The message on Davis Blackwood’s screen remained unchanged.
[WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED.]
[TRACE BLOCKED BY AN EXTERNAL SECURITY PROTOCOL.]
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: THE HOST IS NOT THE ONLY PERSON SEARCHING FOR THE BLACKWOOD LEGACY.]
Davis sat silently in his penthouse office, the glow of the screen reflecting in his dark eyes.
Someone had attempted to access the archive box in his possession.
That alone was troubling.
But the fact that the intruder had managed to block the system’s trace was far more disturbing.
The Almighty Cashback System had given him money, property, business intelligence, and opportunities that would have been impossible for an ordinary person to obtain.
Yet someone out there possessed technology capable of interfering with it.
Davis leaned back in his chair.
"Who are you?" he whispered.
No answer came.
Instead, a new notification appeared.
[FAMILY LEGACY QUEST UPDATED.]
Quest: The Fall of Blackwood.
Objective One: Identify the individuals responsible for the financial destruction of Blackwood Holdings.
Objective Two: Recover the missing Blackwood financial records.
Objective Three: Uncover the truth behind the final months of Alexander Blackwood's life.
Reward: Undisclosed.
Failure Penalty: Permanent loss of access to one sealed family asset.
Davis's expression hardened.
"You're threatening to take something from me now?"
[SYSTEM RESPONSE: THIS IS NOT A THREAT. IT IS A CONDITION OF THE LEGACY QUEST.]
[NOTICE: THE BLACKWOOD LEGACY CONTAINS ASSETS THAT CANNOT BE RELEASED UNTIL SPECIFIC CONDITIONS ARE MET.]
Davis stared at the message.
His father's letter returned to his mind.
Some of the people standing beside me are not my friends. Seek the truth, my son, but never allow revenge to consume you.
For years, Davis had believed his family's downfall was simply a tragic combination of bad investments, corporate betrayal, and an unfortunate accident.
Now he suspected something far more deliberate.
Someone had dismantled his family's empire.
Someone had ensured that he grew up without the fortune, influence, or protection that should have belonged to him.
And someone was desperate to prevent him from discovering why.
His phone vibrated.
It was Elena.
"Good evening, Mr. Blackwood," she said when he answered. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but there's something you should see."
"What is it?"
"A commercial property portfolio has just become available. Three office towers, two logistics centers, and a technology park. The owner is liquidating because of a financial crisis."
"Who owns the properties?"
"Ardencrest Holdings. They're not publicly listed, but their assets are substantial. According to our preliminary figures, the entire portfolio could be worth approximately £640 million."
Davis raised an eyebrow.
"And they're selling?"
"At a considerable discount. They're asking for £410 million."
"Why?"
"The company has a debt problem. One of its principal lenders has threatened to seize its assets unless it settles its outstanding obligations within seventy-two hours."
Davis rose from his chair and walked toward the windows.
Aurelion City glittered beneath him.
"How quickly can you arrange a meeting with the owners?"
"Tomorrow morning, if necessary."
"Arrange it for the afternoon. I have another meeting at ten."
"Of course. Should I proceed with due diligence?"
"Immediately. Check the titles, outstanding debts, pending litigation, and any hidden liabilities. I don't want to buy a beautiful collection of problems."
Elena chuckled softly.
"I expected that answer."
"Good. You know me already."
"I know that you prefer opportunities that other people have given up on."
"Only when they're worth saving."
After ending the call, Davis glanced at the system notification.
Something about the timing felt unusual.
He had just discovered that someone was trying to penetrate the Blackwood archives, and now an enormous portfolio had suddenly appeared on the market.
Was it an opportunity?
A coincidence?
Or bait?
He decided he would investigate before making any commitment.
At that moment, the system chimed.
[OPPORTUNITY DETECTED.]
[Potential Acquisition: Ardencrest Commercial Portfolio.]
Asking Price: £410,000,000.
Potential Cashback Reward: Subject to eligibility verification and completion of a qualifying transaction.
Potential Special Reward: Undisclosed.
Warning: The transaction carries elevated financial and strategic risk.
Davis smiled faintly.
"So you want me to look at it too."
[SYSTEM RESPONSE: THE SYSTEM IDENTIFIES OPPORTUNITIES. THE HOST MUST MAKE THE DECISION.]
"Then we'll see whether this opportunity deserves my money."
He returned to his desk and opened the documents Elena had already sent.
For the next two hours, he studied the company's financial statements, rental agreements, loan obligations, and property valuations.
The more he read, the more interested he became.
Ardencrest wasn't a failing business because its properties were worthless.
It was failing because its management had borrowed too aggressively and its lender was demanding repayment at the worst possible time.
The technology park alone housed several promising software companies.
The logistics centers served three major distribution routes.
And the office towers were occupied by established tenants with long-term leases.
If the numbers were accurate, the portfolio could generate substantial income.
But Davis noticed one detail that made him stop reading.
The lender demanding immediate repayment was a subsidiary of a financial company called Meridian Strategic Finance.
His eyes narrowed.
"Meridian again."
He opened the system's Asset Growth Tracker.
A warning appeared beside the portfolio.
[STRATEGIC CONNECTION DETECTED.]
[The proposed acquisition may intersect with the host's ongoing Family Legacy Quest.]
[Recommendation: Investigate the seller's financial history before committing funds.]
Davis closed the document.
He would not allow greed to make his decisions for him.
The next morning, he planned to meet Victoria Ashford at the botanical gardens.
If she truly wanted to help him, perhaps she could explain why Meridian's name kept appearing wherever the remains of his family's empire were involved.
And if she was lying?
He would find that out too.
At 9:45 a.m., Davis arrived at the old botanical gardens in his black luxury sedan.
The gardens occupied a quiet section of Aurelion City, far from the noise of the financial district.
Tall trees shaded the winding paths, and morning sunlight filtered through the leaves.
Victoria was already there.
She stood beside a stone fountain wearing a cream-colored blouse, dark trousers, and a long beige coat. Her dark hair fell neatly over her shoulders.
When she saw Davis, she straightened.
"You're punctual."
"I prefer not to keep people waiting."
"Even people whose fathers may have destroyed your family?"
Davis stopped a few feet away.
"Especially them."
Victoria's faint smile disappeared.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then she reached into her handbag and removed a thin brown envelope.
"I brought something for you."
Davis didn't immediately take it.
"What is it?"
"Copies of documents I found in my father's private study. I couldn't take the originals without alerting him."
"And you expect me to trust documents stolen from your father?"
"I expect you to verify them."
She held the envelope toward him.
Davis accepted it.
Inside were photocopies of financial transfers, internal memoranda, and a list of companies involved in the restructuring of Blackwood Holdings.
His attention settled on a document dated three months before his parents' deaths.
The title read:
BLACKWOOD HOLDINGS — EMERGENCY DEBT RESTRUCTURING PROPOSAL.
Below it were several signatures.
One belonged to Alexander Blackwood.
Another belonged to Victor Ashford.
A third belonged to a man Davis had never seen before.
Malcolm Voss — Meridian Consortium.
Davis looked up.
"Who is Malcolm Voss?"
Victoria's expression grew serious. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
"He's one of the people who helped build the Meridian Consortium. My father has worked with him for years."
"Worked with him, or worked for him?"
"I don't know."
"Victoria, I need more than guesses."
"I understand."
She took a breath.
"My father used to talk about your family. Not often, but enough for me to know that your father trusted him once. Then something changed. After your family's financial collapse, my father became wealthy much faster than before."
"How much faster?"
"He acquired several companies, expanded into international markets, and bought properties that had previously belonged to Blackwood Holdings."
Davis examined the documents again.
"Did he acquire them legally?"
"According to the public records, yes."
"Then why are you helping me?"
Victoria looked away toward the fountain.
"Because last night, I heard him talking to someone on the telephone."
"What did he say?"
She hesitated.
"He said, 'Blackwood has opened the door. If the boy finds the original ledger, everything we built could collapse.'"
Davis's fingers tightened around the envelope.
"The original ledger?"
"That's all I heard."
"Where is it?"
"I don't know. But my father sounded frightened."
Davis studied her face.
For the first time, he noticed that beneath her confidence was genuine fear.
"Your father told you to stay away from me," he said.
"Yes."
"And yet you're here."
"Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering whether my family built its fortune on another family's destruction."
Davis remained silent.
Then he nodded.
"I'll verify these documents. If they're genuine, we'll discuss the next step."
Victoria released a breath she had been holding.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. If you conceal anything that could affect this investigation, I will find out."
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
As Davis turned to leave, the system chimed.
[NEW INTELLIGENCE ACQUIRED.]
[Blackwood Financial Collapse: Evidence Level Increased.]
[Meridian Consortium Connection: Confirmed.]
[Victor Ashford's Role: Inconclusive.]
[New Lead: The Original Blackwood Ledger.]
Then another notification appeared.
[SPECIAL REWARD UNLOCKED.]
Reward: Blackwood Strategic Intelligence Suite.
Function: Enhanced analysis of corporate relationships, financial irregularities, and asset ownership chains.
Restriction: The suite identifies patterns and inconsistencies. It does not automatically establish criminal responsibility.
Davis smiled slightly.
That last condition was important.
The system could help him find the truth.
It could not replace evidence.
He looked back at Victoria.
"One more question."
She turned.
"Does your father know you're here?"
Victoria's face paled.
"No."
Before Davis could respond, her phone began vibrating.
The name on the screen was unmistakable.
VICTOR ASHFORD.
Victoria stared at it.
Davis glanced toward the entrance to the gardens.
A black vehicle had just pulled up beside the gate.
The rear door opened.
And a man in a charcoal suit stepped out, scanning the grounds.
Victoria whispered, "He followed me."
Davis slipped the envelope into his jacket.
"Then let's find out how much he knows."