When he first arrived, Henry Lane met Donald Hayes. The aloof elegance, the perfectly pressed suit without a single wrinkle—these formed Henry Lane's first impression of him. It was said that he reported directly to the head of the Lin family, probably due to his position in the group, so Donald Hayes was not often at the manor. But whenever he was there, he could always be seen closely following William Lane and Howard Lane.

However, as for Henry Lane, apart from a brief nod when they once ran into each other in the villa, there had been no further interaction between them.

Outside the manor, his black luxury business sedan was parked—he must have heard the news of Violet Lane's return and rushed over.

As the elevator doors slid open, Henry Lane overheard Donald Hayes speaking to Violet Lane, who had changed into a beautiful cocktail dress, “The invitation from Giant Corporation to Yuhang arrived again today. This is the third time this month. Do you think we should make some arrangements over there…”

“If not today, then perhaps at tonight’s charity gala. The Wayne Group still needs to send someone; reputation must be built up gradually.”

As soon as Violet Lane returned, Donald Hayes hurried over, immediately launching into various business arrangements for the group. It was clear this woman was quite capable and decisive.

It seemed that today’s so-called “date” was going to fall through.

He felt a bit of regret—after all, Henry Lane had been looking forward to having a meal alone with her.

He was just about to turn back when Violet Lane's sharp eyes caught sight of Henry Lane by the elevator. He had changed into clean clothes, the best and most cherished outfit he had brought from the junk planet, packed in an old wooden box. It had belonged to his late mother, said to be a relic from Lord William Lane’s younger days. It was an old-fashioned Napoleonic coat, a style from twenty years ago—outdated, but exceptionally neat. Aside from being a bit tight in the chest, it fit Henry Lane surprisingly well, making him look even more refined.

Seeing Henry Lane dressed like this, Violet Lane's eyes lit up slightly. “All set? Come with me.”

Donald Hayes's voice stopped. He looked over at Henry Lane, frowning slightly. He couldn’t understand why, with so many people lining up to host Violet Lane, the heiress of Wayne Corporation, upon her return to Riverside Star, she would choose to have dinner with this illegitimate child.

“Then… these banquets… I’ll cancel them for you.”

Although Henry Lane's sudden appearance disrupted Donald Hayes's schedule for Violet Lane, he showed no outward displeasure, simply going along with it. To have become the manor’s steward and the group’s chief financial officer at such a young age spoke volumes about his depth and shrewdness.

“Cancel them if you want, or you can go yourself. In the company, you can make the decisions too,” Violet Lane smiled. Then, looking at Henry Lane, she said, “I’m going out with him for a bit.”

Donald Hayes looked at the unexpected Henry Lane with his usual composure. Yet, almost imperceptibly, his pupils grew sharper.

In business, there were too many cases of smiling faces in public and fierce rivalry in private—especially among the upper-class aristocrats who would devour each other without mercy. Donald Hayes had been navigating these circles for years; people like him were masters at concealing their true thoughts. Ordinary people would never notice any change in his demeanor.

But Henry Lane, having grown up on the junk planet—a place rife with filth and danger—had developed a keen sense of intuition and alertness. He glanced a few more times at the always-smiling Donald Hayes.

Perhaps Violet Lane taking his arm was just a natural gesture. But he could clearly sense a surge of hostility emanating from Donald Hayes. It was deeply hidden, only revealed in the depths of his calm gaze and the subtle tension in his upright posture.

It was the attitude of someone who already considered Violet Lane his own. Donald Hayes had worked diligently as the family’s chief steward and executive all these years, but that didn’t mean he lacked ambition.

An illegitimate child who should have been insignificant had caused the busy Violet Lane to cancel an important afternoon banquet just to go out with him alone. Donald Hayes had no idea this was part of Violet Lane's observation of Henry Lane. He simply felt a natural contempt for him—a slum kid who, just because of a trace of noble blood, could come to the Riverside Star manor and even become one of the few people with a higher status than himself. To someone who had clawed his way up step by step, this was nothing short of an insult.

Even though Henry Lane's status was really just a scandal and a joke.

Sensing the arrogance in the other’s gaze, Henry Lane simply narrowed his eyes and walked out of the manor with the tall and graceful Violet Lane.

Standing to the side, Donald Hayes watched their backs, his expression gradually growing colder.

……

Violet Lane's car was a red luxury sedan. Her taking Henry Lane out with her had already caused quite a stir in the manor. When Violet Lane got off the plane today, she hadn’t even taken a car—instead, she switched directly to her red mecha from the Wayne Group’s lab and rushed to the manor. After just a shower and a change of clothes, she went to see Henry Lane, which had already sparked much discussion within the manor.