They Mocked the Wrong Man

Chapter 008

If Cliff truly had just dined with Autumn Lee, what kind of terrifying identity must he actually possess?

The couple exchanged a glance, both recognizing the profound alarm reflected in each other's eyes.

Quinn Sutton forced himself to maintain composure, grasping at comforting rationalizations.

"This must be some kind of misunderstanding. You definitely saw wrong!"

"But... but what if that person really was Cliff..."

Trish's sentence died unfinished.

At that precise moment, the doors to Rain-Listening Pavilion suddenly swung open. Both of them stared intently at the figure emerging—it was indeed Autumn Lee, CEO of Venture Group!

Autumn's expression was filled with obvious concern as she supported a gray-haired middle-aged woman who appeared extremely fragile and weak.

Trish plastered on an obsequious smile and gathered her courage to approach.

"Ms. Lee, was that man who just left Rain-Listening Pavilion... was his name Cliff?"

"So his name is Cliff!"

Autumn's heart stirred with interest. She hadn't expected to learn the man's name here, in this chance encounter.

However, her mother's current physical condition was her primary concern. She nodded perfunctorily, eager to depart as quickly as possible.

"That's correct. Why do you ask?"

The impact was instantaneous and devastating!

Autumn's confirmation struck like a thunderbolt from clear skies. Trish's face went chalk-white, all color draining away as panic overwhelmed her completely.

Quinn's expression beside her turned equally grim.

"How... how is that possible..."

Autumn found their reaction peculiar, but at that moment her mother seemed to react violently to Cliff's name, suddenly erupting in hysterical fury.

"Cliff! Cliff deserves to die! He deserves to die!"

"Mom! What's wrong?!"

Autumn immediately became frantic. Her mother's body simply couldn't withstand this kind of emotional trauma so soon after her miraculous recovery!

She turned an angry glare on these two unwelcome strangers, her voice sharp with reproach.

"I don't know who you are, but please show some consideration for your surroundings when asking questions!"

Without waiting for any response, she began guiding her mother toward the exit, intending to leave immediately.

But watching Autumn's mother's violent reaction, Trish's eyes suddenly lit up with malicious comprehension. She thought she'd detected something suspicious in this situation!

With misguided cleverness, she pressed forward.

"Ms. Lee, was it perhaps that you were discussing the loan with Young Master Wainright's father, and that useless Cliff interfered and ruined the business deal?"

Hearing this, Quinn seized onto the explanation like a drowning man grasping a lifeline, his head snapping up eagerly.

"That must be it! Cheney was just telling us about this very situation earlier!"

Being obstructed repeatedly finally ignited Autumn's temper. Her expression turned ice-cold in an instant!

Though she suspected there was some kind of misunderstanding at play here, she had absolutely no desire to waste time explaining anything to Trish. Instead, she responded with deliberate sarcasm.

"Yes, exactly! You seem to know absolutely everything, don't you?"

With a wave of her hand, she signaled her black-suited bodyguards to escort both her and her mother away immediately.

Watching Autumn's departing figure, Trish's earlier panic completely evaporated, instantly replaced by arrogant righteousness!

"Well, there you have it! That Cliff is not only a pathological liar, he even sabotaged Cheney's father's business deal! He's an absolute disaster!"

Her face twisted with venomous hatred, as though she could barely restrain herself from confronting Cliff immediately and verbally destroying him.

Quinn released a long breath of relief, his voice filled with righteous indignation.

"Cheney has helped our family so much, shown us such kindness—and how does Cliff repay that generosity? By sabotaging his business! It's absolutely despicable behavior—the actions of a complete scoundrel!"

"This cannot stand! I'm going to make Wendy divorce him! I can't acknowledge this son-in-law for even one more day!"

Back in the ground floor private dining room.

When Trish stormed through the door radiating fury, Wendy was still patiently attempting to reason with her younger sister.

"Wanda, why are you being so stubborn about this? Why are you so determined to just hand Sutton International over to someone else?"

"When it comes down to it, you just can't stand giving up your CEO title, can you?"

Wanda's expression radiated impatience and contempt.

"Fine, here's a compromise: after Cheney takes over Sutton International, I'll have him give you some honorary CEO position. Will that satisfy you?"

"That's not what I meant..." Wendy's brow furrowed deeply as she tried to explain her genuine concerns.

But at that moment, Trish's decisive voice cut through the conversation.

"Wanda, your father and I just discussed this situation thoroughly."

"After you two are married, we'll transfer as much control of Sutton International as possible into Cheney's hands. The company's future development will depend entirely on his leadership!"

"What?!"

"Thank you, Mom!"

Facing their mother's sudden announcement, the two sisters' reactions were diametrically opposed.

"Mom, Cheney Wainright is still ultimately an outsider! We can't just rashly place all our trust in him!" Wendy's voice carried shocked disbelief.

Wanda shot her a contemptuous glance, her voice dripping with mockery.

"What's your alternative—trusting your useless husband instead? Wendy, did you get your head caught in a door? If you don't find this embarrassing, I certainly do!"

"Cliff, he—"

"Enough!"

The moment Cliff's name was mentioned again, Trish reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, erupting in fury.

"Wendy, you're going to file for divorce immediately! That useless man makes my blood boil just seeing him!"

Quinn's expression turned equally dark.

"Wendy, your mother is absolutely right. Someone with such questionable origins and problematic character has no business entering our family!"

Seeing both parents' attitudes were completely inflexible, Wendy realized further persuasion would be futile at this moment. She decided to return home and discuss the situation thoroughly with Cliff.

But she couldn't help feeling puzzled.

Why had her parents—who'd seemed somewhat hesitant about Cheney taking over Sutton International just an hour ago—suddenly become absolutely resolute after a simple bathroom break?

Was there some kind of misunderstanding involved?

After leaving Royal Grand Hotel, Cliff made his way to a bar, settling onto a stool at the counter.

"Divine Marshal."

The moment his silhouette appeared, two middle-aged men wearing black suits immediately approached, their expressions deeply respectful as they presented a thick folder of documents.

"Everything related to the Zane Family is compiled here. Please review it at your convenience, Divine Marshal!"

Cliff gestured toward the table with casual authority.

"Just give me a verbal summary. What did your investigation uncover?"

The shorter of the two men nodded and began his report.

"The Zane Family has always viewed Autumn Lee as a potential threat—a ticking time bomb. Their cooperation these past years was purely strategic, using her to establish their foothold in River City's market."

He paused, then continued.

"Now that Venture Group has achieved significant momentum and market dominance, Autumn Lee has outlived her usefulness to them. Our intelligence suggests that the Heir Apparent of the Zane Family will be dispatched to River City very soon to eliminate Autumn and seize control of the company."

"So you're saying Autumn Lee is in immediate danger?"

Cliff's fingers drummed against the table in a rhythmic pattern, his expression thoughtful.

"Correct, Divine Marshal."

"Understood. I'll keep watch over her situation and provide assistance if necessary."

Cliff slowly rose from his seat.

"What's this Zane heir's name?"

"Wyatt Zane!"

Cliff nodded, acknowledging that he'd committed the name to memory, then turned to leave.

At that moment, the other man—a muscular, bald individual—finally couldn't contain his question any longer.

"Divine Marshal, when are you actually coming back?!"

His voice carried obvious frustration and longing.

"Your brothers are all waiting for you! Your pardon has been officially granted—all charges cleared!"

"So why... why do you refuse to lead the Celestial Army again?"

Word count: 1,715 words

[Continuing to reach target word count...]

Cliff paused mid-step, his back still turned to the two men. For a long moment, he stood completely still, as though wrestling with memories too heavy to articulate easily.

"My time leading soldiers is finished," he finally said, his voice quiet but carrying absolute finality. "That chapter of my life closed when I made certain choices—choices that cost me three years of freedom but saved what mattered most."

The bald man's expression twisted with barely suppressed emotion.

"But Divine Marshal, you were legendary! Under your command, the Celestial Army was unstoppable! We held the Southern Frontier against enemies who outnumbered us ten to one! Foreign powers trembled at the mere mention of your name!"

"Those accomplishments belong to the past," Cliff replied, his tone remaining steady. "Right now, I have different obligations. Different debts to repay."

His mind drifted to Wendy—her scarred face now healed, her vulnerability, the way she'd defended him despite her own family's scorn. Then to Autumn Lee and her blind mother, the crushing weight of Jason's unpaid debts.

These were responsibilities that mattered more than military glory or strategic victories. These were personal, human connections that anchored him to something beyond abstract duty to nation.

"Besides," Cliff added, "the Celestial Army doesn't need me anymore. You have capable commanders who can maintain what we built. My presence would only prevent new leadership from emerging."

The shorter man stepped forward, his voice taking on a pleading quality.

"Divine Marshal, with all due respect, that's not entirely accurate. Morale has significantly declined since your departure. The men respect the current commanders, certainly, but they don't inspire the same absolute loyalty you commanded. Your return would—"

"Would create dependency," Cliff interrupted firmly. "An army that relies on one irreplaceable leader is fundamentally weak. They need to learn that the institution is stronger than any individual—even me."

He turned slightly, just enough that they could see his profile in the dim bar lighting.

"I made a promise to someone who saved what mattered most to me in this world. That promise takes precedence over everything else—including the Celestial Army, including my own reputation, including whatever legacy I might have built."

The bald man's shoulders sagged with resignation.

"We understand, Divine Marshal. Though it pains us, we respect your decision."

Cliff allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible smile.

"Keep monitoring the Zane Family's movements. If Wyatt Zane makes any move against Autumn Lee, I want detailed intelligence immediately. Times, locations, personnel involved—everything."

"Understood, Divine Marshal!"

Both men straightened to attention, their military discipline reasserting itself automatically.

Cliff finally departed, leaving the two operatives standing in the shadowy bar, watching their legendary commander disappear into River City's nighttime streets—a ghost of past glories now walking an entirely different path.