Chapter 3

The Howard Corporation's headquarters building stands tall in Midtown Manhattan, its 38-story glass facade gleaming in the afternoon sun. I stood beneath it, gazing up at this familiar structure with mixed feelings. Two years ago, I was the heir apparent here; now, I was about to enter as a stranger.

"Mr. Drake, welcome." William's secretary, a capable woman in her forties, greeted me in the lobby.

As I followed her into the private elevator, my heart began to race. I was about to see William—the man who was like a father to me. I had to control my emotions and not show any weakness.

The elevator stopped on the thirty-fifth floor, and the secretary led me down a long corridor. The Howard Group's office environment was as elegant and grand as ever, with photos of the company's important projects and awards from over the years hanging on both sides of the corridor.

"Mr. Howard is waiting for you inside." The secretary knocked on the door of the president's office.

"Please come in." A deep and gentle voice came, a voice I will never forget.

The moment I pushed open the door, I saw William Howard. He sat behind a huge desk, his hair even grayer than I remembered, but his eyes remained sharp yet gentle. Upon seeing me, he gave a polite smile, stood up, and extended his hand.

"Mr. Drake, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please have a seat."

I took his hand, and the familiar warmth almost brought me to tears. But I forced myself to remain calm, displaying the composure expected of a successful businessman.

"Mr. Howard, thank you for taking the time to see me. I have long admired your reputation, and the Howard Group's achievements in the construction industry are truly admirable."

William gestured for me to sit down and personally poured me a cup of coffee. "Drake Investment Company... To be honest, I'm not familiar with that name. Could you please tell me about your company's background?"

I already had my answer ready: "We are a private equity firm focused on long-term value investing, headquartered in Switzerland, with approximately $30 billion in assets under management. We rarely appear in public and prefer to build deep partnerships with outstanding companies."

William nodded; his business acumen told him this was a potentially valuable partner. "So, what do you know about the Howard Corporation?"

"According to our research, the Howard Group has constructed 15 percent of the high-end residential and commercial buildings in the New York area over the past two decades, enjoying an excellent reputation in the industry. However, we have also noticed that your company has recently encountered some challenges in terms of cash flow."

William's expression shifted slightly. As a seasoned businessman, he disliked people mentioning the company's difficulties too directly: "You're very well-informed."

"That's precisely why we're interested," I continued. "When excellent companies encounter temporary difficulties, it often presents an excellent investment opportunity. We are willing to provide financial support to help the Howard Group overcome its challenges, while also sharing in its future growth."

Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open. A familiar figure walked in—it was Emily Howard.

She was as beautiful as I remembered, with long, elegant golden hair cascading over her shoulders, and wearing a dark blue business suit that made her look smart and capable. But the moment I saw her, the image that flashed through my mind was her cold smile in the rainy night.

"Father, I'm sorry to bother you. I didn't know you were meeting with guests," Emily said, then turned to me. "Hello, I'm Emily Howard, the vice president of the company."

I stood up and extended my hand: "Alexander Drake, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The moment our hands touched, I felt a strange sensation. Her hands were still so soft, but to me, it felt like holding a venomous snake.

"Mr. Drake is here to discuss investment cooperation," William explained to his daughter. "Perhaps you should stay and listen."

Emily sat down gracefully. "I'm very interested. Mr. Drake, how much do you intend to invest?"

"Initially, we're considering investing $500 million in the form of convertible bonds," I said. "Of course, the specific terms of the cooperation still need to be discussed in detail."

William and Emily exchanged a glance. Five hundred million dollars was an absolute sum that the Howard Corporation could hardly refuse at its current level.

"That's certainly an attractive offer," William said cautiously, "but we need to know more details. For example, what are your requirements regarding the corporate governance structure?"

"We won't interfere in the company's day-to-day operations," I replied, "but we hope to have a seat on the board to better understand the company's situation. This is a standard condition for our investment."

Just then, someone else pushed the door open and entered. This time it was Richard Conway.

The moment I saw him, the hatred in my heart almost burst forth. This blond, blue-eyed bastard, one of William's murderers, was now walking towards us with his signature charming smile.

"Sorry I'm late," Richard said, then looked at me. "And this is?"

"Richard, this is Mr. Drake," Emily introduced, her tone carrying a special gentleness. "He represents Drake Investment Company and is interested in providing us with financial support."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Richard's eyes. I knew what he was thinking—another investor he could exploit, another sum of money he could embezzle.

"That's great!" Richard shook my hand warmly. "Mr. Drake, I'm Richard Conway, the company's vice president. We do need funding to start some new projects."

Vice President? It seems he was promoted faster than I remember.

For the next hour, we discussed the possibility of cooperation in detail. I carefully observed the interaction between the three: although William showed trust in Richard, there was still a hint of caution in his eyes when it came to important decisions; Emily's attitude towards Richard was already very clear, and although they tried to hide it, I could still sense the ambiguity between them; and Richard, this hypocrite, was gradually infiltrating the family with his charm and lies.

At the end of the meeting, William said he needed a few days to consider the proposal. I completely understand; after all, five hundred million dollars is no small sum, and I was still a stranger to them.

"Mr. Drake," Emily said abruptly as I was about to leave, "the company is having a small celebratory dinner tonight to celebrate a major project we just landed. If you're available, you're welcome to join us. It will give you a better understanding of our company culture."

I looked at William, and he nodded in agreement.

"I'd love to participate," I said.

After leaving Howard Tower, I sat in my car, my mind racing. Tonight's dinner would be a perfect opportunity to observe their relationship more closely and begin setting my trap.

Richard thought he could use me, the "investor," to achieve his goals, just like last time. But this time, he wasn't facing the naive Marcus Chen, but a resurrected avenger.

I took out my phone and dialed a number.

"James, get me a few people. I need the best private investigators and financial auditors, the sooner the better."

"Understood, young master. Is there anything else you need?"

"Prepare some gifts, the finest champagne, and flowers. I'm attending a dinner tonight and need to act like a successful investor."

After hanging up the phone, I closed my eyes, recalling the pain and humiliation of my past life. William Howard, I will protect you. Emily and Richard, you thought you could deceive and exploit us again, but this time you face a completely different adversary.

The game has begun.

At 8 p.m. sharp, I arrived at the Howard Group's private club on Manhattan's Upper East Side. This was the venue for the company's important events; the decor was elegant and exuded the atmosphere of old-fashioned American high society.

William had already arrived and was talking to several clients. He waved to me warmly as I entered. Emily, dressed in a black evening gown, moved gracefully among the guests, while Richard stood at the bar, champagne in hand, flirting with several young women.

"Mr. Drake, welcome!" William came over and shook my hand. "Let me introduce you to some friends."

Over the next half hour, William introduced me to several important figures in the New York architecture world. I discovered that William indeed had a very high reputation in the industry, and everyone showed him genuine respect. This further strengthened my resolve to protect him.

"Mr. Drake," Emily approached me with a glass of wine, "how are you feeling?"

"A great gathering," I replied. "Your father's connections in the industry are impressive."

"Yes, my father has worked in this industry for thirty years and built many deep friendships." A complex emotion flashed in Emily's eyes. "But sometimes I feel he trusts people too much."

These words gave me a jolt. Could it be that Emily was still wary of Richard?

"Trust is the foundation of business cooperation," I said tentatively, "but a degree of caution is also necessary."

"You're right," Emily nodded thoughtfully, "We've had some new faces at the company recently, and although they've performed very well, but..."

Her words were interrupted by Richard's arrival.

"Honey, what are you two talking about so seriously?" Richard walked over and naturally put his arm around Emily's waist.

I noticed that Emily stiffened slightly for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

"I'm discussing business collaborations with Mr. Drake," Emily said.

"Ah, business," Richard chuckled. "Mr. Drake, to be honest, I think now is the perfect time to invest in the Howard Corporation. We have a lot of exciting new projects in the works."

"Oh? Could you tell me more about it?" I asked.

A greedy glint flashed in Richard's eyes: "For example, we're considering entering the technology real estate sector, building smart office buildings and residential complexes. The market potential is limitless, but it requires a lot of upfront investment."

I nodded in interest, but inwardly I sneered. This guy had already started weaving his lies, just like in my past life. But this time, I would make his lies the noose around his own neck.

Just then, my phone rang. It was a message from James: "The investigation has begun, and some interesting initial findings have emerged. Richard Conway has frequently changed jobs over the past two years, with each departure accompanied by financial disputes."

I smiled to myself. It seemed my revenge plan had taken its first step.

"Sorry, I need to reply to this message," I said to Emily and Richard.

"Of course, please go ahead," Emily said.

I moved to a relatively quiet corner and quickly replied to James: "Continue the investigation, focusing on his financial transactions and personal relationships. Also, prepare a detailed investment agreement; I want to ensure that every penny is under our surveillance."

After sending the message, I turned around to go back to the crowd, only to find Emily standing not far away watching me.

"Mr. Drake, you look very young, but you have a very mature style of doing things," she said.

"There's no room for naivety in the business world," I replied. "I was taught from a young age to be cautious."

Emily gave me a deep look: "You remind me of someone."

My heart raced: "Oh? Who?"

"Someone...who was once very important to me." Emily's voice became somewhat ethereal, "But that's all in the past."

At that sensitive moment, a sudden gasp rang out. We turned to look and saw William clutching his chest, his face pale, seemingly struggling to breathe.

"Father!" Emily rushed over immediately.

My blood froze instantly. This scene was all too familiar; these were the very signs of William's heart attack. In his past life, it was from these very symptoms that William's health gradually deteriorated, ultimately leading to his death at the hands of Emily and Richard.

But not this time.

I rushed forward and helped William up: "Mr. William, how are you feeling? Should we call an ambulance?"

"It's nothing... I just feel a little tightness in my chest..." William said weakly.

Richard rushed over, his face full of concern: "William, let's go to the hospital for a check-up."

I carefully observed Richard's expression, and deep in his eyes, I saw a fleeting look of satisfaction. This beast, has he already begun to target William?

"I insist on taking you to the hospital," I said firmly. "My car is right outside; we can get to the best private hospital in no time."

At my insistence, William was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital. After a thorough examination, the doctor diagnosed him with a mild heart rhythm disorder, possibly caused by overexertion, and advised him to rest more.

But I know this is just the beginning. If I don't take action, William's condition will worsen until...

That night, after returning to Drake Manor, I immediately devised a detailed plan. My goal was to protect William while gradually cornering Emily and Richard.

First, I need to gain William's complete trust and become a major shareholder in the Howard Corporation. Then, I need to secretly investigate all of Richard's crimes and gather sufficient evidence. Finally, I want them to watch themselves lose everything, just as they did to me.

The time for revenge is coming.