Chapter 4 Attacking Someone at Their Lowest Point

• In the private room, Iris's parents arrived ahead of time, filled with pride as they shared their news with relatives.
• "Philip, you wouldn't believe it; Mr. Duran has demolished five properties. Can you fathom that? More than 4.5 million!
• "With our daughter set to marry him tomorrow, we're on the verge of a lavish life, ha ha ha." Cassian was nearly drooling with excitement at every word he uttered.
• In the family, he was always the least favoured. His older and younger brothers lived in fancy houses, while his family was crammed into an old building from the '80s. But now, with his daughter about to marry into wealth, he finally felt like he could hold his head high.
• "Cassian, congrats on making it big at last. Your daughter's quite the gem, so lovely and radiant," said Molly Jay, her voice oozing with insincerity. On the surface, her words seemed like congratulations. Still, her tone mocked him for banking on his daughter's marriage to elevate his status.
• Cassian didn't care; he just laughed even louder. Landing a millionaire son-in-law was more than enough for him. For years, the Cokes had barely made ends meet in Riverton, never coming close to a fortune of 4.5 million. Molly's comments were nothing more than veiled envy.
• "Cassian, Mr. Duran is only four years younger than you and not easy on the eyes. Seems like you're really stretching to elevate your stature," Philip Coke said, his smirk barely concealable.
• Another relative couldn't stand Cassian's nouveau riche behaviour and fired a sharp retort his way.
• "I'm just being honest, Cassian. Don't take it to heart," he said, though his sincerity was questionable.
• Mirabel laughed. "Being older and not as attractive isn't a problem. It's all about having wealth. Many seek such partners but haven't yet found the opportunity."
• Her comment left everyone in stunned silence. In this world, wealth is the loudest voice. Recognising one's value is crucial even for those aiming to ascend the social ranks.
• A heavy silence fell over the room.
• At that moment, the door to the private room burst open. David Coke swaggered in, followed by Oriel and the smug Sam.
• "Wow, Cassian, always the centre of drama! Your daughter ran off with an ex-con today to elope, and you were completely oblivious?" David didn't beat around the bush with his sharp critique.
• Caught off guard, Cassian leapt from his seat. "What? My daughter is marrying an ex-con? You've got to be joking."
• Before he could elaborate, the door swung open once more, and Marc and Iris entered. David immediately gestured towards Marc.
• "Look, isn't that him? Fresh from a five-year sentence behind bars." Cassian's heart raced, his breathing shallow.
• Pointing at Iris, he trembled. "D*mn girl, what ... what's going on here?"
• Iris clenched her jaw, murmuring, "Dad, I'm sorry. I couldn't bring myself to marry the guy with the demolition business, so I secretly went ahead and got married."
• Cassian's world nearly crumbled hearing this news! His daughter had married an ex-convict? What did this mean for their future?
• Mirabel was consumed by intense anger, her teeth tightly clenched.
• Back when they couldn't conceive, their lives were a struggle. Life had been tough when they couldn't have children. In desperation, they adopted eight-year-old Iris from an orphanage, planning to marry her to a wealthy man once she grew up—secure descendants and an improved life, a win-win.
• Little did they expect, after over a decade of hard work, everything came crashing down like the bad old days!
• This d*mn girl Iris had gone and married a former con behind their backs!
• This life was unbearable!
• While Cassian and Mirabel were still in shock, David recounted the whole birthday incident involving Oriel to everyone.
• Inside the private room, uproarious laughter erupted, louder than during the New Year. Even the usually reserved Mary couldn't help but crack a smile.
• Cassian had just been boasting to the heavens a moment ago. His face was swollen from being slapped so hard—talk about embarrassing yourself!
• In this family, Mary disliked Cassian the most. His existence resulted from Grandpa's affair, making him not a blood relative of Mary's. If not for Grandpa's dying wish, she would have kicked this good-for-nothing out of the family long ago.
• "D*mn girl, I'll knock you senseless!" Cassian charged towards Iris, his hand raised to slap her. But after hesitating for a while, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
• "Let's get out of here!" Cassian barked at Mirabel and hastily exited, slamming the door as he left.
• "Don't be in such a hurry, Cassian. We haven't even started dinner yet!" Molly's laughter was mocking, causing Cassian further humiliation as he departed.
• Seeing her adoptive parents being ridiculed by everyone like this, Iris felt a deep sense of unease. Despite being treated more as a bargaining chip in marriage negotiations, they showed her genuine kindness in their daily interactions.
• This time, her adoptive parents would be heartbroken, wouldn't they?
• "Marc, we should leave," Iris murmured to Marc, her eyes brimming with tears.
• "Not so fast!" Mary suddenly interjected, rising from her chair with the support of her cane.
• "You should drop out of the cooperation with Vermillion Group. Tomorrow, prepare the documents and hand them over to Oriel for follow-up," Mary stated matter-of-factly.
• Three days prior, Iris secured a deal worth 1.2 million dollars with Vermillion Group on behalf of the company. This bold move had stirred up the entire Cokes, making countless people envious.
• Mind you, Vermillion Group was the largest conglomerate in Riverton. Even second-tier families, let alone third-tier families, found it challenging to establish relations with them. Yet Iris miraculously pulled it off.
• While her grandmother was initially content with this development, she planned to entrust the project to Oriel. However, with Iris about to marry into a prominent demolition household, Mary didn't want to offend her and could only swallow her pride.
• Today, the plot thickened. Oriel got engaged to the son of the Wagners, and Iris married a former convict.
• This is an absolute godsend opportunity. If she didn't act now, she'd be letting down her own sly and cunning reputation.
• "Grandma, how could you?"
• "That cooperation was negotiated by me," Mary said firmly.
• Iris was heartbroken. She had put in so much effort to clinch that deal herself. Yet, with a simple declaration from Mary, Oriel was the one to enjoy the spoils with no effort. It seemed utterly unfair!
• "There's no room for questioning. In our family, I'm the one who makes the decisions. My word is final," Mary proclaimed with authority.
• Oriel was overjoyed; her expression was radiant, as if she were a blossoming flower. She had always desired Iris's contract but had been reluctant to approach Mary about it, worried it might complicate their bond. Now, with Mary handing it to her so gracefully, it was precisely what Oriel wished for.
• As the third generation of the Cokes began to thrive, the battle to become the future leader of the family was expected to intensify. By securing this cooperation, Oriel's status would be further solidified. In the future, she could wield authority just like Mary.
• "Thank you, Grandma. I promise I'll make you proud," Oriel told her, affectionately holding onto Mary's arm, skillfully blending charm with a hint of smugness as she cast a victorious look towards Iris.