After returning from the park, we walked back into the grand foyer of Grandview Villa No. 1. The clock on the wall struck 12:00 PM.
"Belle, why don’t you help Daisy get settled in Dr. Starling’s residential wing?" I suggested gently, looking at the two of them.
"Of course," Belle replied with a soft smile, taking Daisy’s hand as they headed down the hallway.
With the morning outing concluded, I walked toward the ground-floor study, turning the heavy brass lock behind me. I stepped up to the massive, polished black-wood executive table, took a seat in the comfortable leather chair, and called up the system interface in my mind.
[System Status Overview]
Host: Julian VanceCharm: 70 / 100 | Physique: 70 / 100Skills: Eyes of Insight | World-Class Business Mind | Grandmaster Combat | Grandmaster Driving & RacingPrimary Assets: 100% Equity in Cosmos Group | Grandview Villa No. 1 | 10 Prime Commercial Storefronts (Grand Galleria) | Fleet of 7 Luxury VehiclesLiquid Cash: $403.12 Billion Stardollars | Net Worth: $560.12 Billion Stardollars | Indulgence Points: 23,000
Confidante Status:
Seraphina Lin: Confidante (100% Complete Devotion)
Clara Carter: Confidante (100% Complete Devotion)
[Inner Circle Panel]
Seraphina Lin: Destiny Confidante (100% Complete Devotion)Clara Carter: Destiny Confidante (100% Complete Devotion)Dr. Sophia Starling: Inner Circle Member (Relationship Status: Complete Devotion)Belle Young: Inner Circle Member (Relationship Status: Complete Devotion)
A soft, melodic chime echoed through my consciousness, bringing a brand-new notification:
[System Notification:] We apologize for the minor processing delay, Host. Winning over Inner Circle Member Belle Young has unlocked a unique personal reward!
[Unique Reward Unlocked: The Sovereign Black Card] A universal symbol of ultimate financial power, accepted globally without restriction. Issued jointly by the world’s top five central banking institutions, it is held by only a handful of individuals worldwide whose numbers can be counted on one hand. This card will serve as a foundational anchor for establishing your influence and reach within River City.
As the notification faded, a sleek, matte-black metallic card materialized out of thin air, resting quietly on the dark wood surface of the desk.
I picked it up, running my thumb over its surface. It felt as though it had been carved by a master sculptor, perfectly weighted and cold to the touch. Etched elegantly right in the center was a single, bold letter: J.
Smiling quietly, I slid the rare card into my leather wallet and tucked it securely into my inner coat pocket.
Just then, a soft ripple in the corner shadows announced the arrival of my chief shadow guard. He stepped out smoothly and knelt on one knee. "Boss. The formal meeting with Mayor Grey’s older brother has been officially arranged for tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 PM."
"Very good," I nodded. "Now, is there something else you wanted to report before I—"
Before I could finish my sentence, a vibrant system prompt flashed across my vision:
[System Alert:] The system upgrade is now fully complete! Direct system missions are now active. Completing assigned system tasks will grant you a chance to draw from the Tiered Lottery System: Common, Rare, Epic, and Legendary. The higher the tier, the more unique, powerful, and necessary the reward will be!
[New System Task Assigned:] Expose the deep-seated corruption within Radel University, and make all responsible parties pay the price. Completion will grant one chance to get = tier Lottery Draw ticket!
I looked down at the shadow chief, resting my chin on my hand. "Let’s pause what I was about to ask you, and focus on a new objective first. I need you to uncover every single corrupt official and administrator inside Radel University. Specifically, I want you to find out why Maya’s academic financial aid was unfairly revoked this year."
The chief looked up, his expression sharp. "Right away, Boss. But... today is Sunday. While I can easily gather all the necessary intelligence records today, we cannot take public action against them until tomorrow morning. How about this: tomorrow afternoon, immediately after your meeting with Mayor Grey’s brother, we move directly on Radel University?"
"That works," I approved. "Handle the investigation discreetly today, and we’ll strike tomorrow."
With a silent bow, the shadow chief vanished back into the shadows.
Standing up from the desk, I walked out of the study and headed upstairs to my private suite. It was past 1:00 PM in the afternoon. Clara had already headed to the Cosmos Group headquarters to oversee the final corporate integration, while Belle had gone to the Young Group subsidiaries to manage administrative shifts.
On my way up, I crossed paths with a senior house maid. "Excuse me—do you know where Miss Sera is?"
"Sir, Miss Sera accompanied Mr. Lin to the hospital for his regular medical checkup and recovery evaluation," the maid answered respectfully. "Dr. Starling tell them to get result with them because she will be the one who personally review the test results, so they will be returning a bit later this afternoon."
"Understood," I nodded.
Reaching the master suite, I unlocked the door and stepped inside, clicking the heavy wooden door shut behind me. The house was unusually quiet, and I figured I could use a brief moment of solitude to rest.
However, the moment I turned around, I blinked in surprise.
Lying comfortably across the center of my massive king-sized bed, draped in a smooth, elegant black silk nightgown that contrasted beautifully against the white sheets, was Sophia.
A gentle, affectionate smile touched my lips as I walked over. "Love... what are you doing in here?"
Sophia propped herself up on one elbow, her dark eyes looking up at me with warm, playful affection. "Darling... last night you mentioned that we haven’t been able to spend enough quiet, one-on-one time together. Since everyone else is out or busy today, I came here to make sure we got our proper quality time."
"What about Daisy?" I asked softly, sitting down on the edge of the mattress.
"She fell fast asleep after playing all morning," Sophia replied with a soft giggle. "I had one of the trusted maids stay right beside her room to watch over her."
"Well then..." I stood up, walked over to the wall-mounted climate control unit, and lowered the bedroom air conditioning down to a crisp 18°C. "Shall we make the most of it?"
I climbed onto the bed, gently sliding a stray lock of hair away from Sophia’s face. I cupped her delicate cheeks in my hands, leaning down to meet her lips in a slow, passionate kiss that lingered for six sweet minutes.
When we finally parted for air, I reached over to click off the bedside lamps. The heavy blackout curtains were already drawn, plunging the spacious room into a cozy, intimate dimness. Bathed in the soft, romantic glow of the corner nightlight, our emotions welled up naturally, carrying us away into a sweet, tender embrace where the outside world completely ceased to exist.
Two hours later, the afternoon quiet filled the room.
I lay comfortably against the plush pillows, gently cradling Sophia in my arms. She was completely exhausted from our afternoon together, her breathing calm and steady as she drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep against my chest. I smiled, wrapping my arms around her protectively, and let myself drift off for another restful two hours of sleep.
When we finally woke up, we took a refreshing shower together in the master bathroom. Changing into fresh, comfortable casual clothing, we walked hand-in-hand down the grand staircase toward the ground floor.
In the spacious living room, little Daisy was sitting on the rug, cheerfully playing with colorful building blocks alongside Seraphina, who had just returned from the hospital.
Hearing our footsteps, Daisy looked up, her face lighting up with excitement. "Daddy! Mommy Sophia! Where were you both hiding?"
Sera turned her head toward us, a mischievous, knowing smile playing on her lips. "Come on, darling... why don’t you tell Daisy what you two were doing upstairs all afternoon?"
Sophia’s face instantly flushed a brilliant, radiant shade of red. She covered her burning cheeks with both hands, mortified by Sera’s playful teasing.
I chuckled smoothly, stepping forward to pick Daisy up into my arms. "Daisy, your papa and mommy were just taking a nice, quiet afternoon rest, okay?"
"Oh! Okay, Papa!" Daisy accepted the answer innocently.
Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to check an incoming encrypted text message from the shadow chief:
Shadow Chief: Boss, the preliminary investigation files regarding Radel University are compiled. Please come to the ground-floor study when you have a moment.
I looked over at Sera, who was watching us with an amused expression. "Love, make sure you show Mr. Lin’s medical test results to Sophia once she’s free. Also... keep in mind that neither of you will likely have much free time tonight."
Hearing my subtle hint, both Sera and Sophia’s cheeks heated up with soft blushes.
I smiled warmly, giving them each a light nod before turning around and walking purposefully toward the ground-floor study.