Ava glared at her father in disbelief. “Dad, what reason do you have to make me kneel?” Her father’s response was swift and merciless. Without a word, he delivered a sharp kick to the back of her knee. “When I tell you to kneel, you kneel. Stop arguing!” The force of the kick sent Ava crashing to the ground. Her knees hit the rough gravel with a painful thud, and she winced, tears springing to her eyes. “Dad, have you lost your mind? Why are you doing this? My knees hurt! Help me up!” Before Mr. Jones could respond, a smooth and commanding male voice cut through the tense atmosphere. “President Jones, it seems your daughter isn’t willing to kneel.” Ava looked up, startled, and her breath caught in her throat. Standing behind her father was an impossibly handsome man. His deep, peach-blossom eyes seemed to hold a mysterious allure, and his sculpted features looked almost too perfect for reality, like an artist’s masterpiece brought to life. For a moment, she forgot her pain, mesmerized by his presence. “No, it’s not like that!” Mr. Jones stammered, breaking the silence as he wiped the sweat from his brow. The events leading up to this moment flashed through his mind. Just a short while ago, he had received an unexpected call with devastating news: all his company’s partnerships had been abruptly terminated, and investors were pulling out en masse. His thriving business was now teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Desperate to understand what had happened, he contacted a trusted associate. But instead of clarity, he was met with vague, stammered replies. Finally, the truth slipped out—he had unknowingly offended someone connected to the Stone Family. The Stone Family! A chill ran down Mr. Jones’s spine. Only one man in that powerful family had the influence to destroy his company with a single command—the head of the Stone Family, Gavin.But how had he crossed someone so untouchable? Their family had no connections to the Stone Family whatsoever! Still, there was no time to dwell on the mystery. With his company’s survival at stake, he scrambled to locate Gavin and beg for forgiveness. When he finally found Gavin, he didn’t hesitate to kneel and plead for mercy. But his pleas were met with cold indifference. Gavin didn’t even glance his way. Instead, it was Gavin’s assistant who delivered a pointed remark: “President Jones, perhaps you should visit your daughter at Li City University. It seems she’s far braver than you are.” The words struck like a thunderbolt. Mr. Jones’s heart sank as realization dawned. While he had been toiling to keep the company afloat, his daughter had managed to provoke the wrath of a man powerful enough to ruin them. Furious and terrified, he drove straight to the university, which led to the scene unfolding now. … Trying to appease Gavin, Mr. Jones forced a nervous smile and said, “President Gavin, I’ll ensure Ava shows her sincerity. If her kneeling isn’t enough, please let me know. I’ll make her adjust her behavior immediately. And about my company…” His voice trailed off, laden with desperation. Ava’s eyes widened as she pieced everything together. The reason her father had forced her to kneel was because of the man standing before her. This imposing, high-ranking figure—Gavin—was someone her father clearly feared beyond reason. The gravity of her situation hit her like a tidal wave. Ava couldn’t believe it. She had unknowingly offended someone so powerful, and now both her and her father’s futures were hanging by a thread. Gavin cast a cold, disdainful glance at Ava, his tone laced with indifference as he addressed her father. “President Jones, are you losing your strength? Or perhaps you’ve already had enough of this?” Understanding the unspoken threat in Gavin’s words, Mr. Jones gritted his teeth and pushed Ava’s head down once more. Her forehead hit the ground with a dull thud, the sound echoing in the tense atmosphere. Ava’s cries of pain and outrage grew louder. “Dad, stop! My head hurts! Why are you doing this? What did I do to deserve this?!” “Shut your mouth!” Mr. Jones snapped, his voice trembling with both fear and anger. He couldn’t risk his daughter’s foolishness making the situation worse. “Do you even understand what you’ve done? You’ve offended the head of the Stone Family! You brought this on yourself, and now you’ll pay for it. After this, you’ll leave for the countryside and never set foot in the city again!” Ava’s heart burned with fury and humiliation. The countryside? That backwater place was where Liza had grown up, not somewhere she, the daughter of a wealthy family, belonged! How dare they exile her there? … Meanwhile, Liza stood under a tall tree nearby, observing the scene unfold. She leaned casually against the trunk, her phone in hand. Her fingers danced across the screen, inputting a sequence of commands. Moments later, a string of data appeared, granting her access to the Jones Corporation’s internal database. A faint smirk tugged at her lips as she reviewed the chaos unraveling within the company. Broken contracts, terminated partnerships, and financial collapse—it was a grim picture. “Tsk,” she murmured softly. “Looks like the Carter Family has their hands full. As for Ava…” Her smirk deepened. “She might need to get comfortable in the countryside for a while.” Liza’s quiet contemplation was interrupted by the weight of someone’s gaze. She looked up and found Gavin leaning casually against his car. Arms crossed, he watched her with a calm but knowing expression. “Mrs. Liza,” he said, his deep voice cutting through the silence, “aren’t you going to express your gratitude?” Caught off guard, Liza blinked. Her gaze shifted to meet his, noticing the playful glint in his peach-blossom eyes. Swallowing her nerves, she composed herself and stepped forward. “Of course, I must thank you!” she declared, her tone unusually bold. A sly thought crossed her mind. If she kissed him as a gesture of gratitude, perhaps it would also serve a personal purpose—to recover her taste buds. It seemed like a win-win situation! Her cheeks flushed slightly as she approached him, her steps measured. “Thank you, Brother Gavin, for standing up for me,” she said softly. “I’d like to… give you a kiss as a token of my gratitude.” Gavin raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. But as she leaned in, he turned his head ever so slightly, dodging her lips with ease. “There’s no need,” he said lightly, his tone teasing. “I just realized something. Both of us benefitted from this, so it doesn’t really count as me helping you. No thanks are necessary.” Liza froze, momentarily confused. “Mutual benefits?” she echoed, tilting her head. Gavin’s smirk deepened as he straightened up. “Mrs. Liza,” he said meaningfully, his voice tinged with amusement, “don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what you promised me earlier?”