"I have been waiting for you."
Christopher froze, his steps faltering as he took in the sight of Ethan, seated with an unnerving stillness in the living room.
"Dad? Why... Why are you waiting for ?" Christopher managed, a tremor of fabricated unease lacing his voice.
Ethan’s gaze, sharp and assessing, fixed on his eldest son. A single eyebrow arched almost imperceptibly. "Sit down," he commanded, his tone brooking no argunt.
With a sigh that held more resignation than compliance, Christopher crossed the space and sank onto the couch opposite his father.
The silence that descended was thick and heavy, each passing second amplifying the underlying tension. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ethan’s voice cut through the quiet.
"Where did your money co from?"
’Well... I knew this was coming, but did he have to be so intense about it?’ Christopher mused internally, outwardly stating with a casualness he didn’t feel.
"I have businesses, Father." He answered.
"Businesses?" Ethan’s stunned disbelief was palpable.
’He didn’t even say ’a’ business, but ’businesses’? What in God’s na has he been up to?’ A wave of suspicion washed over him.
Ethan leaned forward, his voice rising in alarm:
"Are you into drugs?! Or arm dealing!??!! Or so other illegal enterprise?!"
’Geez... Are those the only avenues for profit in his mind?’ Christopher sighed inwardly, a flicker of weariness crossing his face. He offered a placating explanation.
"No... I am the owner of all companies ending with ’C ’. I thought I had ntioned it before."
His gaze drifted downwards, a hint of sadness in his expression.
"But no one ever believes , so I figured, why not just demonstrate my wealth at the auction?"
BAM!
The sharp crack of Ethan’s palm slamming against the center table reverberated through the room. His eyes, usually a warm blue, now held a cold-tinged fury.
"Do you think I am a fool?!!" he roared, his voice shaking with anger.
"If you are so incredibly wealthy! Why were you always asking for money?! Why are you constantly squandering my resources on frivolous parties! Tell ! You might have undergone so miraculous transformation upon waking up, but what about your past?! What about the ti you nearly bankrupted us! What about the funds you pilfered from the company account! What about that despicable incident where you attempted to assault that young woman?! Do you honestly believe I am so easily deceived!?!!"
’Geezz... The previous occupant of this body certainly left behind a monuntal ss,’ Christopher thought grimly.
’Wow... It’s a genuine miracle he wasn’t completely ostracized... This family must possess an extraordinary level of love to him, and I’d wager they poured a significant portion of their resources into constantly bailing his sorry ass out,’ Tiamat observed dryly from her perch on the couch headrest beside him.
’True... Now that I possess this level of wealth, my priority must be to elevate my family, to establish them as the preeminent power across all five nations! While Cordelia is the most expansive of the five, its so-called top families wouldn’t even qualify to polish the shoes of other truly influential families, both in the realm of business and sheer power... Michael alone could dismantle Cordelia’s top three families with re financial leverage... I must orchestrate my family’s ascent to the pinnacle! We must grow in unison – in power, in influence, and in wealth,’ Christopher resolved, his fists clenching almost imperceptibly.
"Shouldn’t we intervene?" Katherine whispered from the second-floor landing, her gaze fixed on the tense scene unfolding below.
"No... We need to hear his answer," Amara replied, her voice surprisingly firm as she stood beside Katherine.
Adonis and Leyla exchanged bewildered glances.
Amara, typically the first to rush to her favorite son’s defense, remained rooted to the spot. It was a clear indication that she, too, harbored a deep-seated need to understand the origins and extent of Christopher’s newfound wealth.
THUD!
".....?!"
".....!"
"...?!"
A collective gasp swept through the villa as Christopher abruptly dropped to his knees. Even Tiamat seed montarily taken aback, her spectral form flickering slightly.
"Father... I am acutely aware of the multitude of wrongdoings I have committed, the imnse embarrassnt and humiliation I have brought upon this family! I know I have caused significant pain!"
He lifted his gaze to et Ethan’s, a newfound resolve hardening his eyes:
"Please... grant this opportunity to rectify my past mistakes! I swear upon my very na! I will never again do anything to tarnish this family, our family na!"
He lowered his head, his forehead touching the polished floor. "Please, Father..."
Ethan was utterly speechless, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions churning within him. He raised his gaze towards Amara, seeking guidance. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, she offered a subtle nod of her head.
With a heavy sigh that seed to release a portion of the tension in the room, Ethan leaned back into the couch.
"Okay. Okay... Sit down," he conceded, his voice softer now.
Christopher looked up, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "You... you forgive ?" he asked tentatively.
"Yes. Yes... But you still need to answer my question honestly. Are you truly the principal behind all companies bearing the ’C ’ designation?" Ethan pressed, his gaze unwavering, while Christopher offered a firm nod in response.
"Then call John... Head of the estate company. Put the phone on speaker," Ethan instructed, a new intensity entering his voice.
’He’s demanding concrete proof... It’s true that seeing and hearing is believing... My father knows John; they were once involved in joint cooperation.’ Christopher noted inwardly, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
’John has never actually t in person... Sunny was the primary individual who placed most of these key heads in their positions. Only Michael and a select few heads have ever seen the previous . However, one thing is certain: they all recognize my unique verification code.’ He retrieved his phone.
’Each of the heads was assigned a distinct code, ensuring that no one could successfully impersonate ... And with X’s assistance, a sophisticated system was implented to cross-reference both the code and the voiceprint for absolute authentication. That way, all transactions and communications are completely secure.’
He tapped John’s contact and initiated the call, holding the phone where everyone could see.
RING!
The seconds stretched out, each tick of the unseen clock amplifying the anticipation in the room as they waited for the call to be answered. Finally, after a seemingly interminable ten seconds, a voice crackled through the speaker.
"Yes... Who is this?" John’s voice inquired.
Ethan’s eyebrow shot up. ’That is undeniably John’s voice, but how did Christopher obtain John’s direct number?’ he wondered, his suspicion montarily piqued.
"Are you John Lee? Head of the estate business?" Christopher asked, his tone calm and asured.
"Yes! Who is speaking?" John replied.
’Hmm... There’s no way he could have orchestrated this in advance; he had no way of knowing I would ask him to call John... The ’C ’ conglorate is a colossal business empire. While they maintain a relatively low public profile, every significant figure in the business world is aware of its existence... If its ultimate leader is truly this son of mine, this boy who sat before ... wouldn’t that automatically elevate my family to the very pinnacle?’ Ethan mused, his gaze shifting between Christopher and the phone in his hand.
"Code: R00000."
Reviews
All reviews (0)