Chapter 5 A Single Spark Can Start A Fire

• Night had fallen.
• The watery moonlight glimmered and a cool breeze sang softly through the air.
• A young man stood quietly on the misty bank of the lake. His gaze was deep as he looked at the ripples forming across the lake.
• Yannopolis was a water city. Since time immemorial, it had been known for having more water than land. Misty Cloud Lake was Yannopolis’ largest freshwater lake. Because it was covered with mist all year round, it gained the name “Misty Cloud”.
• “Mr. Finley, I have kept you waiting.” From behind him came the voice of an old man. It was the retainer. If anyone from the Cooper family were there, they would be shocked to see the butler of the Cooper family, the most favored retainer of their family head, behaving so servilely toward this young man.
• “Has he left?” the young man asked lightly as he continued to stare at the lake.
• “Yes. The family head has already left. He told me to look after you in secret. So it will be more convenient for us to communicate in the future. Even if we are discovered, no one will find out my real identity.”
• Finley nodded and spoke slowly. “For my sake, you had to shoulder a heavy burden and endure sufferings at the Cooper family. Thank you for your hard work. Mr. Finley, you are too kind. If you had not saved me back then, I would have already died in the wilderness. From that time onward, I have pledged my loyalty to you. Never mind ten years, I will gladly endure a hundred years of suffering for your sake. As long as I can help you fulfill your long-cherished wish, I will have no complaints.”
• Finley smiled lightly and patted the butler's shoulder. “Thanks.”
• “Mr. Finley, words of thanks are not necessary. I owe everything I have to you. And all these years, I have followed your orders and secretly supported various powers throughout Clusia. After ten years, our efforts have borne fruit. There’s the boss of Yannopolis, Ernest Lemmon. And the Wendel family of Broburgh. And...” The old man excitedly recited the results of his hard work to Finley, as if he were a gardener showing off his prized flowers to his boss.
• “Mr. Finley, when are you returning to the Cooper family? I believe, when you return, all those people who have looked down on and humiliated your mother will regret what they did.” The butler looked at Finley, a light of hope glimmering in his eyes. He had the air of an undercover soldier who was praying for the triumphant return of his king.
• Finley shook his head. “It’s not time yet. Operation Spark needs more time. But it’s near completion. When I return to the Cooper family, this spark will ignite a prairie fire!”
• Finley clenched his hand and his eyes shone with an unfathomable light.
• Profound respect rose within the butler as he looked at the twenty-something young man standing before him. Most probably, even the head of the Cooper family did not think that the “low-born” person despised by the Cooper family was a dragon among men.
• Ten years ago, Finley was just a teenager with an air of childlike innocence still about him. But what the Cooper family did to Finley and his mother had left him with a temperament beyond that of other men.
• During those years at the Cooper family, Finley had managed to recruit many servants to his side. The butler was just one of them. After they were driven out of the family, Finley came up with Operation Spark. He had given his mother’s savings to the butler. Through the old man and the influence of the Cooper family, they had invested in various down-on-their-luck people throughout Clusia.
• “The best investment is in people! At first, they may be only sparks, weak and unknown. But I believe, given enough time, the sparks will ignite a fire that will burn across the prairie!”
• Most likely, nobody would think that the speech was made by a teenager. When he had first heard the speech, the butler had been deeply impressed by Finley’s far-sightedness and the maturity that was beyond his years.
• Now, ten years had passed and Finley’s plan had borne fruit. This deepened the butler's respect for Finley. It wasn’t just gratitude that he was feeling, but also deep admiration for the far-sightedness of Finley’s plan.
• “Yes. When the time comes, I will throw open the gates of the Cooper family and welcome you. I await the return of the king!”
• Whoosh…
• The piercing cold wind blew and countless ripples formed across Misty Cloud Lake.
• At this moment, Yvonne and Wyatt had already moved to another restaurant for their engagement party.
• After all, the event must go on. They had yet to officially announce their engagement, so there was no way Yvonne and her family would let the guests leave.
• But, even though it wasn’t their fault, getting chased out of Oceanic Inn while the event was still in progress had caused Yvonne’s family to feel embarrassed.
• The incident hit Yvonne especially hard. She had planned to show off in front of her relatives, but the unforeseen event had caused her to lose face instead. So, she placed the blame on Wyatt.
• “Yvonne, that was not my fault. Who would have thought that a VIP would suddenly appear in Yannopolis? It wasn’t my fault. Look, even that director and the president of Millenium Group were thrown out as well. There was nothing I could have done. Your family will understand.” Outside the private room, Wyatt was doing his best to console Yvonne.
• But Yvonne remained unpacified. “Hmph. Even if I forgive you for what happened at Oceanic Inn, it still remains a fact that you have embarrassed me in front of my family. I don’t care. Later, your family will have to give lots of expensive betrothal gifts to make up for what happened. Yes, I want a million and one in cash as well, or I will divorce you!”
• When her cousin, Scarlet, had gotten engaged, her in-laws had given her ten thousand and one in cash. The meaning behind the gift was “one in a thousand”. Now that it was her turn, she wanted to one-up her cousin with a “one in a million”.
• “Relax, Yvonne. When the betrothal gifts arrive, they will definitely make you look good in front of your family.” Wyatt assured her confidently.
• “All right then.” Only then did Yvonne decide to let Wyatt off the hook. She returned to the private room and joined her family.
• Wyatt then proceeded to a deserted corner to make a phone call. “Dad, have you prepared the betrothal gifts? Make sure they are expensive. The more expensive the better. Add a million and one in cash too. The people from the Quinn family are here. The Cooper family can’t afford to lose credibility in Yannopolis. If people talk about the gifts, you will be the one to lose respect.” Wyatt laughed cheekily.
• “P*ss off, you unfilial son. And don’t call me Dad! You stole the household register and got married in secret. You really have guts. Since you are so capable, go handle your engagement and wedding by yourself.” A man howled in anger from the other end of the line.
• “Dad, I only wanted to give you a grandson, to continue our family line,” Wyatt replied timidly.
• “Scr*w you! Everyone in Yannopolis’ high society knows, with the exception of Mariette, that all the daughters of the Quinn family are petty gold-digging b*tches! How dare you marry a woman like that? You have brought shame upon our family! And she wants betrothal gifts? A million in cash? Scr*w you. Tell that gold-digging b*tch that even if I die, she will not get a single cent of our money!”
• He continued, “Betrothal gift? I won’t give a single penny! I don’t want a gold-digging b*tch like her to be my daughter-in-law! Not even if they are giving her away for free!”
• And with a slam, the call ended.
• Wyatt was troubled. What could he do? He had just promised Yvonne that he would get her expensive betrothal gifts. If he could not come up with anything, there would be h*ll to pay.