“Kid, you’re meddling where you shouldn’t! Brothers, take him down! Leave him crippled!”
When Chris intervened, the group of thugs erupted in rage.
In an instant, more than a dozen thugs rushed toward Chris.
Chris sneered and moved without hesitation, ready to teach them a lesson.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
In less than a minute, every single one of the thugs was lying on the ground, groaning and unable to move.
“Well done! They deserved it!”
“These bastards cause trouble every day. It’s about time someone put them in their place!”
“Good job, brother! We’re all with you!”
The crowd cheered enthusiastically, impressed by Chris’s effortless takedown of the troublemakers.
Esther and Candace exchanged a glance, their faces filled with resignation.
Wherever Chris went, peace seemed impossible to maintain.
“Ellis, what are you doing here?” Chris asked curiously after dealing with the thugs.
“Mr. Shelby!”
Ellis beamed with delight at the sight of Chris and threw herself into his arms.
“Mr. Shelby, it’s really you! After I left Peace Village, I came to Middleton to find you, but I didn’t know where to start…”
As Ellis explained, Chris finally pieced together the story.
It turned out that after Chris left Peace Village, Ellis had decided to see the world for herself. With her grandfather’s approval, she set out for Middleton, remembering that Chris had once told her to find him there if she ever needed help.
However, Middleton was a far cry from the small and familiar Peace Village. Its vastness overwhelmed Ellis, and her beauty had unfortunately attracted unwanted attention from some unsavory characters. If not for her quick wit, the consequences could have been dire.
Lost and frustrated, Ellis had nearly given up and was about to return to Peace Village when she unexpectedly ran into Chris. Overwhelmed with emotion, she couldn’t contain her excitement.
Watching yet another beautiful woman throw herself into Chris’s arms, both Esther and Candace’s expressions turned a little sour.
Esther approached with a cold look and asked, “Darling, who is this? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Chris chuckled. “Ladies, let me introduce Ellis. Back when I was knocked off the cliff by Judge and ended up stranded in Peace Village, it was Ellis who saved my life. Without her, I wouldn’t even be here today.”
Hearing this, Esther’s expression immediately softened.
“Ellis, thank you for saving my husband!” Esther said sincerely.
Ellis, noticing Esther and Candace for the first time, gasped in awe. “You two are so beautiful!”
It was the first time Ellis had seen women as stunning as Esther and Candace. To her, they looked like heavenly beings.
Ellis’s innocence and pure-hearted nature quickly charmed both Esther and Candace, who soon grew fond of her.
Before long, the three women were chatting like old friends. When Esther and Candace learned that this was Ellis’s first time in Middleton, they eagerly offered to show her around.
As mealtime approached, Chris brought the group to a high-end restaurant. They ate and chatted, growing closer with every passing moment.
During their conversation, Esther and Candace learned about Ellis’s exceptional medical skills, which only made them admire her more.
—
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the restaurant. A large group of people barged in.
Chris looked up and immediately recognized a few of the men as the thugs he had dealt with earlier.
It didn’t take much for Chris to figure out why they were here-they wanted revenge.
One of the thugs pointed at Chris and shouted to a young man beside him, “Young Master, that’s him!”
The commotion sent other diners fleeing from the restaurant in fear.
The restaurant owner nervously approached the young man with a forced smile. “Gentlemen, what can I get for you-”
“Shut up and get out of my sight!” the young man snapped, glaring at him.
The owner didn’t dare say another word and quickly backed away.
Ellis, visibly shaken by the sudden turn of events, turned to Chris with a pale face. “Mr. Shelby, what should we do?”
Esther and Candace, however, remained calm, showing no concern for the situation. They knew these men were no match for Chris.
Chris gave a faint smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
The young man strutted toward Chris, his face full of arrogance. “So, you’re the one who hurt my men?”
Chris rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that was me. And you are…?”
The young man burst out laughing. “You don’t even know who I am, and yet you dared to attack my people? Listen up, kid. I’m Howl Gallatin, heir to the Gallatin family. Do you even know what that means? Soon, the Gallatin family will be one of the new Ten Noble Houses!”
Howl Gallatin’s tone was dripping with conceit.
The Gallatin family had a noble lineage, though their title-a viscount-was minor compared to the great houses. However, with the recent downfall of the Frost and Sterling families, the Gallatins had become the most likely candidates to join the prestigious Ten Noble Houses.
As the heir to such a rising family, Howl’s arrogance had skyrocketed.
Chris smirked dismissively. “Gallatin family? Never heard of them.”
The Frost and Sterling families had both been destroyed by Chris himself; how could he possibly take the Gallatins seriously?
Howl’s face darkened with fury. “You ignorant fool! Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with? The Gallatin family is about to become one of the most powerful families in the land, and you dare insult us? Brothers, teach this guy a lesson he’ll never forget!”
At his command, dozens of men rushed toward Chris.
Chris let out a cold snort and charged straight into the group.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
In less than a minute, the floor was littered with groaning bodies.
Howl Gallatin stood frozen, his face a mask of disbelief. He had never imagined that Chris could overpower so many people so effortlessly.
Before Howl could react, Chris grabbed him by the neck.
Panicking, Howl shouted, “Let me go! Do you know who I am? I’m the Gallatin family heir! If you dare lay a hand on me, my family won’t let you off!”
Chris didn’t bother responding. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled Howl across the room.
Chris glared at him coldly. “I don’t care if you’re the Gallatin heir or the king of the world. To me, you’re nothing but trash.”