"I don''t know," the ountant muttered. "Give me a moment to figure this out.
Peter turned to Alex, confusion and a flicker of fear in his eyes.
Could Alex truly be behind this catastrophe, or was it merely a terrible coincidence?
Before he could dwell on it, his phone buzzed urgently. He snatched it up.
"Father?"
"You bastard!" his father''s furious voice exploded through the line.
"What have you done? Our family''s assets are frozen, and we''re under investigation! Do you realize the magnitude of this disaster? If you don''t fix this immediately, we''re finished!"
"Wait, Father! Please, tell me what''s happening," Peter pleaded, panic tightening his chest.
"Who the hell did you offend? Alfred kingston''s got our assets frozen and says he''sunching an investigation into all our businesses and ounts. Do you think we can withstand that kind of scrutiny? They''ll dig up everything, and we''ll all end up in prison!" his father''s voice boomed with desperation.
A softer, trembling voice came through his mother. "Peter, please," she begged. “I can''t bear the thought of spending my remaining years in prison. Ask for forgiveness from whoever you angered."
Peter''s hands shook violently as he looked over at Alex, every part of him trembling.
Today, he had only offended one person-this young man who seemed to be nobody.
His body quaked as the truth settled in. Alex was not someone he could cross. What greater grief than the loss of one''s fortune, a lifetime''sbor turned to ash?
Tremblingly, he lowered himself to the floor, his forehead touching the ground, shaking in
fear.
Everyone around stared, not quite understanding what had just happened.
But Peter knew. With a ruthless investigation looming, they were inches from ruin. There was no way they''de out clean.
"My lord," Peter muttered, his head pressed to the floor.
"I had eyes,
but I was blind to your power. I ask for forgiveness-please, give me a chance to
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save my family. Please... I beg you. I''ll do anything you ask, just spare me.'' He hit hard his forehead against the floor, the impact harsh and desperate. Alex gazed at him coldly. "I told you, if you could truly show me your regret for trying to take my wife, I''d consider sparing you. But if you can''t, the Smiths will disappear from this earth."
Peter''s mind raced, his breath ragged.
"I''ll give you five minutes," Alex continued, his tone sharp. "You''d better act as a gentleman should, and remember-keep this to yourself."
A sudden, dangerous glint sparked in Peter''s eyes, and he clenched his jaw.
He was on the brink of losing everything his family had worked for.
Bowing deeply, he turned and walked toward the Lancaster family, his steps resolute, his gaze darkening with fury.
All this turmoil because of an engagement he never should have pursued.
Mike spotted him approaching and smirked. "Peter, my brother-inw. Have you squashed that insect yet?"
Without warning, Peter''s fist collided with Mike''s face, sending him reeling backward. Gasps erupted around them.
"Watch your mouth!" Peter snapped, his voice echoing through the room.
Mike stumbled, clutching his jaw. "What the hell are you doing?" he spat, disbelief etched across his face.
All eyes were now on Peter as he advanced toward Amelia Lancaster, fury zing
in his eyes.
"Mrs. Lancaster," he dered loudly,
making no effort to hide his
contempt. "How dare you arrange
for me to be engaged to Sophia
when she''s already married!"
Amelia blinked in astonishment. "What are you talking about? You knew she was married with a loser!"
Peter pped Amelia sharply across the face.
She staggered, shock and indignation rendering her speechless.
Inwardly raging, Peter mused, "That so-called ''nobody'' just unleashed Alfred Kingston against my family. Our assets are frozen, and we''re facing ruin-all because of your deceit!''
Blinded by fury, Peter kicked the olddy, sending her sprawling to the floor.
"Peter!" Malvin shouted, rushing forward. "This is uneptable!"
But Peter had lost all sense of control, his desperation now a frenzy.
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If he couldn''t convince Alex of his remorse, his family was doomed. He had to make this show convincing.
Without hesitation, Peter swung his fist, hitting Malvin squarely in the face, causing blood to trickle from his nose.
He then turned on Justin and Florence, pointing an using finger.
"You two bastards! Your daughter is already married to such a fine man, yet you dared to trap me, to set me
up against Mr. Alex! I''ll make you
pay!"
Peter pped Florence and struck Justin, fury twisting his features. Turning back to Amelia, he kicked her again as she struggled on the ground.
"You old hag, the older you get, the more dangerous you be. Why don''t you just die already?"
The crowd watched in stunned silence as Peter unleashed his wrath on the entire Lancaster
family.
"Stop this madness," Sophia''s voice suddenly cut through the chaos as she stepped forward. "What is going on?"
Peter froze, his anger reced with a chilling sense of dread.
Just looking at Sophia reminded him of her husband''s power, the one who could
squash the Smith family in an instant.
He dropped to his knees, trembling.
"Miss Sophia, please, forgive me. I don''t dare to continue with this engagement.
You already have a great husband. Please, forgive me."
Sophia''s face was a mixture of shock and confusion.
She hadn''t even known about the engagement with Peter Smith. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."
"Please, forgive me." Peter''s voice cracked, his fear overwhelming him as he kept
his head low, barely able to look at her.
"Alright, alright. I forgive you," Sophia said, still trying to process what was happening.
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"Please," Peter begged, his forehead pressing into the floor.
"Could you... could you ask Mr. Alex to forgive me too? Please, Miss Sophia. I
owe you my life!"