Chapter 7

Zack had a son and two daughters. His son, Zen Miller, had no interest in the business industry. He opted for politics instead, and his career had been thriving in Southbank. His second daughter, Rose, was a conglomerate mogul. She was in charge of Twilight Group, which was founded by Zack. It took her only a few years to expand the group into one of the most prominent corporations in Levix City. With the company in good hands, Zack retreated from his position in advance and let Rose take full charge of the group. Winnie was his youngest daughter. She had a fiery personality, and she reveled in martial arts. She was taken under the wing of one of the four grandmasters in Levix City, Caspian Jenkins. … Rose's car smelled nice, and Steven felt slightly restless. He still couldn't believe that Rose, who seemed unattainable, was sitting right next to him. "Dr. Lewis, I'm truly grateful to you. Despite your young age, you have such remarkable medical skills and martial art techniques. You'll soar high in the future," Rose marveled. "You're flattering me, Ms. Miller," Steven replied calmly. He wasn't that oblivious. "I rarely praise others sincerely, but I meant what I said earlier," Rose cooed, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear. She looked elegant. "I'm incredibly honored," Steven answered modestly. As someone who'd been through ups and downs in life, he was mature and resilient. He didn't lose his composure over her compliment. Instead, he remained humble and indifferent. "It's our honor to be acquainted with you as well, Dr. Lewis," Rose said politely. The car soon arrived at the Miller estate, which was situated by the Levix River. The entire estate spread across several acres, and it was adorned with vintage architecture. The pavilion, bridges, and corridors all carried an air of opulence. Upon their arrival at the estate, Rose handed a card and a latest phone model to Steven. "Dr. Lewis, there's three billion dollars in this card. It's for your service. Please take it." Steven accepted it gladly. He needed money now. In the past, one would have to strive academically to pave their way to success. For people who delved in the martial arts realm, they had to spend countless bills on rare herbs to ensure their bodies could keep up with their training. Otherwise, their painstaking efforts would be in vain, and they might even suffer the risk of endangering their physique. "Just call me by my name. I feel quite uneasy when you address me as Dr. Lewis," Steven said. "You're our VIP guest, so we didn't want to be rude. Since you don't like it, it shall be Mr. Lewis then," Rose replied swiftly, chancing a glance at Winnie. "Mr… Lewis, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for my insolence!" Winnie finally set her ego aside and apologized to Steven sincerely. As a martial art practitioner, she adored those who were stronger than her and despised those who were weaker than her. She was finally convinced of Steven's strength after witnessing his exceptional medical skills and his ability to take down a seventh-grade expert with a single blow. Steven wasn't particularly fond of Winnie, though. She reminded him of Yanny due to their similar brazen attitude, and he felt unpleasant in her presence. He nodded slightly and remained silent. Rose intervened, easing the tension arising as she said, "Mr. Lewis, I heard that you don't have a place to stay at the moment. I have a place at Imperial Villas. If you don't mind, you can have the residence instead. It also counts as my token of apology for Win's behavior." Steven wasn't inclined to accept their favor without a reason. Many things in this world might appear to be free, but their prices were, in fact, labeled discreetly. One was bound to pay a heavier price in the end if they became greedy over a minor benefit. Still, he was enticed when Imperial Villas was mentioned. He used to live there. "I appreciate your kindness, but I think I'll just have a look at it first. I'll buy it at market price if I like it." He really needed a place to stay. "Alright. Let's go take a look now." Rose drove him to Imperial Villas. Imperial Villas was one of the most prestigious residential areas in Levix City. Only the wealthy and elite resided here. It was a stone's throw from the Miller estate, and they arrived in just ten minutes. Steven was overwhelmed when Rose's car pulled into Imperial Villas No. 18's driveway as the gate parted automatically. "Is this the place?" "Yeah, Imperial Villas No. 18. Is there any problem with it?" Rose asked. Steven took a deep breath. "This used to be my house." "Oh, what a coincidence! What an interesting turn of fate. Now, it's returned to its rightful owner," Rose exclaimed. She was delighted at their luck. Steven hopped out of the car right away before she could even park the car properly. It'd been two years since he returned. Seeing how the garden looked almost identical to how it was two years ago, he felt a lump welling up in his throat. He'd been living like an animal for the past two years in the Qualls residence, enduring their incessant torture and humiliating insults. How could he not tear up once he stepped into his old home? Rose opened the door, and Steven strode in. The interior, including the furnishing, had changed drastically. "Mr. Lewis, did anything change at all? I never lived here after I received it as a gift. I've never touched anything here as well," she said. "It's been completely renovated, and it doesn't look like how it was before. I initially planned to retrieve some mementos of my parents, but I guess they've all been discarded," Steven lamented. "Did you buy the house?" "No. Marrie has always wanted to work with us. She gave this house to my dad as his birthday present a year ago. That was what led me into signing the deal with Stellar Group." Steven snickered. Marrie was quite the schemer, renovating his house and giving it to the Millers as a birthday gift. He gritted his teeth. The sole mention of her name made his blood boil. The lesson he'd taught her during the day wasn't enough to quell his fury. It only seemed right for him to punish her again, otherwise he couldn't get rid of his lusting for her. Rose picked up the resentment in his expression. She asked tentatively, "I heard you aren't on good terms with Marrie." "Exactly. We definitely don't get along," Steven scoffed. "She's amazing, isn't she?" he quipped sarcastically. "She was struggling when she fled to Levix City, so my mother took her in. No one would have thought my mother was raising a snake in her bosom." It was hard for him to conceal his resentment for Marrie whenever he recalled their past. Rose nodded. "I've dealt with her before. I can tell she's a very capable and cunning person. "Nonetheless, it seems like she doesn't have a keen eye despite her calculative nature. It's unbelievable that she hadn't discovered your talents." Rose had made up her mind to sever all deals with Stellar Group, drawing a clear boundary between them.