Chapter 44: A Show of Force from the Consortium!

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: A Show of Force from the Consortium!

Edmund Sterling smiled faintly.

"I suppose so."

The moment those words left his mouth, Colin Whitmore and the other executives felt their hearts tighten.

However, Edmund continued before they could draw any conclusions.

"But there’s no need to worry. I’m not here to interfere."

He glanced around at the gathered executives.

"Since you’ve already reached an agreement with Nathaniel, then proceed according to its terms. I’m simply here to watch the show."

Watch the show?

Colin was momentarily stunned.

Adrian Cross spoke in an even tone. "You have nothing to worry about. We won’t favor either side. As long as you don’t violate Westmere’s laws or cause anyone’s death, the City Lord’s Mansion won’t interfere."

Hearing this, Colin and the others finally relaxed a little.

As long as Edmund hadn’t come specifically to support Nathaniel, things would be much easier.

Colin immediately put on a respectful smile.

"It’s an honor to have you witness today’s contest, Lord Sterling. Captain Cross, please, come inside and take your seats."

Edmund nodded and entered the Beaumont Trading Consortium headquarters with Adrian.

Once they were out of earshot of the executives, Adrian lowered his voice.

"My lord, it seems they really don’t know."

The corners of Edmund’s mouth lifted slightly.

"Those who need to know will find out soon enough."

He didn’t elaborate.

There was no need to spoil the surprise.

Today, the Beaumont Trading Consortium headquarters was unusually lively.

Although the confrontation hadn’t been publicly announced, nearly everyone who mattered in Westmere’s upper circles had heard about it.

A young heir challenging the consortium’s senior executives to a battle over control of the business was already an extraordinary spectacle. With the future of one of the city’s major commercial powers at stake, few influential figures wanted to miss the outcome.

Before long, the spectator hall was filled with prominent professionals, business representatives, and members of influential families.

Uncle George and Daniel Mercer had also arrived.

Both looked worried.

They knew Nathaniel had made his decision, and they had chosen to stand beside him. But knowing someone was determined to fight didn’t make the danger any less real.

Among the spectators, another familiar face could be seen.

Caleb Rowan sat quietly in a corner, his expression complicated.

Ever since his father had been swept into the spatial storm and presumed missing, the Rowan family’s situation had deteriorated rapidly.

People who had once shown his father respect were revealing their true intentions one after another.

The family’s businesses were being gradually stripped of influence. Its authority was weakening. Relatives were fighting over assets, while former business partners were taking advantage of the turmoil.

Over the past several days, the pressure had become almost unbearable.

In some respects, Caleb’s situation resembled Nathaniel’s.

Both had lost the protection of their powerful parents, leaving them vulnerable to people who had once treated their families with respect.

But there was one crucial difference.

Nathaniel had chosen to fight back.

Caleb hadn’t found the courage to do the same.

He hadn’t dared to challenge the people trying to take control of his family’s affairs. Instead, he had been forced to respond to their moves, retreating step by step while trying to preserve whatever remained.

That was why he had come today.

He wanted to see whether someone in a situation similar to his own could truly protect what their parents had left behind.

Caleb clenched his fists beneath the table and muttered, "Nathaniel Beaumont... can you really pull this off?"

Around him, the spectators continued their discussions.

"Do you think Nathaniel will actually show up?"

"He signed the agreement. If he doesn’t come, it’ll be treated as a concession."

"Even if he comes, what can he possibly accomplish? The consortium has four Level 200 professionals on its side."

"The young man is too impulsive."

"Exactly. If he’d followed the proper legal procedures, he could at least have delayed the executives while looking for another solution."

"Instead, he agreed to settle everything through combat. He’s practically handing them the advantage."

Some people shook their heads, but others disagreed.

"You can’t put it that way. The young man has courage."

"His parents disappeared, and the people running the consortium immediately started trying to push him aside. How many people could endure that without fighting back?"

"I think the fact that he dared to stand up to them already says something about him."

"Courage is one thing. Winning is another."

"In the end, strength determines who gets to make the rules."

A spectator sighed.

"It’s a shame. Nathan Beaumont and Eleanor Beaumont were both remarkable people. I never expected their son to face such a difficult situation so soon."

The surrounding conversations drifted into Colin Whitmore’s ears.

A faint smile spread across his face.

Most of the spectators had already decided that Nathaniel would lose.

That suited Colin perfectly.

Once Nathaniel was defeated under the terms of their agreement, the executives could claim control of the Beaumont Trading Consortium without facing the same level of resistance. They could present the outcome as the result of a fair contest rather than an attempt to seize power.

Colin had no intention of wasting such an opportunity.

Victoria glanced at the time.

"He should be arriving soon."

Colin straightened his cuffs and turned toward the four Level 200 professionals seated nearby.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves. The moment Nathaniel arrives, release your auras as agreed."

One of the professionals slowly opened his eyes.

He was a broad-shouldered man with an expression that suggested he considered the entire affair beneath him.

"It’s just a junior. Do we really need to make such a spectacle?"

Colin smiled.

"Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit."

The professional considered his words, then nodded and closed his eyes again.

The executives settled into position.

They had no intention of allowing Nathaniel to dictate the atmosphere of the confrontation. Before the actual battle began, they wanted to remind him of the enormous difference between his position and theirs.

Then, just as the hall’s conversations began to rise again, footsteps sounded outside the main entrance.

They weren’t particularly loud.

Yet each step seemed to strike the spectators’ hearts, drawing their attention toward the door.

The hall gradually fell silent.

Colin and Victoria raised their heads.

Uncle George straightened in his seat, while Daniel’s hands tightened into fists.

Caleb leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the entrance.

Across the hall, Edmund and Adrian exchanged a glance. A trace of amusement appeared in their expressions.

Click.

The door opened.

A young man appeared in the doorway.

Nathaniel Beaumont had arrived.

He wore a simple black combat suit. There was no extravagant equipment on display, and he had brought no attendants to accompany him.

He stood alone.

Yet the instant he appeared, the atmosphere in the hall changed.

It wasn’t because he made a grand entrance. He didn’t raise his voice or carry himself with exaggerated arrogance.

Instead, he possessed a quiet confidence that was difficult to ignore.

He was only eighteen years old.

He was standing before the senior executives of the Beaumont Trading Consortium, surrounded by dozens of powerful professionals. Four of those professionals had reached Level 200, and the executives intended to use their combined strength to force him out.

Still, Nathaniel showed no trace of fear.

He didn’t look like someone walking into a confrontation he was almost certain to lose.

He looked like someone who had already made his decision and had come to see it through.

He wasn’t here to beg for mercy.

He wasn’t here to negotiate away his inheritance.

He had come to reclaim what belonged to him.

That composure unsettled more than a few spectators.

"He actually came."

"And alone, too."

"Does he really think he can win?"

"Look at his expression. He doesn’t seem nervous at all."

"Now I understand why he dared to challenge the entire executive board. That young man certainly has nerve."

Nathaniel paid little attention to the murmuring around him.

Colin watched him from the center of the hall, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

"Young Master Beaumont. You’ve finally arrived."

Nathaniel didn’t answer immediately.

His gaze moved across the spectator hall, taking in the gathered professionals, the senior executives, and the four Level 200 experts seated at the front.

He noticed Edmund Sterling and Adrian Cross as well, but he didn’t appear surprised to see them.

Finally, his eyes returned to Colin.

"Is everyone here?"

Colin’s smile deepened.

"Everyone who needs to be here has arrived."

He spread his hands slightly.

"After today, the future of the Beaumont Trading Consortium will finally be settled."

As soon as he finished speaking, the high-level professionals seated along both sides of the hall opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

Boom!

A terrifying wave of pressure erupted.

Dozens of powerful auras surged toward Nathaniel, sweeping across the hall like an invisible tide.

The four Level 200 professionals at the front released the heaviest pressure of all. Their combined presence was immense, pressing down on the surrounding space with the weight of a mountain.

The air seemed to grow thick.

The floor vibrated faintly beneath their feet.

Several spectators sitting near the front turned pale and hurriedly retreated, struggling to withstand the pressure despite not being its intended target.

"What the hell?!" someone whispered furiously.

"They haven’t even started the duel!"

"Using their auras to suppress him before he can enter the hall? How shameless!"

"Isn’t it obvious? They’re trying to establish their dominance before the fight even begins."

"They want to crush his confidence before he gets the chance to challenge them."

"Look at those four Level 200 professionals. If they keep releasing pressure like that, an ordinary person might struggle just to remain standing."

The crowd’s opinion of the executives shifted.

Even those who had expected Nathaniel to lose couldn’t help feeling that the display was excessive.

The executives weren’t satisfied with defeating him.

They wanted to humiliate him in front of the city’s influential figures.

If Nathaniel couldn’t even take another step into the hall, his challenge would become a joke before the battle had officially begun.

Daniel abruptly stood up, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"How can they do this?"

His eyes reddened with anger.

"Nathaniel hasn’t even entered the hall, and they’re already using such underhanded tactics!"

Uncle George remained silent, but his hand settled firmly on Daniel’s shoulder.

His expression was grim.

He understood what the executives were trying to accomplish.

This wasn’t merely a test of strength. It was a deliberate attempt to break Nathaniel’s composure and make him appear weak before the spectators.

If Nathaniel lost his balance, retreated, or showed even the slightest sign of panic, the executives would seize the opportunity to ridicule him.

Uncle George’s heart sank.

Young Master...

The confrontation hadn’t officially begun, yet the executives had already made their first move.

They weren’t simply trying to win.

They wanted Nathaniel to lose his dignity in front of everyone who mattered in Westmere.

And with dozens of powerful professionals unleashing their auras at once, the entire hall waited to see whether the young heir could withstand the pressure.