CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37- AUTHORITY

Bert’s words were a thinly veiled insult, implying that Channing was even worse than a beast.

Channing couldn’t possibly miss the meaning, and his face darkened on the spot.

Although he was in a difficult situation, being repeatedly mocked and ridiculed by Bert naturally stirred anger inside him—especially since Bert was his junior.

Yet he lacked the confidence and presence to truly vent that anger.

Around a man like Bert, most men would immediately feel diminished.

He was handsome and charming, with an air of refined elegance. Beyond that, he carried depth and experience; every gesture and movement exuded the composure of a mature man. Most importantly, he wielded undeniable power.

Recently in Burg Eltz, the hottest design tenders had all gone to Bert’s company. And it was said that he had won these projects purely on his own merit, without relying on any connections within Burg Eltz.

A man like this, leading a company like that, had limitless potential. Given time, he was destined to become the undisputed ruler of Burg Eltz’s design world—perhaps even claiming the same financial dominance in Burg Eltz that the Mo family currently enjoyed.

In the end, Channing could only press his lips together and let out a heavy, restrained snort, expressing his discontent in the smallest way he could.

Bert, by contrast, smiled lightly, his expression calm and composed:

"What’s the matter, Mr. Channing? Why so angry? I wasn’t even talking about you."

"Actually, the reason I called you out today was to help you, Mr. Channing."

Before Channing could react with another outburst, Bert deftly shifted the conversation, directly stating that he intended to help. The words hit Channing like a physical barrier—his anger trapped in his chest, unable to rise or fall, suffocating him in its weight.

For the first time in his life, Channing had encountered a man capable of torturing him psychologically in this way.

"I’m Catherine’s boyfriend."

Bert’s straightforward words exploded in Channing’s ears, leaving him both shocked and delighted.

Although Channing had previously assumed that they were in such a relationship, hearing Bert admit it himself made Channing feel as though he had received an official blessing. Instantly, he felt his company’s prospects were saved.

He laughed heartily:

"I knew it! Lord Washington must have been joking with me last time."

Then he shook his head repeatedly:

"Since you’ve admitted your relationship with Cici, I guess I can’t keep calling you Lord Washington anymore—that’d be too formal. I’ll just call you Bert."

Channing, overly excited and eager to curry favor with Bert, failed to notice the fleeting coldness in Bert’s eyes.

Bert, however, quickly masked the glint of severity, replacing it with a humble, gentle smile:

"You’re my senior, Mr. Channing, so there’s no need to call me Lord Washington."

Channing’s eyes squinted with laughter, completely forgetting the earlier jabs and insults Bert had made at him. He also didn’t realize that Bert had only mentioned being Catherine’s boyfriend—nothing else.

In his current state, Channing’s mind was consumed entirely with the thought that with Bert’s support, his company could be saved. He wasn’t thinking about anything else.

Over the past few years, Channing had suffered several investment failures, losing considerable amounts of money. He had hoped to weather the storm, but the jewelry market’s worsening situation, coupled with constant financial patchwork, had left his company teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

This urgency is why he was desperate to seek help, even willing to... use his daughter as leverage.

"Bert, you know my company’s in trouble. Can you help me?"

Channing immediately pressed his request, and seeing Bert’s calm reaction, hurriedly added,

"If you help me, it’s like helping Cici, right?"

He invoked Catherine’s name, hoping to win over the formidable Bert.

Bert, unhurried, poured himself another cup of tea, sipped it with elegance, his demeanor composed and unshakable. The poise and gravitas that age had bestowed upon him made Channing increasingly uneasy, itching to pressure Bert into agreeing.

After finishing another cup, Bert finally looked up at Channing, his voice low and commanding:

"Mr. Channing, first, I want you to understand something. I’m helping you only because of Catherine."

Channing nodded eagerly,

"Yes, yes, I understand—"

Bert’s words carried an undeniable weight, each one deliberate, serving as both emphasis and warning:

"From this moment on, I do not want Catherine or her mother to suffer any injustice—whether it comes from you, your wife, Lucca, or even Gerald!"

"In other words, I do not want them to be disturbed by any of you again."

When Bert’s expression darkened, it wasn’t anger—it was authority.

Even though Channing was many years older than Bert, his natural aura could not suppress Bert at all.

A person’s presence comes from their very bones—it reflects one’s inner depth. If a person’s inner world is shallow, cheap, or vulgar, no external posturing can create a truly formidable aura.

So, facing Bert’s stern warnings, Channing could only nod fearfully, unable to respond in any other way:

"I understand, I understand—"

But for Bert, mere acknowledgment was far from enough.

He continued, his tone sharp and unrelenting:

"If they are disturbed in the slightest, I will immediately withdraw my assistance to you!"

Channing shivered at Bert’s threat. But before he could react, Bert added another layer of pressure:

"These people are all under your leadership, Mr. Channing. I trust that you will manage them properly."

Channing hesitated, then forced a laugh:

"Rest assured, rest assured, I will manage them well."

Satisfied with Channing’s words for the moment, Channing thought the conversation would finally move on to discussing how Bert would help him. But Bert added another line:

"What I just said was merely a warning."

Channing, speechless, could only blink.

Watching Channing’s helpless, reluctantly obedient expression, Bert felt an unusual sense of satisfaction—but this was only an appetizer; the main course was still to come.

Bert picked up the nearby teapot and poured Channing another cup of tea, then his tone suddenly grew heavy with a hint of melancholy:

"You probably know my background, Mr. Channing. I am my father’s illegitimate son, and my father is now in a loving relationship with Tiffany. That has destined me to never enjoy the warmth of a complete family in this life."

Channing could not understand Bert’s intentions, staring blankly at him.

Bert let out a cold chuckle and continued:

"So when I was searching for my other half, I particularly hoped that she would come from a family where the parents were loving and harmonious. But that is not the case for Cici..."

His voice was filled with regret:

"Mr. Channing, Cici and I intend to marry in the future, so I hope that her family can provide a healthy, warm environment."

"You... what do you mean?"

Channing still didn’t understand what Bert meant. What did he mean by "Catherine having a healthy and warm family"? Didn’t he and Renata divorce years ago?

Bert, sitting across from him, spoke earnestly:

"What I mean is... Mr. Channing, if you divorce now and then remarry Cici’s mother, wouldn’t that make Cici’s family whole and warm?"

Channing almost spat out a mouthful of blood:

"First of all, divorcing isn’t easy for me. Even if I did, with Cici’s mother’s temper, there’s no way she’d remarry me!"

Bert pressed on step by step:

"Then Mr. Channing would first need to divorce, to prove that you value my future daughter-in-law, isn’t that so?"

"As for what comes after, Mr. Channing can leave it to me."

While Bert spoke these words so sincerely, inside he was actually smirking. What did he care about a "healthy, warm family"? Two people from unfortunate families would cherish the family they built even more—it was perfect.

So there was no way he would actually let Renata remarry Channing. What he really wanted was just to stir things up—to make Channing fume over the idea of divorce. With someone like Tracy involved, the whole Channing household would surely descend into chaos.

Yes, that was his purpose.