Chapter 246: Chapter 246
He leaned slightly forward now, his voice dropping lower not whispering, but suddenly heavier, like every word weighed more.
"However," he said, "I have one purpose for coming here today."
Robert’s fingers stopped drumming on the table. His focus had now become absolute.
"And that purpose is very clear.
Oliver didn’t blink. His eyes held firm.
"I don’t want you to beat around the bush or take what I’m about to say lightly no vague interpretations, no second-guessing. Take it very seriously."
He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward just a bit more, resting both hands on his knees now.
"Because I don’t usually visit anybody," he said. "But when I do? When I take that step? That person should know it is extremely serious."
A heavy pause filled the room. The air seemed to press tighter between them.
"So now," Oliver said slowly, locking eyes with Robert, "I’m telling you Robert this is serious."
At that moment, upon hearing the stranger call out his full name so casually, Robert let out a sharp, involuntary breath more of a whoop than a gasp before quickly regaining control of his expression. His jaw tightened, and his fingers momentarily froze above the edge of the crystal glass he had been nursing. For a man who prided himself on always being ten steps ahead, the fact that someone he’d never met knew his name and said it with such precision was a rare and unsettling shift in control.
But if there was one thing Robert had learned in the cutthroat world of corporate power plays and political manipulation, it was that emotions were weapons. And in the wrong hands, they could be used to destroy you.
So, he masked his reaction within seconds.
His eyes, however, stayed locked on the man sitting across from him. He scanned him quietlyshoes to suit, body language to tone. Everything about the stranger radiated calm, but not the kind that comes from innocence. This was calculated calm, the kind worn by people who come prepared with a purpose, maybe even a threat. Robert had seen this kind of stillness beforefrom men who smiled right before pulling the trigger.
It didn’t take long for him to conclude: This man knows me. And he came here for a reason.
Without breaking eye contact, Robert leaned forward slightly, the air between them heavy with unspoken tension.
"It seems," he began, his voice low but deliberate, "you’ve done your research. To know my full name without a proper introduction means you’ve been digging." He gave a slow, measured nod. "I’ll admit, that’s commendable. Most people don’t have the guts to show up unannounced, let alone speak so boldly. But then again..."
He uncrossed his legs and rested both hands on the table now, the rings on his fingers catching the soft light of the chandelier above. "...if you’ve done your research properly, then you also know I’m not the kind of man who is easily pushed around. I don’t scare easily. I don’t respond well to veiled threats. And I certainly don’t entertain riddles."
He straightened up. "So let’s not waste each other’s time. Why are you here?"
The stranger Oliver didn’t flinch. In fact, he smiled, as if Robert’s words had amused him rather than intimidated him.
Then he leaned forward too, his elbows resting lightly on the table, as if they were old acquaintances catching up over drinks.
"Well," he said, his tone calm but sharp, "who doesn’t know Robert Jackson?"
The use of the name "Jackson" wasn’t lost on Robert. Most people called him Heisz, especially in the business world. Only people who had traced his roots who knew of his younger days, before he dropped the "Jackson" for a cleaner, more corporate identity would dare bring that name back into play. That alone told Robert everything he needed to know.
Oliver continued. "Your name? It’s everywhere. In boardrooms. In universities. In the mouths of journalists who write about billion-dollar deals and quiet takeovers. Your intellect is praised in investor circles, your strategies studied in lecture halls. They call you the man with a mind too dangerous to challenge. Some even say you’re the reason certain CEOs disappeared from the game altogether."
He gave a small chuckle, then tilted his head slightly.
"So, of course, you’re famous. Everyone knows you."
Then, his smile faded, just slightly.
"So tell me..." Oliver said, his eyes narrowing just a touch, "is your name hidden... or what?"
At that moment, Oliver leaned forward just a little. His eyes stayed fixed on Robert, and the smile that had touched his lips earlier had now disappeared completely.
He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t even blink. But the weight of his words was sharp enough to cut the air between them.
"Let me just go straight to the point," Oliver said, his tone cold and direct. "I didn’t come here for tea. I didn’t come here to sit and joke with you. I came here for one reason and one reason only..."
He paused briefly, letting the silence tighten.
"...your sister. Victoria."
Robert’s expression shifted. The calm on his face vanished for a second, replaced by a flicker of confusion. His brow furrowed. "What about Victoria?" he asked cautiously.
Oliver’s jaw tightened as he crossed his legs again, more slowly this time, as if preparing himself.a
"You need to call your sister to order," he said flatly. "That’s the only reason I came here."
He didn’t shout. He didn’t rush. Every word came out clear, slow, and firm.
"Victoria is starting to cross a line," Oliver continued, "and it’s not just any line. It’s a dangerous one. She’s pushing too far, and if she keeps going, that line she’s crossing... it’s going to consume her."
Robert narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?"
Oliver raised a hand calmly, stopping him from speaking further.
"I’m not here to argue with you, Robert. I’m not here to beg either. I’m here to give you a warning. A serious one."
His voice dropped slightly, a cold undertone in it now.
"Tell Victoria... if she keeps trespassing, she won’t like what comes next. I’m giving you the chance to stop her. Because if I have to do it myself..." He trailed off, then leaned back, folding his arms.
"...and believe me, if I call her to order myself, it doesn’t end well."