"Chairman, we've successfully acquired ownership of Spark Enterprises," Gideon Boysen stated respectfully over the phone.
Ethan agreed without hesitation, unconcerned as it fit perfectly into his plan.
"Tell me, where can I buy a diamond ring and high-quality jewelry in Emerald Coast County?" he asked abruptly.
"Uh... There are numerous gold stores where you can purchase jewelry, but there's an auction tonight at the Emerald Centre Gallery in the east of the city. I heard many priceless pieces are going up for sale, and the final item is an exceedingly rare diamond ring," Boysen hurriedly replied.
"OK, I understand."
That evening, Ethan arrived at the main entrance of the Emerald Centre Gallery. After taking a few steps, a middle-aged man hurried towards him.
"Welcome, Mr. Knight," the man said kindly, smiling.
Ethan raised an eyebrow and looked at him. It was Damien Monroe, the wealthiest man in Emerald Coast County.
Despite Ethan's conflict with the Quinns, Damien Monroe had been quite interesting and had greeted Ethan warmly from the beginning. He had even lavished Anastasia's family with extravagant betrothal gifts on Ethan's behalf.
However, the Reeds should have paid more attention to the gifts for Charlotte, resulting in numerous misunderstandings.
"Mr. Knight, my family is hosting the auction tonight. Let me take you inside. If we use this passage, no one will notice."
Monroe was astute enough to lead Ethan through a secret tunnel to a private room on the second floor of the auction house, knowing Ethan preferred to keep a low profile.
The private room was discreetly concealed and offered a fantastic view, allowing the auction items to be seen clearly. Monroe handed Ethan a lovely booklet. "Mr. Knight, here is the catalog for tonight's auction. If you find anything you like, we'll deliver it."
Ethan gave Monroe a halfhearted smile. "Do you think I'm short of money?"
Monroe froze, suddenly realizing his mistake. Ethan, known as the 'God of War,' possessed far more power and fortune than he did.
"My apologies, Mr. Knight, for misunderstanding. I will leave you be then. I hope you enjoy your evening. Call me if you require anything. I'll be in the private room next door," Monroe excused himself.
Soon, the auction began.
Ethan didn't hold back and bid on any item he desired at a high price. His wealth and generosity outmatched those who attempted to compete with him. He paid a stunning price for the last few pieces of costly jewelry, including the enormous pink diamond ring that served as the finale.
Even Damien Monroe, sitting in the private room next to Ethan's, couldn't help but inhale in awe, let alone the other participants in the auction.
Everyone was talking about the mystery tycoon who had spent tens of millions of dollars at the auction. Unfortunately, Monroe had already taken care of everything, and no one could discover the true identity of this enigmatic figure.
Despite not knowing the tycoon's identity, they spread the news about the extraordinary event at the auction.
Some wealthy families quickly realized that a mega-rich tycoon had emerged at the auction and spent tens of millions of dollars in the blink of an eye.
He's incredibly affluent! The wealthy genuinely have the freedom to do whatever they choose. He spent a fortune on jewels. I'm so envious!
Ethan was now assigning Boysen a task: "Arrange a banquet in my honor five days from now. Invite all the affluent families in Emerald Coast County. Ensure that guests are well-served and that hospitality standards are raised to the highest level. Remember to invite the Reeds as well."
Boysen hurriedly wrote it down. "Yes, Chairman!"
Boysen spent the next few days managing Orion Industries and preparing for the banquet while Ethan focused on Anastasia, who hadn't fully recovered from her illness. He also spent time strengthening his bond with his beloved daughter, Sophia. They played every day and spent going aside and buying toys whatever Sophia chose. Aside from Claudia's occasional ridicule, life was relatively tranquil.
Brendan, who had been threatening to kick Anastasia out, was preoccupied with unexpected issues and didn't have time to go to her house and chase her and her family away.
"Grandpa, the Logo Industries just called to inform us that they are terminating their relationship with us. They are the eighth company in recent days to express a desire to end our collaboration. What should we do?" Brendan asked Thaddeus with concern.
Since breaching the contract with Orion Industries and compensating them with Spark Enterprises and five million dollars, the Reeds had become the laughingstock of Emerald Coast County.
Their reputation had taken a severe hit, and to make matters worse, they had upset Orion Industries. As a result, several of their former business partners decided to end their partnership with Reeds.
"This is infuriating. They're all cowards and fence-sitters! The Logo Industries used to be worse off than the Reeds and sucked up to us to secure our cooperation, but now they're abandoning us!" The more Brendan thought about it, the angrier he became. His friends had started treating him differently, some even ignoring or insulting him sarcastically. They seem to be enjoying what is happening to the Reed family now. He could never tolerate this!
"Enough. People will always look up to those in power and disdain those below them. That's just the way the world is. What is there to be angry about?" Thaddeus sighed. "The most important thing now is to restore our reputation and compensate for our losses."
"At the end of the day, it's entirely Orion Industries' fault. If we can find a larger backer than Orion Industries..." Brendan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Grandpa, I've got an idea! Do you recall the mega-billionaire from the auction a few days ago? I heard he spent tens of millions of dollars at the auction, and someone vaguely saw Damien Monroe, Emerald Coast County's richest man, accompanying him. He must be a high-status individual! If we form ties with him, our problems will be solved!"
Thaddeus Reed nodded and smiled approvingly. "Alright, not bad! As long as we can contact him, everything will be fine. Brendan, I'll leave this to you. Make sure you find a way to get close to this person!"
"Yes, Grandpa. I'll ask around and find out more. We need to convince him to support us. Once we do, Orion Industries will be nothing."
Brendan stopped panicking and raised his head with renewed vigor and confidence as if he already saw himself having the influential figure's support and being superior to everyone else in Orion Industries.