“Lindsay, why are you crying? What happened?”
The next day, Chris saw Lindsay’s tear-streaked face and couldn’t help but ask.
Through her sobs, Lindsay said, “Mr. Shelby, today the Hunter family sent an invitation to the Wind family. They want us to attend their engagement banquet…”
As Lindsay explained further, Chris finally understood the situation.
It turned out that Sean Hunter, a member of the powerful Hunter family, had been eyeing Lindsay for a long time. After Lindsay returned home, the Hunter family proposed marriage to the Wind family.
The Hunter family, the most influential of the four major salt merchant families, wielded immense power, while the Wind family had been struggling in recent years. Offending the Hunter family would bring disastrous retaliation, something the Wind family could not afford.
Left with no choice, Grigor Wind, the head of the Wind family, reluctantly agreed to the marriage proposal.
But Lindsay had no idea about any of this. It wasn’t until Grigor told her about the engagement banquet that she broke down and cried.
Hearing this, Chris glanced at Lindsay and asked, “Lindsay, do you want to marry Sean Hunter?”
Lindsay shook her head firmly and said, “Of course not. Sean Hunter is nothing but a playboy. I don’t like him at all.”
Chris smiled. “If you don’t want to marry him, then leave this to me. I won’t just stand by and watch you fall into a trap.”
Lindsay was his friend, and Chris couldn’t bear to see her being forced into a miserable situation. He knew exactly what kind of man Sean Hunter was. If Lindsay married him, her life would be ruined.
Lindsay’s face lit up with gratitude. “Mr. Shelby, thank you!”
She looked at Chris with a mix of emotions. If he hadn’t come back with her this time, she didn’t dare imagine what her fate might have been.
But as her gaze softened, she felt a pang of sadness. Chris was already married.
The Hunter family wasn’t just the top salt merchant family but also Riverton’s most prominent clan. Sean Hunter and Lindsay’s engagement banquet was a major event that had the entire city abuzz.
Given their status, their union was seen as a powerful alliance.
The banquet was held at the Hunter family estate. By 7 p. m., the entrance was lined with luxury cars. Attendees were all prominent figures in Riverton society.
But not just anyone could attend. An invitation was required.
Grigor Wind, Lindsay’s grandfather, didn’t attend due to his poor health. Instead, Frances Wind, the acting head of the Wind family, and his daughter Emily represented the family.
Frances and Emily arrived early, deliberately avoiding Chris and Lindsay.
The last time Emily tried to sabotage Chris by hiring Tony to kidnap Lindsay, her plan backfired spectacularly. Tony and his men were utterly defeated.
When Emily heard the news, she was stunned. Tony was Riverton’s underground boss, commanding hundreds of subordinates and the formidable Four Old Boys. Yet, they had all fallen at Chris’s hands.
This left Emily feeling a deep sense of fear toward Chris.
At this moment, Chris and Lindsay arrived at the estate.
“Stop!”
At the gate, a Hunter family bodyguard blocked Chris.
The guard glared at him and demanded, “Your invitation. No invitation, no entry.”
Sean Hunter had specifically instructed the guards to prevent Chris from entering.
Lindsay’s face turned cold. “He’s my friend. Isn’t that enough to let him in?”
Lindsay didn’t want to attend the banquet in the first place. She didn’t like Sean Hunter and hated the idea of this engagement.
But she knew she couldn’t avoid it. If she didn’t attend, the Hunter family would retaliate against the Wind family.
Her grandfather, Grigor Wind, was old and frail. He wouldn’t survive if the Hunter family decided to take revenge.
Reluctantly, Lindsay brought Chris along. But now, at the gate, Chris was being stopped.
The guard’s expression didn’t soften. “You can go in, but he can’t.”
Sean Hunter’s orders were clear: under no circumstances was Chris to be allowed inside.
“If he can’t go in, then neither will I.”
With that, Lindsay turned to leave.
Suddenly, Chris grabbed her arm and smiled. “Lindsay, some things need to be faced. Let’s take this opportunity to settle everything once and for all.”
“But… they won’t let you in!” Lindsay hesitated.
“Chris? What are you doing here?”
At that moment, Ray approached, looking surprised.
Ray, the eldest son of the Thompson family, had come to attend the banquet but was shocked to see Chris being stopped by the guards.
Chris smiled faintly. “I’m here for the engagement banquet, but it seems the Hunter family isn’t very welcoming. Their guards won’t let me in.”
“How dare they! Who do they think they are?”
Ray’s face darkened. Chris was a Monster Badge holder, a symbol of exceptional status. For the Hunter family guards to block his entry was an insult.
Ray said, “Chris, come with me. I want to see who dares to stop us.”
With that, Ray led Chris and Lindsay toward the entrance.
The guard hesitated. “Mr. Thompson, our young master specifically said this man can’t enter…”
Smack!
Before he could finish, Ray slapped him hard across the face.
“You blind fool! Can’t you see Chris is my friend? If you dare block him again, you’re asking for death!”
The guard’s face turned pale, and he didn’t dare speak further.
Ray wasn’t just the heir of the Thompson family; he had also passed the Monster Camp trials, making his future incredibly bright.
As a lowly guard, offending someone like Ray was a death sentence.
With a cold snort, Ray led Chris and Lindsay into the Hunter estate.
Chris had no interest in the engagement banquet itself. If not for helping Lindsay escape Sean Hunter’s grasp, he wouldn’t have bothered coming.
Soon, plates of exquisite food were brought out.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention!”
An elderly man in a red suit stood up with a cheerful expression.
The room fell silent.
This man was none other than Jordan Hunter, the current head of the Hunter family.