All Chapters of After The Divorce, I Suddenly Inherited $100 trillion : Chapter 171
- Chapter 180
186 chapters
A visit to Lucy
The Escalade drove through the iron gates of the Shepherd estate and pulled up before the magnificent mansion, which had just been freshly painted. The building was now as white as the White House.Oswald stood at the entrance, with the household staff lined up behind him on the steps, all dressed in crisp uniforms and bowing their heads in unison."Welcome home, Master Bruce," they said together.Oswald stepped forward, his eyes sweeping over Bruce's new appearance. For a brief moment, the old butler was left speechless."My," Oswald exclaimed, his voice filled with astonishment. "What happened to you, Master Bruce? You look like a Spartan."Bruce smiled as he reached out and shook Oswald's hand firmly. "It's been too long, Oswald. I missed you." He paused briefly, studying Oswald's face. "And you haven't aged a bit since I was away."Oswald's eyes glistened with emotion, but he maintained his composure. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Master Bruce. Please, come inside."Just as
A visit to Lucy part 2
Bruce relaxed into the plush armchair, his hand wrapped around a glass of fresh orange juice, as Tyler excitedly brought him up to speed on the past three years. The boy gestured wildly as he described his school, his friends, and his sudden obsession with basketball. "And I made the team! Can you believe it?" Tyler exclaimed, his eyes shining brightly. "I'm the youngest player on the roster, but Coach says I've got natural talent." Bruce smiled warmly, genuinely enjoying the boy’s excitement. "That's incredible, Tyler. I'm proud of you." A bright smile spread across Tyler's face. "You have to come watch me play sometime. We have a big game next week." "I wouldn't miss it," Bruce said confidently. Lucy watched quietly from the doorway, a soft smile playing on her lips. She let the moment stretch for a few more seconds before she gently interrupted. "Tyler, can you give us a few minutes? I need to talk to Bruce alone." Tyler's face fell slightly, but he nodded. "Sur
Blake Genesis
Bruce stared at the invitation in his hands, the words blurring as his mind struggled to process what he had just read. He glanced up at Lucy, his voice steady and controlled."When did you get engaged?"Lucy's hand moved to her chest, where a diamond ring sparkled on her finger. "About three months ago. He proposed during a trip to Paris. It was..." She smiled, a soft, dreamy expression crossing her face. "It was perfect."Bruce's eyes lingered on the ring. He forced his voice to remain steady. "Wow. That's... that's great. Who's the lucky guy?"Lucy's smile widened. "His name is Blake Genesis. You might not have heard of him, but he is the CEO of Genesis Aerospace Group. He's the world's second trillionaire, coming right after Bruce Dominic Shepherd."Bruce felt a chill run down his spine. His expression remained neutral, but inside, his mind was racing.Blake Genesis.The very same Blake Genesis who had been taking shots at Shepherd Group. The same Blake Genesis who had been steadi
The Dominic family
Bruce strode through the grand foyer of the Shepherd estate, where evening light cast lengthy shadows across the marble floor. Oswald stood in the hallway, holding a soft cloth as he carefully polished the ornate frames of the family portraits adorning the walls. Bruce paused. "Where's my father?"Oswald glanced up, his expression serene. "He's out surfing on the private beach right behind the house, Master Bruce."Bruce nodded and turned to leave, but Oswald's voice stopped him."Master Bruce, how did your visit with Lucy go?"Bruce stopped. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Did you know she could walk?"Oswald's hands stilled on the frame. "Yes, indeed. It was your father who helped her recover the use of her legs. It's nothing short of a miracle."Bruce's jaw tightened. "And her engagement? Did you know about that too?"Oswald met his gaze, his voice steady. "Yes. I heard from your father. I'm glad she found happiness."Bruce looked away, letting out a slow breath.
The plus-one
The next day, all the board members were assembled around the table in the Shepherd Group headquarters' boardroom. Victoria Cross stood at the head of the table and cleared her throat. "Before we begin, I'd like to introduce a new member of the board. Many of you may remember Bruce Smith, who left three years ago for advanced training. He's returned and will now be joining us as a full board member."At the far end of the room, the doors swung open and Bruce stepped in.He wore a charcoal suit that fit him like a second skin, tailored to perfection. His wolf cut hair was swept back, and his clean-shaven jaw gave him a sharp, predatory look. He moved with the calm confidence of a man who led a battalion.The board members sat silently, watching him; some were curious, and others were skeptical.Bruce took his seat near the middle of the table, nodding to those who greeted him. He didn't blame them for their skepticism. He was the fastest employee to jump from junior analyst to board e
The dinner party
The Dome was a masterpiece of modern architecture. It was a vast glass structure that glittered like a jewel against the night sky. Inside, the space had been transformed into a lavish ballroom, complete with cascading chandeliers, a string quartet softly playing in the corner, and tables covered in ivory silk. The hall was alive with the guests’ laughter and chatter as they moved around it.Lucy stood near the center of the room, a glass of champagne in her hand, her smile fixed in place. Beside her, Blake Genesis engaged with a group of investors, discussing projections and potential partnerships.Lucy nodded along, but her mind was elsewhere. She had listened to these conversations a hundred times before. They were the same old, boring shareholders who laughed too loudly at Blake's jokes and patted him on the back like he was their prodigal son.She kept glancing toward the entrance, her eyes moving through the crowd.Blake noticed immediately. He leaned in, his voice low. "Are y
The bar conversation
As soon as Blake and Lucy disappeared into the crowd, Bruce pulled his arm free from Victoria's grip and turned to her sharply. "What are you doing? We're not dating." Victoria's smile remained calm. "Relax. This is all part of my plan." Bruce frowned, his brow tightening. "What plan?" Victoria leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Now that Blake thinks we're together, he'll take us more seriously. He'll invite us to more private meetings, and treat us like close friends. Couples let their guard down around other couples. It's human nature." Bruce's eyes narrowed as he processed her words. "You think he'll let us in if we act like a couple?" Victoria nodded, maintaining a steady gaze. "He's ambitious, but he's also arrogant. He'll want to show off in order to impress us. That's when we'll get the information we need." Bruce was quiet for a moment, running his hand through his hair. It was a risky move, yet he had to admit it was pure genius. "Alright," he said at last. "
Blake and Bruce
After they announced the engagement, Bruce and Victoria hung around for like ten more minutes before finally heading out. Bruce was about to follow Victoria toward the exit when Blake's voice stopped him."Bruce, a moment, if you don't mind."Bruce turned as Blake gestured toward a quiet alcove near the edge of the hall, away from the crowd. Bruce glanced at Victoria, who gave him a slight nod, then followed Blake.The alcove was small, lined with velvet curtains and dimly lit by a single lamp. It was quiet enough to hold a conversation. Blake leaned against the wall, still holding his champagne glass. "Lucy told me a lot about you. About how you two met. How you were neighbors. How you stood by her side in challenging times."Bruce inclined his head. "Did she now?"Blake smiled, his eyes sharp but warm. "She mentioned how you paid her rent when she couldn't afford it. How you covered Tyler's hospital bills. How you were there for her after the accident that cost her the use of her l
The drive home
The champagne had worn off somewhere between the city skyline and the bridge crossing the river. Lucy blinked slowly as the gentle hum of the Rolls-Royce's engine filled her ears. She had been staring out the window for what felt like hours, watching the city lights bleed into streaks of gold and red.Her head still throbbed from the alcohol she had. She never drank alcohol until this evening, which caused her a slight headache. Whenever she thought about the party, the engagement announcement, and the way Bruce had looked at her when she confronted him at the bar, her headache worsened. At that moment, an image suddenly flashed through her mind. An image of Victoria Cross wrapping her arm around Bruce's as if she owned him. Lucy pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to push the memory away. It didn't work.Beside her, Blake sat with one leg crossed over the other, his phone screen glowing brightly in front of him. He had been scrolling through messages for the past few minut
The pitch
A few days after the Genesis Aerospace dinner party, another board meeting took place at Shepherd Group. The boardroom was silent as Bruce stepped forward, his presence commanding attention. The board members sat in their high-backed leather chairs, eyeing Bruce with skepticism as he delivered his pitch.Bruce placed his hands on the table, his eyes sweeping across the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, I know I'm still new to this board, but I believe I've found something that could take Shepherd Group to the next level."He glanced at Victoria, who gave him a subtle nod of encouragement."As many of you know, Victoria and I attended Genesis Aerospace's dinner party. While we were there, we mingled with some of their top engineers and strategists. We learned quite a bit about their vision for the future." He paused. "In the coming decades, people will be able to fly back and forth in space. It's no longer science fiction; it's happening now."The board members exchanged glances. A few lean