounds echoed from within. She pulled the blanket tighter and turned away, heart pounding in confusion and jealousy.
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