Chapter 84: CH-84
knock! knock! knock!
"Come in,"
The door swung open, revealing the trio—all dressed in black mourning clothes.
Records already confirmed that both Daniel and Ethan were in the building when the fire broke out.
No bodies were found yet, but the CCTV footage showed that Daniel was inside his office when the entire floor went up in flames.
As for Ethan, there was no information at all, so I just told the authorities to declare him dead.
"Wait for me outside," I said, slipping on the black formal jacket I left on the chair.
Our ride to the cemetery was quiet. The road slowly gave way to rolling hills and tall, solemn trees lining the road.
By the time we arrived, the sun was half-hidden behind a thin layer of clouds, casting everything in a dull, gray light.
People were already gathered near the old Mercer mausoleum
It was massive, easily the size of a villa—and there was even an open space inside for gatherings.
Right off the bat, we were greeted by Daniel’s and Ellie’s old friends, all offering words of sympathy and comfort. I even spotted a few younger faces in the crowd—Ella’s and Ethan’s friends.
On the surface, it looked like these people really cared.
But I could see through their fake smiles with ease. They were just sucking up to us, assuming we got the full inheritance.
I separated from them and found myself a less crowded corner.
"Big bro Ace, I’m sorry for your loss," a girl in a short black dress approached me.
Her soft hand brushed against mine before gently taking it, her touch lingering just long enough to feel sincere.
She got closer, her pink hair brushing just past her shoulders.
’Adorable...’ I thought, captivated by her unusual pink eyes.
She didn’t let go of my hand right away, giving me time to think.
Then it clicked. Her name was Lea.
She was the daughter of Jonas Blackwood, the president of Blackwood Group, a corporation that was even bigger than Mercer Group.
Although that didn’t really matter, since their business was in real estate.
"Thanks, Lea. Is uncle Jonas here today?"
She shook her head, a hint of guilt crossing her face.
"I’m sorry, my father’s been out of the city for a business trip since last week, so I came here on his behalf. And... I also came here for you."
Her grip on my hand tightened, and the contrast between her sweet words and that feline like pout was pure temptation.
I had to summon every ounce of self-control to keep my junior from embarrassing me in front of everyone.
"I appreciate you coming here. How long has it been since we last saw each other? More than three years? You’ve grown even more beautiful since then."
She giggled, hiding her smile behind her soft hands.
"Big Bro Ace, that was ages ago. I’m already eighteen now, you know," she said, tilting her head just enough for her earrings to catch the light.
Eighteen. A dangerous number. The border between innocence and trouble. It would be a shame if some good-for-nothing guy broke her heart.
Maybe I should step in first, just to keep her safe... for old times’ sake, of course.
Before I could say anything, another figure decided to ruin our little moment.
"Lea, you’ve been holding his hand for too long. You’re making it awkward for him," a young man with chestnut-brown hair and a haughty look cut in, his tone dripping with jealousy disguised as politeness.
She said nothing, simply gazing at me with pleading eyes. Frankly, the Lea I remembered was more immature, always teasing me playfully. Then again, three years was more than enough time for her to grow up.
"It’s alright, I don’t mind at all. In fact, she can hold my hand until this whole thing’s over, emotional support and all." I chuckled and gave her a playful wink.
She brightened immediately and tugged me away from him like she just claimed a prize.
"Who’s that guy?" I asked once we were a few steps clear.
"Ah, he’s someone who’s been bothering me. I don’t really like him, but his father works for DarkRock Capital, so I can’t just shoo him away."
Her tone change when we were alone, softer and more casual.
"DarkRock, huh?" I said, trying to sound nonchalant. " Didn’t think your admirer’s family was in that line of business."
She shrugged, fiddling with a strand of her pink hair.
"Yeah, they handle investments and, you know, shady stuff rich people do when they’re bored."
I laughed lightly. "Sounds about right."
"What’s his father’s name?"
She blinked, surprised. "Robert—Robert Hayes, I think. He keeps bragging about it every time he tries to ask me out."
"Name doesn’t ring a bell,"
"Don’t worry, me too," she said with a light laugh. "But Father told me Hayes is one of the senior asset managers there. Not as rich as us, but still barely a billionaire"
I raised a brow. Not as rich as us. She said it like having one billion was a mid-level salary.
"Ah, so he’s one of those trust-fund kids who overhype themselves," I said, keeping my voice dry.
Lea giggled, leaning a little closer. "Exactly. He’s been bragging nonstop about his dad’s position. Honestly, I’m so tired of hearing about DarkRock this, DarkRock that..."
"I mean, they’re only rich because they manage other people’s money," she added, tilting her head proudly. "Our families, on the other hand, earned every penny through effort and solving actual problem."
She wasn’t wrong.
Unlike traditional businesses that make products and sell them, investments and market trading generate profits without producing anything tangible.
It didn’t solve any real societal problems either, since its main purpose was simply to multiply money—through predictions that bordered on gambling for the conscientious, and manipulation for those already rotten to the core.
"Spoken like a true heiress. You sound just like your father."
She grinned. "Good. Maybe one day I’ll be the one running the Blackwood Group."
"Ambitious. I like that." I paused, pretending to look impressed.
My goal was to build the strongest guild and build an army, and to do that, I needed a huge amount of money and lots of connections.
Getting her on my side would be a worthwhile investment.
’Activate Francis Card’
My smile softened into something more natural, and for a moment, she looked genuinely surprised.
I didn’t give her a chance to overthink and immediately started a conversation—one that would make her feel comfortable talking to me.
Things were finally flowing, and she was starting to open up more—until a voice cut in.
"Young man, let’s have a word, shall we?"
It was none other than Sakamoto. He actually came.
"I already told you, the meeting is in the afternoon." I responded.
His eyes narrowed, but he quickly masked it with a polished corporate smile.
"It’ll only take a minute. I just want to confirm something."
Normally, he would be more arrogant—but with other witnesses around, I had room to push a little.
"Mr. Sakamoto, please respect my personal time. I’m here to mourn, not talk business. I’ll speak with you once this is over."
Eventually, he gave up and mingled with the rest of the crowd.