Chapter 220 - 219: Being Loved Is Like Having a Backer

Under the influence of Yvonne Lowell’s Spiritual Ability, Brown confessed everything.

The reason he got mixed up with that faction was simple. He wanted to be in power, and they needed funds to sustain their operations.

So, he was responsible for providing funds and weapons, allowing them to establish a base in Country S, brainwash refugees, and continually expand their influence.

Meanwhile, he would also scout for superpower users who hadn’t yet been discovered by the authorities, sending them over to serve as "God’s Messengers."

Although the Brown Family wasn’t particularly wealthy, he had the support of his wife’s family—the Yates Family—as well as Vena’s mother’s maiden family and the Jones Family.

In reality, he knew Vena was his daughter from the very beginning.

This whole thing was a setup from the start. He went to Vena’s mother, who was already married, and played the nostalgia card, establishing the persona of a devoted lover: ’Even though I have a family of my own, and I fool around with both men and women, it’s all just an act. You’re the only one I’ve ever truly loved.’

He deliberately faked his deep affection to start a secret affair with Vena’s mother, got her pregnant with Vena, and then brainwashed her into seizing power for their daughter. He constructed a beautiful dream for her: ’Everything the Jones Family owns will eventually belong to the three of us.’

They conspired together to set up a scheme that led to the deaths of Cole’s father and second uncle. Then, he had Vena’s mother, who was hopelessly in love with him, willingly give him money for ’business cash flow.’

Only when Vena had been thoroughly brainwashed by her mother into becoming the ’next Family Head’ did he finally appear before her and reveal his identity. The three bad seeds hit it off instantly, striving together to seize the inheritance.

Even the assassins he introduced to Vena over the years to assassinate Cole and Henry were actually his own men. He was just trying to make some extra cash off his own daughter’s contract killing money.

What an honest businessman, truly. No middleman to take a cut—just her own dear father earning a little on the side. Ha.

This wasn’t some story about a domineering CEO and his unforgettable first love. This was a classic case of "The Phoenix" and his walking ATM.

What’s the difference between this scumbag and Zachary Jacobs’s father?

Zachary Jacobs: ’Don’t drag me into this. I was born from my mother alone.’

You could say he was stupid, but the organization he sponsored has indeed become one of the foremost evil factions in Country S in recent years.

But you could also say he wasn’t stupid, yet for so many years he has clung desperately to his dream of getting promoted, getting rich, and having his wife die. He’s never even heard of the simple principle that evil cannot triumph over good.

From the perspective of the onlookers, this couldn’t even be called mutual exploitation. It was simply Brown being unilaterally leeched off of.

It was no different from the dirty business of buying official posts in ancient times. But who ever heard of someone buying their way directly to the position of Prime Minister? It was clear he was one of the brainwashed ones, too.

But regardless, "Little Cole’s Revenge Story" had finally come to a not-so-perfect end.

...

After dealing with Brown, Cole returned to the Jones Family as promised.

Old Man Cole hadn’t lied to him. The house where he once lived with his parents had been kept exactly as it was, just like when he left ten years ago.

Unfortunately, from now on, he would be living there alone.

The next day, Old Man Cole directly convened a meeting with all the company shareholders and publicly announced his retirement. He declared that Cole would be the new Family Head, taking full control of the family and the company.

As expected, the parasitic members of the extended family came running as soon as they caught wind of it. Old Man Cole didn’t ask them to leave, simply sitting calmly in the head seat.

His thinking was that since he had to tell them anyway, he might as well get it all over with at once. Of course, he also intended to test Cole.

Never mind the old foxes on the board of directors whose eyes were glued to money; just the extended family members, who were eyeing the Family Head position like tigers, were not a group to be trifled with.

When they heard that both Vena and Henry were out of the picture, they were all secretly delighted, praying the old man would choose one of them to adopt into the main line of succession.

At worst, the old man was getting on in years. Wouldn’t it be perfectly normal for him to have a sudden accident?

When that time came, who would inherit this massive fortune? It would all come down to their own skills.

But now they were being told that Cole, the eldest grandson who had left the family, was back? And he was immediately becoming the Family Head?

Was this some kind of joke? Who knew what kind of commoner’s life he had been living all these years outside?

What was the difference between this and just grabbing a beggar off the street and handing the entire family fortune over to him?

If the old foxes on the board had initially been inclined to trust Old Man Cole’s decision, after hearing all this, they began to waver.

But Cole gave them no opportunity to object. It wasn’t as if he’d only been playing with knives and guns all these years. He knew a thing or two about business and tactics, you know?

He strode forward and sat down imposingly next to Old Man Cole’s head seat, looking down at the horde of impotently raging parasites with a gaze full of coldness, mockery, and nonchalance.

He waited until they had shouted their fill before rapping his knuckles on the tabletop.

"Why don’t you tell me, then? Who here is qualified to be the Family Head?"

"Is it you? The one who takes his dividends and just idles his life away, all while embarrassing the family name outside and fathering a dozen illegitimate children?"

"Or is it you? The one who barely attended school, spends all day playing with pets, and bought a diploma from a third-rate university?"

"Or perhaps it’s you? The one who got a job at the company but doesn’t do any work, instead embezzling company funds to support a mistress?"

"And you..."

...

Cole went through them one by one, tearing their fig leaves of decency to absolute shreds.

Before they could even rebut, Cole continued.

"If I dare to say it, it means I have proof.

And you know in your hearts whether you did these things, and whether this is *all* you’ve done. Just because I didn’t mention it doesn’t mean I didn’t find out.

So, if anyone else has an objection to me taking over, we can continue to hash this out."

The conference hall fell silent. He had laid everything bare, clearly showing he held them in utter contempt. With all their dirty secrets exposed, how could they dare to object?

The shareholders exchanged glances, then raised their hands one after another, casting votes of approval.

All they cared about was making money anyway. Who had time for family squabbles?

Cole raised a hand to adjust the gold-rimmed glasses he wore just for show, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes.

"Since no one has any objections, allow me to give you all a little heads-up.

I don’t have a habit of turning a blind eye. I will be purging all the parasites in this company one by one.

I also hope that none of you will engage in any underhanded tricks in the future. Since I could put Henry away, I can certainly put away others who don’t know what’s good for them—and their fate might be even worse than his.

If anyone wants to test that theory, feel free to try me.

Of course, if any of you uncles don’t trust me, you can choose to sell off your shares. I’ll buy every last one. After all, I’ve made a little money for myself during my years away."

With the Duke’s Manor, the Mercenary Corps, and Yvonne Lowell behind him, it was no wonder he dared to speak so bluntly in public. As the saying goes, being loved is like having a powerful backer.

Once Cole had finished establishing his authority, Old Man Cole stepped in, chuckling, to play the good cop.

"Alright, the matter is settled then. I’m old, and Cole is still young, so I’ll have to ask for your guidance and support for him in the future."

The NPCs: ’Heh, whatever makes you happy.’