I leaned back in my chair, looking at Maya with a calm, curious gaze. "Maya, why are you working as a household maid when you’re studying at such a prestigious university? At your age, you should be focusing entirely on your education."
Maya kept her hands neatly folded in front of her, lowering her eyes slightly. "Sir... I grew up in an orphanage. I don’t have a family to rely on, so I have to work to pay for my food and tuition. Until I turned eighteen, the orphanage covered all my basic living expenses, but after my eighteenth birthday, I had to support myself."
"Does Radel University not offer academic financial aid or merit scholarships?" I asked.
"They do, sir," Maya replied softly. "Last year, I managed to secure full financial aid. But this year, for some reason, my application was turned down. Even though I maintained the top spot in my class with a perfect grade point average, I still didn’t receive the scholarship."
My eyes narrowed slightly. A top-ranking student being denied financial aid when she clearly qualifies? It didn’t take a genius to realize that someone with wealth or political connections behind the scenes had likely stolen her scholarship slot.
Setting the thought aside, I looked at her with a gentle, appreciative smile. "Alright, let’s forget about the university’s financial aid for now. As you’ll come to learn, I value talent above all else, and having a top student work as a general house maid is a complete waste of your potential."
Maya looked up in surprise.
"I want you to become Daisy’s personal private tutor," I continued smoothly. "In return, I will cover every single one of your educational and living expenses—no matter what degree or field you choose to pursue. On top of that, I will give you a monthly allowance of 100,000 Stardollars for your personal use."
Maya’s eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat.
"My only requirement," I added, holding up a finger, "is that you help Daisy maintain her top position at school—not by forcing her to memorize things, but by making sure she truly understands her lessons. And once you graduate from Radel University, you will come to work for Cosmos Group, where I will pay you the highest market salary in the industry."
I rested my hands on the desk. "You don’t have to give me an immediate answer right now—"
"I accept!" Maya interrupted instantly, her voice trembling with intense emotion.
I smiled faintly. "Are you certain?"
"Yes, Sir Julian! I am completely certain!" she declared, bowing deeply.
"Very well. Starting today, you don’t need to wear the house maid uniform anymore. You may continue staying in the staff quarters, and you’re free to use the estate’s staff vehicles to commute to your classes at Radel University. You’re dismissed for the day."
Maya bowed once more, her eyes brimming with deep gratitude. "Sir Julian... I promise I will repay your kindness in the future!"
"There’s no need to repay anything," I said warmly. "Just study hard, take good care of Daisy, and make sure you look after your own health. Don’t overwork yourself."
Hearing my genuine care, a wave of profound respect and admiration flooded Maya’s heart. She nodded gratefully before stepping out of the study.
The moment the door clicked shut, the shadows in the corner of the room rippled. My chief shadow guard materialized silently, turning the brass lock on the door before kneeling on one knee.
"Boss," he reported respectfully. "I have uncovered the full truth behind the collapse of the Lin Group."
I picked up my coffee cup, taking a slow sip. "You took longer than usual this time."
"My apologies, sir. Setting up an intelligence network in the capital took extra time since our operations were previously concentrated in Metro City. Furthermore, the mastermind behind the Lin family’s downfall was operating directly out of River City."
"Who was it?" I asked, my tone dropping into a cold register.
"It was Mr. Lin’s elder brother," the shadow chief revealed. "Years ago, as the Lin Group expanded rapidly under Mr. Lin’s leadership, his elder brother grew paranoid that the family elders would vote to remove him and make Mr. Lin the main family patriarch. Driven by greed and fear, he secretly orchestrated the complete financial ruin of the Lin Group in a way that left no trace back to him."
I set my coffee cup down, a quiet, dangerous glint flashing in my eyes.
"The labor contracts and corporate policies I just signed for Cosmos Group will take about one to two months to show full financial results," I stated calmly. "That means you have exactly one and a half months to expand our shadow network deep into River City."
"What are your tactical orders, Boss?"
"I want our reach absolute," I instructed, my voice filled with cold authority. "Subjugate or buy out every second-tier family in River City to make them yield to us. If any corrupt factions stand in our way, wipe them out to show the capital who we are. Simultaneously, secure powerful political alignments."
The chief shadow guard raised his head. "Speaking of politics, Boss... Mayor Grey’s older brother happens to be the current Mayor of River City."
A light smirk touched my lips. "No wonder Mayor Grey holds so much influence in Metro City—he has his brother’s political backing in the capital. Have Mayor Grey arrange a formal introduction for us."
"Understood, sir," the shadow chief nodded. "However, I must inform you about the power balance in the capital. Even if we bring every second-tier family under our umbrella and secure the Mayor of River City, we will only have enough strength to suppress two of the Four Great Noble Clans—namely, the Smith and Brooks families."
"And the other two?" I asked.
"The second most powerful clan is the Harrington family," the chief explained seriously. "They hold immense global power. Even if we completely annex the Smith and Brooks families, Cosmos Group would only be equal to the Harrington family in scale. And above them sits the Kensington family."
The chief’s tone grew deeply grave. "The Kensington family was once the royal family of the ancient empire. Even in today’s democratic system, they hold unmatched influence across politics, military, and global commerce. They are in a league of their own."
I listened quietly, then let out a smooth, confident chuckle.
"Why should we worry about them right now?" I asked, leaning back in my leather chair. "We aren’t going out of our way to offend them. Eventually, our paths will cross—whether as allies or rivals. By the time I step into River City, my capabilities will match or surpass the Kensingtons. For now, our focus is simple: establish absolute dominance over the second-tier families, bring the Smith and Brooks clans under our umbrella, and prepare the ground."
"Understood, Boss," the shadow chief bowed. "I will ensure that the entire capital knows of your arrival before you even set foot in River City."
With a subtle shimmer, the shadow chief vanished from the study.
Standing up from my desk, I smoothed my suit jacket and walked out of the study, making my way toward the guest wing on the ground floor. Stopping outside Mr. Lin’s suite, I knocked gently on the door before stepping inside.
Seraphina’s father was sitting by the window, reading a book under the warm sunlight. Seeing me enter, he set the book down with a warm smile. "Julian! What brings you by today?"
I walked over, taking a seat across from him, and looked him directly in the eyes. "Mr. Lin... I came to ask you something."
"Go ahead, my boy."
"Did you know that it was your own elder brother who orchestrated the downfall of your company years ago?"
Mr. Lin stared at me for a long moment, a weary, knowing sigh escaping his lips. "So... you finally dug up the truth."
He shook his head softly. "When Seraphina told me how effortlessly you dismantled the Young family’s empire, I knew it was only a matter of time before a sharp young man like you looked into the Lin family’s past. To answer your question... no, I didn’t have concrete proof back then. But deep down... I always had a feeling it was him."
"Why didn’t you ever bring it up?" I asked gently.
"I didn’t want Sera to carry that burden," Mr. Lin said, his eyes softening with deep fatherly love. "She suffered enough seeing our family lose everything. I wanted her to live a peaceful life without being consumed by hatred for her own relatives."
He looked at me earnestly. "Julian... please promise me you won’t tell Sera about this."
"You have my word," I nodded reassuringly. "I would never share anything with my women that would cause them unnecessary pain or worry."
Mr. Lin let out a relieved sigh, a faint smile returning to his face. "Thank you, Julian. So... what are your future plans now?"
I looked toward the window, a confident smirk playing on my lips. "Nothing complex, Mr. Lin... just executing a flawless plan to take over River City, step by step."