Immortal King

Chapter 39

At that moment, Zeke's mind was unusually clear as he began analyzing every detail of the situation. The fact that Jack could obtain real credentials for General Steele meant he must have some significant backing. If Zeke wanted to completely ruin Jack, not even the mayor of Wyndcrest would have the power to do it. However, he had a cousin working in the provincial capital. If he could leverage his cousin's connections there, they might just be able to take down Jack the impostor! With this plan in mind, Zeke carefully stored the credentials and left the room with extreme caution.

Meanwhile, after arranging the musical pieces for the night with Lily, Jack took a cab to the Destroy Steele Group headquarters.

"Sir, you're here," Drake greeted him respectfully.

"I lost my credentials. I need you to have new ones made," Jack said calmly.

Drake was taken aback, surprised that Jack could lose something too. However, he didn't dare question further. "Yes, I'll contact the Skyblade immediately."

With that matter settled, Jack continued preparing for the upcoming anniversary. 'I've got the dinner venue and the performance lined up, but what else am I missing?' Jack pondered. Having never been on a date with a woman before, he was unsure about the details.

He left the Destroy Steele Group building and wandered the streets aimlessly. Suddenly, a conversation between two passersby caught his attention.

"Ah, what a pity. The meteor shower for Sagittarius was in the southern hemisphere a few days ago, so we couldn't see it here!"

"Yeah, we had to watch it on TV. Who knows when we'll get to see another one."

Jack turned to see two young men chatting. "A meteor shower? The Falling Star Night restaurant?" Jack's eyes lit up, and he knew exactly what he needed to do.

***

Two days later, on the evening of the anniversary, Jack invited Emily out. Emily, having taken great care of her appearance, was glowing with happiness.

"Jack, where are we going tonight?" Emily asked excitedly, holding onto his arm.

"Let's start with some shopping at the D.T. Mall. I haven't bought you any clothes before," Jack said with a smile.

It was still early for dinner, so Jack decided to buy some gifts for Emily and her parents to avoid further complaints from Nancy. As the current owner of D.T. Tower, Jack could easily have shopped without paying, but he chose to keep it low-key and pay like a regular customer to avoid startling Emily.

"Sir, these are the items your wife selected, totaling $3,800," the cashier said with a smile, though inwardly she was judging him. 'Taking such a beautiful woman shopping and spending only a few thousand dollars, what a cheapskate,' she thought.

Jack was touched, knowing Emily had deliberately chosen cheaper, out-of-season clothes to save him money. However, when he reached for his wallet, he realized something embarrassing. His wallet and credentials were in his coat, which Nancy had lost. Since he seldom needed to spend money, he had forgotten to get new bank cards.

Seeing Jack hesitate, the cashier's disdainful look deepened. Just as Jack was about to call Drake for assistance, Emily smiled and said to the cashier, "I'll pay. His card is with me, so he can't settle the bill." The cashier's expression softened as she understood the situation.

Jack felt grateful for Emily's thoughtfulness and was about to express his thanks when a mocking voice interrupted. "Unbelievable! Letting a woman pay for your shopping. Jack, you're pathetic!"

Jack turned to see Bob, standing there with a young, attractive woman.

"Bob, what are you doing here?" Emily glared at him, clutching Jack's arm tightly.

"This store isn't yours, and why can't I come in? I'm here to buy clothes for my girlfriend. Is that a problem?" Bob sneered, turning to the woman beside him. "Honey, pick whatever you like. I'll pay for everything. Unlike some people, who make their women pay for them, I know how to be a man."

"Thank you, darling! I love you so much!" The woman kissed Bob on the cheek and started picking out the most expensive clothes in the store. She didn't bother checking if the clothes suited her; she only looked at the price tags. Soon, her selection totaled tens of thousands of dollars.

Bob looked smugly at Jack. "Jack, after eight years in the army, you can't even afford to buy my sister clothes. Pathetic!"

Jack glanced at Bob, unwilling to engage in such petty provocations. Today was important for him and Emily, and he didn't want it ruined by this nonsense. Moreover, he had bigger plans for the evening and wasn't interested in this low-level rivalry.

The woman strutted over to Emily, pointing at a dress Emily was holding. "Honey, I want this dress!"

"That... doesn't seem appropriate," Bob feigned concern, but his eyes were gleaming with malice.

"I'm sorry, but this dress is only a few hundred dollars, and it wouldn't suit you. Besides, I've already bought it," Emily said, stepping back and frowning.

"Really? You've bought it? Did you pay for it?" The woman sneered, knowing she and Bob had interrupted before Emily could finish her purchase.

Emily gritted her teeth. "What do you want? I've already said this dress doesn't suit you..."

"Who said I wanted to wear it?" The woman laughed, snatching the dress from Emily's hands and throwing it on the ground.

"Earlier on the road, I accidentally got my shoes dirty. This shabby dress will be perfect for wiping them clean." As she spoke, she lifted her foot and started rubbing and stepping on the dress, quickly turning the white skirt into a dirty mess.

"That's enough!" Emily shouted, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Oh, honey, she's scaring me!" The woman pretended to be frightened, hiding behind Bob. Bob snorted and yelled, "Emily, watch your tone! She's your future sister-in-law. Do you have no manners?"

"She ruined my dress! Didn't you see that?" Emily argued.

"Oh, please. You hadn't even paid for it yet. How can you say it's yours?" Bob taunted. He then leisurely walked to the cashier, tossing a card onto the counter. "Miss, please charge the dress to my card. Let's settle this so my sister stops causing a scene."

"Sure, sir." The cashier swiped the card, but there was a soft beep. She looked embarrassed. "Sir, your card doesn't have enough funds. Could you use another card?"

"What did you say?" Bob was incredulous. "You must be mistaken. There's one hundred thousand dollars on that card. Your machine must be broken."

"Sir, there are indeed one hundred thousand dollars on your card, but..." the cashier hesitated, "this dress is worth three hundred thousand dollars."

"Are you out of your mind? This discounted dress costs three hundred thousand. This is extortion! I'll sue you!" Bob fumed, slamming his hand on the counter, drawing the attention of all the customers.

"Sir, this dress is genuinely worth three hundred thousand dollars. Our boss bought it at a fashion auction for that price. It was mistakenly placed among the discounted items. You can check our computer records and the auction certificate if you don't believe me," the cashier calmly explained.

"Who would buy this garbage for thirty thousand?! This is a scam!" Bob's face turned red with rage.

"What? Are you trying to default on the payment?" The cashier's expression darkened as she pressed a security button. Several guards immediately entered the store, surrounding Bob and his girlfriend.