Chapter 3

My father's surgery was a success.

On the third day, he was able to sit up and speak. Seeing my father's face regain its color, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Michael, what about the medical expenses this time..." My father looked at me worriedly.

"Dad, don't worry about the money."

"But where did you get eighty thousand dollars?"

I looked at my father and decided to tell him the truth.

"Dad, actually I'm the heir to the Carson Financial Group."

The father was stunned: "What?"

"Robert Carson is my uncle, the chairman of Carson Financial Group."

The father remained silent for a long time, then gave a bitter smile: "No wonder your uncle is so good to me. But Michael, why didn't you ever tell me this?"

"Because I wanted to live by my own abilities." I held my father's hand. "But now I understand that sometimes, we need to use everything we have to protect the people we care about."

The father nodded, his eyes shining.

At that moment, Jessica pushed open the door and walked in.

Her attitude was completely different from before; her face was full of smiles, and she was carrying a large pile of supplements.

"Dad, how are you feeling?" She approached the bedside solicitously. "I bought you the best bird's nest and ginseng..."

My father looked at me but didn't say anything.

"Jessica, just say what you have to say." I looked at her coldly.

"Michael, I want to apologize to you." Her voice was soft. "I said the wrong thing before. I was too worried about the money and didn't consider Dad's feelings."

Apologize?

What money-related issues are you worried about?

"It's...it's about the surgery fees," she said cautiously. "I didn't know you had such a powerful family background. If I had known earlier..."

If you had known earlier, you wouldn't have said that.

Jessica, where do you think the problem lies?

She paused for a moment, then asked, "What do you mean?"

"Do you think the problem is that I didn't tell you my identity, or that you said those things when my father was facing a life-or-death situation?"

Jessica's expression changed.

She clearly didn't expect me to ask that question.

"Michael, we're husband and wife, we should be honest with each other..."

"Honest?" I stood up. "Then go ahead and ask for the $100,000 you gave your mother back."

"What?"

"Since we're going to be honest with each other, then you should get back the money you invested in your mother's beauty clinic and use it to compensate my father for his medical expenses."

Jessica's expression froze.

"Michael, the money has been spent, and my mom's clinic is about to open..."

"So you still can't bear to give up that investment."

"It's not that I'm reluctant to part with it, it's just that I've already used it," she hurriedly explained. "Besides, my mom's business really has a lot of potential..."

As I looked at her, the last shred of hope in my heart shattered.

Even at this point, she was still defending the investment.

"You can leave now."

"Michael..."

"go out."

Jessica glanced at her father lying in the hospital bed, then at me, and finally left.

After she left, her father sighed, "Michael, that woman..."

"I know."

What are you planning to do?

I didn't answer, but instead took out my phone and dialed a number.

"Please help me find information about Linda Wilson's cosmetic clinic programs, the more detailed the better."

After hanging up the phone, I looked at my father and said, "Dad, there are some scores we need to settle."

Two hours later, I received the investigation report.

Linda's beauty clinic project had serious problems: it was operating without a license, making false claims, and suspected of illegal fundraising. She used my $100,000 as seed money and then promised high returns to others, attracting a large amount of investment.

This woman not only spent my money, but also used it for illegal activities.

Jessica was fully aware of the situation.

I forwarded the investigation report to the relevant departments and then called Uncle Robert.

"Uncle, I need you to do something for me."

"explain."

"I want a divorce from Jessica, but before that, I want her and her mother to pay the price."

"What do you want to do?"

"They like money, so I'll show them what real money power is."

Uncle Robert laughed on the phone: "Excellent, that's more like the Carson family. What support do you need?"

"Give me a list of Carson Group's partners, and all our business relationships in Dallas."

"No problem. Also, Michael, now that you've decided to return to the family, don't hide your identity anymore."

"I see."

After hanging up the phone, I looked out the window at the Dallas skyline.

Jessica thought that discovering my identity would allow her to continue living the life of a wealthy wife, and her mother thought that getting my money would make her rich.

They were all wrong.

The real game is just beginning.

That afternoon, I received the list of Carson Group's partners.

The luxury goods company where Jessica worked happened to be a long-term partner of the Carson Group.

I dialed the phone number of the company's general manager.

"Mr. Smith, I am Michael Carson."

"Mr. Carson!" The voice on the phone immediately became respectful. "How can I help you?"

"I'd like to know more about your company's employee, Jessica Wilson."

"Jessica Wilson? Let me check... She's our sales manager, and she's doing quite well. Why are you asking about her?"

"She is my wife, but we are getting a divorce."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

"I understand, Mr. Carson."

"I don't want to disrupt your normal business, but..."

"I completely understand, Mr. Carson. We will handle this matter appropriately."

Handle it properly.

I know what this means.

After hanging up the phone, I contacted several more banks.

As the heir to Carson Financial Group, I wield considerable influence in Dallas's financial circles.

Jessica and her mother's accounts will soon encounter some "technical issues".

That evening, Jessica returned to her hospital room.

She still acted very attentive, but I could see the anxiety in her heart.

"Michael, I want to have a serious talk with you."

"What should we talk about?"

"About our future," she said, sitting down. "Now that you're the heir to the Carson family, we should start planning our lives anew."

Reorganization?

How do you plan to plan this?

"First, I think I should quit my job and focus on being a good Carson family housewife." Her eyes gleamed. "Then, if my mom's beauty clinic could get investment from the Carson Group, it would definitely become the most successful beauty chain in Dallas..."

As I listened to her plans, I could only sneer inwardly.

Even at this point, she was still thinking about how to get benefits from the Carson family.

"Jessica, do you think I'd agree?"

"Why not?" she retorted matter-of-factly. "I'm your wife, and my mother is your mother-in-law. Isn't it only right that we help them?"

Shouldn't it be?

"Where were you when my father needed the money for surgery?"

Jessica's expression changed: "That's not it... It's not that I don't want to help, it's that I don't know..."

"What don't you know? Don't you know I'm rich, so you can just stand by and watch someone die?"

"Michael, don't say that..."

"That's what I'll say." I stood up, looked at her, and said, "Jessica, your good days with your mother are over."

She was stunned: "What do you mean?"

I didn't answer, but walked out of the ward.

Tomorrow, she will know what true power is.

And I will never hide my identity from anyone again.

I am Michael Carson, heir to the Carson Financial Group.

It's time for everyone to know this.