2026-09-17 23:06:10The rain fell heavily as Jason Blackwell stepped through the gates of the Hale mansion.
He didn't even notice that his clothes were already soaked. His mind was still trapped inside the living room.
"I never truly considered you my husband."
"You were only a temporary solution."
Jason stopped walking and slowly looked back at the mansion.
"Three years..." His voice was barely audible. "Three years, Davina?" He laughed bitterly. "Was everything really a lie?"
His phone suddenly rang again and Jason immediately answered. "Doctor?"
"Mr. Blackwell, where are you?" The doctor asked.
"I'm on my way." Jason said quickly.
"Jason, you need to understand something." The doctor's voice became serious. "We can't keep your mother in that condition much longer."
"I know." Jason answered.
"Do you have the money?" The doctor asked.
Jason fell silent. "No."
"Then you need to find it quickly." The doctor said with a sigh.
"I will." Jason said.
"How quickly?" The doctor asked.
Jason looked up at the dark sky. "Give me twenty minutes."
The doctor sighed. "I'll try."
The call ended.
Jason immediately opened his banking application. His balance stared back at him.
$3,742.
He stared at the screen for several seconds.
"Three thousand..." He laughed helplessly. "How am I supposed to find five hundred thousand dollars?"
A notification suddenly appeared.
INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.
Jason locked the phone.
"I worked for them for three years and I don't even have enough money to save my own mother."
He clenched his fists then another thought entered his mind.
Davina.
He stopped.
"No." His face tightened. "I won't beg her again."
But his mother's face immediately appeared in his mind.
Her weak smile, the way she had held his hand earlier.
"Don't worry about me, son."
Jason closed his eyes. "Mom..." His voice cracked. "I'm sorry."
He immediately turned around. He couldn't give up. Not yet.
He rushed toward the road and stopped a taxi. "Hospital!"
The driver glanced at him through the mirror. "Which hospital?"
"St. Vincent Medical Center." Jason replied.
"That's quite far." The driver said.
"I'll pay you double." Jason said again.
The driver stepped on the accelerator.
Jason leaned back and immediately called several people.
His first call was to an old friend.
"Mike, I need a favor."
"What happened?"
"I need five hundred thousand dollars."
There was silence.
"Jason, are you serious?"
"My mother needs emergency surgery."
"How much do you have?"
"Nothing." Mike sighed. "Jason, I wish I could help, but I don't have anywhere near that amount."
"Please."
"I can't."
The call ended.
Jason immediately called another person.
Then another.
And another.
The answers were the same. Nobody had five hundred thousand dollars.
Jason finally threw his phone onto the seat.
"Everyone says I'm family when they need something but when I need help..." He stared through the window. "...I'm alone."
The taxi suddenly slowed down.
Jason frowned. "Why are you stopping?"
The driver pointed ahead. "Traffic."
Jason looked at the road. Cars were barely moving.
He checked his phone.
19 MINUTES REMAINING.
His breathing became heavier.
"No." He opened the door. "I'll walk."
The driver looked shocked. "Sir, it's raining!"
"I don't care." Jason jumped out and started running.
His shoes splashed through puddles. His phone kept ringing inside his pocket but he ignored it.
Then suddenly—
"Jason!"
He stopped.
Someone was standing behind him. He slowly turned and it was Davina.
She was standing beneath an umbrella.
Jason stared at her. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk." Davina answered.
"There's nothing left to talk about." Jason said.
"There is." Davina said.
Jason shook his head. "My mother has nineteen minutes."
Davina's expression didn't change. "You still haven't accepted reality."
Jason laughed. "What reality?"
"That our marriage is over."
Jason stared at her. "You came here to tell me that?"
"I came to make things clear."
He stepped closer. "Then make them clear."
Davina looked directly into his eyes. "I loved Christian before I met you. When he left, my parents wanted me to move on."
"So you married me." Jason completed.
"Yes."
"Because you needed my identity."
"Yes."
"And now that Christian is successful..."
"You want him back."
"Yes."
Jason nodded slowly. "Thank you."
Davina frowned. "For what?"
"For finally telling me the truth." Jason said and turned away.
Davina suddenly called him. "Jason."
He stopped.
"You should stop wasting your time."
Jason looked back. "What?"
"My parents won't give you the money."
"I know."
"And Christian's company is receiving it tomorrow."
Jason's eyes hardened. "I know."
"Then why are you still trying?"
Jason stared at her. "Because my mother is still alive."
For the first time, Davina's expression changed slightly.
Jason turned away again.
But she spoke. "Jason."
He stopped.
"If you sign the divorce papers tonight..."
Jason slowly turned around. "What?"
"My parents may be willing to help you with a smaller amount."
Jason stared at her. "A smaller amount?"
"Enough to cover some of the hospital expenses."
Jason laughed. "Some?"
"Yes."
"My mother needs surgery tonight."
Davina remained silent.
Jason shook his head. "Keep your money."
He turned and walked away.
Behind him, Davina watched silently. Then she pulled out her phone. "He's refusing."
A man's voice came through the call. "Good."
Davina frowned. "Good?"
"Let him struggle."
"Why?" Davina asked.
The man laughed softly. "Because tomorrow, he'll have nothing left."
Davina's eyes narrowed. "Christian?"
"Yes."
"What are you planning?" Davina asked.
There was a pause, then Christian's voice became cold. "You'll find out soon."
The call ended and Davina stared at her phone.
Meanwhile, Jason continued running toward the hospital.
His phone suddenly vibrated and he stopped.
A strange notification had appeared on his screen.
There was no company name.
No recognizable logo.
Only one sentence:
CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED.
Jason frowned. "What the hell is this?"
He tried to close it but the screen refused to respond.
Another message appeared.
ONE CHANCE. ONE NUMBER. ONE LIFE-CHANGING REWARD.
Jason's patience disappeared. "Not now."
He pressed the screen repeatedly but nothing happened.
Then five numbers appeared.
17 — 29 — 43 — 61 — 88
Below them was a single instruction.
SELECT ONE.
Jason stared at the screen.
His mother's surgery.
The rain.
The hospital.
Five hundred thousand dollars.
He had no time for games.
"Fine." He randomly touched one number.
The screen suddenly went black.
Jason frowned.
Then—
WINNER CONFIRMED.
His eyes widened. "What?"
Another message appeared.
PLEASE REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE.
Jason stared at the screen.
Then a final message appeared.
YOUR PRIZE: $100,000,000,000.
Jason's entire body froze. "What...?"
Before he could process it, three pairs of headlights suddenly appeared through the rain.
One vehicle stopped directly in front of him.
Another stopped behind him.
The third stopped beside him.
Jason slowly stepped backward.
The doors opened simultaneously and several men in black suits stepped out.
One of them walked toward Jason.
"Jason Blackwell?"
Jason swallowed. "Who are you?"
The man stopped several feet away. Then he smiled. "Congratulations."
Jason stared at him.
"You've just won the largest prize in human history.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 28
THE NAME HIDDEN IN THE RECORDSJason read the patient transfer record for the third time.PATIENT TRANSFER ELEANOR PRICE ACCOMPANIED BY: ADRIAN VALE.It was the first concrete connection between Eleanor, Adrian, and the medical facility funded by Project Heir.But something bothered him.“Daniel, why is Eleanor listed as the patient?”Daniel adjusted the document on his tablet.“That's what I found unusual. The record identifies her as the person transferred, not the person accompanying the patient.”Alexander leaned forward.“Are you saying Eleanor was admitted to the clinic?”“Possibly. But this is a transfer summary, not a complete medical record. We need the original file before drawing that conclusion.”Jason looked at the date.The transfer happened eleven days before Richard disappeared.“Find out where she was transferred.”“We're working on it. The clinic's archive was transferred to a private medical records custodian after it closed. Our legal team has submitted a formal pres
CHAPTER 27
THE WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED Jason remained at his desk long after the investigators had taken the original security register away for examination. The name Eleanor Price was written on a sheet of paper in front of him. For twenty-nine years, she had existed in the background of the Blackwell family's history. Now, a single entry in an old register had brought her into the centre of the investigation. Alexander stood beside the window, staring at the estate grounds. “Eleanor was not just Richard's secretary,” he said. “She managed his private correspondence, maintained his appointment records, and handled documents that never passed through the ordinary administrative offices.” “Did she know about Project Heir?” Jason asked. “I can't say for certain. But if anyone outside Richard's immediate circle knew about his confidential arrangements, Eleanor would have been one of them.” Jason looked down at his notes.“Why was she reported missing three days after your brother disappeared?”
CHAPTER 26
THE SECRET OF THE SECOND KEY Alexander read the message twice.Then he slowly lowered the phone.“Where did you get this?” Jason turned the screen toward him. YOU'RE LEARNING TO USE YOUR INHERITANCE. GOOD. NOW ASK ALEXANDER WHAT HE DID WITH THE SECOND KEY. For several seconds, neither man spoke.Finally, Alexander pulled out a chair and sat down.“I was wondering when someone would bring that up.” Jason studied him. “So there really was a second key?” “Yes.” “What happened to it?” Alexander rubbed his forehead.“Richard designed the original security system with two physical authentication keys. One was kept in the estate's secure records room. The other was issued to him personally. They were designed to work alongside individual access credentials. Neither key could independently unlock the restricted archives.” “Where is the one Richard carried?” “I don't know.” Jason leaned forward. “You don't know, or you don't want to tell me?” “I don't know, Jason. The last
CHAPTER 25
THE ENEMY INSIDE THE ESTATEJason read the message again.STOP LOOKING FOR THE OTHER HEIR.YOU HAVE ALREADY FOUND HIM.He turned toward Alexander.“Whoever sent this wants us to believe the other heir is someone we already know.”Alexander stared at the screen. “Or they want us to waste time questioning everyone around us.”“Either way, they know we're investigating Project Heir.”Daniel brought up the access records.“The attempt was made from a terminal in the east wing. That section contains offices used by the estate's senior administrative staff.”“Who was there?” Jason asked.“I'm checking the security footage.”“Don't announce the investigation to the staff. I want the records preserved before anyone has an opportunity to alter them.”Daniel nodded.Alexander remained beside the monitor, studying the message.“Jason, there's something we need to consider. The warning might be designed to make you distrust the people around you.”“I'm aware of that.”“Then don't let it turn you ag
CHAPTER 24
THE HEIR NOBODY KNEWJason read the recovered document again.PROJECT HEIR STATUS: ACTIVE.PROTECT THE HEIR.DO NOT DISCLOSE THE SECOND NAME.The words had been written by his father on the night he disappeared.For twenty-nine years, Jason had believed that Richard's greatest secret was the reason he had never returned home. Now he was beginning to suspect that his disappearance was connected to someone else whose identity had been deliberately concealed.He turned toward Daniel.“Can the Blackwell Protocol identify Project Heir?”“I've already searched the accessible records,” Daniel replied. “The project exists in the archive, but most of its information is restricted.”“Restricted by whom?”“Your father.”Jason looked at Alexander.“Can you authorize access?”“No. I never knew this project existed.”“Then how do we open it?”Daniel brought up the access requirements.“The archive lists two conditions. First, confirmation that Richard Blackwell's original authorization is authentic
CHAPTER 23
THE FIRST ORDER OF A BLACKWELL HEIRAt 7:15 the following morning, Jason Blackwell walked into the conference room of the Blackwell estate wearing a dark suit.For the first time since inheriting his father's fortune, he had requested a formal meeting with the people responsible for managing it.He had no intention of spending the day staring at screens while strangers investigated his family's past.If the Blackwell name carried the influence Alexander claimed, Jason wanted to understand exactly how far that influence reached.Daniel stood beside the main display.“Everyone is connected,” he said. “The financial director, the head of security, the legal department, and the regional managers. Some are attending remotely.”Jason looked around the room.“How many people know I'm taking control of the investigation?”“Only those who need to know.”“Good. Keep it that way.”The screen illuminated, revealing several faces.A grey-haired man introduced himself as Edward Shaw, the senior finan
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