Hank was still trying to process what was happening when another voice cut in.
"A deputy general manager from Aike Skincare dares to act that arrogant?" Ethan chuckled lightly. "My sister knows a heavyweight in the luxury skincare circle. If needed, I can have her step in and straighten things out."
Before Hank could even react, Kevin added calmly, "No need to trouble your sister. My family holds shares in an international skincare conglomerate. We have quite a bit of influence in that space. Handling a mid-tier skincare brand is trivial for us. Even if their chairman shows up, he'll still have to give us face."
Hank's mouth opened slightly. Aike Skincare… a small brand? Maybe in the eyes of international capital giants it was nothing special, but in the domestic market it was a well-known name, valued at over $350 million. To someone like Hank, it was an untouchable behemoth. Even a deputy general manager from that company ranked far above him.
Yet judging by Ethan and Kevin's tone, they weren't exaggerating at all. And then Jason raised his hand slightly. "No need. My secretary will handle it."
The words landed softly, yet they struck like thunder. Hank froze. Ethan had to rely on his sister's network. Kevin had to lean on his family's international capital. And Jason? He solved it… with a secretary?
For the first time, Hank felt genuine disbelief creep in. He already knew Jason wasn't ordinary, but this still felt unreal.
Strangely enough, Ethan and Kevin didn't question it at all. After Jason spoke, they simply nodded, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and smoothly shifted the conversation elsewhere. They began chatting with Jason about cars, overseas investments, and upcoming projects, completely forgetting about the "incident."
Even Charlotte, the person directly involved, didn't ask a single follow-up question. Instead, her demeanor grew even gentler, her gaze toward Jason carrying unmistakable trust.
Hank felt uneasy. Was his own worldview too limited? He couldn't compare himself to Ethan or Kevin—fine. But even Charlotte seemed so composed, so confident… as if she already knew the outcome.
Not long after, Olivia returned. Jason gave a slight nod, signaling that it was fine to report openly. Olivia placed a tablet in front of him and spoke in a steady, professional tone.
"Young Master, Aike Skincare's product line and R&D are actually quite solid. It's no small achievement for them to stand out in such a competitive market. Their valuation was around $320 million. They initially refused to sell, so we applied some pressure and added a premium. The acquisition was finalized at $345 million."
She paused briefly, then added, "Also, Deputy General Manager Zhou has been terminated."
Jason nodded, completely unfazed. He turned slightly toward Charlotte and said casually, "Alright. That issue is settled."
The room went silent. Hank's mind went blank. Acquired… just like that? A company worth hundreds of millions of dollars—purchased within such a short time frame? No boardroom standoff, no prolonged negotiations, no months-long due diligence dragged out in the open?
Jason didn't even speak much. He simply nodded once. And the problem disappeared. This wasn't just spending money—it was commanding capital.
Normally, a project of this scale would require layers of evaluation, legal reviews, financial audits, shareholder meetings—half a year would be considered fast. But here? One gesture. One secretary. One completed acquisition.
Hank felt his worldview crack. So this was how people at the very top operated. What he once believed to be the "upper class"… was nothing more than the outermost edge of the circle. And he—he was still standing at the village entrance, mistaking the city gates for the sky.
Hank finally understood—deep down, completely—why Charlotte had chosen Jason Carter. If she had chosen someone like him, she would still be forcing smiles at banquets, accompanying clients to drink, swallowing grievances just to survive. But if she chose Jason? She would stand beneath one person only—and above everyone else.
Hank was so shaken that he didn't even notice what was happening beside him. When Olivia calmly reported the acquisition, Ethan, who was standing nearby, nearly dropped the wineglass in his hand. His fingers trembled slightly before he forced himself to steady it. Beside him, Kevin's brows twitched uncontrollably.
Their two families combined were worth over ten billion dollars—a true upper-tier elite circle. Yet even for them, two or three billion was not money you could throw around like spare change. If they spent like that, their families' decades-long accumulation would be burned to ash in no time.
Their social circles allowed them to meet people worth fifty billion or more, and they had seen true tycoons before. But even those people didn't treat billions as if they were pocket money. They had never seen anyone as casual as Jason. In his eyes, money didn't seem to be money at all.
At that moment, Charlotte's eyes lit up completely. Her gaze toward Jason softened, then slowly turned irresistibly alluring. With her natural charm, that single expression made her look like an ancient fox spirit stepping out of legend. "Thank you, Young Master," she said softly.
Nearby, Mia, Grace, and Angela exchanged glances with Jason that were half-teasing, half-admiring. Even though this wasn't done for them, they could still feel it. They had no doubt—if the situation were reversed, Jason would have done the same for any of them.
Not far away, others watched silently. A dull ache rose in their hearts. Some regretted not taking the initiative at the New Vision Media annual meeting. Others regretted backing off the moment they believed the bankruptcy rumors.
Look at him now. Jason casually spent $350 million just to protect a woman. Would they ever encounter another man like this in their entire lives?
Meanwhile, Wanda, who had been observing from the sidelines, stood frozen. She had heard people talk about Jason's extravagance before. But this was the first time she had seen it with her own eyes. She had seen men spend ten thousand dollars. She had seen men spend millions. She had even seen someone gift a luxury mansion worth several million.
But this? A $350 million acquisition, decided with a nod? Her entire worldview shattered. Wanda's heart pounded wildly. Her body trembled, her breath grew uneven.
Jason noticed her gaze at that moment and finally recognized who she was. He remembered her—trying a little too hard earlier, every move carefully calculated. To be honest, he had already lost interest. Megan had once been manipulative too—but with her, it had become instinctive, effortless. Compared to that, Wanda's performance felt forced and shallow.
Now, his interest dropped even further. Jason looked away without another thought.
Beside Wanda, Molly, an insignificant girl who had tagged along, stood frozen for nearly ten seconds. Then she suddenly snapped back to reality, hands shaking as she pulled out her phone and sent a message to Sweetie, the leader of the elite socialite group.
"Oh my god. Jason Carter isn't bankrupt at all. His assets are even more terrifying than before. He just spent $350 million—casually—for a woman."
On the other end of the phone, Sweetie stared at the screen, eyes wide. "…How much?"
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