Most importantly, he needed to find a way to mend his reputation among his former college friends. After being humiliated by Charlie not once, but twice, how could he ever flaunt his success in front of them again?

As he contemplated ways to regain his dignity, a sudden uproar erupted at the restaurant’s main entrance.

The commotion drew the attention of everyone inside, who turned to see what was happening.

A gang of young men, each sporting ominous expressions and tattoos covering their arms and bodies, stormed into the restaurant. They wielded baseball bats and galvanized pipes, making it clear they were not there for a meal.

The sight horrified everyone, particularly Douglas and Lily, whose faces were etched with fear.

The leader of the group, a man with a prominent scar across his face, stepped forward. He surveyed the room before fixing his gaze on Douglas with a sinister grin. “Boss, why didn’t you come over to greet us before the opening ceremony? Are we invisible to you?”

Lily’s face went pale as she managed a forced smile. “W-What do you want from us?”

Before the opening, Lily had heard whispers of protection racketeers operating in the area. The previous owner of the restaurant had been harassed by these thugs to the point of bankruptcy, leading him to sell the establishment.

Despite this, Lily had decided to rent the place at a bargain, believing that these criminals wouldn’t dare to be brazen enough to demand money in broad daylight.

However, she never imagined that the gangsters would show up at their opening event!

With a chilling grin, Scarface declared, “If you want to run a business here, you’ll need to get on good terms with our boss, Bill the Bear. We don’t ask for much—just 20% of your profits, and you’ll have our protection for good. Just give us a call if you ever need help.”

Then, with a cold tone, Scarface added, “But if you refuse, I’m afraid we’ll ensure your restaurant is out of business starting today!”

Douglas and Lily exchanged anxious glances, their hearts racing at the mention of the exorbitant fee.

A twenty percent cut? It felt like outright robbery in broad daylight!

“You have a minute to decide,” Scarface said ominously.

That’s when Clinton spotted an opportunity to play the hero!

He jumped up, declaring, “Who is your boss?”

Scarface’s grin turned menacing. “And who might you be? Why would I tell you that?”

Clinton shot back, “I’ll have you know my father has connections with both the legal authorities and the underworld in Aurous Hill! I’ll call the developer’s boss right now!”

Scarface’s demeanor shifted slightly, eyeing him with caution. “You know him?”

“Of course!” Clinton boasted, “You’d better leave if you don’t want trouble!”

Scarface frowned, his agitation evident. “Well, if you can get me someone to talk to, I might just let this slide. But if you can’t, you’re going to regret it!”

Lily shot a nervous glance at Clinton and pleaded, “Please, make the call!”

Clinton offered a faint smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll call him right now!”

Clinton’s father had some projects in the redevelopment zone, which meant Clinton often interacted with the developer’s head. That was why he felt confident.

He pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and spoke with an air of arrogance, “Mr. Lee, why are there protection racketeers in the redevelopment zone? They’ve even come to my friend’s restaurant!”

On the other end, Mr. Lee’s voice trembled as he replied, “Oh, Clinton, what’s going on?”

“A friend of mine just opened a restaurant, and some gangsters barged in to demand a protection fee. Can you do something about it?”

After a brief silence, Mr. Lee finally said, “I’m sorry, Clinton, but that’s not within my purview. I’m in a meeting right now, bye.”

Before Clinton could respond, the call ended abruptly.

Clinton was left in shock.

What just happened? Mr. Lee had previously sought to curry favor with his father for more investment from Emgrand Group, so why was he so quick to dismiss him now?

Unbeknownst to Clinton, word had spread through the business community in Aurous Hill that his father had been fired from Emgrand Group!