A Matrilocal Husband's Counterattack

Chapter 24：The Deadly Red Line

9 PM, Summer Breeze Club, Emperor Hall

After dealing with Hanson Zacher, Victor Blacke arranged a private banquet to host Ethan.

Ten exquisite dishes, a soup, and two bottles of expensive red wine displayed his utmost sincerity.

Ethan diagnosed Victor while casually flipping through photos of the Four Seas Chamber's office. The God of Warrior's Blade had been destroyed, clearing the oppressive aura in the room. However, Victor's complexion looked even darker than the day before.

Activating the Life-Death Jade, Ethan quickly identified the source of the issue.

Before he could speak, Victor's phone rang. After a brief exchange, Victor frowned slightly and whispered to one of his subordinates.

"Sorry, Ethan," Victor said with a faint smile. "Hanson Senior asked my cousin to plead on his behalf. He wants to personally apologize to us."

Ethan replied indifferently, "Fine by me."

Soon, the door was knocked again. Victor signaled for it to be opened, and in walked a middle-aged couple.

The man, Eugene Zacher, was in his fifties, short in stature, with a squarish face and neatly tailored suit that exuded a mix of cunning and authority.

The woman, Lynn Zacher, looked to be in her forties, with a delicate oval face, a tall, elegant figure, and an air of refined charm that rivaled even Ms. Rong's allure.

Both carried boxes in their hands and greeted Victor with flattering smiles and bows.

"Good evening, Mr. Blacke," Eugene Zacher said, his tone brimming with regret.
"I'm truly sorry for my failure to discipline my son. Please forgive us for offending you."

To emphasize his sincerity, Hanson placed the boxes on the table and slapped himself twice, the sound crisp and sharp.

Ethan glanced at Eugene Zacher. His self-deprecating attitude confirmed he was a shrewd man who knew how to play the game of survival.

Lynn, adopting a more delicate tone, chimed in, "Yes, Mr. Blacke, I sincerely apologize on behalf of my son, Hanson He was utterly foolish—please accept our apology."

Despite their cordial facade, Lynn's hands clenched into fists, her face flushed with barely contained fury. It was evident she loathed Ethan but dared not provoke Victor.

She had also learned from Victor's associates that Ethan's influence over him stemmed from feng shui and metaphysics. Convinced Ethan was a fraud, Lynn decided to endure the humiliation now and plot her revenge later.

"Apologizing to me is pointless," Victor said impatiently, gesturing toward Ethan.
"Whether this matter is resolved depends on him."

"Mr. Ethan?" Hanson Senior turned to Ethan, his expression softening into a smile as he approached.
"My sincerest apologies. It was entirely my son's fault. Please forgive us."

He even extended a check for one million dollars, bowing deeply as he offered it.

Lynn's knuckles whitened as her suppressed anger flared.

Ethan calmly pushed the check back.
"Thank you, Mr. Zacher, but Mr. Blacke has already handled the matter. Let's consider it settled. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

Eugene maintained his smile, though it faltered for a split second.
"Understood. There won't be a next time."

No next time? Who do you think you are to demand that? Lynn thought, sneering internally. To her, Ethan was nothing more than an overreaching pawn.

"Alright, enough about your son." Victor dismissed them toward the side.
"I'm waiting for Ethan to help me resolve my issue."

The couple obediently stepped aside.

Lynn's gaze sharpened. She wanted to see how Ethan would "perform his tricks" and was ready to expose him as a fraud if she found an opening.

Victor, ignoring her disdain, turned to Ethan with earnest concern.
"Ethan, I've destroyed the God of Warrior's Blade and have been wearing the charm you gave me, but my bad luck persists. What's going on?"

Ethan examined the charm Victor handed over. It was smudged with food stains.

Lynn smirked, her amusement evident. What kind of "master" doesn't even protect his so-called charm? This is laughable.

After a quick look, Ethan also placed his hand on Victor's wrist, activating the Life-Death Jade once more.

"You discarded the charm at some point, allowing it to be tainted by impurities," Ethan said calmly.
"Its effectiveness has been greatly reduced. Also, did you recently encounter someone deceased?"

Victor and his men froze in unison, their expressions filled with astonishment.

"You're incredible, Ethan!" Victor exclaimed in awe.
"Yes, last night, just as I left the Four Seas Chamber, a woman jumped to her death in front of my car."

"She was wearing red and carrying two children. I heard she borrowed $10,000 at high interest, paid back over $300,000, and still couldn't clear the debt. She took her life in despair."

Lynn rolled her eyes, unimpressed.
How hard could it be to know this? A bit of surveillance would reveal everything.

"The negative energy from that incident disrupted your luck," Ethan explained.
"Though the sword's curse has been removed, the charm couldn't fully protect you from the residual hostility."

"The woman's tragic end created an intense grudge, which, combined with the remaining energy from the sword, has manifested as a deadly force targeting you."

Ethan's gaze pierced through Victor.
"If I'm right, there should be a red mark across your abdomen."

"Enough nonsense!" Lynn stood abruptly, unable to contain herself.
"Grudges, manifestations, red marks? Do you hear yourself? It's the 21st century—stop peddling this nonsense!"

"You're just a fraud taking advantage of Mr. Blacke's trust. This bad luck is pure coincidence!"

She turned to Victor, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Mr. Blacke, forgive my bluntness, but this man is scamming you. Please don't fall for his tricks."

Victor slammed his hand on the table.
"Shut up!"

"Mr. Blacke, please forgive her," Eugene Zacher interjected, his voice trembling.
"She's just straightforward by nature—no harm intended."

Victor ignored him and stood, lifting his shirt to reveal his abdomen.

A bright red line stretched ominously across his stomach.

The room fell silent.