In Darnell's mind, he could already picture himself being minced into meat on Berloff Reed's command and then thrown into the nearby river to destroy the evidence.
Terrified, Darnell couldn't help but shiver.
If the Ortiz Family, with their billions in assets, were considered local powerhouses, then Berloff Reed, with his mansion at 11 Bund and private helicopter, was undoubtedly the top dog.
In the eyes of someone as powerful as Berloff, the Ortiz Family was nothing.
Darnell had dared to make a move on Berloff's cousin. Berloff could crush him with just a flick of his finger.
Thinking about this, Darnell's legs gave out, and he couldn't hold on any longer.
Thud!
Darnell fell to his knees, kowtowing to Berloff and begging for mercy.
"Mr. Berloff, I'm sorry. I didn't recognize who you were. I was blinded by greed and dared to harass your cousin."
"Please, spare me this once. Give me a chance to live!"
"I promise, from now on, I'll turn over a new leaf and treat your cousin like a queen. I won't let her suffer any grievances at our company!"
After saying this, Darnell shot a vicious glare at Primrose and Marcella.
"You two idiots, what are you standing there for?"
"Get on your knees and beg Mr. Berloff for mercy, just like me!"
Thud! Thud!
Primrose and Marcella, two office workers, had never seen such a terrifying scene before.
Seeing the usually arrogant company heir, Darnell, obediently kneeling before Berloff Reed, they scrambled off their chairs and knelt on the luxurious carpet, their foreheads hitting the ground heavily.
"Mr. Berloff, we know we were wrong. Please forgive us!"
"Mr. Berloff, we're sorry! We spoke out of turn and offended you. Please spare us!"
The scene left Berloff utterly bewildered.
What the heck!
After the system rewarded him with the mansion at 11 Bund, complete with a butler, servants, and bodyguards, it didn't mention anything about a team of assassins.The way Darnell and the others were talking, it was as if he could just wave his hand and have them eliminated.
"Um... Berloff!"
At this moment, his cousin Rebecca glanced at him nervously, her voice trembling. "Darnell and the others haven't done anything too serious. They don't deserve to die. You should let them go."
Berloff was both amused and exasperated. "Cousin, do you also think I'm some ruthless Bund overlord?"
"I was just joking with Mr. Darnell earlier. I had no intention of making things difficult for him."Smack!
As soon as he finished speaking, Darnell, who was kneeling on the ground, slapped himself hard across the face.
"Mr. Berloff, please, don't call me Mr. Darnell anymore!"
"I was an ignorant fool, arrogant and reckless in front of you."
"In front of a super-rich person like you, I'm nothing but a nobody!"
Seeing the bright red handprint swelling up on Darnell's left cheek, Berloff Reed was stunned.
"Uh... okay, if you all want to leave, I won't keep you."
"Sutton, please see these gentlemen out."
After a few seconds of shock, Berloff sighed heavily and instructed the butler to escort Darnell and his companions out of the estate.
Relieved, Darnell and his two companions quickly stood up, bowed to Berloff in gratitude, and hurriedly made their exit.
Once Sutton had escorted them to the gate of the estate at No. 11 Waterfront, Darnell finally felt like he could breathe again, taking deep gulps of air and fully relaxing.
"Goodness! Mr. Darnell, this Rebecca's cousin is terrifying! To be able to buy such a massive estate here at the Waterfront, his wealth and power are unbelievable!"
"Forget the Waterfront, even in our central region, building an estate that spans thousands of square feet would be considered a monumental feat. This Rebecca has an extraordinary cousin. It's a good thing we didn't offend him too badly."
Primrose and Marcella, both visibly shaken, patted their chests, still reeling from the shock.
After catching his breath, Darnell stared at the "No. 11 Waterfront" sign with a complex expression on his face."You guys don't get it, do you?"
"This Number 11 Bund Mansion is recognized as the most luxurious residence in Silk City. It's worth billions, and only the truly elite have the privilege to live there."
"Rebecca's cousin, Berloff Reed, is so young yet has become the new owner of Number 11 Bund Mansion. He must come from one of the top families in the capital."
"If I hadn't made the quick decision to kneel and beg for mercy, the three of us might not have survived tonight."
Whoosh!Darnell's words made Primrose and Marcella turn pale and tremble with fear.
"Mr. Darnell, what should we do now? Will Mr. Berloff come after us again?"
"Yeah, offending such a big shot, there's no place on earth we can hide!"
Darnell sneered, "You fools, you really have no sense!"
"Mr. Berloff is someone of high status. Since he said he'd spare us, he won't pursue our mistakes further."
"From now on, remember to treat Rebecca like a queen."
"If anyone dares to upset Rebecca again, I'll be the first to deal with them!"
Primrose and Marcella nodded fearfully, their eyes filled with terror.
...
In the living room of Number 11 Bund Mansion, Rebecca sipped her refreshing green tea while occasionally stealing glances at Berloff Reed.
Her attempt to hide her curiosity made her look both cute and playful.
"Cousin, why do you keep sneaking glances at me?" Berloff Reed asked, half-amused, half-bemused.
Rebecca put down her teacup, pouted her red lips, and said in a sweet voice, "I just wanted to see if my dear cousin, who I grew up with, has been swapped with someone else!"
Berloff looked down at himself, puzzled. "I've just gotten a bit more handsome, but I'm still your genuine cousin. What makes you say that?"
Rebecca pouted even more. "A few months ago, you were just an ordinary insurance agent, barely getting by."
"And now, all of a sudden, you're a super-rich guy who can buy a mansion on the waterfront. How is that possible unless you've been swapped?""Berloff, come on, be honest. How did you get so rich?"
"You didn't become some big shot's puppet and get involved in illegal stuff, did you?"
Berloff's face turned a bit awkward. "Cousin, don't worry. All my current wealth is legitimate and legal. There's no need to be concerned."
"As for how I got rich, it's a bit complicated to explain right now. I'll tell you more about it later."
He knew he couldn't reveal the system, and explaining it to family and friends would indeed take some effort.Hearing this, Rebecca looked at Berloff with a worried expression. She took his hand and softly urged, "Berloff, please don't go down the wrong path."
"I'd rather see you live a simple, peaceful life than watch you ruin yourself for fame and fortune, ending up in prison."
Berloff felt a warmth in his heart and quickly reassured Rebecca with a few more comforting words.
After their conversation, Berloff Reed escorted Rebecca to the guest room to rest.
Returning to the master bedroom, Berloff scratched the back of his head. With his wealth growing, he knew it was time to figure out how to handle this issue.