News travels fast in the city — and when it involves half a billion dollars, it travels like wildfire.
Within hours the Motors Alliance Club and the Elite Club were ablaze with gossip.
"Who is this Ryan Hall, thinking he can scheme against Carter?" someone barked.
"If he tries anything, he won't need Jason to settle it for him — we can make sure he never shows his face again," another chimed in.
A few clicks and a couple of quiet calls later, Ryan's life began to unravel. Folks dug up public records, past lawsuits, and disgruntled employee statements. The picture that emerged didn't match the swagger he carried in the club.
"He runs a small leather factory — mostly exports. Assets under a hundred million, and the plant's a mess. No OSHA compliance, half the payrolls are questionable," one member read aloud, shaking his head.
"I pulled court files — there are wage claims, multiple harassment complaints, and a pending suit where a middle-aged worker was seriously injured while unloading shipments. He didn't carry workers' comp properly. The settlement's stalled, and people say he's been stonewalling victims."
In no time Ryan was exposed, piece by piece. Compared to the membership in Motors and Elite, he was small fry — someone they could strip bare socially and professionally without breaking a sweat.
And then everyone came back to the same astonishment: Jason Carter had bought a rug for $380,000 that turned out to be worth more than $500 million.
A hush, then a chorus of incredulous laughter.
"A Qing-era map and a portrait of Emperor Qianlong? Preserved like that? Half a billion is probably conservative."
"I'd put it at a billion, easily."
"Jason's luck is unreal."
"Either he's got the Midas touch or someone's blessing him."
"Whatever it is, everyone around him seems to do well."
The chatter rolled across social circles like a storm. The city's well-heeled and well-connected started taking sides, and favors were quietly offered to the man who had unexpectedly upended everyone's expectations.
Across town, in an exclusive karaoke penthouse, Lewis was lounging between two models, glass in hand, when his phone buzzed. He frowned, dismissed the rest of the room, and made a call.
Lewis had business with Jason — they were partners on the Bay Project — and anyone who crossed Jason now crossed Lewis too. This wasn't just about a rug; this was about a strategic alliance. He told his people to quietly "handle" the matter.
At the Panji Group's executive floor, Mike received the same tip and moved faster. His family's influence would not allow a man like Ryan to make bold moves against someone they might one day need. Mike picked up his phone and put the wheels of the family's influence into motion.
Word spread to other seats of power. In his office, District Chief Ivan Hughes heard the rumor and felt something shift. Dealing with this small-time antagonist wouldn't buy him Jason's favour outright, but it was a chance to show support — to be on the right side when the dust settled. A well-timed favor might cost him little but gain him a lot.
Before long the whole network was humming: collectors, developers, club presidents, even law offices were quietly taking notes. The consensus was clear — Ryan Hall, who had so brazenly tried to stir trouble, had bitten off more than he could chew.
Jason Carter, for the moment, remained unaware that an entire city of influence had just aligned — some to protect him, others to profit from the fallout. But the first dominoes had been tipped.
Ryan Hall's life began to collapse before he even understood what hit him.
His reputation was already fragile — too many gray dealings, too many unpaid bills, too many workers left bitter. All it took was a nudge from the right hands to send it all tumbling down.
And this time, the "nudge" came from every direction at once.
Within forty-eight hours, multiple agencies descended on him. The Fire Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Labor Inspection Bureau, and Occupational Safety Division all launched simultaneous investigations. His factory was flagged for safety hazards, unpaid wages, illegal waste disposal — the works.
The woman who had been suing him for injury compensation was suddenly backed by the largest legal firm in the state, a firm that usually handled class actions against Fortune 500 companies. The lawsuit ballooned into a media-worthy case, with pro bono lawyers and activists jumping in.
Even workers who had long since settled with Ryan returned with new complaints. His business partners — both local and international — began pulling out, severing contracts before anyone could ask why. Suppliers, distributors, and banks froze accounts and credit lines as if he were contagious.
Ryan's scalp tingled as the reality hit him. He didn't know exactly what had happened, but one thing was clear — he had provoked someone far beyond his reach.
He had just started plotting against Jason Carter, and now this avalanche came crashing down. Even a fool could connect the dots.
"Didn't they say he came from some small-town family?" Ryan muttered, voice trembling. "How the hell can a guy like that pull this off?"
He called every contact he had — lawyers, inspectors, old business buddies, politicians he'd once bribed with favors and envelopes. None picked up. A few hung up mid-sentence. Most just blocked his number.
When he drove to see people in person, doors slammed in his face. It was as if his very name had turned toxic.
Only one man answered his call, shouting so loudly that Ryan had to pull the phone away from his ear:
"Are you out of your damn mind, Ryan? You went after that guy? You want to die, fine — but leave me out of it! Don't ever call me again!"
Ryan froze. "That guy? You mean Jason Carter? Who is he really?"
"I don't know the details," the man hissed, "but Liberty Motors Alliance and Heritage Elite Club have both blacklisted you. and even District Chief Ivan Hughes are involved. Whatever you did — you're finished."
The line went dead.
Ryan stood there, hollow-eyed, phone slipping from his hand. His mouth was dry. He didn't need to know Jason's background anymore. The names alone — Lewis, Mike, District Chief Hughes — were enough to crush him a thousand times over.
Despair swallowed him whole. The half-billion-dollar artifact that had haunted him days ago now meant nothing. He no longer dreamed of revenge; he only prayed to survive the week.
He tried to save what he could — paid overdue wages, settled lawsuits, liquidated assets. Then he reached out through intermediaries, begging for a chance to apologize to Jason in person.
But before he could get close, authorities arrested him for fraud, workplace violations, and tax evasion.
Meanwhile, across town, Celven heard the whispers through his collector's network. He frowned as he poured himself a cup of tea.
"This Ryan Hall fellow," he said to his sister Clara, "seems to have suddenly landed in deep trouble."
Quinn, seated beside him, handed him her phone with a small smile. "It's not sudden. It's Jason's network."
On her screen, messages from the Motors Alliance group chat scrolled endlessly — screenshots, leaked memos, agency updates. Ryan's fall was public and brutal.
Quinn's eyes sparkled with admiration. She had worried about Jason earlier, fearing Ryan might actually cause him trouble. But Jason hadn't lifted a finger — his supporters had done everything for him.
Even District Chief Ivan Hughes had stepped in. Was he one of Jason's allies too?
What touched Quinn most wasn't the scale of Jason's influence, but what came from it. She read about the injured factory worker — a single mother who'd been denied compensation for months. Because Jason's name had surfaced, powerful lawyers had stepped forward to help her win justice.
Jason hadn't said a word, hadn't made a call — and yet, people moved for him. His reputation alone brought justice where it was overdue.
Quinn's chest tightened. He really is extraordinary, she thought. A man who changes lives without even trying.
Even if he wasn't hers alone, he was still the kind of man she'd always dreamed of — the kind who made the world tilt in his favor.
Quinn: Affection +2.
Celven, Clara, and the others stared at the group messages in shock. The support Jason commanded —and the District Chief himself — went far beyond mere money.
Celven exhaled slowly, his expression complicated. "Who exactly is this Jason Carter?"
No one in the room could answer. But one thing was certain — he was no ordinary man.
There are 140 chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439