CHAPTER 8

The poor guard cowered even more at Michael's words, his eyes wide with fear. He seemed more terrified by the knowledge that Michael was stabbed and didn't hang himself. It seemed to have registered in the old man's mind that the person in front of him was actually dead.

Michael shook his head. He didn't intend to scare the old man, but that's what happened.

"I won't hurt you, Mang Jun. I'm the one who helped you to—"

"Whatever demon you are, leave now!!!" the old man shouted, cutting off Michael's words. "Don't bother me anymore! I've done what you asked, so what else do you want from me?!"

The guard rubbed his face with his hands, still seemingly unable to believe what was happening. Michael felt sorry for the old man. From what he could see, the old man's life seemed quiet and simple, but it seemed like he knew something about what happened to Michael, which is why he was targeted to be killed.

The guard fell to his knees, wailing and prostrating himself on the floor as if he had no future.

"I only did what Sir Freddie told me to do."

Sir Freddie? Who else was involved?

Michael wanted to ask questions, but his tongue was tied.

"I don't know if it's conscience or if you're haunting me because of the money I received from Sir Freddie." The old man was crying as he spoke. "I don't want to do this anymore. It's enough. Whatever I've done, I regret it now."

Michael stood up. He didn't want to bother the old man anymore. He would just look for someone else to help him. Coming here was a big mistake—

"You did a great job when you came here. You saved him from those guys," said the creature accompanying him, which only he could hear.

Michael stood up.

He was about to leave when the old man spoke again.

"Why are you here, Michael?"

The question gave him hope that he could still carry out his plan. Without hesitation, he answered the old man's question.

"I want to get into the company that I built myself. I've invested blood and sweat into it, so no one has the right to take away what I've worked hard for."

A long silence ensued between the two. The old man stood up and wiped away his tears. Since Michael was standing by the door, he saw the flames from the bodies he had killed outside. He thought it would stink and be disturbing.

Michael stood up and went outside. He walked in one direction—towards the car Freddie had used earlier. He was sure there would be money in the car, so he opened the car that Freddie had used. When he opened it, a white attaché case was in front of him. He opened the attaché case, and piles of money in thousands were revealed.

He sneered.

He thought he wouldn't have any trouble fixing his life now that he had piles of money in front of him.

He took a wad of money, but to his surprise, it burst into flames in his hand. The once crisp and fragrant bills turned to ashes.

"You're bound with the contract, Michael. Make a wish and I can give you all the wealth in this world."

He laughed at what he heard, not because he was amused, but because he was annoyed. Why did he forget about the contract he made with the creature in the black flower?

In theory, he could have everything he wanted if he used the privilege given to him by the demon. And he could indeed make two wishes.

But Michael had no plans to use those two wishes. He could go through hardships, and besides, he had a plan.

Michael shook his head. "You can have all that," he said before turning his back on the money in the car.

He walked back to the guard's house, but stopped when he saw the old man standing at the door, holding two cups. From where he was, he could see the steam rising from the hot coffee. He could smell the aroma of coffee, so he couldn't mistake what was in the cups.

"What happened to you, son?" The old man's voice was gentle and calm, unlike earlier when he was filled with fear and terror.

Michael took a step closer to the old man, and Mang Jun handed him one of the cups.

"Like I told you earlier, Mang Jun, I was killed. I was killed in my own home..."

Mang Jun shook his head. "I was right." Michael looked at the old man's face because of what he said. Mang Jun met his gaze with courage. "I was right to think that it was impossible for you to take your own life."

"How did you know?”

"Let's go inside," the old man invited him before leading the way.

He sat on a bench whose original color he couldn't determine due to its age. Michael sat on a bamboo chair, the same one he had sat on earlier.

He looked at the coffee in the cup and swirled it around. He didn't mind the heat it brought to his palm. He couldn't feel anything anymore, unlike before he died.

The old guard looked at Michael. From what he was doing, swirling the coffee in the cup, he could tell that this was indeed the young CEO who always had a ready smile for high-ranking and low-ranking employees like him. He had accompanied him to several events at the building where he worked because he would feed the small employees of the company, like him, a guard, and the janitors.

The young man had helped him a lot, so when he heard that he had taken his own life, he could hardly do his job. He was devastated because of the sadness he felt. Even though there was a big gap between them, he considered him like a son, especially since he had no family. He was alone in life, unlike his friends.

Michael felt the old man's emotions as he looked at him, so he thought it best to ask him a question.

"Do you know why Freddie and his men came after you and planned to kill you?"

The guard nodded. "I thought it was because I was about to tell the media that I didn't believe you took your own life. But I remembered, before you were killed, I overheard a conversation on the ground floor."

Michael's forehead creased at the guard's words. Ground floor?

"What happened? What did you hear? Did you see who was talking?" he asked in succession.

"I heard the plan to kill you…”