Ace took a deep breath and tried to keep his anger under control. He asked Joanna, "Since you already know what kind of person he is, why did you still get close to him? Is there something wrong with your brain?"
" What kind of person he is?"
Joanna looked directly at Ace's fierce eyes and gave him a mocking smile. "He's a hacker. People pay him to do stuff. Isn't that reasonable? What's the problem?"
' But you… you would go to any length to protect your little lover, wouldn't you? Including destroying evidence in secret. I think your personality is even shadier. You're the one I should stay away from!"
Ace pursed his lips. He was rendered speechless again.
Joanna was right. In terms of shadiness, he was even shadier than Vernom. What moral high ground did he have to criticize Vernom's character?
Vernom looked at his watch and said with a smile on his face, "I'm sorry, Mr. Moran, but our flight is about to take off. Please make way. This is the first meeting between Miss Pierce and my parents. We wouldn't want to be late."
He was twisting the knife that had stabbed into Ace's heart!
Ace was nigh bursting with anger and jealousy already. When he heard that, he could contain himself no longer. He grabbed Joanna's wrist and declared his ownership of her. "This woman is already taken. She won't be going with you!"
"Ace, what are you doing? Let me go!"
Joanna was embarrassed and tried hard to free herself from his grasp.
Ace held her even tighter, pulled her into his arms, and said forcefully, 'I won't let you go. You're not allowed to go with him!"
"Who do you think you are?!"
There's something wrong with this guy's brain!
It's none of his business whose parents she was meeting.
Joanna roared, "We're divorced. I'm single now. You have no right!"
Ace said, "It's true that we're divorced, but you're still my responsibility. I promised your grandpa to keep you safe for the rest of your life. This guy is just a hacker with no power and no wealth. He can't give you happiness. I naturally can't let you go with him."
"What?"
No matter how hard Joanna racked her brain, she could not recall when her grandfather had ever said that.
Ace's eyes were cold. He said arrogantly, "I'll consider letting go of you if you find a man who's comparable to me. I won't let you go if the man is worse than me!"
Joanna:"…'
She had no idea how anyone could be this shameless.
Did he really think he's the best in the world and no one could match up to him?
"Ace, you're so full of yourself. Do you really think hackers are that poor? For all we know, his net worth may be much higher than yours. And he's just as capable as you are!" Joanna retorted.
"His net worth?"
Ace sneered. Like an immature elementary school kid, his competitive desire was aroused. "Then why don't your hacker friend and I compare our net worth?"
Joanna said, "That's unfair! Your net worth was amassed by your entire family."
The scene startled the passers-by at the airport.
Ace and Joanna were also surprised. They could not make heads or tails of the situation.
Vernom's eyebrows furrowed. He looked at the elderly man kneeling before him with some displeasure. "Uncle Wurst, didn't I make it clear that I'll board the plane myself when the time comes? Don't make such a scene!"
The elderly man bowed his head in reverence, but said with some degree of forcefulness, "Young master, everybody's waiting anxiously for you.
They're worried that you might change your mind again, so they sent me to escort you back. I've already chartered the entire plane. Please cooperate with me!"
"Escort me?"
Vernom rolled his eyes. "More like keeping an eye on me. After all these years, Grandpa is still so domineering. Was it any wonder that I ran away?"
"But this time, you don't have to worry because I'm bringing his future granddaughter-in-law back with me. I wouldn't run away halfway!"
Upon hearing that, Uncle Wurst's eyes lit up. He immediately turned to Joanna. "I think this must be your future wife. You look dignified and charming, my lady. You look just like the ideal wife for the young master in the heart of Old Master Baldwin… No, in the hearts of the entire Baldwin family!"
"Wh-What?!"
Joanna felt extremely embarrassed. She could not help glaring at Vernom with her sparkling eyes.
What was Vernom doing? Why was his whole extended family notified of her arrival?
She felt like she had been put on the spot. She had no choice but to go now.
"The Baldwin Family?"
Ace's eyes suddenly became sharp as they examined Vernom.
It appeared this seemingly lackadaisical little hacker was not as simple as he looked!
"Yes, Mr. Moran."
Vernom nodded and the smile on his face deepened. He said, "Austin Baldwin, is my grandfather."
"Are you…"
"I'm Justin Baldwin, the sole direct descendant of Austin Baldwin and the sole heir of the Baldwin family… My hacker identity. Vernom, is just an alter- ego I created because I was bored!"
"It's you!"
Upon hearing Vernom's self-introduction, Ace was shocked, but it made so much sense.
Everyone knew the Moran family in the City and the Baldwin family in Geene City were equally matched hegemons. One of them occupied the east while the other occupied the west. They respected each other's boundaries and did not interfere with each other.
Ace had always wanted to meet Justin Baldwin, who shouldered the same family responsibilities as him. Unfortunately, that guy was free and unrestrained and never cared about his family business. His whereabouts were often uncertain, so they had never been able to meet.
Surprisingly, this was how they met for the first time – through Joanna!
"Surprised, Mr. Moran?"
Justin, with both hands in his pockets, wore an easy smile on his face as always.
Unlike Ace, who was like an iceberg, he was relaxed and casual like a kid from next door, completely devoid of the airs of a prestigious family's descendant.
"I thought that, considering the deep friendship between the Baldwin family and the Moran family, you must have investigated me thoroughly… After all, I've been living in your shadow ever since I was young. I've known who you are for a long time."
Ace snorted coldly. "That means you've been scheming for a long time. You approached her with ulterior motives!"
"That's not entirely true…"
Justin said, "Years ago, General Pierce originally wished to entrust Miss Pierce to me, but unfortunately, I had other ideas at that time, so I missed out." "Now… Miss Pierce has regained her freedom. I'm just pursuing the happiness that should have been mine. I hope you, as the ex-husband, can give us your blessing."