All Chapters of Benjamin Wayne's Rise to Power : Chapter 81
- Chapter 90
97 chapters
Chapter 81
The transition from the courtyard into the interior of the estate was seamless, almost unnerving in its quiet precision.After the incident involving Reed Peters kneeling in front of the mysterious man. Servants who had been standing at a discreet distance straightened and resumed their duties as if nothing extraordinary had happened, though their eyes occasionally flickered toward Benjamin with barely concealed reverence. Iris remained close, her thoughts still tangled from the revelation she had just witnessed, while Benjamin followed calmly, his expression unchanged.The main residence of the safe house was far more restrained than Iris remembered from her childhood visits. There were no ostentatious displays of wealth in the open halls. The marble floors were polished but modest, the walls adorned with minimalist artwork instead of priceless masterpieces. Everything here spoke of intent rather than indulgence.“This place isn’t meant to impress,” Reed Peters said as they walked, hi
Chapter 82
"Um, why do you collect items from the Northern Border Battlefield?"The question slipped out quietly, almost tentatively, yet the moment it landed, the atmosphere in the room shifted.Benjamin had not meant for it to sound abrupt. In fact, his tone was measured, calm, the same way he asked most things. But the words themselves carried weight, not because of curiosity alone, but because of what they implied. Ignorance, perhaps. Or distance.For a brief second, no one answered.Reed Peters, who had been standing near the display cabinet with one hand loosely resting against its polished edge, froze mid-motion. The faint, habitual composure he carried faltered just enough to be noticeable. His fingers tightened slightly, then relaxed again.He turned his head slowly.Across from him, Iris Reed had also gone still. Her expression shifted almost imperceptibly, brows drawing together as she studied Benjamin with a mixture of surprise and something deeper. Recalibration, maybe.Reed Peters
Chapter 83
“I will explain,” Reed Peters said.His voice was calm, but there was a weight behind the words, as though he were opening the door to a history most people were never meant to hear.“The Northern Border Battlefield,” Reed Peters continued, “is not just a battlefield in name. It is the most brutal war zone our nation has faced in decades.”Benjamin did not interrupt. He could sense that this was not the kind of subject one spoke about casually.Reed Peters turned back toward him. “It lies along the northern frontier, where the climate alone is enough to kill an unprepared man. Subzero temperatures for most of the year with blizzards that can bury armored vehicles. Vast stretches of land where supplies cannot reach on time.” He paused briefly. “And on the other side of that border are the Russians.”“For years,” Reed Peters went on, “the two sides have clashed over resources, territory, and strategic positions. Officially, it is referred to as a prolonged military standoff. In reality,
Chapter 84
“So outside of that zone,” Benjamin said slowly, “they are just ordinary objects.”“Yes,” Reed Peters replied. “Completely indistinguishable from common items.”Benjamin stood quietly beside Reed Peters, his gaze moving across the interior with careful attention. Shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, each section separated by transparent barriers of reinforced glass. Behind them rested items that looked, at first glance, deceptively mundane. Wooden boxes, sealed metal cases, velvet-lined trays. Nothing here screamed value to the untrained eye.And yet Benjamin knew better.“Take this blade for example,” Reed Peters said quietly, “this blade was once able to cut through armored vehicles like paper.”Benjamin studied it without touching the glass. “Inside the battlefield’s influence zone.”“Yes.” Reed Peters nodded. “But outside of it, it is no different from scrap steel. That is why truly valuable items from the Northern Border are incredibly hard to come by.”Benjamin incline
Chapter 85
“This…” Benjamin muttered faintly.“What? That ring?” Reed Peters asked.Benjamin’s gaze remained fixed on the display shelf, his eyes narrowing slightly as if the rest of the vault had faded away. The surrounding treasures, which moments ago had commanded his attention, now seemed dull and distant. Gold bars stacked with obsessive precision, ancient-looking jade carvings sealed behind tempered glass, and velvet-lined trays of rare elixirs all blurred into the background.Only the ring remained clear.It rested inside a small, transparent case, separated from the other artifacts as though by accident rather than intention. The metal was dark, neither gold nor silver, and carried a faint luster that did not reflect light so much as absorb it. The phoenix engraved on its surface was intricate, each feather carved with meticulous care, its wings spread as if caught mid-ascent.Benjamin did not reach for it. He simply stared.Reed Peters noticed the change immediately.Throughout the tour
Chapter 86
“I treated it as what it likely was. An ordinary ring with an interesting backstory. Nothing more.” Reed said.The words lingered in the air between them, light and dismissive, as though the object in question truly deserved no further attention. Benjamin stood quietly.His gaze, however, had not moved from the ring.Reed noticed his silence.“You’re unusually quiet,” Reed remarked, studying him with a hint of curiosity. “That’s not like you.”Benjamin finally looked up. His expression was composed, but his thoughts were anything but.He thought of his grandfather.Benjamin had good understanding of how things were now. Conventional solutions were no longer enough.Among all the treasures Reed had laid out today, none of them had truly moved him.None except this ring.“I’ve been thinking,” Benjamin said slowly.Reed raised an eyebrow but said nothing, allowing him to continue.“My grandfather is receiving treatment that most people don’t even know exists,” Benjamin went on. “From wh
Chapter 87
Elise barely made it through the front door before her composure collapsed.The moment the door shut behind her, the weight she had been holding in all evening finally crushed down. Her shoulders shook as she kicked off her shoes, her bag slipping from her hand and landing uselessly by the wall. She took two unsteady steps forward before sinking onto the couch, burying her face in her palms as sobs tore free from her chest.Everything hurt.Her eyes burned. Her head throbbed. Her heart felt as though it had been wrung dry and left behind without mercy.She had been right to trust her parents. That was the bitter conclusion clawing its way through her mind, no matter how much she resisted it.“Mom… Dad…”Her voice cracked as she called out, barely louder than a whisper.Footsteps rushed toward the living room. Her mother appeared first, still wearing her apron, confusion flashing across her face before it hardened into concern. Her father followed closely behind, his brows knitting tog
Chapter 88
“Terence?” Elise asked cautiously, her brows knitting together. “Why are you here?”The living room seemed to quiet the moment her voice fell.Terence Lin stood just inside the doorway, his tall frame relaxed, his expression composed in a way that felt almost out of place after everything that had happened that night. He wore a faint, polite smile, the kind that appeared practiced yet oddly sincere. Unlike the sharp, overbearing presence Elise remembered from past encounters, he looked uncharacteristically calm.Her parents stood slightly to the side, clearly surprised but pleased, their earlier tension momentarily forgotten. To them, Terence Lin was a distinguished guest, the heir of a powerful family, someone whose presence alone carried weight.Terence met Elise’s gaze directly. There was no calculation in his eyes, no mocking amusement. If anything, there was a trace of curiosity.“I came uninvited,” he said openly. “So I suppose I should start with an explanation.”Elise hesitate
Chapter 89
“Is that really true?” she asked quietly. “Do you really think that?”Terence looked at her for a long moment before answering.“Yes,” he said. “I do.”The words landed softly, without emphasis, but they carried a weight Elise was unprepared for.She stood there, hands clasped loosely in front of her, still feeling emotionally raw from everything that had happened earlier that night. Her eyes searched his face, trying to find mockery, provocation, or even the faintest trace of manipulation. But Terence Lin’s expression was calm, almost candid. There was no obvious malice in his gaze, only a measured confidence that unsettled her in a different way.“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it,” Terence continued, his tone even. “I have no reason to lie to you.”Elise swallowed. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, though uncertainty still lingered in her chest. “I just… didn’t expect to hear that,” she admitted.“That’s understandable,” Terence replied. “Given the circumstances.”Behind them, Eli
Chapter 90
“That should do.”Terence slipped the phone back into his pocket, his expression unreadable.“Thank you,” he said lightly.Elise nodded, unaware that the image had already been delivered to its intended recipient.It was at this point that Benjamin’s phone lit up with a notification.…Pots clanged softly, oil hissed as it met heat, and the comforting scent of home-cooked food slowly filled the house. The kind of smell that wrapped around the walls and lingered in the air, promising warmth and indulgence.Elise’s father hovered nearby, sleeves rolled up, occasionally stepping in to help or simply to watch with satisfaction.“We don’t often have guests this late,” he said cheerfully, glancing toward the living room where Terence sat with practiced ease. “But when we do, we make sure no one leaves hungry.”Terence smiled politely. “I’m already grateful you let me stay. Anything beyond that is a bonus.”“You’re too modest,” Elise’s mother replied warmly. “You should relax. Tonight, you’r