2024-09-10 08:20:13Shock rippled through the room as they heard the voice. A guest of the Washington family? Eyes turned to Tedmond, widening in disbelief.
To be a guest of the Washington family meant that Tedmond was a big shot or potentially related to them. Even some of the Washingtons' relatives had tried to get in but were always denied entrance.
How could someone like Tedmond be allowed?
“Are you sure it’s the right person?” Gregory questioned. Despite shivering, he couldn’t help but ask.
“How dare you ask me that?” the person on the other end bellowed. “If I lose my job, you're going to regret it! You’d better let that fellow into the ward, or else!”
Gregory was taken aback by the mention of his boss losing his job. As the call ended, he hurriedly bowed to Tedmond, terrified that he might lose the position he had worked so hard for.
“I’m sorry for not recognizing you, sir,” he apologized. “I’ll walk you to the room,” he added, raising his head to look at Tedmond. “Let’s get—”
“No need,” Tedmond cut him off, disgusted by how quickly Gregory had changed his attitude once he realized Tedmond was a guest. “I can find it myself, just like I intended to do before.”
The phone call had confirmed that everything was real, but Tedmond still needed an explanation for all this.
“Sir!” Gregory called out, but Tedmond ignored him and walked off to find the ward.
The women were equally stunned, unable to speak. They just watched Tedmond leave, clinging to the thin hope that they wouldn’t get fired.
Minutes later, Tedmond’s eyes lingered on the sign above the ward that read Room 509. The door was slightly open, and he could see the window but not the hospital bed. He hesitated, wondering if it was right to enter without knocking.
“You’re here,” a familiar voice said.
Tedmond’s head snapped down to see the little girl he had saved earlier peering up at him. She had changed into different clothes and was holding a teddy bear in her hand.
“My grandpa wants to see you before he…” she trailed off softly. “You have to come in quickly.”
Tedmond nodded and followed her into the ward. The first thing that greeted him was the stare of a middle-aged man in glasses and a frail old man lying on the hospital bed.
“Hello,” Tedmond said, swallowing hard. He had no idea what else to say. “I got a call from you and noticed my account had been credited, and you mentioned I’m the heir of the Washington family. What’s going on?”
The man in glasses bowed slightly. “I’m Thomas, the Washington family’s butler. You’ll get your answers soon.” Gesturing to the old man on the bed, he sighed. “This is Mr. Jeffrey Washington, the head of the family.”
Tedmond stepped closer until he could see the old man clearly, the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“Hello, Mr. Washington,” Tedmond said politely, controlling his curiosity.
Jeffrey didn’t look well, as if he was about to take his final breath, just as his granddaughter had hinted earlier. Tedmond realized the girl was indeed the Washington family’s granddaughter.
Jeffrey managed a smile. “Ted…” he called weakly. “I’ve finally found my heir. Welcome back, grandson.”
“What’s going on?” Tedmond asked, shooting Thomas a questioning look. “Why is he calling me his grandson?”
His question went unanswered as the life support machine began beeping, and the room filled with tension. The beeping quickened, and Tedmond froze. Thomas immediately sprang into action, pressing a button by the bedside.
“We need a doctor! Now!” Thomas shouted, his voice steady but urgent.
A nurse rushed in moments later, her expression shifting to concern as she assessed the situation. “His condition’s worsening,” she muttered, checking the machines. “We need to stabilize him.”
“Where’s the doctor?” Tedmond asked, glancing between Thomas and the nurse. He felt the weight of the situation crashing down on him—he had no idea what was happening, but it seemed he was now part of something much larger than he had ever expected.
“Dr. Howard is on his way,” the nurse replied quickly, turning back to the patient and adjusting the machines.
Jeffrey’s breathing grew more labored, and the little girl clutched her teddy bear tighter, standing silently by her grandfather's side, her eyes filled with worry.
Moments later, a tall man in a white coat stormed into the room. “Step aside!” he ordered, moving swiftly to the bedside. His hands flew over the equipment, exchanging rapid words with the nurse.
Tedmond stood helpless, watching as the doctor and nurse worked to stabilize Jeffrey. Every second felt like an eternity, and the feeling building in his chest intensified.
Jeffrey’s breathing became increasingly shallow, and the beeping from the machine slowed. Dr. Howard glanced at the nurse, and they exchanged a look that told Tedmond all he needed to know.
Despite their best efforts, it was too late.
The doctor shook his head, his face grim as he checked the old man’s pulse one last time. The room fell silent, except for the soft whimpering of the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“I’m sorry,” Dr. Howard finally said, his voice low. “He’s gone.”
Tedmond stood there, disbelief washing over him. The man who had just called him his grandson—who had somehow linked him to this mysterious fortune—was now dead.
The little girl let out a soft sob, and Thomas closed his eyes, his expression unreadable as he whispered, “Rest in peace, Mr. Washington.”
Tedmond, unsure of what to feel, watched as the nurse gently covered the old man’s body with a sheet. It was surreal—a few minutes ago, Jeffrey Washington had been calling him “grandson,” and now he was gone. The answers Tedmond had hoped for had died with him.
“What now?” Tedmond whispered, his voice barely audible.
Thomas, though visibly shaken, straightened and turned toward Tedmond. “Mr. Washington made his decision before he passed. You are now the heir to the Washington family’s legacy, Tedmond. It’s up to you to carry it forward.”
Tedmond stared at him in shock, the weight of those words crashing down on him. How could this be happening? Just hours ago, he had nothing—and now he was the heir to a family he didn’t even know.
“What… what does that even mean?” Tedmond stammered, the enormity of the situation closing in on him.
“It means,” Thomas replied solemnly, “that everything Mr. Washington owned now belongs to you. The fortune, the businesses, the responsibilities—it’s all yours.”
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CHAPTER 871
The SUV ground to a halt at the gated entrance of Pier Forty-Two, its tires crunching heavily over shards of glass and dried seaweed. The driver killed the engine and headlights, plunging the cabin into near-total darkness."Keep the engine warm," Vance told the driver, his voice a low whisper. He turned to Arthur, his expression grim. "Keep your mouth shut unless he asks you a direct question. These old intelligence brokers don't care about your banking committees. They only care about survival parameters."Arthur nodded frantically, his throat bone-dry as he stepped out into the biting, salt-heavy air.They walked down the long, creaking pier, the ancient timber groaning beneath their weight like a staircase ready to collapse. At the very end of the dock, tied to a pair of rusted iron bollards, sat The Iron Sentry. The trawler was massive, its hull covered in jagged patches of dark orange rust, looking completely abandoned to the casual eye. But Vance’s sharp ears caught the f
CHAPTER 870
Vance’s fingers moved across his screen with a rapid, practiced rhythm, its dull glow illuminating the sharp angles of his face. The interior of the SUV remained dead silent, save for the low hum of the climate control and the distant, mocking murmur of the surf.Outside the tinted window, Arthur paced a tight, frantic line in the gravel. Every crunch of stone beneath his designer loafers felt like a second ticking away from his life. He checked his watch again, his heart hammering violently against his ribs.Inside the cabin, Vance placed the phone to his ear. It didn't ring with a standard tone; instead, a series of high-pitched digital clicks echoed through the speaker before a heavily modulated voice patched through."Speak," the voice rasped, entirely devoid of inflection."It’s Vance. I need a line to Henderson," Vance said, his tone flat and professional. "Code alpha-seven. The maritime grid."A long pause stretched over the airwaves. The silence was so heavy that Vance co
CHAPTER 869
Arthur stood rooted to the gravel for a full minute after the taillights of the vintage convertible disappeared past the resort’s iron gates. The exhaust from Tedmond’s engine still hung faint and heavy in the humid night air.Slowly, the paralysis left his limbs. He lowered the leather portfolio, his knuckles aching from how tightly he’d been gripping the eighty-million-dollar offering. The panic in his chest hadn't receded; it had simply crystallized into a cold, terrifying realization. They weren't just taking his boards, his seats, and his autonomy. They were systematically dismantling the perimeter he had spent his entire life building."Are they..." Arthur’s voice cracked in the darkness, trailing off before he could finish the thought. He looked toward the shadow of the main gates. "Are they going to take revenge anyway?"The question hung unanswered in the empty driveway. A document at eight o'clock tomorrow morning wasn't a truce; it was a hostage situation. Handing ov
CHAPTER 868
"He’s a boy! He’s an ignorant, reckless boy!" Arthur cried out, his face turning an ugly, panicked shade of purple in the glare of the headlights. He looked back toward the lead SUV, where the tinted glass hid a terrified, bruised Chad. "I will strip his trust. I’ll send him to the compliance office in Prague to count paper clips for the next five years. Whatever you want! But please, don't let a twenty-minute ego trip on a public beach destroy thirty years of asset building."Persis leaned her elbow against the smooth leather of the passenger door, a slow, icy smile playing on her lips. "Your son didn't just have an ego trip, Mr. Meriwether. He put his hands on my husband. He threw a tantrum because he thought we were small enough to crush. You taught him that strength is measured by a bank balance. It’s a very poor curriculum.""I see that now. I see it completely," Arthur said, sweat dripping down his silver temples despite the cool coastal breeze.He reached into his suit jacke
CHAPTER 867
His face carried the deep, weathered lines of a man who had spent his life shouting over tickers and boardrooms, but right now, those lines were pulled tight with immense tension. He didn't look at Persis. His eyes locked onto Tedmond, scanning the massive frame of the man who had nearly erased his life's work in four minutes.The older man took three slow, measured steps forward, stopping just outside Tedmond’s personal space. He raised his hands slightly, palms open, a universal gesture of peace that looked entirely unnatural on a man of his stature."Mr. Washington," he said, his voice a gravelly, raspy tone that had commanded D.C. committees for decades. "I am Arthur Meriwether."Tedmond didn't offer his hand. He stood like a monolith in the gravel, the cooler hanging loosely from his shoulder. "I know who you are, Arthur."Arthur swallowed hard, his silver mane shifting as he nodded. He looked exhausted, the high-stakes panic of the afternoon still visibly draining his ener
CHAPTER 866
The resort’s interior was a stark contrast to the bright, gritty beach. The hallways were lined with cool, polished marble, the air smelling faintly of fresh jasmine and expensive wax. Large, arched windows offered sweeping views of the coastline, casting long, golden rectangles of light across the floor.They had just turned the corner into the main residential wing, heading toward the terrace elevators, when a door down the hall clicked open.Chad stepped out.He had changed into a crisp, pastel pink button-down and white trousers, clearly trying to piece his wealthy facade back together. He was staring down at his phone, his thumb hovering cautiously over the screen as if checking to see if his bank accounts were truly functional again.Then, he looked up.The moment Chad’s eyes landed on Tedmond’s massive frame, every ounce of color vanished from his face. He froze mid-step, his jaw dropping so fast his phone nearly slipped from his fingers. He looked at Tedmond, then at Persi
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