Chapter 2

Blinding sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and I slowly opened my eyes. Instead of the white ceiling of a hospital, I was greeted by a luxurious crystal chandelier. I sat bolt upright, finding myself lying on a huge Italian leather bed.

Where am I? Shouldn't I be dead already?

I jumped out of bed and hurried to the mirror. A face, both strange and familiar, was reflected in the mirror—it was still my face, but much younger, probably around twenty years old. More importantly, my eyes had turned a deep blue, and my skin had become much fairer.

"Damn it, what's going on?" I muttered to myself.

Just then, a flood of memories rushed into my brain. Not my own memories, but the lives of another person.

Alexander Drake—that's who I am now. The son of a mysterious billionaire raised in Switzerland, recently graduated from Harvard Business School. His father is the founder of Europe's largest private equity firm, with assets worth tens of billions of dollars, but he is extremely low-profile and rarely appears in public.

Even more strangely, the current time is two years ago, before I died. If my calculations are correct, William should still be alive, and Richard should have just begun to get close to Emily.

I have the opportunity to change everything.

"Young Master, you're awake?" A gentle voice came from outside the door.

"Please come in," I said.

A middle-aged man walked in, dressed in a sharp suit, his hair neatly combed. From my memory, I knew this was James, the butler, a loyal servant of the Drake family.

"Young Master, your father wishes you to come downstairs for breakfast. He says he has something important to discuss with you."

I nodded: "I'll be right down."

After James left the room, I began to organize my thoughts. Since fate had given me this opportunity, I couldn't waste it. But first, I needed to understand just how powerful the Drake family truly was.

The Drake family estate, located on Long Island, New York, is as large as a small town. I walked through long corridors, admiring the priceless paintings on the walls. These were not copies, but genuine works by Van Gogh, Picasso, and Da Vinci.

In the restaurant, an elderly man with gray hair but a sprightly spirit was reading the Wall Street Journal. He was Victor Drake, my nominal father, a legendary figure in European finance.

"Sit down, Alexander." He put down his newspaper, his sharp eyes scrutinizing me. "You've done very well at Harvard; the professors all speak highly of you."

I sat down, feigning a relaxed demeanor: "Thank you, Father. You said you had something important to discuss?"

Victor smiled slightly: "Yes. I think it's time for you to take charge. I'm prepared to give you some seed money to establish your own investment company in the United States. The initial capital is five billion US dollars, and if you prove your abilities, I will increase the investment."

Five billion US dollars! Even in my memories from my past life, this is an astronomical figure. The total assets of the Howard Corporation are only around two billion US dollars.

"You have a lot of confidence in me," I said.

"Confidence needs to be proven with results," Victor's tone became serious. "The Drake family's current status is not due to luck, but to strength and wisdom. I hope you remember that."

I nodded in understanding. Then, a question suddenly occurred to me: "Father, can I choose which investments I make?"

"Of course. What are your thoughts?"

I took a deep breath: "I'm very interested in a company called the Howard Group. They have a strong presence in the real estate and construction industry, but they've recently encountered some financial difficulties. I think this could be a good investment opportunity."

Victor nodded thoughtfully. "The Howard Corporation... I've heard of that company. William Howard is a good businessman, but he does have some problems with cash flow. However, Alexander, remember this—in business, never let emotions cloud your judgment."

"I understand, Father."

What he didn't know was that my investment this time was less of a business transaction and more of the first step in a revenge plan.

After breakfast, I immediately began preparations. First, I needed a perfect cover identity. The name Alexander Dezhi was still relatively unknown in American business circles, which was actually an advantage. I could appear as a mystery investor, gaining access to the Howard Group without arousing Emily and Richard's suspicion.

Secondly, I need to reassess the current situation. From what I remember, this should be around the time Richard first entered Emily's life. William doesn't fully trust him yet, and while the Howard Corporation's finances are strained, they're not completely bankrupt.

Most importantly, William is still alive.

I picked up the phone and dialed the Howard Group's main switchboard.

"Hello, Howard Corporation." A young woman's voice answered the phone.

"I am a representative of Drake Investments, and I would like to schedule a meeting with Mr. William Howard. We are very interested in your company's investment opportunities."

"Please wait a moment, I will connect you to the CEO's office."

A moment later, a familiar voice came through: "Hello, I'm William Howard's secretary. May I ask who you are?"

I gripped the microphone tightly. Although it was just my secretary's voice, it reminded me of the wonderful past, of William's gentle smile and kind eyes.

"I am Alexander Drake, head of Drake Investments. We are a private equity firm focused on investing in high-quality companies, and we are very interested in the Howard Group's business model. Do you have time to meet, Mr. William?"

"Please wait a moment, I need to confirm with Mr. Howard."

A few minutes later, the secretary replied, "Mr. Howard is available tomorrow afternoon at 3 PM at company headquarters. Is that a convenient time for you?"

"Perfect match. See you tomorrow."

After hanging up the phone, I walked to the window and looked out at the view of the manor. Tomorrow, I would see William again. The man who had given me everything, yet was murdered by his daughter and son-in-law.

This time, I will not let the tragedy repeat itself. This time, I will protect him, and I will make that adulterous couple pay the price.

I've already formulated a preliminary plan. First, I'll approach the Howard Group as an investor to gain William's trust. Then, I'll secretly investigate all of Richard's criminal evidence and, when the time is right, bring him down in one fell swoop.

As for Emily… the thought of her cold eyes and cruel smile reignited my anger. She will pay for her choices, and I will make her watch herself lose everything, just as she did to me.

But now, I need to calm down and carefully prepare for tomorrow's meeting. After all, this is the first step in my revenge plan, and I cannot afford any mistakes.