Chapter 481 The Great Family
150 miles north of Veridiania, in Celestria City.
Nestled among the mountains, the scenery is absolutely stunning.
Thanks to the unique terrain, even in the blazing summer, this place stays refreshingly cool, making it a rare summer getaway.
There are over a dozen vacation hotels nearby.
The most luxurious of them all is the Heavenly International Resort.
It used to be the estate of several generations of emperors, now transformed into a top-tier 6-star resort, a favorite relaxation spot for many of Celestria City's elite.
But today, the Heavenly International Resort is completely booked out, from top to bottom, inside and out!
Even the parking spaces are off-limits to outside vehicles!
Only the hotel executives have inside information.
Today, the prestigious Clark family from Celestria City is here!
The most prominent figure in the Clark family is none other than Aaron Clark.
The Secretary of the Treasury for Veridiania!
Today is Aaron Clark's 70th birthday!
Given Veridiania's political climate, if Aaron Clark, holding such a significant national position, chose such a lavish venue for his celebration, it would be subject to criticism.
But today, no one dares to gossip.
Because the Clark family is not only a political powerhouse but also a renowned name in the business world of Veridiania!
Aaron's two brothers, Ronan Clark and Tobias Clark, both started from scratch at a young age and now run two multinational corporations and several publicly traded companies!
Their net worth is in the billions!
Now, these two billionaire brothers have booked the entire hotel to celebrate Aaron's birthday, and naturally, no one dares to say a word!
The Clark family is large, with many descendants.
Guests flocking to the event are numerous, making the Heavenly International Resort, despite being booked out, bustling with activity.
An hour ago.
In the main building's reception room.
On the central sofa, three elderly men sat side by side, with the one in the middle exuding the most authority. He wore a black suit, sat upright, but his brows were furrowed, and his expression was displeased!
He is Aaron Clark of the Clark family in Celestria City!
On either side of the room stood seven or eight young people, all looking tense.
These are the younger members of the Clark family. The family has strict rules; regardless of whether you are a CEO of a publicly traded company or a local official, if the elders don't speak, you can't even sit down and must stand obediently!
In the center of the room stood a striking figure.
She stood alone, her gaze lowered.
"Melissa, this is just ridiculous!"
Aaron slapped the armrest and shouted, "How could you get involved in such shady business!"
Melissa pursed her lips slightly, wanting to defend herself but not daring to defy her father.
"Aaron, don't get angry. Let me ask her."
The speaker was Ronan.
Ronan had always doted on Melissa since she was young, often covering for her.
Ronan blinked and said, "Melissa, why would you go and open a chain of hotels? That's so low-class, making your father, such a prominent leader, lose face."
"Ronan, you don't know the situation!"
Aaron said angrily, "If she were doing legitimate business, I wouldn't oppose it! But do you know she's collaborating with the Wavehaven gangsters? Those criminal gangs!"
Aaron's words left even Ronan stunned, and he took a deep breath, "This..."
The younger members of the Clark family started whispering among themselves.
Melissa's heart was racing. For years, she had been the obedient, educated girl in the family's eyes. But no one knew that wasn't her true self. The strict upbringing in the Clark family had sparked her rebellious nature. The Black Fox gang she had secretly built was her doing. A young woman enduring bloodshed in Wavehaven, controlling the Black Fox gang for six years. Fortunately, her identity as a gang leader had always been kept under wraps. But when over a hundred smart stores opened in Wavehaven, she could no longer hide it. Such public business entities have information that even ordinary people can find, let alone someone like Aaron.
Aaron, having spent his life in the military and now holding a significant position, is upright and hates evil. Upon hearing that his youngest daughter was involved with gangsters, he was furious.
Melissa whispered, "They've turned over a new leaf."
"Turned over a new leaf!" Aaron's face turned red with anger. "A gangster is a gangster! You're my daughter, I manage Veridiania's economy, entering and exiting the national office daily. If this gets out, how will I face anyone? This is outrageous!"
The entire reception room fell silent. Aaron's rage left everyone speechless. Even his two brothers frowned, knowing that this was something Aaron absolutely could not tolerate.
"Father," a broad-chested, handsome man, bearing a resemblance to Aaron, stepped forward. This was Aaron's eldest son, Gabriel. At just 36, he had made a name for himself in politics and was now the mayor of Whispering Pines.
"I heard the real owner behind these smart stores is someone else. Melissa just made some complex friends and took the wrong path. In my opinion, if she resigns and leaves this business, it's not a big mistake."
"What? Melissa isn't the boss, she's working for someone else? She must have been tricked by someone!" The younger members of the Clark family whispered louder, looking at Melissa with strange expressions. In their world, Melissa's actions were simply incomprehensible.
Aaron's face was even more strained, his lips trembling slightly. Melissa stubbornly said, "I chose to do this willingly, and besides, the gentleman isn't a bad person!"
"Gentleman? Melissa, are you rebelling?" Aaron slammed the table, now furious to the extreme. "From now on, you're grounded, not allowed to go anywhere!"
"Father," Gabriel's face was anxious, just about to speak.
"No one is to speak for her!" Aaron felt like he was about to have a heart attack.
Ring ring...
At that moment, Aaron's phone rang. He glanced at it, his expression serious. He took a few steps forward, seemingly looking for a quiet place to answer the call, but turned back to Melissa and said, "At the banquet later, you don't need to toast me! When you clear up the gangster issue, then you can make up for this toast!"
With that, Aaron strode away. Everyone left behind was shocked. Today was Aaron's 70th birthday banquet, and according to tradition, the younger members were supposed to toast and give their blessings. Now, he's refusing Melissa's toast, essentially disowning her temporarily.
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