The Owens were a third-tier family who had sworn loyalty to the Coopers.
Even though they were not a big deal in Sapphire City, they took pride in their connection with Mark Cooper, the family patriarch.
Tim Owen was especially aware of the downfall of the Grant family and Tyler’s imprisonment.
Melissa Brown was a stuck-up young woman who had a crush on Tyler during their college days.
However, the latter chose Erica as his partner because of her humility.
Now, Melissa felt she had the upper hand since she landed an Owen family member as her boyfriend.
“Do you even realize where you are, Tyler?” Tim asked, drawing up a chair opposite him.
“You’re sitting on a VIP table in the Marian Hotel, a hub for the wealthy and the mighty.
It’s not meant for filthy rodents like you!”
“Should we even speak to this man, Tim?” Melissa snapped.
“He’s an ex-convict who slipped into this party for free food and liquor.
It’s better if we call the guards before he bites us!”
Tyler paid no attention to the ranting couple.
He continued enjoying his meal and took a confident sip of peach lemonade.
“Can you hear me, loser?” Tim raised his voice.
“This banquet hall is reserved for a pre-wedding event of the Cooper family.
Mr.
Trent Cooper will marry Erica Sinclair shortly.
Do you think you belong to this elite circle just because you dated her in the past?”
Tyler pursed his lips upon being reminded about Erica’s wedding.
He had been so engaged in healing Silas and preoccupied with other goals that he had let it slip from memory.
However, the young man was not interested in the wedding event or the bride and groom.
The Anderson family, who owned the hotel, sponsored his VIP table and lunch.
“I’m just here for a meal,” he said.
“I don’t give a damn about any wedding.
You can lick their boots if you want.”
Tyler’s haughty reply offended Tim.
“How dare you talk to me that way, you felon?!
You are unemployed, and your father works in the sewers!
Clearly, you don’t have the money to dine at a VIP table in the Marian Hotel!
Who are you fooling?”
Guests from surrounding tables had begun to notice the commotion.
“What is a shabbily dressed man doing at Marian Hotel?”
“Some call the guards and throw him out…”
“I feel unsafe around homeless people…”
“Tim… Let the hungry baboon eat before we kick him out.
He may not have had a morsel since he was released from prison.”
“Yeah, the only meal his father can provide him is a dead sewer rat!” her boyfriend joked and laughed aloud.
However, his amusement did not last long.
Tyler picked up the wooden gravy ladle on his table and rammed it into Tim’s face.
The young man fell back along with his chair noisily.
He jumped to his feet, clutching at his mouth, blabbering incoherent words.
One of his teeth had been knocked out.
“You felon!” Melissa screamed like a banshee.
“Have you come here to cause trouble?
Help!
Someone help!”
Her shrill voice attracted the guards, led by Huxley of the Hux gang.
On recognizing Tyler, he immediately sent word to the Coopers and called for backup.
Nursing his broken hand and remembering his past clash with Tyler, he did not want to take any risks.
Soon, two dozen guards surrounded Tyler’s table.
The crowd parted, and Trent Cooper walked in with Erica Sinclair in tow.
The newly engaged couple had patronizing expressions on their faces.
“Tyler!” Erica hollered.
“I already rejected you and am marrying Trent!
Have you come here to disrupt my wedding?
How desperate are you?”
Trent Cooper took a bold step forward and tapped on Tyler’s table.
“Hey, deadbeat!
Someone like you can never be with a beautiful woman like Erica!
Stop dreaming!”
However, the young man looked utterly bored.
“You can have sloppy seconds with her.
I no longer have any interest.”
The Cooper heir looked momentarily disoriented.
Erica had sworn to him she had never slept with Tyler.
Was she a liar?
Erica noticed Trent’s discomfort.
She took his arm and snaked it around her slender waist.
“Darling… Please don’t listen to him.
His words are just sour grapes.
All he wants is to disrupt our relationship!”
Trent relaxed after titillating contact with the beauty’s soft skin.
He nodded and turned to Tyler.
“No wonder you showed up just before our wedding!
Moreover, you assaulted my guests and caused an uproar!
Haven’t you learned your lesson after three years in prison?
Are you still blind to the might of the Cooper family?”
“The Coopers can’t even touch a hair on my head anymore,” Tyler replied.
Trent gritted his teeth and snorted.
“Since you have offended my family, you aren’t escaping unscathed.
First, I will break your limbs!
Then I will send you back to prison, this time forever!”
Tyler looked utterly unimpressed.
He shot the young billionaire an icy stare.
“You better back off, or this might be the worst day of your life.”
Trent gulped anxiously and took a nervous step back.
Where was the loser’s confidence coming from?
However, he turned to see that two dozen guards had already gathered.
There was no need to fear retaliation.
Even though Tyler lived with criminals, only a superhuman could overcome so many goons at the same time.
“Ha!” Trent exclaimed.
“You’re a pathetic scum, delusional about his abilities.
Didn’t I already set an example with your family’s destruction?
Didn’t the sights of your cripple mother and your sewer rat father teach you lessons?
You’ll face the same-”
At the mention of his parents, Tyler reached behind Trent Cooper in a split second.
The arrogant heir wasn’t done speaking when he found himself drowning.