The Will family's situation was miserable beyond words.
And yet—every one of them forced a smile. Not a confident smile. Not a dignified one. But the kind born from desperation.
They were actually afraid that Jason Carter wouldn't accept their offer.
If an outsider saw this scene, they would probably think it was absurd. Who would beg someone to take over their five most profitable luxury malls? It would sound like madness.
But everyone present understood the reality: if Jason refused, the Will family wouldn't even have the chance to sell. They would simply collapse.
Evan stood behind his father and grandfather, his expression ashen. Watching their apologetic smiles felt like knives stabbing his chest.
He knew—this was all because of him.
If he hadn't provoked Jason, if he hadn't targeted Clara, the Will family would still be standing proudly atop billions in assets. They wouldn't be here now—bowing, pleading, offering up their lifeblood just to survive.
The thought that half the Will empire would vanish the moment Jason agreed made Evan's heart bleed. His fists clenched tightly.
But this arrogant young master didn't dare act rashly.
People often misunderstood arrogance. It wasn't that arrogant people couldn't control their tempers—they simply lost control when facing those they believed were easy to bully. When confronted with someone truly untouchable, they became extremely obedient.
Jason's gaze swept calmly across the three generations of the Will family. He saw their lowered heads, their tense expressions, their genuine fear.
Their sincerity was undeniable.
From the beginning, Jason had believed one principle: more friends were better than more enemies. Even with money, one shouldn't act recklessly arrogant. Otherwise, why spend hundreds of millions buying Moonrise Island at a premium? Why not simply crush them with capital from the start?
But if the other side chose retaliation, then things were different.
Jason wasn't the type to smile while being stabbed.
Even now, despite the Will family's sincerity, he still needed to consider carefully.
After a brief pause, he spoke calmly: "Wait a moment. I'll have Ethan come evaluate your proposal."
Olivia immediately understood and made the call. It was clear Ethan had been waiting nearby. Within minutes, he arrived.
When Ethan heard the Will family's proposal, his eyes widened. He hadn't expected them to go this far. This level of concession exceeded even his boldest expectations.
But when he thought about Jason's strength and the Will family's current desperation, it suddenly made perfect sense.
From a business standpoint, this offer was extremely attractive.
Ethan instinctively leaned toward Jason, preparing to whisper his assessment.
Jason raised a hand slightly and said calmly: "Let's be open about it. There's no need to hide anything anymore."
The room fell silent.
Because everyone understood—what would be decided next wasn't just the fate of five shopping malls. It was the survival—or destruction—of the entire Will family.
Ethan understood Jason's intention immediately. He stepped forward and spoke openly: "Young Master Carter, the Will family's sincerity is real. These five flagship malls are their most valuable assets. If we continue the financial assault and force them into bankruptcy, what we recover in liquidation may not even equal the value of acquiring these malls directly now. And high-end commercial malls are exactly what we need."
He continued calmly: "With these channels, we can penetrate the luxury retail market, fill our high-end brand distribution gap, and integrate both online and offline retail."
After hearing this, Jason nodded slightly.
In truth, he had already made his decision. He had only asked Ethan to speak so the reasoning would be transparent.
But Jason's thoughts went deeper than Ethan knew.
There was another advantage—one far more strategic.
Back when several foreign luxury brands had quietly boycotted him, Jason had already begun planning a countermeasure: build domestic luxury brands. Not as substitutes, but as future dominators.
He had never forgotten that plan. And now, a critical piece had fallen into place.
They already possessed their own luxury brand incubator, a media conglomerate, and a modeling and talent agency. And now—physical luxury retail malls.
From branding to marketing to models to distribution, the entire ecosystem was finally complete. Head to toe, all under his control.
If they were allowed to grow, expand, and mature, one day it wouldn't be foreign brands boycotting him. It would be him deciding whether they were allowed into the market at all.
Of course, there was a prerequisite: the Will family's attitude had to be sincere.
If their apology had been forced or insincere, Jason wouldn't have accepted the deal. Development was secondary. He didn't lack money. Respect for sincerity—that mattered more.
After a brief pause, Jason said simply: "Alright. Let's sign the contract."
The Will family visibly exhaled. It was as if a mountain had been lifted off their chests. Relief flooded their faces.
But after the relief came pain—especially during the signing itself.
Watching the transfer documents for five of their most profitable malls, sold at crisis valuation, then discounted another 30 percent, was like cutting flesh from their own bodies. Heart-wrenching.
Yet they didn't dare hesitate. They were even afraid that if they paused too long, Jason might change his mind.
At this point, Golden Crown Commercial was practically already his. What remained in Will hands were fragments.
Right in front of them, Jason instructed Olivia: "Stop the capital assault. Most of it belongs to us now. No need to keep attacking."
Hearing this, the Will family nearly sagged in relief.
Yes, the losses were catastrophic. But at least half the family empire survived. With time, they could rebuild. They would still remain wealthy—just no longer top tier.
The "Four Great Families" of the city would now become the Three. And the Will family—downgraded one rank.
Then, without any attempt to hide it, Jason turned to Ethan: "Integrate resources immediately. Expand distribution. Absorb Golden Crown's remaining market share."
In other words—take another bite out of the retail giant.
The Will family could only listen in silence.
As for Ethan, he had already formally become CEO under Jason, fulfilling his earlier verbal agreement. He still loved the retail industry deeply. He had only sold his company before because the Will family's pressure had been overwhelming.
Now, with Jason backing him, he finally had the battlefield he'd always wanted.
The mall acquisitions couldn't be hidden for long. Within days, news spread across the city. Upper-circle elites were stunned. A family with decades of influence, billions in assets, had nearly collapsed under Jason's pressure.
Before the shock even settled, another announcement detonated.
The mayor released new policy directives: full governmental support for Tourism. Green-light approvals. Infrastructure priority. Financial incentives. Exactly like the earlier fast-track support granted to Bay project.
The city's upper circles were shaken again.
If Stargazer Bay was destined to become the city's premier commercial landmark, then Nine Provinces Cultural Tourism would become the future economic pillar—a tourism hub radiating across the entire region.
Centered on Stargazer Bay, linked to hotels, resorts, theme parks, medical tourism, media promotion—the industrial layout was terrifyingly comprehensive.
And beyond the city? Jason's cross-regional assets formed complementary synergy: luxury cruises and yachts feeding coastal tourism, cultural heritage parks enriching tourism content, modeling agencies connecting fashion and luxury retail.
Everything interlocked. Add in his overwhelming financial reserves, and his growth ceiling became immeasurable.
There was a saying quietly spreading among the elite: "If a dollar falls from the sky in this city someday, it'll probably land in Jason Carter's pocket."
From this day forward, the city's power structure had shifted.
Because the economic throne of the city now belonged to one name.
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