A Smug Father Humiliated a Humble Mechanic, Unaware of His True Power
Previously: When Marcus tried to force a humble mechanic away from his daughter, he thought he was protecting his family's status. He had no idea who the boy's father really was.
The Unmasking of a Giant
Marcus let out a sharp, mocking laugh, adjusting his sunglasses as if he were entirely untouchable. "Your son?" Marcus sneered, looking Robert up and down. "I don't care who his father is. He's a greasy grease monkey who thinks he can climb the social ladder by seducing my daughter, Clara. If you're his father, you should have taught him his place." Marcus believed he was the most powerful man in the room, confident in his local real estate empire.
Robert did not flinch. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek smartphone, dialing a single number. "Arthur," Robert said into the receiver, his eyes never leaving Marcus's face. "Initiate a complete hostile takeover of Vanguard Holdings. Pull all our capital from their commercial projects, and call in their outstanding loans. Do it now."
Marcus's smug expression faltered. Vanguard Holdings was his company, and it relied heavily on a mysterious, massive investment trust for its funding. "Who do you think you are?" Marcus demanded, a sudden tremor of panic creeping into his voice. "You can't just throw empty threats around."
Before Robert could answer, Marcus's phone began to ring violently. He answered it, his face turning pale as his chief financial officer screamed through the speaker, explaining that their primary financial backer had just pulled the plug, putting the company on the verge of immediate bankruptcy. Marcus stared at Robert in absolute horror as the truth finally clicked. This man wasn't just any wealthy individual; he was Robert Sterling, the reclusive billionaire tech mogul and the city's most powerful philanthropist.
"Leo wanted to learn the value of hard work from the ground up," Robert explained, his voice cold as ice. "He chose to work in this shop to understand what it means to build something with his own hands. But you saw a jumpsuit and assumed he was nothing. You judged his worth by the grease on his hands, and now, you will pay the price."
”You judged his worth by the grease on his hands, and now, you will pay the price."