Alex exited the villa, a dark cloud of resentment trailing behind him. He paused, casting a venomous glance over his shoulder.
"Christopher... You're aligning yourself with the academy, aren't you? We'll see how long that lasts when they turn their backs on you." He muttered, the words laced with a chilling promise, before striding towards his waiting car, Danzig and the bodyguards flanking him like shadows.
__
Inside the villa, the air crackled with tension. Ethan paced the living room, his brow furrowed with worry. Amara sat on the sofa, her face etched with concern. Katherine and Adonis exchanged anxious glances.
"Mum, Dad... There's no need for you to worry so much. Alex can't touch us, not with me here. Nothing bad will happen," Christopher reassured them, his voice calm but firm.
Ethan stopped pacing and sighed heavily. "What are you talking about, Christopher? You don't understand the intricacies of business. We offended Alex today, and he won't let it slide. He won't attack us directly, of course, but he'll target our businesses, and we'll suffer heavy losses."
Christopher paused, his gaze thoughtful. "Dad, Michael is coming in three days. I'll ask him to bring a business contract. What do you think?"
"Michael? Who's Michael?" Ethan asked, his confusion evident.
"Dad, the Michael Christopher is referring to is Michael C+, the owner of Electroplus Enterprises, the number one business giant in electronics," Adonis interjected quickly.
Ethan's eyes widened. "What?! How do you know him?" He turned to Christopher, his voice filled with disbelief.
Before Christopher could answer, Adonis stood up, his voice ringing with excitement. "Mum! Dad! And my beautiful little sister! Brother Christopher claims to be the boss of all companies whose names end with C+! That means Electroplus Enterprises C+ belongs to him!"
The three of them turned to Christopher, their expressions a mixture of disbelief, shock, and skepticism.
"Frankly, I don't believe him," Katherine said, her tone skeptical.
Adonis added, "But brother called Mr. Michael on his phone, and Mr. Michael said he'll be arriving in three days with his eldest daughter, Chaya, specifically to see brother."
They all turned to Christopher again, their eyes searching his.
'Electroplus Enterprises is a business giant, and it wasn't built overnight. If Christopher is really the boss, he would have had to start it when he was ten or fifteen years old, which is impossible. So there's no way he's the boss,' Ethan thought, his skepticism growing.
Ethan sighed. "I know you're trying to help, son, but it's not good to lie." He walked towards the stairs, his shoulders slumped.
Christopher stared after him, a soft sigh escaping his lips. 'Explanation is useless right now. I'll just wait for Michael, and everything will be cleared up.'
"Don't worry, Mum. I would never do anything that goes against the family or harms it. I promise," he said, turning to Amara.
"Silly child, we're not upset. We know you're helping the academy, and I completely support you," she replied, a warm smile gracing her lips.
Christopher sighed in relief and stood up. "I'll be in my room."
He walked towards the stairs, leaving the others in the living room.
Katherine turned to Adonis, who sat down beside her. "You said all companies ending with C+ belong to elder brother?"
"Hmm," Adonis nodded. "That's what he told me."
"That means brother owns more than fifty companies, in various fields: medicine, buildings, electronics, construction, shipping, transportation, and more. And calculating the annual income of all these companies, it's more than a hundred trillion," Katherine said, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"You're saying brother is the richest man in Cordelia?" Adonis asked, his voice filled with confusion.
"I think so," Katherine nodded.
Amara, her gaze shifting between Adonis and Katherine, was utterly speechless.
"Oh! And brother has a supreme card," Adonis added casually.
"WHAT?!" Katherine and Amara exclaimed in unison, their shock palpable.
____
Christopher walked down the hallway and stopped in front of his bedroom door, where Leyla stood waiting. "Is everything ready?" he asked.
"Yes... Everything you requested is inside," Leyla replied.
Christopher nodded. "Take today off. You'll be coming with me tomorrow. There's an auction."
"You... You're taking me?" Leyla asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
"Why wouldn't I take you?" Christopher ruffled her black hair, opened his bedroom door, and walked inside. "Get ready, and you'll be meeting my personal secretary. You two should get to know each other," he added, closing the door behind him.
"Personal secretary?!" Leyla was dumbfounded.
__
Christopher walked towards the bed, his gaze drawn to the pile of ancient books and scrolls lying on it. Their worn covers spoke of the countless years they had endured.
He climbed onto the bed, sat in a meditative posture, and picked up the first book. 'I have all the knowledge about the fire goddess, but I know nothing about the water god. I hope one of these books has the information I need, a way to locate the water god.' He opened the book and began to read.
__
'Why did Christopher need so many ancient books from his family's library? And all about water bloodlines, or related to it?' Leyla thought, walking down the stairs. 'And why is he taking me to the auction?'
"Oh! Leyla."
"Uh?" Leyla looked up at Katherine, who stood in front of her.
"Brother called me and said you'll be coming with us. Don't worry, I'll take you inside."
"Take me inside? But Christopher said he would..."
"...Don't think too much about it. Christopher is taking his personal secretary, while you'll be coming with me," Katherine explained with a smile.
"Oh... Okay, Katherine."
"Good! Wait, do you have good clothes?"
"Good clothes?" Leyla asked, confused.
"Come on, you're like a sister to me. Okay, come with me, I'll get you something good!" Katherine glanced at Leyla's maid uniform and added, "I think you should change into something more outgoing."
Leyla looked at her clothes and nodded. 'I have clothes, but why is she so happy to take me shopping? Katherine loves shopping, especially for clothes and jewelry. Maybe she doesn't have a companion to help with things. Well... I should go with her.'
Leyla nodded.
"I'll be back," she said, walking towards her room, located downstairs.