Chapter 346 Down-and-Out Ruby
James stepped out of Hibiscus House, feeling pretty confident. He pulled out his phone, did a quick search, and then headed to meet up with Francis and the others.
As he sat in the taxi, his phone buzzed softly. He glanced at the screen and saw a $5,000 transfer from Bruce, followed by a voice message.
Bruce told James to use the money to find a hotel and settle in for a few days. He also apologized for Marigold and Coralie's behavior and promised to make proper arrangements for James once he finished a business deal.
James sighed. Marigold and her daughter were indeed snobbish, but Bruce had always treated him well.
However, James didn't accept the money, replying that he had enough and reminding Bruce to take care of his health.
James had noticed Bruce's high blood pressure earlier but hadn't mentioned it in front of everyone. Now, he took the chance to remind Bruce to be careful.
After sending the message, James closed his eyes to rest. Half an hour later, the taxi arrived at the Golden Harbor Club.
James got out and headed straight to room 303, where he found Nathaniel, Mia, and a few others.
"Why'd you pick this place to meet?" James asked, his face lighting up at the sight of his familiar friends from JZL Medical Clinic.
"Been here for days and still haven't found a place to stay?" he teased, hugging Nathaniel and the others.
Mia laughed. "James, don't blame me. I've been busy training new staff. This was Nathaniel's idea."
Nathaniel grinned, leading James to the main seat. "We've got everything sorted—hotel, base, all of it. We chose this place to give you a proper welcome."
"I'm telling you, the food and drinks here are just as good as Enchanted Vine Tavern back in Rosewood City. Plus, there are plenty of beautiful women," he added with a cheeky smile.
Francis ignored the banter, focusing on his meal as if nothing else mattered.
"Of course, there are two other reasons," Seeing James's indifferent expression, Nathaniel quickly explained. "First, this club is owned by the Rivera family, so it's private and secure."
"Second, this place is frequented by the elite of Glowing Oasis, making it easy to gather information."
"Tell me about the situation," James said, eating as he spoke. "What's the current state? Who's likely to come out on top, Bryan Watson or the Mystic Alliance?"
"The situation has stabilized quite a bit, and the power shifts are nearing their end," Nathaniel began. "Let's start with the Green family. Larry had four wives and a dozen kids, but they lack unity and capability."
"After Larry's death, they couldn't compete for the leadership position and started fighting over the inheritance. Many have died in the process."
"Now, only two people have a shot at becoming the head of the Green family," Nathaniel said, pulling up some information on his phone.
"One is the eldest son, Ollie Green, and the other is the fourth son, Soren Green. Besides their own strength and connections, they each have support from different factions within the Mystic Alliance."
"Ollie has allied with Chris Diaz from the Mystic Alliance, while Soren is backed by Milo and his group."
"Chris is from Zachary's faction. He's skilled but stubborn and old-fashioned. Milo and his crew are the new wave, but they're shady, always ready to stab you in the back."
"They're aiming to back Ollie or Soren to become the head of the Green family, then use that influence to boost their own bid for leadership."
"Of course, they've got bigger plans," Nathaniel added, showing more images. "Once they install their puppet as the head, they'll slowly take over the Green family."
"Larry misused his power over the years, creating the Wish Group and funneling many benefits into it. He even turned public assets into his private ones."
"Half of the Wish Group's shares are in Larry's hands, so Chris and his group want to control Secure Horizon Services to indirectly take over this lucrative asset."
Nathaniel's usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced by a clear and detailed explanation, showing the effort he had put into understanding the situation.
"There are about a dozen others vying for the leadership of the Mystic Alliance, but their forces are too weak, barely commanding a couple hundred people," Mia added. "They can't compete with the likes of Zachary or Wang Dongshan, who have thousands of followers."
"Zachary and Milo are fighting for the leadership of the Mystic Alliance, while Ollie and Soren are battling for the head of the Green family and control of the Wish Group," James summarized with a faint smile. "Looks like this trip to Glowing Oasis will be quite interesting."
Nathaniel leaned in. "James, what's the plan? Are we making a move?"
"Not yet. Let's wait for a few more to fall first," James replied, spearing a piece of meat. "Moving now would be too costly."
Nathaniel and the others nodded in understanding.
"James…" Mia hesitated. "Do you want to hear about Ms. Smith?"
James's hand trembled slightly before he regained his composure. "Go ahead."
"Ms. Smith left the courthouse without any fuss. She gave everyone present $2,000 as a thank-you and then drove to her office alone," Mia said, keeping her tone neutral. "An hour ago, she terminated those three contracts and compensated the Howard Group with a hundred million dollars as per the agreement."
"Half an hour ago, Charles and his family moved out of Peach Blossom No.1. Ten minutes ago, they boarded a private jet to Stardust City."
She shared all the details to help James face the reality, avoiding any lingering doubts. However, she didn't mention Addison's outburst at JZL Medical Clinic, where she had called James a heartless jerk.
"Got it. Thanks, Mia," James said, feeling a pang in his heart as he realized Mary was trying to sever their ties completely.
"Let go of me!"
At that moment, the door burst open. A woman in a green dress stumbled in, collapsing at James's feet.
As Francis and the others tensed, a group of men in black appeared at the door and rushed in. They quickly grabbed the woman, pinning her arms.
Her hair was disheveled, obscuring her face, but her athletic build and resilience were evident.
She was soaked, reeking of alcohol, and breathing heavily, her eyes filled with desperation.
"Bitch, trying to run? You've got a death wish?" a bald man snarled, yanking her hair and slapping her twice.
The woman cried out in pain, revealing her face.
James's eyes widened in shock. Wasn't she Ruby?
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