At first, Amanda and the others didn't want to disturb the birthday boy, Mr. Richard Reeves, but with all the commotion spreading through the banquet hall, the old man eventually noticed something was off.
Walking over with a heavy stride, Richard frowned deeply. "What's going on here? Don't tell me someone's trying to kidnap my granddaughter?"
Amanda Reeves nodded hesitantly. "Yes, but… don't worry. Sienna went with him willingly. And the man's identity—well, it's not simple."
Richard slammed his palm down on the nearest table, his voice booming through the hall. "I don't give a damn how 'not simple' his identity is! Is he more important than the Reeves family? Taking my granddaughter from my own birthday banquet—if I catch him, I'll break his legs myself!"
The room fell silent for a moment. Amanda and Mr Reeves exchanged uneasy looks.
The truth was far more complicated. The man in question—Jason Carter—was only in his early twenties, yet his estimated personal net worth exceeded one billion dollars, a figure that represented one-third of the entire Reeves family's assets. And that was only his money. Who knew what kind of power or influence lay behind him?
Still, even if Jason's background was greater than theirs, Amanda and Grace couldn't just sit by while their daughter was whisked away.
"Dad," Grace said carefully, "we're already trying to get in touch with him. But his background's… complicated. None of our people can even find his contact information."
Richard scoffed. "Complicated, my ass. In here, there's no one whose information I, Richard Reeves, can't get."
He motioned to his secretary, who immediately started making calls.
The Reeves Family Group, built around a Venture Capital, had been a powerhouse in the U.S. financial scene for over twenty years. Its influence spread across the east coast—from Wall Street investments to private equity and real estate. The Reeves had long-standing ties with major corporations, law firms, and even regulatory offices.
So when Richard said that no one could hide from his reach in here, he wasn't exaggerating. Normally, he could get information about anyone—even if traditional data channels were closed off, there were always other ways.
But this time… was different.
Within minutes, his secretary returned with a stack of nervous phone calls. Each one sounded more hesitant than the last.
"Mr. Reeves, may I ask… why do you want to investigate Mr. Carter? If there's any kind of dispute, I—I'm afraid we can't provide that information."
"If the Reeves family wishes to cooperate with Mr. Carter, perhaps you should reach out to him directly. We really can't disclose anything about him."
"We actually do business with Vision media, but all our communication goes through his assistant. None of us have direct contact with Mr. Carter himself."
Each call was a dead end—and yet every single person seemed afraid to even mention Jason Carter's name too casually.
Richard's eyes darkened. These weren't just nobodies—these were CEOs, investors, and corporate attorneys. People who usually feared him. Yet right now, they were acting like he was the one walking on thin ice.
He set his phone down with a sharp thud. "Good. Very good," he said through clenched teeth. "So a twenty-year-old kid has made me, Richard Reeves, look powerless. As expected, the kind of man who could abduct my granddaughter isn't some ordinary brat."
Despite his anger, a flicker of reluctant admiration crossed his face. Still, fury quickly followed—it didn't matter how impressive the kid was. He'd stolen his granddaughter from his own birthday banquet.
Determined, Richard decided to call in a few personal favors. If his influence alone wasn't enough, then maybe his name would be.
He dialed an old friend in real estate—one of his closest allies over the decades.
"Old Paul," Richard said, "I need a favor. Find out everything you can about a man named Jason Carter."
"There was silence on the other end. Then, a sharp inhale.
'Richard… please tell me you haven't gotten into a fight with that man.'
Richard frowned. 'What the hell are you talking about?'
'Listen to me,' Paul said quickly. 'You can't afford to offend him.'
Richard let out a short, incredulous laugh. 'You think I can't afford to offend some wet-behind-the-ears kid? Do you even know who you're talking to?'
'I do,' Paul said, his tone grave. 'And that's exactly why I'm saying this. I don't know what kind of backing he has—but even just him, alone—you and your entire family can't afford to offend. No, not just your family. Everyone at that birthday party you're throwing tonight combined—you could add up every single connection in that room—and it still wouldn't be enough.'
Richard froze, then burst into laughter. 'Paul, are you drunk? You're telling me that one kid, not even thirty, is more powerful than the combined weight of my guests? Do you even know how many top executives and city officials are here tonight?'
His phone's speaker was loud enough that everyone nearby—heard Paul's words.
They all stood stunned.
They had already known Jason Carter was extraordinary—a billionaire before twenty, the genius founder of multiple companies—but to hear that even the combined influence of everyone at the banquet couldn't compare to him...
That was beyond anything they could imagine.
And as the truth settled in, silence spread across the luxurious ballroom. For the first time that night, the mighty Reeves family realized—there existed someone far beyond their reach.
Not everyone at the banquet would rush to the Reeves family's aid if trouble came — some were acquaintances at best — but that wasn't the point now. The unsettling thing was that the warning had been absolute: even if everyone at the banquet combined leaned in, they still weren't enough.
Mr. Grant's voice came through the line, steady and grave. 'Richard, I know exactly who's at your party tonight. Old Warren even tipped me off he'd be here. But I'm telling you as an old friend: don't make an enemy of Jason Carter. If something goes sideways, make the big problems small and the small problems trivial. Don't turn this into a fight.'
Hearing Mr. Grant speak that seriously finally sobered Richard Reeves. He knew Grant well; the man didn't traffic in hyperbole. If Grant warned him, it was because he genuinely believed Jason was that dangerous.
Richard took a breath and tried to explain, lowering his voice for the room. 'I'm not out to start a war. Someone whisked my granddaughter away from my birthday—my only aim is to make sure she's safe. I just want a number so I can call him and—at most—give him a piece of my mind.'
Mr. Grant exhaled, a reluctant chuckle rolling through the receiver. 'If that's all you want, I'll send you his contact. But you have to hear me out.'
Richard pressed the phone to his ear. 'What exactly is this guy? You've been acting like he's some kind of legend.'
'No, I'm not exaggerating.' Mr. Grant's tone tightened. 'A while back, when that regional redevelopment policy went public, someone had inside knowledge days before the announcement. He bought three hundred acres of industrial land and seven hundred apartment units overnight. When the policy hit, he cleared more than two billion dollars in profit in a matter of days.'
The words landed like a hammer. For a moment Richard simply stared, the phone slipping in his hand.
The name Jason Carter — the boy who'd left the banquet with Sienna — had already been murmured in real estate circles. The scale of what Mr. Grant described, however, made it something else: a seismic event. An ordinary sale couldn't explain flipping that many properties that fast; inside knowledge matched to decisive capital could.
Richard's breath went shallow. If Mr. Grant's story checked out, it changed everything. The Reeves family had spent generations building a fortune the size of which once impressed the city; now here stood a man who, in a matter of days, had turned an anticipated policy into billions. Whatever channels he had — whether political, financial, or otherwise — were not ordinary. They were terrifying.
The room around Richard, which had been buzzing with indignation, flattened into stunned silence. Grace, Amanda Reeves, Megan and the others watched the old man's posture shift from fury to a careful, businesslike restraint.
After a beat, Mr. Grant continued, softer this time. 'I'll send you his number. But Richard, whatever you do—be careful. Don't humiliate him. If your intent is merely to ensure Sienna's safety, keep it civil.'
Richard nodded even though Grant couldn't see him. He instructed his secretary to expect a message. A moment later the number flashed on Megan's phone—Jason Carter's direct line—relayed by a reluctant Mr. Grant.
Richard turned to the group and said, quieter than before, 'I'm sending his number to your phones. Call him yourself. Sienna went of her own will—be polite.'
The shift was instantaneous. Where anger and plans for retaliation had simmered, now there was a strange mix of fear and awe. Ivan and Mike, who had been bristling minutes earlier, now sat pale and speechless. Grace pressed her thumb to the screen as if to steady her jaw; the rest exchanged the same glazed, incredulous look.
Two billion dollars in days. A string of companies and assets worth hundreds of millions each. A kid barely out of his twenties who moved unseen through corridors of influence they'd assumed were theirs.
The question that now hung in the air — unspoken and heavy — was no longer how they would react, but who exactly Jason Carter was, and how one man could suddenly eclipse decades of family legacy in a way that left the entire room feeling suddenly small."
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