SUPREME STYLIST: RETURN OF THE HUMILIATED GENIUS

Chapter 0018: Protection from WHO?

Ten minutes after Adrian Adrian dropped Knox's call, his phone lit up with a notification.

Buzz!

The screen stared back at his eyes. Text message delivered by Knox only him could access because it was encrypted. He input the code and the screen immediately shifted. White and black.

The list crawled down like a snake climbing tree in motion with digits that look like government net worth that shouldn't be accessible by an ordinary person.

Adrian paused then scrolled down, his eyes getting wider as he took in business names up to twenty scattered across different cities, the management officials currently in charge and compilation of the past revenues generated from each company, numbers that were too big to be real and too real to be ignored.

Adrian's mind went blank for a second, counting zeroes that looked like a compilation of its own.

$500 billion.

Adrian went over compilation, noting vulnerabilities, detecting loopholes and strategizing plans that would stop the bleeding.

His hand paused one company's name. His eyes narrowed. VELVET CREST HOTEL.

This hotel belonged to him. A light smile touched his lips, realizing why the manager had been trying to stay on his good side knowing he was related to Mrs. Lang. If only he knew the hotel belonged to him technically now, he could have stayed guarded at the entrance as security just to appease him for the earlier confrontation.

The past revenue generated from the hotel is impressive and increasing as months passes by.

"$50 million dollars in the last two months." Adrian hummed, nodding gently. "$100 million dollars the previous month. Good." He nodded in satisfaction.

He went through, scrolling past twenty companies registered under his name with his mind shifting and sharpening with the sense of someone who was adapting fast.

His finger paused on another company on the list that immediately caught his eyes. ROYAL THREAD CONGLOMERATE.

Rowan's breath hitched seeing the company bleeding. Throughout the list, it was the only company with the maximum rate of declining revenue.

"$70 million dollars last three months and $10 million dollars previous month!" Adrian's breath caught, his mind sharpening, his finger moving across the screen, faster than someone who had never done this but catching up faster looks like he was born for it.

Old records, company structure and management and administrative and operation statistics over the years were pulled and scrutinized with precision that came from inborn brilliance.

"Oh God," Adrian gasped. "The company lost 50 clients last month and.....two times. Logistics department. Casualties was incurred. Goods worth millions get sank into the sea. Twice!"

Adrian was already up. His mind was spinning fast on the latest discovery. Gradually, he was forgetting about his previous life, his mind shaping into someone walking into a situation meant for only powerful people and people who could actually handle it.

He rang Knox again without even bothering to check the ticking wall clock, a reminder the night was getting darker and the city was snoring while he'd been awake for three hours straight, making plans and scrutinizing operational mechanisms that looked satisfying to the eyes but bleeding in the veins.

Knox's voice came over like a phantom that never sleeps. Sharp with no single groans of exhaustion. It was then Adrian glanced at the wall clock.

One ante meridian.

"You never sleep." He said, pacing the room with gentle strides.

"I'm always on standby to serve you, Boss." Knox said quickly like he'd rehearsed the line before. "Anytime."

Adrian nodded gently with a light smile.

"I need us to meet at the break of dawn. 8a.m sharp. I want every information you can find about the Royal thread Conglomerate. Number of operating Staffs, every operative in every single department. Securities are not exempt."

A pause.

"Details of how two ships vanished through a safe channel that had been used repeatedly before the incident within the space of five months with goods Worth millions and unrecovered till date. I need every detail. All evidence and investigations carried before it was closed down and stamped as casualties."

A pause. Movement at the other end that suggested Knox was changing position.

"Boss," He called, "the logistics operators made serious investigations about the lost goods before it was stamped casualty. Cargo's vital part malfunctioned before Operators could even have a glimpse. The investigation was thorough."

"It happened twice." Adrian said turning away from the window where fog rolled droplets on glass. "In the space of five months. They missed something. It was planned. Theft disguised as causality."

Knox didn't speak Immediately. The silence was enough for Adrian to know he was rearranging every information.

"But, the operatives. They were witnesses at the scene. The police investigated everything. Something else might be hidden but the investigation and evidence were plain."

Adrian nodded, a slow smile on his lips.

"That is what they wanted you to believe, Knox. That It was thorough."

"What about Mrs. Lang. She never investigated privately?"

"She was dealing with a personal business at the time. The company's logistics handled everything. They presented every evidence that shows the two times wreck were casualties."

"What personal business?" Adrian asked and Knox went silent.

"It's confidential to Mrs. Lang," He answered. "and she specifically instructed me not to speak about it if you ask me questions pertaining to it."

"She knew I was going to ask." Adrian's smile was gone.

"Whatever she's doing, I believe it's for your protection, Mr. Roman."

Adrian chuckled. "From what?"

A pause, hesitation. Adrian was finally getting hints. Though foggy, it was one step towards giving the assumption that Mrs. Lang was avoiding someone or something. Something powerful. Or Maybe just dangerous.

"Meet me 8a.m with the documents. Crimson Table restaurant."

"Yes, Sir." Knox toned an edge in his voice. "Boss, do you want to make announcements as the new CEO of the twenty companies?"

"No. Not yet." Adrian said with hesitation. He was used to keeping his things private. "When the time is right, they'll know." He simply said.

The line went dead,

But Adrian's mind didn't. He didn't move immediately after dropping the call but his mind was rocketing and spiraling on Knox's last words.

"I believe Mrs. Lang is protecting you by keeping things away."

The question is from WHO?