Ryan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His throat felt blocked, as if something heavy was lodged inside it. What had he gained? The answer echoed in his mind like a cruel joke. He had gained nothing—only Sophia Quinn's indifference, the Quinn family's entitlement, and the humiliating title of Skyhaven's number one simp. Even tonight, if his father hadn't intervened, he would have been forced to stand there and watch Sophia humiliate him just to protect another man.
"I… I thought that love…" Ryan finally said, his voice barely audible, clinging to the last fragment of belief he had left.
"Love?" Victor Hale let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with disdain. "That's not love. That's madness."
He stepped closer, his tone calm but sharp. "In this world, any affection that isn't built on equality and respect is worthless. You think you were moving her? No. You were only moving yourself."
Victor lowered himself slightly, his gaze locking onto Ryan . "In Sophia's eyes, you were nothing more than a wallet. A tool she could use whenever she wanted. She never respected you, never valued you. If anything, she looked down on you—saw you as weak."
He reached out and lightly tapped Ryan swollen cheek. The gesture was gentle, but his words carried no mercy. "Remember this. If you want something, you don't beg for it—you become strong enough that it comes to you. When you stand above others, you won't need to chase anything."
Ryan froze.
The confusion in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by clarity. It felt as if something inside him had finally snapped into place. All those years of devotion, humiliation, and sacrifice suddenly seemed absurd.
"So that's how it is…" he muttered. "Then I really was an idiot."
Tears filled his eyes, but this time they weren't from pain—they were from regret.
"Dad… I was wrong."
Victor didn't react. "Where?"
Ryan clenched his fists. "I shouldn't have thrown away my dignity for someone who didn't value me. And I shouldn't have used the Hale family's resources to support people who never appreciated it. From today onward, I'll cut all ties with Sophia. I'll have nothing to do with the Quinn family again."
Victor straightened and calmly wiped his hands with a tissue. "Words are cheap."
Ryan heart tightened.
"Starting tomorrow, you're grounded," Victor continued.
Ryan looked up in shock. "What?"
"You will not leave the manor for three months. During that time, I'll arrange instructors to teach you business, finance, and leadership." Victor's tone left no room for argument. "All your credit cards and communication devices will be confiscated."
The pressure in the room became suffocating.
"If you pass my evaluation after three months," Victor said, "you'll earn the right to inherit the Hale Group."
Ryan swallowed hard. "And if I fail?"
Victor's gaze turned cold. "Then I'll pretend I never had a son like you."
The words struck like thunder.
"The Hale family doesn't need useless people," Victor added calmly. "If necessary, I can choose a more capable heir."
Ryan face went pale. The last bit of comfort he had relied on disappeared completely. This wasn't a threat—it was reality.
Without hesitation, he lowered his head and slammed his forehead against the carpet. "Dad! I'll change!" he shouted desperately. "I swear I'll change! Please don't give up on me. I'll work hard. I won't disappoint you again!"
Victor watched silently. A faint hint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes. Fear could break a person—but it could also rebuild them.
"Mr. Foster," Victor said.
The door opened immediately. "Yes, sir."
"Take him away. Lock him in the reflection room."
"Yes, sir."
Victor didn't look at Ryan again. "Notify legal, PR, and investment departments. Full operation. Before dawn, I want the Quinn family to understand what despair really means."
---
The next morning, sunlight bathed Skyhaven City as usual.
But for the Quinn family, it felt like winter.
Inside the top-floor conference room of the Quinn Group, the atmosphere was suffocating.
"Bang!"
Chairman Quinn slammed a report onto the table, his face pale and his eyes bloodshot. "Can someone explain what's going on?" he demanded.
No one spoke.
The executives sat stiffly, their heads lowered.
"Speak!" he roared, slamming the table again. "Everything was fine yesterday. Why are all our partners terminating contracts overnight?"
Silence lingered until the marketing director stood up, his hands trembling. "Chairman… we can't hold on anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"Vanke Materials just informed us that the Hale Group issued a notice. Any company that continues working with us will be blacklisted from their projects."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"And the banks…" the CFO added weakly. "ICBC, CCB, and Merchants Bank have reassessed us as high-risk. They're demanding full repayment of all loans by tonight."
Chairman Quinn's voice turned hollow. "How much?"
"Three hundred million."
The number hit like a death sentence.
Chairman Quinn fell back into his chair, his vision blurring. Their wealth was tied up in assets—they didn't have that kind of cash.
"Victor Hale…" he muttered. "You're ruthless."
Phones began ringing nonstop—partners cutting ties, suppliers demanding payment, creditors calling in debts. Each call pushed them closer to collapse.
Within hours—
The Quinn Group stood on the edge of ruin.
---
At the same time, across the city, Lucas Reed stood in front of a recruitment booth.
He wore simple clothes, his resume crumpled in his hand. After everything that happened, he had cut ties with the Quinn family completely. But reality was unforgiving.
He had no money.
No connections.
Nothing.
If he wanted to rise again—
He had to survive first.
"Name?" the interviewer asked casually.
"Lucas Reed."
"Age?"
"Twenty-three."
"Skills?"
Lucas straightened slightly, a flicker of pride returning to his eyes. "I'm skilled in combat, knowledgeable in medicine, and capable of—".
Sorry we will not hire you.
Wh-what?