Reincarnated With the Ultimate Son-in-law System

Chapter 19

As Michael exited the ballroom, camera flashes erupted from every direction. Guests and event staff pulled out their phones, desperate to capture the mysterious masked man who had just exposed a multi-million dollar art fraud. Security attempted to create a path for him, but the crowd pressed closer, questions flying from all sides.

"Who are you?" "Are you an art detective?" "How did you know the painting was fake?"

Michael moved with deliberate grace, neither hurrying nor acknowledging the commotion around him. His silence only fueled the frenzy as guests speculated loudly about his identity. The black mask had transformed from a simple disguise into a powerful symbol of enigmatic authority.

Once outside, Michael slipped into the waiting car he'd arranged earlier, the tinted windows shielding him from prying eyes. As the vehicle pulled away from the curb, he removed the mask and exhaled deeply, reviewing the night's events.

"Successful evening, sir?" asked the driver, a discrete professional hired through one of Olivia's contacts.

"More than expected," Michael replied, checking his phone as it began vibrating continuously with notifications.

The social media explosion had already begun. #TheBlackInvestor was trending across all platforms, with speculation about his identity spreading like wildfire. Video clips of the moment he'd exposed the forgery circulated with millions of views, each accompanied by increasingly elaborate theories.

"Anonymous big shot exposes art world corruption," read one headline. "Masked vigilante crashes elite auction—who is The Black Investor?" proclaimed another.

Michael scrolled through the theories being proposed online. Some suggested he was a disgruntled art expert seeking revenge. Others theorized he was a tech billionaire playing games with the elite. A few even proposed he might be a foreign intelligence agent conducting an elaborate operation.

Not a single theory connected him to Michael Crawford—exactly as he'd planned.

By morning, the phenomenon had reached fever pitch. News channels ran segments analyzing the mysterious figure, art world experts weighed in on his authentication capabilities, and social media users created elaborate digital composites attempting to piece together what might lie behind the mask.

"The Black Investor," Michael mused, watching a breakfast news segment from his apartment. The nickname had stuck, creating a persona entirely separate from his public identity as Crawford Enterprises' COO.

His phone chimed with a message from Olivia: "Your alter ego has gone viral. Congratulations?"

Before he could reply, the System interface flashed before him:

[New mission assigned: Attend Hamilton Luxury Cruise with Sophia Morris. Reward: Fashion Brand Blueprint]

Michael frowned slightly, considering the implications. The Hamilton Luxury Cruise was an exclusive annual event hosted by the Vega family—a floating showcase for next season's luxury innovations. Attending as Michael Crawford would be expected given his position, but his interaction with Sophia needed to happen without drawing undue attention from Eric or Katherine.

An idea began forming. He could attend as both—Michael Crawford making a brief appearance before being "called away" on business, then returning as The Black Investor to continue his conversation with Sophia.

His phone chimed again, this time with a message from an unknown number: "Impressive performance last night. We should continue our conversation about neural regeneration technology. Hamilton Cruise, Friday evening? —Sophia Morris"

The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Michael typed a careful reply: "Apologies for the abrupt departure. Crawford Enterprises has an interest in your work. I'll be at the Hamilton event briefly, though duty may call me away early."

Her response came quickly: "Understanding the demands of corporate leadership. Perhaps we'll find a moment to discuss collaboration opportunities."

Michael smiled, setting his phone aside. The Black Investor had accomplished what Michael Crawford could not—created an opening with Sophia Morris free from Eric's interference.

As Michael prepared for the day ahead at Crawford Enterprises, news alerts continued to flood his phone. The Black Investor had become an overnight sensation, with hashtags and memes multiplying by the hour. Fashion blogs analyzed his mask and attire, tech forums debated his authentication methods, and gossip columns speculated about which events he might appear at next.

"The perfect disguise isn't one that conceals," Michael thought as he adjusted his tie. "It's one that captures such attention that no one looks beyond it."

At Crawford headquarters, Michael found Eric unusually agitated, pacing his office while barking orders into his phone. The auction scandal had clearly disrupted whatever plans he'd been setting in motion.

"Michael," Eric acknowledged curtly as his brother passed his open door. "Have you seen this madness about the art auction last night?"

"Hard to miss," Michael replied casually. "It's dominating every feed."

"Reckless showboating," Eric muttered. "The auction house is threatening legal action, though against whom remains unclear. Father thinks it's hilarious."

"The art world does love its drama," Michael commented, carefully neutral.

Eric's eyes narrowed slightly. "You left the fundraiser early last night. Technical emergency with the building systems?"

"False alarm," Michael replied smoothly. "By the time I'd verified everything was functioning properly, it seemed pointless to return. Did I miss anything significant?"

"Just the usual networking," Eric said, his suspicion fading slightly. "Though there was some talk about the Hamilton Cruise on Friday. Will you be attending?"

"Briefly," Michael confirmed. "Though I'll likely be called back for the Tokyo conference call."

Eric nodded, apparently satisfied with the response. "Katherine mentioned you've been connecting with Sophia Morris. Any particular reason?"

"Her adaptive materials research has interesting applications for our building efficiency initiatives," Michael replied, watching his brother's reaction carefully. "Why do you ask?"

"Crawford Pharmaceuticals has been tracking her neural interface work," Eric said with practiced casualness. "There might be medical applications worth exploring."

"I wasn't aware her research extended to neural interfaces," Michael remarked, though he knew perfectly well about the connections between her textile work and neural pathway regeneration.

Eric waved dismissively. "Early-stage investigations. Nothing concrete yet. Just keep me informed if your conversations with her progress."

"Of course," Michael agreed, noting how quickly Eric had stepped back from his initial probing. "Family first, after all."

The phrase—once a sincere bond between them—now carried layers of irony that Eric couldn't possibly understand. As Michael continued to his office, he reflected on how The Black Investor persona had already begun changing the timeline. Events were deviating significantly from his previous life, creating new opportunities and risks.

His private phone buzzed with a message from Megan: "Prototype production proceeding ahead of schedule. Neural response calibration exceeding expectations."

Everything was accelerating—Buzzer Technology, his connection with Sophia, The Black Investor's public persona. The chess pieces were moving into position more rapidly than Michael had anticipated.

As he settled at his desk, the System message updated:

[Primary Objective: Attend Hamilton Luxury Cruise with Sophia Morris. Time remaining: 76:14:53. Reward pending: Fashion Brand Blueprint]

"A fashion brand blueprint," Michael mused quietly. "Interesting timing."

The convergence was becoming clearer—Sophia's materials research, the fashion industry connections, the potential neural interface applications.