With the rare-earth separation plants fully acquired and integrated, Jason Carter shifted his attention to something far more pleasant:
Holly Larson's birthday banquet.
It didn't require effort—only money.And if you had money, romance became easy.
When you're broke, carving a leaf into a necklace and projecting shadows in the sunlight becomes "poetic."But in most women's eyes, it's just poverty LARPing as romance.
When you're rich, even if you're not romantic, a wealthy scoundrel is still charming.
Jason intended to be far more than charming.
Just then, Olivia sent a message:
"Mr. Carter, the Larson family came to JadeCreek Rare Metals to discuss cooperation.They want to expand their plant—not just recycling magnets but producing them."
Jason wasn't surprised.
He replied:"They're already cooperating with JadeCreek. Which other plants did they approach?"
Olivia answered:
"All the other four. They've approached all of them."
Jason smiled.
The Larson family had no idea the "Five Major Separation Plants" were now all owned by one person—Jason.And even if they knew, each plant had different departments and managers.Just like how two apps under one company can feel totally separate, negotiations still had to be done individually.
The rare-earth super-deposit was discovered nearby.Production would explode in the future.Resources would flood in.Demand for mid- and downstream goods—magnets included—would skyrocket.
If the Larson family didn't seize this moment, they'd regret it for a lifetime.
Jason thought for a moment and replied:
"Give them the green light."
He deliberately told Olivia not to hint that all of this was because of Holly.
He wanted to see how the Larson family—who had dismissed and humiliated her father for years—would react to this blessing falling from the sky.
The Larson family quickly received the news.
Edward Larson, the family patriarch, slapped the table so hard it rattled:
"Good! Good! GOOD! Our Larson family is finally rising!"
Ronald Larson, the current head of operations, burst into laughter:
"Call an emergency meeting!We're accelerating construction of the magnet production facility immediately!"
There were three stages in rare-earth permanent magnets.
Before this, they only did a tiny branch of stage two.Now, for the first time, they could enter stage three—actual magnet production.
If they rode this wave right, the Larson family business could multiply several times over, becoming a truly powerful regional enterprise.
An emergency meeting was convened.All influential family members gathered.
This naturally included Evelyn Larson and Graham Larson—Holly's parents.
After Graham had secured the initial cooperation deal with JadeCreek, his status had briefly risen.He was even placed in a coveted second-in-command position.
But now?
Now that everyone sensed a massive leap in the family's fortunes…
Graham once again found himself pushed to the very end of the table.
His contributions were forgotten instantly.
The others chatted and laughed, hyping each other up…
But no one spoke to Graham.No one acknowledged him.No one even looked at him.
He was isolated—again.
Evelyn frowned, her heart tightening.
She had been angry at Graham in the past.He wasn't always decisive.He let people walk over him.
But recently, she had seen his good points again—his sincerity, loyalty, and quiet persistence.
And seeing him ignored, dismissed, and marginalized by the family like this…
She couldn't stand it.
Not anymore.
Evelyn Larson wanted to defend her husband.
She really did.
But when she glanced at Ronald Larson, the current family head and her own father, her courage dissolved.If she had been strong enough to stand up to him earlier, Graham Larson wouldn't have spent his entire life being pushed down and suppressed.
The family meeting began.
Ronald opened enthusiastically:
"Great news—our cooperation with all five major rare-earth separation plants has been finalized! Next, the magnet production facility officially moves to the development stage. Let's assign responsibilities for each department."
What followed made the room warm with excitement—
except for Graham.
In terms of seating and attitude, he was already marginalized.
But now, in terms of power and benefit, he was erased entirely.
The new magnet production workshop—the one that would bring in the most profit in the future—was assigned completely to Ronald and the main Larson bloodline.
Management of cooperation with the five separation plants?Also given to Larson family members.
Profit distribution?Almost entirely for the Larson lineage.
Everything Graham had worked for disappeared in seconds.
The cooperation he secured had doubled the Larson family's revenue.Yet now, with business expanding even further, his rights didn't expand.
They shrunk.
The JadeCreek cooperation—the biggest sales channel he had secured—was now only one of five, making him "unnecessary."
The recycling suppliers he spent years maintaining?Useless now that the family was moving into full magnet production.
Just like that—
Graham was reduced once again to a voice with no influence, a man only allowed to "contribute" while others reaped the rewards.
This proved something bitter:
Graham wasn't just disadvantaged because he was honest and non-confrontational.
Half the reason was the Larson family's arrogance, exclusivity, and refusal to respect anyone outside the core line.
Evelyn couldn't take it anymore.
She stood up."Dad, how could you do this? You saw how much Graham achieved. And you're giving him nothing?"
Her father Ronald said calmly, as if explaining the weather:
"What do you mean nothing? Didn't he get his share from the suppliers he found? Didn't his salary increase?"
Evelyn's voice rose."He doubled our family's income and you give him a salary?"
Ronald's brother, Edward Larson, chimed in with a fake soothing tone:
"We're all family. Why argue?The deals Graham secured will still be handled by him.But the deals that others secured will be handled by them.This distribution is very fair."
He shot Evelyn a sharp look—ordering her to sit down.
She gritted her teeth and lowered her gaze.
Graham watched the exchange quietly, something inside him breaking.
At that moment, it became painfully clear:
Even if he succeeded—even if he made the Larson family rich—he would never be accepted unless he controlled the profits himself.
His moment of triumph had lasted less than a month.
He could endure being ignored—he was used to it.But thinking of Holly, his daughter, his heart ached.
She had been ostracized and belittled by this family since childhood.
She spent more time outside just to breathe—and they punished her for it with endless rumors and gossip.
She had just started enjoying some respect again…But now, all the old attitudes were returning.
Graham looked around the room.
Some younger Larson family members were already grinning maliciously.He could imagine what they were whispering:
Because they were forced to serve Holly tea and water after Jason helped the family last month,they were now eager to "pay it back with interest."
He clenched his fists.
Maybe it was time…to leave this family entirely.Not for himself—
For Holly.
On the other side of the room, the Larson youths were whispering gleefully:
"Heh, Holly Larson was acting so high and mighty before. Making us serve her tea? Who does she think she is?""My dad said I'd have to respect her from now on—I almost choked.""That was back then. Now things are back to normal. Graham's irrelevant again.""An outsider trying to act big in the Larson family.""Exactly. Holly's been spending our family's money forever, then went around partying and embarrassing us. And she changed her surname like she owns anything.""She's having a birthday soon, right?""And she invited us?""Hehehe. Let's all go."
Their smiles were sharp.Predatory.
They had no idea that the man preparing her birthday banquet—
owned the entire rare-earth foundation their family was clinging to.
There are 150 chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439