The more She thought about it, the more the coincidence felt impossible to ignore.
Their daughter had run away from home.
And where would she go?
Most likely… to find Jason.
Now Jason just so happened to be hosting a birthday banquet for a girl tonight.
Who else could that girl be if not their own daughter?
The conclusion formed almost instantly.
Without wasting another second, the two hurriedly ordered the driver to head straight for the seaside private pier—the venue of Jason's banquet.
No matter what, they had to bring Shenna back.
She had to attend the birthday banquet arranged by the Zane family.
Otherwise…
They might truly offend them beyond repair.
On the way, both of them were puzzled.
Why would the banquet be held at the pier?
If it were at a seaside restaurant or a luxury hotel, the invitation should've listed the venue's name.
But the notice only mentioned the dock.
It made no sense.
Until—
Their car arrived.
And they saw it.
The Blue Sea Pearl.
The colossal luxury cruise ship towered over the harbor like a floating palace, its hull gleaming under the evening lights.
Only then did they understand.
Holding a birthday banquet on a cruise ship this size was undeniably extravagant…
But if the host was Jason, it suddenly felt perfectly logical.
After all—
He had acquired a amusement parks just so he could enjoy them privately at night.
He had purchased an observatory tower simply because he liked stargazing.
The phrase low profile simply didn't exist in his dictionary.
He looked up at the Blue Sea Pearl, awe flashing across his face.
"When the general manager of Star Tourism Cruise Company attended the Group annual gala last year, people speculated the company had been acquired by Jason."
He exhaled slowly.
"I didn't believe it at the time… but now it seems it's true."
"Over a billion dollars… acquired just like that."
She sighed beside him.
"He's really willing to spend on girls…"
Her tone turned complicated.
"But why is he so… promiscuous?"
She understood wealthy young heirs were rarely faithful.
But at the very least…
If Shenna married into the Zane family, she would be the legitimate wife.
She would have status. Recognition. Respect.
That was her baseline requirement.
In elite circles, many marriages followed an unspoken rule—
Even if the husband had affairs outside, the wife's position remained unshakable.
But Jason was different.
His relationships weren't hidden scandals.
They were open secrets.
Multiple women around him—publicly, unapologetically.
If Shenna married him…
There was no guarantee she would even be the lawful wife.
She might have to compete with countless other women just to stand at his side.
That was why she favored the Zane family alliance.
Otherwise…
Brown wouldn't even be worthy of carrying Jason's shoes.
In looks, physique, temperament, capability, charisma—
Brown lost completely.
And if they were talking about real power…
The entire Zane family combined might not match Jason alone.
He sighed helplessly.
"Reality can't be perfect."
"Expecting a man like Jason to devote himself to one woman is unrealistic."
He shook his head.
"Let's not think about that for now. We'll speak to him first."
She nodded.
"We didn't receive an invitation… but considering how much support we've given him before, he shouldn't turn us away."
The driver parked near the VIP entry zone.
As they stepped out, they noticed several business tycoons arriving at the same time.
The men greeted each other warmly, chatting as they walked toward the boarding ramp.
They instinctively slowed their pace, observing more carefully.
Soon—
Their pupils contracted.
They recognized several faces.
Influential figures from finance, tech, and manufacturing.
And among them…
One particularly striking middle-aged man stood out—handsome, composed, radiating authority.
It was Ethan, chairman of Microelectronics.
A tech giant whose net worth exceeded $30.5 billion, currently in explosive growth due to semiconductor expansion.
They immediately put their own matter aside and slowed further.
She lowered her voice.
"Ethan definitely didn't come because of our daughter."
She shook her head slightly.
"Let alone Shenna—even our entire family combined wouldn't be enough to invite someone like him."
"He's here for Jason."
She sighed in amazement.
"I have to admit… Jason's influence is terrifying."
He nodded.
"Microelectronics is worth over a billions… but Jason alone has invested tens of billion in just over a month, plus massive liquid cash reserves."
"The gap in actual strength is obvious."
He paused, voice lowering.
"And don't forget… Jason has repeatedly predicted policy shifts ahead of time. His background is unfathomable."
"It's only natural he would come personally—to show goodwill and build ties."
As they spoke…
The lights of the Blue Sea Pearl grew brighter.
Music drifted faintly across the water.
One by one, titans of industry boarded the ship.
And they finally realized—
Tonight's birthday banquet…
Was far bigger than they had imagined.
She lowered her voice slightly, eyes still fixed on the boarding area.
"I didn't recognize the other executives… but they all looked familiar. Influential figures for sure."
She gestured subtly toward the parking area.
"Just look at those two rows of luxury cars. That alone tells you their status."
He nodded faintly.
"This definitely isn't because of our daughter."
"It's because of Jason."
They slowed their pace intentionally, standing off to the side as they observed.
One after another, the elite guests arrived at the base of the boarding stairs, presented their invitations, and were respectfully guided aboard by uniformed staff.
He stepped forward, preparing to explain their situation to the event manager—
But the sound of another engine pulled his attention back.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase glided to a stop behind them.
In most places, that car would've been the center of attention.
Here…
It was only slightly above average.
Yet when the passenger door opened—
Both of there pupils contracted again.
A burly, imposing middle-aged man stepped out, radiating the aura of someone long accustomed to power.
She whispered in shock,
"That's… David. Why is he here too?"
His expression grew solemn.
"Same reason as Ethan."
He continued quietly:
"Jason previously acquired a Private Hospital in Los Angeles. There's huge potential for collaboration with him."
"And with Jason… no one can predict when he'll suddenly invest billions into healthcare."
"For him, a billion-dollar investment is like drinking water."
"One deal from him could make there soar."
Her expression turned complicated.
"If Ethan Zhao and David Lee both came to our daughter's birthday banquet…"
She hesitated.
"…Wouldn't that shorten our lifespan from the pressure alone?"
"Would we even still be able to take Shenna away?"
He fell silent.
For the first time, hesitation appeared in his eyes.
"It… might be inconvenient now."
He exhaled slowly.
"We'll take it one step at a time."
They stepped aside respectfully, allowing David to board first before approaching the event manager.
To their surprise—
Even without invitations, they weren't turned away.
Instead, the manager greeted them politely and personally escorted them forward.
Jason had apparently given prior instructions.
He still remembered—and appreciated—the support there family had given him before.
But just as they were about to step onto the boarding ramp—
Another vehicle approached.
They could've ignored it.
They should've boarded.
Yet curiosity compelled them to turn back again.
This time—
It wasn't a luxury sedan.
It was a Toyota Coaster executive shuttle bus.
Several business leaders stepped out together, still chatting and laughing from whatever discussion they'd been having during the ride.
And the moment they saw the obese, commanding middle-aged man leading the group—
They both inhaled sharply.
She blurted out in disbelief:
"That's… Robert, chairman of Titan Heavy Industries. He's here too?!"
Her voice trembled.
"What has our daughter done to deserve this? It's just a birthday party—why is Jason making such a massive spectacle?"
His gaze shifted to the two men walking beside Robert Lin.
His heart skipped.
"Those two… are also heavy industry magnates from the West Coast. Each worth over a billions."
He slowly climbed a few steps, then stopped midway and looked around.
His gaze swept across everything—
The towering, palace-like Blue Sea Pearl.
The endless rows of ultra-luxury cars.
More headlights approaching from the distant coastal road.
Only then did realization fully sink in.
He muttered in awe:
"This is probably the most extravagant birthday banquet in this city's history."
"Whether it's the cost of the cruise ship… or the caliber of guests…"
"It's unprecedented."
He fell silent for a moment before adding:
"…Today, we probably won't be able to take Shenna away."
"Otherwise, the consequences would be a hundred times more serious than offending the Zane family."
If they had still been wavering before—
Now, that hesitation vanished completely.
They abandoned the idea of taking their daughter back.
And deep down…
Even her long-held conviction began to shake.
Yes—
Marrying into the Zane family would be proper.
Respectable.
A legitimate union.
But compared to this spectacle…
Could the Zane family's so-called formal marriage even compare?
Forget matching this birthday banquet—
Even their wedding scale might not reach one-tenth of this grandeur.
Would a Zane family daughter-in-law ever receive this level of status?
From small details, one could glimpse the bigger picture.
This single birthday banquet…
Already revealed what Shenna's status—and future position—might look like for the rest of her life.
There are 200 chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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