Chapter 319 - One Step Further
After hearing Lucas's question, Bruce immediately understood what he meant. "Are you suspecting that… those beautiful women at the Ocean Bathhouse, when the Taylors owned it, were provided by the Kingstons?"
Lucas nodded. "So, is there such a possibility?"
Bruce smiled as he answered with great certainty, "There have actually been some conflicts between the Taylors and the Kingstons, and there was once a major dispute. So it's impossible that the Kingstons would secretly supply those beautiful women to the Taylors to help them develop and expand their businesses."
Lucas raised his brows with great interest. "Oh, is that so?"
He didn't quite know much about the grudges and feuds between those top families. Besides, the Taylors and the Kingstons were in different cities, so it hadn't crossed Lucas's mind that there had been a major dispute.
But Lucas had also noticed that among the guests of the Kingstons' auction tonight, there were core members of other top families of Orange County. But the only two direct descendants of the Taylors, Preston and Scott, hadn't attended the auction. The only Taylor present was Gisele, who had appeared only for a short while and entered together with Kyle.
So it seemed that it was true that the Kingstons and the Taylors didn't get along with each other.
Bruce explained, "More than ten years ago, one of Kyle Kingston's aunts, who was very beautiful, was arranged by the Kingstons to marry a man from one of the top eight families of DC. But she fell in love with the son of the family head of the Taylors and refused to comply with the marriage arrangements her family set for her. She couldn't convince the Taylors to change their minds, so she ended up eloping with her lover.
"Afterward, the Kingstons were enraged and nabbed the both of them before subsequently forcing them to break up. During the scuffle, one of the Kingstons accidentally killed the son of the Taylors' helmsman, which led to the suicide of Kyle's aunt. As a result, the Kingstons lost the opportunity to build connections with the wealthy families in DC, and since then, they formed a major feud with the Taylors and haven't been in contact with each other for many years.
"So, those escorts were definitely not supplied by the Kingstons."
Lucas nodded. Seems these two families have a strong feud with each other. In that case, I'll have to investigate both families separately.
After explaining the feud between the two families to Lucas, Bruce said worriedly again, "Mr. Gray, since you strangled Kyle Kingston at the auction tonight, the Kingstons definitely won't let you off even though they were at fault to begin with. They're very protective of their family members, so they absolutely won't let the matter go just like that. You have to be more careful!"
Lucas smiled nonchalantly. "It's just the Kingstons. They don't mean anything to me."
Lucas spoke with great confidence and nonchalance because he really didn't take them seriously.
Bruce was slightly surprised, but he soon smiled.
Previously, Lucas had shown his ability to easily annihilate the Hales. But no one knew how much more power Lucas had but was still concealing.
For instance, the Black Diamond Card that Lucas had taken out at the auction in Club Splendor tonight had made everyone taken aback because it was far beyond their expectations.
Now that the Hales had already pledged their allegiance to Lucas, there was no doubt that the Hales would naturally receive greater benefits if Lucas became stronger in the future.
Lucas took a sip of tea and suddenly asked, "I'd like to ask you something. Do you hope for the Hales to remain at the status quo now, or do you want to take a step further and become the strongest family in Orange County, or even surpass those top families in other cities?"
Bruce immediately froze in shock. After he processed Lucas's words, joy instantly appeared all over his wrinkled face.
"Mr. Gray, do you… do you mean that… you can help the Hales become even more powerful and be on par with the families currently superior to us?" Bruce asked eagerly in a shaky voice.
Taking your family to greater heights and leading them to become stronger while earning prestige and the respect of others was almost the holy grail of every responsible and ambitious family head. Bruce was no exception.
Under his leadership, the Hales had managed to grow from a mid-tier family to become one of the four top families of Orange County. It was certainly something that he was proud of, but that was all. They had been stagnating at the status quo for more than a decade without making any more progress.
After all, the competition between families was extremely stiff, especially at their level. For them, progressing a step further was a Herculean task.
But Bruce believed that Lucas was an extraordinary person who definitely meant what he said!
Looking at Bruce's excited expression, Lucas smiled calmly. "Don't rejoice too soon. Given the current strength of the Hales, you are still far from reaching that goal."
The excitement and agitation in Bruce's eyes reduced a little, and his rationality made him trust that Lucas was right. The Hales definitely still had a long way to go before they could progress.
"It's alright, Mr. Gray. We'll surely make up for what we lack! I believe that as long as you are here, the Hales will reach that stage sooner or later!" Bruce said with a firm and determined gaze.
Only then did Lucas smile faintly. "Okay. Select some young and trustworthy people from your family tonight. They have to be under the age of thirty, physically fit, hardworking, willing to take hardship, and most importantly, loyal enough to the Hales! After you've chosen the candidates, I will send someone over to your place tomorrow to train them properly."
Thinking about Lucas's terrifying combat skills and the fact that Hans, the martial arts expert the Hales had spent a lot of money to hire, couldn't even strike Lucas once, Bruce reckoned that the younger members of his family would certainly become elite fighters if Lucas personally sent someone to teach and train them!
Even if they wouldn't be able to hold a candle to Lucas, they would definitely be countless times better than the elite guards they had hired in the past!
Bruce was so excited that he nodded profusely. "Yes! Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to be groomed by you!"
Lucas smiled faintly. If he wasn't touched by Bruce insisting on speaking up for him at the expense of offending the Kingstons at the auction tonight, he might have never thought of giving the Hales this opportunity.
"Okay, I should get going." Lucas stood up.
Bruce hurriedly stood up and said solicitously, "I'll send you back immediately."
"It's alright. Go get busy with what your own matters. You can just arrange for someone to send me to the hospital." Lucas didn't want Bruce, who was advanced in years, to personally send him to his destination late at night. Lucas wasn't the type of person who put on airs either.
"Yes!"
Although Lucas said so, Bruce wouldn't be negligent and casually arrange a random driver for him.
Soon, a tall and lanky young man entered the guest hall.
When he entered and saw Lucas on the master seat, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his body trembled. Even his foot froze in midair.