Jacob said unhappily, “Of course, I'm not clumsy. It’s not as if you don’t know about my financial situation. Elaine handles all the money at home, and I can barely save a few thousand dollars. So, no matter what antique I'm looking at, I'm always extremely cautious. I'm afraid of dropping, touching, or being accused by others that I was tampering with something…”At this point, Jacob continued speaking with frustration, “That day, that jade vase also seemed to be cursed as well. As soon as I touched it, it slipped out of my hand like it was greased. It fell to the ground and shattered to pieces. Perhaps Mr. Cole was the one who deliberately set me up.”Charlie wondered, “Dad, after the jade vase broke, I repaired it with egg whites. I don't remember it being greased, and I recall that its surface wasn't very smooth because it's from the Tang Dynasty. Its glaze was rather rough, and it had a certain sanding feel when held. How could it slip from your hand?”“Well…” Jacob, who was on
Charlie said, “I should be back soon, perhaps in the next couple of days.”Jacob replied, “That’s great! When you come back, let's find a place to have a barbecue and beer together.” “Sure.”After agreeing to Jacob’s request, Charlie said goodbye to him on the phone. After he hung up the phone, he asked Vera, who was in front of him, “Miss Lavor, what do you think?”Vera replied, “I think your father-in-law probably didn't lie, and what he said aligns with my speculation.”With that said, Vera continued, “I believe your father might have been preparing for you to obtain the Apocalyptic Book over twenty years ago. Based on your father-in-law's account of what happened back then, the vase broke on its own, and the vibration he mentioned might have originated from the Apocalyptic Book itself.”“So, my conjecture is that it's not just anyone who can get the Apocalyptic Book by obtaining the vase. Rather, the person must meet the requirements of the book and qualify to unlock it. The
Charlie knew that Stephen used to be his father's most trusted aide and that his father must have made very detailed arrangements back then. Even though Stephen had served the Wades for many years, in reality, most of his time and energy was spent on completing the tasks his father had assigned him.When Charlie thought about how Raymond was also part of his father's arrangements, he estimated that Stephen might have heard something about him too. So, Charlie said to Vera, “I haven't asked Mr. Thompson too many details before, but it seems like I need to talk to him and get some clear answers from him today.”At that moment, Charlie's thoughts were focused on unraveling everything that had happened in the past and all the arrangements his father had left behind. Even if it meant placing psychological hints on Stephen, he was determined to get all the information Stephen knew.With that in mind, he said to Vera, “I'm going to look for Mr. Thompson now.”Vera nodded and asked him, “Y
Charlie sighed, saying, “It’s possible. His sudden departure gives me a feeling that it might be hard for me to see him again in the future. He's a smart person, and he knows that he can't hide forever. So, he couldn't have just switched off his phone tonight and acted as if nothing had happened, returning to the Wade Mansion tomorrow as if everything was normal unless he has already decided not to show up again after this departure.”Vera was surprised and asked, “At this point, what else does Mr. Thompson have to hide from you? Hasn’t he been fulfilling the tasks your father assigned him for so many years? Why would he leave so suddenly now? Does he know that you will ask him about these photos?”Charlie shook his head and said, “I don't know what he's thinking, but from what I know about him, he must be loyal to the Wades. He might have his own reasons for leaving without saying goodbye, or this could also be part of my father's arrangements.”Vera said, “Young Master, you are pr
Late at night, a cargo ship set sail from the Blue Bay, carrying Stephen to Tahiti in the South Pacific.Stephen stood at the stern of the ship and felt a wave of emotions as he watched the city grow further and further away in the night. He was once a trusted aide of Charlie's father, Curtis. Twenty years ago, Curtis had given him two tasks. The first was to protect Charlie's safety after his own incident, and the other was to obey all orders from Ashley. Over the years, although Stephen had remained and served as a butler for the Wades, everything he did was actually based on Ashley's instructions.For more than ten years, even Jeremiah did not know whether his grandson, Charlie, was alive or dead. This was because Curtis did not make any arrangements for Stephen to inform Jeremiah about Charlie's situation. Ashley was still the one controlling everything behind the scenes.It was only when Ashley felt that the time was right that she let Stephen confess Charlie's situation to Jer
After finishing his sentence, he quietly asked Charlie, “Charlie, why does Miss Lavor refer to you as ‘Young Master’?” Charlie thought for a moment, then smiled and said, “She likes ancient culture. Don’t be surprised if she refers to herself as the humble one later.”Jeremiah shook his head and said with a smile, “I'm old now, and I don't understand what these young people like.”He then lowered his voice again and said to Charlie, “But Miss Lavor really has the demeanor of a noble lady. It's just that she's a bit younger. Otherwise, she would be quite suitable for you.”“Yes, she's young indeed…” Charlie smiled in agreement as he secretly thought to himself, ‘If you knew that Vera is already over three hundred years old, you'd probably be shocked.’After that, he and Jeremiah went to the dining room together.Vera was unpacking the breakfast she had bought when Charlie handed the photo album to Jeremiah and asked him, “Grandpa, do you remember this photo album?”Jeremiah frow
Charlie sent the photo to Janus on WhatsApp and attached a voice message: ‘Uncle Janus, could you please help me check if you know this person next to my father?’Janus quickly replied with a voice message: ‘Young Master, I've seen this person in the photo before. His name is Biden Cole, but I'm not very familiar with him. I just know that he's an Oskian antique dealer who shares a close relationship with your father.’Upon hearing that Janus knew this person, Charlie immediately called him. As soon as the call connected, he asked eagerly, “Uncle Janus, could you please tell me about Biden Cole in detail?”Janus said, “Biden’s family has been engaged in the antique business overseas, mainly focusing on Europe and America. Besides the United States, they also have businesses in England and France. His family has some reputation in the antique industry in Europe and the United States.”With that said, he continued, “The photo you sent is of Biden’s store in New York. It's said that t
Charlie instructed Shawn over the phone to arrange a private plane to take Janus to Aurous Hill at nine tonight and requested a convoy from Janus' house to take him to the airport. Though Shawn wasn't happy about it, he didn't dare to argue and reluctantly agreed with a smile.Later, Charlie and Vera bid farewell to Charlie’s grandfather, Jeremiah. On the plane, Vera asked Charlie, “Young Master, would it be a little too rushed if you’re going to New York tonight? You will only be able to spend a little more than ten hours in Aurous Hill, then.”Charlie shook his head and said, “Besides meeting my grandparents and briefing them on recent events, I want to see if they can think of any useful information. In addition, I want to greet my parents-in-law before departing.”Vera nodded and said softly, “I almost forgot that your wife is in the United States as well.”“Yes.” Charlie nodded and said, “I asked Miss Fox to invite her to the United States to help. She is in New York now.”
"That would be Ashley Layna Acker," Matilda replied without hesitation. "She was our age, as well as a major investor in Silicon Valley, while we were only starting to get our first clients. It's no exaggeration to say that she's the shining example in many case studies when it comes to business."Pausing, she then continued, "And she used to be your classmate, right? I remember you mentioning that in our conversations before.""Yes," Yolden sighed emotionally. "She was a classmate and the star of our generation."Matilda nodded but soon shook her head, "Wait, weren't we talking about Charlie's car company? What does that have to do with Ashley Acker?" "Here's where I let you in on a secret," Yolden said. "But first, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone except Paul."Matilda nodded without hesitation. "Don't worry—if it's a secret, I won't tell Paul either."Yolden scratched his head. "Actually, Paul should know. We are going to marry soon, and he's my stepson, lega
In fact, the legal department of major enterprises covered many responsibilities, the chief of which concerned intellectual property, which was why veterans were needed to lead.Additionally, Charlie trusted Matilda's accomplishments in the legal field, especially since she had worked in the United States for years.With Curtis Autos' intended expansion worldwide, that meant the legal department should also know the laws of countries abroad, ready to file or respond to lawsuits at any time. After all, competitors may use the law to impede their growth, along with the government applying unfair policies to impede their development and impact on local businesses.Moreover, Charlie considered Paul young and therefore lacking in experience, not to mention that it was not likely he would abandon his family's law firm. As such, the ideal solution was to poach Matilda for now.As for Matilda, she was still in the dark and had no idea what she was in for, asking Charlie in confusion, "Lega
Later, after Charlie told Jeremiah over the phone about the joint venture with the Ackers to establish Curtis Autos, the old man was awash with tears, especially after Charlie told him that it was Keith who suggested it. After all, Curtis was his favorite son whose death he could never really get over. Moreover, he once believed that only his family mourned Curtis while the Ackers never did, and he held a grudge over his son's passing. As such, he was surprised that Keith held such great respect toward his late son and didn't hesitate to say yes when Charlie invited him to Aurous Hill to sign an agreement with the Ackers.Still, Charlie wasn't in a hurry to arrange for a specific time, and he was going to let the Ackers sort out the human resources of Godot Autos over a few days. It still wouldn't be too late by then.Moreover, he was keen to allow the buzz to have time to grow so that the automotive industry would be astounded by the joint project between the Ackers and the Wade
Christian was the first to exclaim in approval, "Yes! Curtis Autos sounds wonderful! It has my vote!""Seconded!" Kaiden nodded, pumping the air with his right fist. "I've looked up to Curtis the most, and I absolutely agree with naming the company after him!"Jaxson was nodding too. "Me too!""Yes!" Lulu chirped.Yolden couldn't help agreeing as well. "Curtis Autos is definitely a good name!"Merlin raised his hand gingerly as well. "Quit it with your flattery already," Keith chuckled, and he turned toward Charlie solemnly. "In the end, Curtis is Charlie's father, and the final decision goes to him!"Charlie's eyes were welling up with tears—his parents had been gone for almost three decades, yet he had never thought of dedicating anything to their memory.As such, Keith's suggestion to use Curtis's name for the car company left him thrilled. After all, wouldn't his father's soul be honored if Curtis Autos rocked the country, maybe even the world?With that in mind, he nodd
Charlie also had to agree that this was an opportunity to formally reconcile the Wades and the Ackers.While he couldn't reveal himself just yet, the Wades and the Ackers had been in-laws for years. Even if they had had a dispute for the longest time, restoring good relations made sense now that the Ackers had come to Oskia, and it wouldn't arouse any suspicion.That was why Charlie agreed to it without hesitation, even making a mental note to invite his paternal grandfather, Jeremiah, to Aurous Hill.The old geezers could meet up and clear the air while deciding on the partnership.Yolden was prepared to resign as a professor as well so that he could help the Ackers and Charlie fully develop their automotive company.With a general direction planned, he asked everyone, "Since we're creating a new brand, has anyone come up with a name?"No one was feeling inspired at that moment, but that was when Lulu, who had been silent throughout, said, "Since Charlie and our family are worki
Neither Charlie nor the Ackers expected Yolden's insight to cover all corners.In fact, it felt like the man had a blueprint ready and was only waiting for the time to put it to use.That was why everyone was immensely approving of Yolden and wanted no other man for the job of CEO.Kaeden smiled, "Well, since everyone has agreed, let's put this to rest as soon as possible—this will be a joint investment between our family and the Wades, and Professor Hart will take the post of CEO. Let's all do our best to make this a good one!"Yolden also made up his mind, deciding that he didn't want to let slip a chance to realize his ambitions. "I'll resign from the university after my honeymoon trip. It probably shouldn't be long, and I can get involved in early preparations via teleconference."Charlie nodded. "Then, we can have Uncle Kaeden stay on schedule while I'll ask the Wades to send a representative over to sign a memorandum for the investment."Keith smiled and nodded. "You should
Charlie hadn't been born and raised in Aurous Hill, but he still started living here at the age of eight and was more attached to this place than Eastcliff.If he was going to take part in this automotive investment with the Ackers, he naturally found Aurous Hill the ideal location.Not only would it create a huge number of jobs for Aurous Hill, but it would also rake in much economic flow for the region.Yolden also nodded at his suggestion. "If the first plant is meant to cover the demand of the entire local market, there's no reason for a coastal plant. Aurous Hill stands at an intersection between the north and the south, so transportation is convenient. It's also killing two birds with one stone, as Mr. Wade is fond of the city."Charlie couldn't help but agree. "I won't lie—Aurous Hill has been good to me, and I hope to give back. Nothing's better than succeeding in that respect."Yolden spread his hands, "Heavy industries are certainly ideal to contribute to Aurous Hill's e
Yolden had actually been researching new energy for a while—in fact, it was when Tesla's first car models were produced.He was passionate about the subject and had his own opinions as well as ambitions, but he was busy teaching, so he couldn't realize any of it.But was this not a golden opportunity tailor-made for him?Seeing that Yolden was clearly interested, Charlie turned toward Kaeden, "Actually, the professor is getting married soon. There's no way we'd split up newlyweds so soon after the wedding, right? So, is it possible to set up base in Aurous Hill instead?""Not a problem!" Kaeden replied without hesitation. "Our family is planning to return to Oskia anyway, and everyone knows about Ashley and Curtis. So, why don't we invest in this enterprise alongside the Wades and have the base set up in Aurous Hill? And then bring Godot under as a subsidiary?"Turning to Yolden, he continued, "By the way, Godot's plant is already in the province—barely 100 miles from Aurous Hill,
Pausing, Yolden continued, "Moreover, the greatest advantage of AI is that it is self-conscious and has the processing power to analyze astronomical proportions of data. As car sales grow, every car owner's driving data will add precious new data to our data vault, and it will be processed by AI for even greater space of imagination."For example, kst's say I experienced a bumpiness along a certain road, and when the sensors pick up on that anomaly, the data will be uploaded to the servers along with images of the road condition in real time. The processing AI module would determine in no time at all that there was damage and label said location on the map, and then forward the data to other vehicles close to that location, sending notifications when they are close enough and providing the appropriate advice for countermeasures."Naturally, the AI can even be refined further so that it immediately warns us to slow down while uploading the data to the servers and informing any cars cl