Chapter 139: An Unexpected Return!
One hour later.
At the top floor of the Zenith Entertainment Building in New Orleans—
BANG!
A fine porcelain teacup exploded against the marble floor, scattering sharp white fragments in every direction. The impact was so violent that it chipped the corner of a large ornamental planter nearby.
"Useless trash!" Dexter Luiz roared. "You couldn’t even deal with one female streamer! What the hell are you good for?!"
His face was frighteningly dark, his thick brows drawn together in uncontrollable fury.
Across the massive rosewood executive desk, Director Christopher stood hunched over with one arm secured in a sling.
His body trembled uncontrollably as he lowered his head, not daring to offer a single excuse.
The dark purple handprints still covering his swollen, bandaged face looked almost ridiculous beneath the bright office lights.
After venting some of his anger, Dexter finally forced himself to calm down.
His voice, however, became even colder.
"Tell me."
"Who exactly is this Luca Hale?"
"I... I still don’t know his full background, Young Master Luiz." Christopher’s voice shook as his teeth chattered. "The only thing I’ve confirmed is that he’s deeply connected to Harvey Adams through the Twist board."
At that moment, regret nearly consumed him.
He wished he had never shown Naomi Monroe’s profile to Dexter in the first place.
If he hadn’t...
None of this would’ve happened.
Every time he remembered Luca’s expression backstage, a chill crept down his spine.
That young man wasn’t someone an ordinary executive could afford to provoke.
Even if Dexter Luiz wasn’t afraid of him...
Christopher certainly was.
"Fine."
Dexter pinched the bridge of his nose before waving him away in disgust.
"Get out of my sight."
"Send Chainsaw in on your way out."
Christopher had just begun to relax after hearing he was dismissed.
Then those final words hit him.
His heart instantly sank.
Chainsaw...
That was the personal enforcer assigned to Dexter by his father, Gordon Luiz.
Whenever Chainsaw was called in, things had already gone beyond ordinary business disputes.
It meant someone was about to get hurt.
Christopher couldn’t help swallowing nervously.
Naomi Monroe’s beauty really had driven Young Master Luiz to the point where he was willing to challenge someone as mysterious as Luca Hale.
Thirty seconds later, the heavy office doors opened once again.
"Young Master."
"You wanted to see me?"
A broad-shouldered man stepped inside with an expression as cold as carved stone.
Dexter nodded.
"Chainsaw."
"I need you to investigate someone."
"Immediately."
---
Across the city, Luca Hale knew perfectly well what he’d done.
Breaking Director Christopher’s arms was no different from slapping Dexter Luiz across the face in public.
There was no chance an arrogant heir like Dexter would quietly let the matter go.
More importantly...
Dexter still had no idea about Luca’s relationship with Vivienne.
That alone meant the two of them were destined to become enemies.
After leaving the venue with Naomi, Luca sought out Harvey Adams and asked him to launch a full investigation into the Luiz Conglomerate.
If a conflict with Dexter was unavoidable, then Gordon Luiz, the true head of the family, couldn’t be ignored.
There was little point focusing on the son when dismantling the father’s foundation would cripple everything beneath it.
Once Gordon’s business empire began to crumble...
Dexter would become nothing more than a grasshopper in late autumn.
No matter how wildly he jumped, it wouldn’t change the outcome.
After Harvey readily agreed to mobilize his intelligence network, Luca’s thoughts became much clearer.
New Orleans wasn’t his home territory.
Compared to San Fierro, his influence here was still limited.
If he wanted to face a giant like the Luiz Conglomerate, he needed to strengthen his foothold in the city as quickly as possible.
For an ordinary person, building that kind of influence overnight would be impossible.
But Luca wasn’t ordinary.
He had the system.
And standing right beside him...
...was Naomi Monroe, his greatest lucky charm.
Besides showering Naomi with luxury gifts, what better way was there to trigger powerful critical rewards and rapidly expand his holdings throughout New Orleans?
His eyes brightened.
’Time to get to work.’
Luca reached over and gently took Naomi’s soft hand.
"Come on, honey."
"Your husband is taking you on a serious shopping spree."
Naomi blinked in confusion before letting herself be led away with a helpless smile.
---
Following Phoebe Gates’ recommendation, the group arrived at The Grand Paragon Shopping Center, the most prestigious luxury mall in New Orleans.
"Sir, welcome!" a sales associate greeted enthusiastically. "This is Chanel’s newest seasonal handbag, personally designed by one of Italy’s—"
"Hold on."
Luca raised a hand.
"You can skip the sales pitch."
The young clerk paused awkwardly, disappointment briefly flashing across her face as she prepared to put the handbag away.
Instead, Luca turned toward Naomi.
His voice softened immediately.
"Do you like it?"
Naomi studied the bag carefully before giving a shy nod.
"Mmh... I really do."
"Then we’ll take it."
Luca looked back at the stunned clerk.
"And bring out every new release from this season."
"My wife can choose a few more."
The sales associate froze.
She had worked in luxury retail for years.
Wealthy customers weren’t unusual.
But a young man who casually spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the woman beside him without blinking...
That was something she’d never seen.
Not to mention...
He was incredibly handsome.
If Naomi Monroe hadn’t been standing there looking so impossibly beautiful that no normal woman would even think of competing with her...
...the clerk might have secretly slipped Luca her phone number.
When she heard Luca call Naomi his wife, Naomi’s cheeks immediately turned crimson.
The rosy blush spreading across her fair skin only made her even more breathtaking.
Passersby slowed to a stop.
Many of the men couldn’t help staring.
Even the women found themselves admiring her.
If first love had a color...
It would be the delicate pink blooming across Naomi’s face at that very moment.
Sure enough...
Handsome men were always paired with extraordinary women.
And rich, handsome men?
They always seemed to end up with goddesses.
What an unfair world.
Just as nearby shoppers were marveling at the couple, a series of familiar notifications echoed inside Luca’s mind.
[DING!]
[Host has spent $239,000 on Naomi Monroe! Critical Reward Triggered: 100% Ownership of The Grand Paragon Shopping Center!]
Luca nearly laughed.
’Buying the entire shopping mall... while I’m shopping inside it?’
’Is that even reasonable?’
Before they had even stepped out of Chanel, word had already spread throughout the upper floors.
A handsome young billionaire had just spent over two hundred thousand dollars on handbags for his girlfriend.
Sales staff from neighboring luxury boutiques hurried outside, standing neatly at their entrances as if welcoming royalty.
This kind of customer appeared once in a lifetime.
Luca accepted the treatment without the slightest embarrassment.
He led Naomi from one boutique to the next.
Whenever her eyes lingered on an item for more than two seconds...
His card came out.
[DING!]
[Host has spent $198,000 on Naomi Monroe! Critical Reward Triggered: 100% Ownership of Crescent Security Solutions!]
[DING!]
[Host has spent $321,000 on Naomi Monroe! Critical Reward Triggered: Controlling Interest in Vanderbilt Global Maritime Group!]
[DING!]
[Host has spent $286,000 on Naomi Monroe! Critical Reward Triggered: Divine Gambler’s Fortune (95% Win Rate)]
[DING!]
[Host has spent $79,900 on Naomi Monroe! Critical Reward Triggered: 27% Controlling Equity in The Luiz Conglomerate!]
Luca stopped walking.
"..."
A look of genuine surprise crossed his face.
Twenty-seven percent...
Of the Luiz Conglomerate?
He had intended to strengthen his position before confronting the Luiz family.
Instead...
The system had casually handed him more than a quarter of their entire company.
While he was still processing the unbelievable reward, Naomi gently poked the back of his hand.
"Luca..."
She looked behind them before whispering shyly,
"Didn’t we... buy a little too much?"
Luca followed her gaze.
Behind them trailed more than ten boutique employees, each carrying stacks of luxury shopping bags.
Every single one held at least five.
He cleared his throat.
"Ahem..."
"Maybe... just a tiny bit."
He smiled awkwardly.
"Let’s make the next stop our last purchase today."
"Okay!"
Naomi smiled brightly before adding in an innocent voice,
"Then this one should be for Sister Vivienne."
A playful glimmer danced in her eyes.
"Or..."
"...for any other sisters waiting back home."
She kept looking directly into Luca’s eyes as she spoke.
For the first time that afternoon...
Luca actually felt guilty.
"Ahem!"
He coughed twice before quickly turning toward a nearby luxury jewelry store.
"Let me have a look at that diamond brooch."
He picked up the sparkling brooch and gently held it against Naomi’s chest.
"It looks beautiful on you."
The store manager immediately stepped forward.
"Sir, shall I prepare this piece for purchase?"
"Yes."
Luca nodded.
"Wrap it up."
He glanced at Naomi, trying his best to appear perfectly calm.
"Actually..."
"...make that five."
"I’ll take four more exactly like it."