America 1919

Just as Isaiah finished speaking and was about to make a move, a strong hand gripped his wrist, preventing Isaiah's hand from moving forward even a fraction. The immense pain from his wrist made Isaiah cry out in agony.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Let go, let go, let go!"

Donnie flung Isaiah's hand away, and the other man stumbled a few steps back, furiously glaring at Donnie once out of his reach.

"Who are you to meddle in my affairs in the West District?"

With a wave of his hand, his subordinates immediately prepared to step forward.

"My name is Donnie Block!"

Donnie stood in front of Margaret, coldly eyeing those men.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on!"

Upon hearing Donnie's name, Isaiah, regardless of the pain in his wrist, hurriedly intercepted his own men, looking at Donnie with some panic, he confirmed.

"You are Donnie Block from Block Tavern?"

"Indeed!"

Donnie nodded slightly, confidently speaking.

By now, Donnie had already ceased to be a nobody in Atlantic City; half of the city's liquor supply was from Donnie, and just because of this, even without knowing that Donnie had already joined forces with organizations like the KKK and WCTU, Isaiah wouldn't dare to show off in front of him anymore.

Frankly speaking, Isaiah was nothing but a small-time hood in Atlantic City with some connections. Such a person might not have significant power, but he was well-informed.

In his past life, when Donnie had not yet climbed to a high position, he had dealt with such people frequently. Naturally, he understood them well and therefore stood there, undisturbed.

"So, it's Mr. Block. My apologies, I didn't know you and Margaret are... good friends, good friends!"

Isaiah immediately switched to a fawning smile, just like the one he had in his own casino when facing AJ.

Donnie knew that people like Isaiah might not be capable of doing much, but they were adept at gathering information, so he didn't intimidate Isaiah, merely putting on a smile.

"Alright, now that you know, let's talk about why you came here."

"It's nothing, just a small misunderstanding. We'll leave right now!" As Isaiah said this, his heart ached; he was just a small casino owner with limited daily earnings, lending nearly 50 US dollars to Dennis in total was not a small sum for him.

"If it's a misunderstanding, all the more reason to clarify it." Donnie didn't let Isaiah leave; after all, he was aware of what had happened earlier in Dennis's Tavern.

Dennis, seeing Donnie's stance, did not hide anything and fully informed Donnie of the situation where Dennis had borrowed money and used Margaret as collateral.

Donnie's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this, but Margaret, standing behind him, couldn't stay on her feet after learning the entire story. If it weren't for Donnie turning back in time to support her, she would have fainted to the ground by then.

"I'll cover this money for you!" Donnie, supporting Margaret with one hand, took out his wallet from his coat pocket with the other and passed it to Dennis: "Take the money yourself, make sure the count is correct!"

Dennis looked at Donnie in surprise, to him Donnie was now an untouchable figure in Atlantic City, an existence even more terrifying than AJ, and now he was so easy to talk to, even willing to pay him?

For a moment, Dennis felt like crying; it had been a long time since he'd seen such a principled boss in Atlantic City!

"Yes, yes, Mr. Block, you can rest assured, I wouldn't dare to take a single cent more than I'm owed!"

With a heart full of excitement, his hands trembling, he took out 45.5 US dollars from Donnie's wallet!

Then, respectfully, he passed the wallet back to Donnie with both hands.

After taking the wallet, Donnie spoke calmly, "This time, I've given you the money, but there won't be a next time. Also, remember, from now on, Dennis is Dennis, and Margaret is Margaret, she has resumed her own surname. So, if Dennis borrows money from you again, that's your business!"

"Understood, understood, understood!" Isaiah nodded repeatedly: "You can count on me, Mr. Block, I know what to do!"

After saying this, Isaiah left without looking back, not even glancing at Margaret, who he had long coveted in Donnie's arms.

Yet in his heart, he held envy for Margaret.

This woman was on her way to soaring high!

She was getting involved with a big shot like Donnie Block; it seemed likely she would soon leave the West District!

After Isaiah had left, Donnie helped the still overwhelmed Margaret back to her residence and poured her a glass of tap water.

"I don't ever want to see him again!"

After collecting herself a bit, Margaret spoke firmly.

Donnie said with a smile, "Well, didn't you hear just now? Dennis has already been taken by AJ, and knowing AJ's temperament, it will indeed be hard for you to see him again!"

It took a while, but Margaret finally calmed down thoroughly, though she continued to fuss and talk to Donnie in tears, until the evening when she remembered to make dinner for Donnie!

After this incident, Donnie simply moved into Margaret's home, moving out of Block Tavern.

During this time, Donnie even gave a speech at the WCTU. With Elena's advance hype, coupled with the WCTU's sympathy towards Margaret's situation, Donnie easily became the most popular man within the WCTU.

Even though this man owned a tavern, which ran contrary to their principles.

Donnie also took the opportunity at the WCTU to showcase his gentlemanly side, helping every woman who sought his assistance.

Through the word of these women, the name Donnie Block started to frequently come up at every family's dinner table in Atlantic City.

Just one week's time, and Donnie had become a celebrity in Atlantic City.

And this was precisely one of the objectives that Donnie had hoped to achieve by getting in touch with Margaret.

"Look, our friend of women has come back!"

When Donnie walked into Block Tavern tonight, it instantly sparked a round of teasing from many people inside.

"Donnie, you really should talk some sense into our women at home. She's no longer focusing on the household. Before, she would always prepare dinner and wait for me to return, but now it's been several days since I've had a warm dinner!"

Americans place great importance on dinner, believing that it's the best time for a family to gather together.

"Donnie, my wife asked me to thank you. It was thanks to the coal you provided that our family could get through this winter smoothly!"

Even though he no longer had the money to buy coal to last the final days of winter, this man still went to Block Tavern for a drink every day!

Facing these greetings, Donnie responded to each one, until someone shouted out.

"Donnie, the tavern next door has countless women mingling among the customers every day. When will Block Tavern offer the same service? I heard that other taverns in Atlantic City are getting ready to provide such service too!"

Donnie paused, looked at the man, then smiled and said, "I know you, Bruce Carey, your wife has already submitted an application to the WCTU, preparing to work here at Block Tavern, so soon there will be women here!"

Bruce Carey's face turned red in an instant. In fact, the news that Block Tavern was going to hire a group of women to work here had already spread. Everyone supported this move by Block Tavern, even though they knew these women were already married!

A man always prefers his concubine to his wife, a prostitute to his concubine, and a clandestine affair to all.

Such male psychology is the same in both East and West; the ultimate fantasy for every man is to be a cunning rogue.

In the dimly lit tavern, teasing a married woman was considered very thrilling.

As a result, nearly every day people would ask Donnie when exactly women would start working here.

Now Donnie had told them, but when Bruce Carey heard that his wife was one of them, his face immediately flushed with anger.

It was fury!

It was one thing for other men's wives to do it, but absolutely not his own!

"No, Donnie, you absolutely can't accept her request. I will never allow such a thing to happen!"

Bruce Carey stood up and shouted loudly.

Donnie, unconcerned, spread his hands and said, "Our tavern's hiring is open, fair, and objective. As long as someone wishes to come and meets our hiring conditions, I cannot refuse them. So, Bruce, if you don't want your wife to come here, you'd better go home now and persuade her. Oh, and before you go, don't forget to settle your bar tab!"

Bruce Carey, not daring to be arrogant with Donnie here, angrily threw down a banknote, then stormed out of the tavern amid the laughter of the other patrons!

"Donnie, you just cost us 50 cents. From my experience, Bruce would've had at least one more whiskey!" John complained to Donnie.

Donnie, unfazed, said, "Don't worry, dear John. Didn't you see that when everyone heard Bruce Carey's wife was going to work here, quite a few guests ordered an extra whiskey?"

If it doesn't directly affect them, everyone loves to watch the excitement and doesn't mind if things get out of hand.

John then nodded in satisfaction and laughed, "Alright, I just noticed that!"

Donnie didn't dwell on the matter, instead he said to John, "Go fetch Robert for me, I have some things to discuss with you guys!"

Seeing Donnie's expression, John knew it was something serious and asked, "Is it about the hotel construction?"

Donnie laughed and said, "How could it be? It would be good if the hotel construction could have results within a year!"

John, not understanding, still went next door to call for Robert.

In the second-floor room, which was once his and now John's, Donnie said to Robert and John, "LeBron James has been discharged from the hospital. We should be more careful now!"