Damn it!
Jeff realized this delivery order was a trap. The Harper family had deliberately lured him here.
Marcus strode straight toward him and barked, "Take off the uniform, the hat, everything!"
Jeff frowned. "What's this about?"
At that moment, Brandon, face still swollen and bruised, stepped forward with a sneer.
"What's it about? Do you even know who he is? This is your top boss. Marcus Kane, general agent for Swift Delivery in Riverforge!"
Marcus snorted coldly. "If you don't believe me, I'll have Casey, the one who hired you, call you right now."
Sure enough, Casey's call came through seconds later.
"Jeff, what the hell did you do to piss off Mr. Kane? He's already terminated you!"
Jeff let out a cold laugh. He hadn't expected his delivery days to end like this.
Truth be told, he genuinely enjoyed the job. It let him meet all kinds of people, kept him grounded, and helped shape his character.
He wanted to finish this chapter on a clean note, but Marcus had ruined it.
Marcus roared again, "Hurry up and strip off that uniform! You're fired!"
The clothes, hat, even the motorcycle belonged to Swift Delivery. Once fired, he had no right to them.
"Fine."
Jeff's expression turned icy. In front of the gathered crowd, he peeled off the bright yellow delivery jacket.
"Hahaha, look at him. He's like a stray dog!" Brandon laughed so hard he nearly doubled over.
Michael snarled, "You trash! Weren't you so tough earlier? You even dared hit my son! Let's see how arrogant you are now!"
Right now, Jeff was still technically Marcus's employee. He had to obey the direct order to remove company property.
He tossed the uniform onto the motorcycle seat and said calmly, "Mr. Kane, I hear your agency contract with Swift Delivery expires this year. Correct?"
Marcus blinked, caught off guard. "What's that got to do with you?"
Jeff smiled thinly. "No need to fly to headquarters to negotiate renewal. You won't be holding the agency anymore."
Jeff vaguely recalled the CEO of Swift Delivery. For years the man had tried to build ties with the Sterling family, but Jeff's grandfather had always declined.
One word from Jeff, and Marcus would be gone from Riverforge overnight.
Marcus, whose entire fortune rode on keeping this lucrative agency, turned purple with rage.
"Who the hell do you think you are? You say I'm out, so I'm out? Do you have any idea how tight I am with the CEO of Swift Delivery?"
"Back when nobody believed in food delivery, I took the risk and bought the regional rights! This renewal, I'm prepared to put up five million dollars!"
Jeff's smile grew colder. "Even if you offer fifty million, it won't matter. You're done. Try me if you don't believe it."
Marcus sputtered, "You…"
Old Madam Harper cut in sharply. "Jeff, you worthless scum, stop bluffing!"
"First you cheated on Emily, then you assaulted my grandson. Today, in front of all these guests, I'm going to enforce Harper family discipline on you!"
"You dare step inside?!"
Jeff snorted. "What wouldn't I dare?"
He glanced toward the grand entrance of The Pinnacle Hotel.
Beyond the large Harper contingent stood dozens of other guests. Riverforge's elite.
Politicians, underworld figures, business tycoons, celebrities. All wielded influence far beyond ordinary people.
Yet Jeff showed no fear.
This was merely Riverforge's upper crust.
Even a dragon in shallow water isn't mocked by shrimp.
He strode forward confidently, following the Harpers into the hotel lobby.
The entire venue had been booked for Old Madam Harper's birthday. No outside guests, only staff.
Even the waiters gave Jeff a wide berth as he entered.
Old Madam Harper sat in the center chair like a throne. At barely five feet tall, she radiated absolute authority.
"You beast! Kneel!"
Jeff scanned the room. "Why should I?"
Old Madam Harper's voice was steel. "Three years ago, when you married into the Harper family, you swore personally: if you ever did anything to harm us, you would submit to family discipline. I ask you, does that promise still hold?"
Jeff straightened. "What I say, I stand by."
"Very well. Bring the Harper Dragon Ruler!"
At her command, Michael immediately handed over the "Dragon Ruler", a heavy, antique metal rod passed down through generations.
Originally a measuring tool, it had long since become the instrument of family punishment.
One solid strike across the face with it would sting for days.
Old Madam Harper gripped the ruler. "Best if you accept it willingly. Someone, give him twenty lashes!"
"Yes!"
Michael stepped forward eagerly. He'd been itching to avenge his son.
But Robert snatched the ruler from him.
"Mom, I failed to discipline my son-in-law properly. Let me handle this myself!"
Robert had barely taken hold when Susan grabbed it.
"I'm the one who's always slapped him. Let me do it!"
Several family members scrambled to claim the privilege of striking him.
To Jeff's surprise, even Emily spoke up.
"He's my husband. Let me be the one to beat him."
Emily's delicate hand, the one Jeff had never held in three years, closed around the Dragon Ruler.