Meanwhile, Janus had come up with two dishes. One was the signature Oskian-style roast goose, and the other was his specialty dish, a marinated meat platter. He placed the dishes in front of Charlie and Quinn, and then whispered to them, “Young Master Wade, Miss Golding. There’s a regular customer in the restaurant along with the Oskian detective, Merlin Lammy. You shouldn’t go down for the time being.”Charlie hurriedly asked, “Uncle Janus. Merlin Lammy did not recognize you, right?”“No,” Janus said. “Previously, I dressed very differently from the usual. Besides, it was only a one-sided encounter, so it might be a little difficult for him to remember me. I deliberately tested it just now. He didn’t recognize me at all, so it should be fine.”“That’s good.” Charlie was slightly relieved. Out of curiosity, he asked again, “Uncle Janus, do you know the middle-aged man who came with Merlin Lammy?”Janus replied, “I’ve known him for a long time. He was always a regular, but I don’t
Christian said seriously, “Merlin, you have to be a little more optimistic! Aren’t you just suffering a minor setback in your strongest field? I’m telling you, it doesn’t matter.”Christian pointed at himself and said, “Look at me! I’ve been treated as a guest of honor for so many years, no matter where I go. Even if the other party is a man who’s in his nineties, he’d take the initiative to stand up to give me the best seat. Yet, I got kicked out in front of so many people when I went to an auction some time ago. At that time, I really felt like digging a hole in the ground to hide. But just look at me now! I’ve already gotten over it!”“No matter how well you do as a human, it’s impossible for everyone to give you respect. Similarly, as a detective, no matter how good your professional skills are, you won't be able to solve all cases.”“You have to learn to accept failures and try your best to stay calm at the same time. When you look back at this matter again after some time, you
Christian was deeply shocked. He instantly stood up and demanded, “What happened?”Charlie’s aunt Lulu, who was on the other end of the line, choked as she said, “The doctor said it’s a brain hemorrhage…”“Brain hemorrhage?” Christian parroted, anxious. “What exactly happened?”Lulu sobbed, “Dad’s mental state has been really bad recently… He’s unable to sleep during this period of time. He also seems to be feeling very miserable, and is in a very bad mood… He’s also very resistant to doctors, even as his body gets weaker and weaker…”“Just now… Dad went to the bathroom by himself and suddenly fainted. He fell into a coma right after. The doctor rushed over and claimed that it was a brain hemorrhage, and that it’s caused multiple organ failures. Dad’s in a deep coma now, and he only has one or two days left at most…”Christian grew more anxious and blurted out, “How could he suddenly have multiple organ failures?! What have so many of the doctors been doing?! Can’t they cure Dad?”
At the same time, Charlie, who was on the second floor, had an ugly expression. He heard the phone call between Christian and his youngest aunt, Lulu, and he knew that his grandfather’s life was hanging by a thread now.At this moment, he could not help but feel his heart tense up.He couldn’t understand how his grandfather who was so rich and was only in his seventies, could be dying so early.According to his youngest aunt’s description over the phone, his grandfather’s life was already hanging in the balance. Aside from Charlie’s medicine, no other medicine in this world would be able to treat him.In other words, his grandfather might not be able to overcome this hurdle if he didn’t help. In any case, the man was his mother’s father. Charlie also had a quarter of his blood running in his veins. Charlie couldn’t let his grandfather die without saving him, no matter how much prejudice he had against the latter.However, he was still not mentally prepared to meet with his gra
In fact, Charlie always had three kinds of pills on him; namely, the Healing Pill, the Rejuvenating Pill, and the Cultivating Pill.The reason why he asked Quinn to send a Healing Pill instead of a Rejuvenating Pill was because on one hand, he felt that since his uncle was kicked out of the Rejuvenating Pill auction, his identity would probably be exposed if Quinn brought them a Rejuvenating Pill. Another reason was Charlie still had some difficulty forgiving his grandfather. In his opinion, why should he use the Rejuvenating Pill if the efficacy of the Healing Pill was sufficient to save his grandfather?What’s more, his father suffered a lot of discrimination in the hands of Acker family. He was already repaying grievances with virtue simply by giving them the Healing Pill. There was no need for him to do anything more.Quinn was clueless about Charlie’s thoughts. She only knew that the situation was urgent, and that she should not be delaying any further.So, she said quickly,
He then stood up, grabbed a piece of tissue paper, and wiped his mouth before turning around and walking out.Janus was truly relieved when he saw Merline leaving and walking out the door.He wasn’t afraid of Merlin finding out his identity as an illegal immigrant, but of Merlin noticing that the latter had met him before and linking Homer’s disappearance to himself.Charlie and Quinn had been to his shop more than once so. If Janus got exposed, Merlin would be able to follow the trail and find Charlie.The case of Homer’s disappearance was not perfect. It wasn’t that Merlin could not find any clues, it was only that the clues were well hidden. If Merlin found out a clue and grabbed it, he’d be able to dig out the whole truth. Just as Janus pondered over this, he saw that Charlie and Quinn were also walking down. He stepped forward and said, “Young Master Wade, why did you come down? Inspector Lammy just left. I think he’s still not far away by now.”Charlie hurriedly said, “Unc
New York JFK Airport.Two private jets took off twenty minutes apart.Charlie’s uncle Christian was on the first plane that took off first. Quinn, who had a Healing Pill with her, was on the plane that took off later. Christian was also in a state of confusion at this time. He felt extremely nervous and distressed for his father. He had never thought about waiting for his father’s death, just so that they could divide the Acker family’s property. He also knew very well that his father was the core of the Acker family. The Acker family would be severely damaged if the man died at this time.Therefore, he really didn’t want his father to suffer such hardships. Compared to other families, the Acker family was relatively united. There was little to almost no conflict between the siblings. The main reason the Acker family could be so united was because of Ashley’s unexpected death. Ashley’s death didn’t only cause the Acker family to be in great sadness, but the Acker family
Everyone could put the interests of the Acker family first. Even if there were any disagreements, they could also be objective and democratic in their discussions.It was precisely because of this structure that Kaeden, Jaxson and Lulu had all put aside all of their businesses and rushed home when Lord Acker was suddenly critically ill. At the same time, they were all waiting for their elder brother Christian to come back home to preside over the emergency situation.Quinn, who was sitting on the plane at the same time, looked at the wax pill in the white plastic box in her hand. She was feeling extremely excited.Although she knew that she shouldn’t be feeling this way in this situation, she simply couldn’t control her own feelings. Charlie was actually asking her to go to his grandparents’ house and pose as his fiancée!To Quinn, this was Charlie’s recognition of her.Compared to the previous ambiguity, Charlie’s attitude this time was a big step forward in her opinion!What
However, Jimmy realized something important even as he sighed in relief. "Wait, Mr. Wade… I know I should settle things in the family Stateside, but won't I be arrested upon arrival?""That's Julien's department," Charlie chuckled and turned toward the man. "Tell your butler not to send the evidence to the feds. If it has reached them already, ask to have it back and tell the feds they saw nothing."Julien promptly nodded. "I'll text him right now. You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Wade."Jimmy remained worried. "But sir, I think Nate's not going to let this slide. The man is cunning—he deliberately dug a pit so we'd fall into it, and he gathered all the dirt he could on us to be used as leverage when necessary."Charlie shook his head. "That's no big deal. Julien can make sure that you're fine even if the feds get the evidence."Julien nodded nearby. "Don't worry, Mr. Wade. The decision remains in your hands, either way. Just say the word, and it's 25 to life… otherwise, not e
The fact that Jimmy was a partner in Ares LLP already meant he had skill, while Matilda had herself been retired for years and definitely had lost her touch a little. So, having someone like Jimmy who had stayed on the frontlines all this while would definitely be no issue.And in turn, it was a good thing for Jimmy as it was better than the kennels either way.Charlie then asked Jimmy pointedly, "You say you're interested, but are you sincere about it?"Jimmy nodded without hesitation. "Yes, absolutely!""No regrets? We're talking about ten years here.""None, absolutely none!""Do you know what to say if anyone asks?""Yes, of course! I chose to further my career here in Oskia, and it was absolutely voluntary! That's what I'd say even if my family asked!"Charlie nodded. "Good. Then, you will have two weeks. Go home and set your affairs in order and report in for work afterward.""No problem!" Jimmy nodded repeatedly, actually surprised and grateful that Charlie would let hi
And yet, Julien was suddenly clapping his hands, and exclaiming excitedly, "Yes, right! We should get his wife and son over too for a happy reunion!"He then paused and quickly corrected himself, "Wait, no! I mean, they should each be caged with one empty cage separating each of their cages. They can see each other and talk, but there will be no touching. How dare he flex on me—I gotta teach him a lesson to remember!"Jimmy dropped limply on his rump, and Matilda beckoned for Paul to help him up while turning toward Julien as she pursed her lips. "Please, Mr. Rothschild… Even if you don't accept his apology, don't bring his family into this. It's against Oskian tradition—you'd insult your family's name!"Julien shrugged, not hesitating to retort, "What do your traditions have to do with me? If I mean to hurt him, forget his family—I'll drag his dogs over too!"Seeing that Julien was so furious, Charlie decided to stop him, or he might actually go through with it."That's enough, J
Holding up a thumb at Charlie, Julien exclaimed in approval, "You're right, my friend! That's far more exciting than having him jailed!"Just hearing that he would be sent to a kennel, Jimmy knew nothing would come of it—even if he didn't know the details, it was so obvious that Julien was thrilled by the very idea!Turning nervously toward Charlie, he was sobbing as he asked, "Mr. Wade…? What's this about a kennel…?"Julien chuckled coolly even before Charlie said a word. "A kennel is where you keep dogs, of course. Though there are literal dogs and metaphorical dogs, and you are the latter."Oh, don't worry. It's a really nice place where you get your own cage, and you'll be fed every day. You don't even have to work, so just sit tight and keep eating until the day you die."Jimmy's soul left his body in that instant.He was going to be locked in a cage?! That was way worse than being locked up and sent to jail! Where was the humanity around here?!Even as the thought struck h
Matilda was actually caught off guard by Jimmy's pleas, and even Paul found it hard to watch.Turning to Charlie, he said, "Please, Mr. Wade—my uncle can be a little despicable, but he is my father's brother. Please, let him have a chance to turn over a new leaf, seeing that he's earnestly repenting."While Paul spoke with Charlie, Jimmy was still confused and wondered why Paul would plead his case with Charlie instead of Julien. If there was anyone Paul should ask, it was Yolden since he was Julien's friend. So, why would he ask some young man instead of Yolden?That was when Charlie asked in curiosity, "You want to let him off? After he tried to take away your parents' legacy?"Paul smiled awkwardly. "I mean, I know the guy. He made sure to travel all this way to make a scene because he had nothing legal that could help him claim Smith Group Corporate Law from us. Otherwise, he'd have already filed the lawsuit in the States. Sure, it's a dirty move, but that's basically a des
As Julien finished, he realized something was wrong and turned toward Charlie before he knew it.Charlie held his gaze in turn, his expression quizzical and amused.Julien cleared his throat right then. "See, there are people who can order me around, but they have my utmost respect. However, a third-rate lawyer like you? Who do you think you are?"That was when Julien's butler called, and he reported respectfully as soon as the call was answered, "Sir, I've spoken with Nate Ellis, the owner of Ares LLC. He has since agreed to fire Jimmy Smith right away as well as disbar him nationwide."Julien asked, "Good. Anything else?""Well, Mr. Ellis also delivered some documents that can be used as evidence against Jimmy Smith, which he claims is enough for a lifetime sentence. If you deem it necessary, we can have it sent to the FBI.""Yes, let's go with that!" Julien replied, his tone satisfied. "And ask the director to handle it personally—I want this prick to never set foot stateside
Jimmy was sweating profusely in fear, but he argued back before he knew it, "That's impossible! Everything you say is bullshit! Gaiman simply thought he had a fair chance of winning and didn't want to pay Ares that much, and I have no idea who he partnered with, and I'm certainly not involved. Don't you try to slander me!"Nate chuckled. "Come on, Jimmy. We're all adults here, so there are things we shouldn't have to be so direct about. Mills Gaiman and your old classmate met in private many times, not to mention the private conferences you three had in secret, discussing your overall strategy and decisive points. Just so you know, Gaiman recorded every conversation, and I have the tapes with me."Jimmy's heart was left pounding as he blurted, "B-Bullshit! That's impossible!""Grow up, Jimmy," Mr.Goodman chuckled. "Every partner in every law firm always strives to rise higher, so I'm going to need as much leverage as I can. Otherwise, I'm not about to let them advance any further, e
Although the ringtone and vibration frequency were the ones Jimmy always used, this call somehow felt more urgent, leaving him exceedingly uneasy.When it abruptly stopped and left a missed call on his log, Nate Ellis soon sent a text: [Answer your damn phone this instant!]Just seeing the text left Jimmy feeling like his throat had gone dry, and as he gulped, it felt like his throat was being ripped, leaving him hurting.Still, he couldn't care less as his boss called again.Having seen the text, Jimmy didn't hesitate this time and promptly answered, watching Julien's smug face as he started tentatively, "Y-Yes, boss...?"Nate immediately yelled at him hysterically, "What the hell did you do?! Why did the Rothschilds call to complain about you?! And the complaint was from their heir apparent, at that! I worked hard for them and always toed the line for years, and I still haven't gotten a chance to meet the man, so how the fuck did you upset him?!"Jimmy's heart sank to rock bott
Fuming, Jimmy snapped at Julien, "If you insist on playing it like that, I will call my boss, and you can talk to him yourself!"Julien chuckled. "That's unnecessary. I've never met him. He would never recognize my voice."Jimmy laughed and nodded despite himself. "Impressive—you can really come up with anything! You don't have his number because he's beneath you, you refuse to call him because he's beneath you, and when I say I'll call him for you, you say he won't recognize your voice. Well, how do you suppose we should sort this out? At least prove you're a Rothschild, or anyone could claim that they are—"Julien held up a hand to stop him. "Then, how about this? I'll ask my butler to talk to your boss."Jimmy laughed even more loudly as if it were the best joke ever. "Hahaha!!! Butler, you say?! You really know how to talk! Alright, I'll wait and see what your 'butler' can do… I mean, what you can do. We'll see whether my boss calls me!"Julien ignored him and whipped out his