The Trillionaire’s Rise: Powered by a System Ring

CHAPTER 8 Mr. Darto's Copy

"Forged?" Rendi sat up straight on the back steps. "Mom, did Mr. Darto say whose signature was forged?"

"He didn't want to tell me," his mother answered. "He said you have to see it for yourself. He left his phone number here."

"Can you read the number for me, Mom?"

On the other end of the line, the sound of paper unfolding could be heard. His mother read the number slowly, digit by digit.

Rendi repeated each number aloud to avoid writing it down wrong. He jotted the number on the scrap of newspaper Grandpa Harun had given him, right below the address of Mr. Lawrence's shop.

"Rendi," his mother said. "Don't cause any new problems, okay."

"I won't, Mom. I just want to know the truth."

"Alright then. Make sure you eat properly."

The call ended. Rendi stared at his phone screen for a moment, then immediately dialed Mr. Darto's number.

The dial tone rang once, and someone picked up right away.

"Hello," said a deep, calm old man's voice.

"Mr. Darto? This is Rendi."

The man on the other end of the phone fell silent for a moment. "Finally. Are you well, son?"

"I am well, Sir. My mother said you were looking for me."

"That's right. There is something you need to see, but it can't be over the phone." Mr. Darto's way of speaking hadn't changed since the old boardroom days—slow and measured. "Tomorrow at nine in the morning, at the coffee shop across from the North Station. Come alone."

"I'll be there, Sir."

The next morning, Rendi touched the ring on his finger before getting out of bed.

[Ding!] [Day 4 login successful.] [Reward: 100 Points.] [The System Shop can now be opened. The Host is free to browse its contents at any time.]

Rendi read the panel, but he did not open the System Shop. This morning, Rendi only had one thing on his mind: Mr. Darto's message.

Marco's motorcycle was still at the garage because the brakes hadn't been replaced. Rendi walked to the bus stop at the end of the main road and took a city bus to the North Station.

Inside the bus, Rendi opened the news on his used phone. The top headline read: Evelyn Officially Serves as CEO of Martin Group.

In the news photo, Evelyn was smiling in front of the office building that used to belong to Rendi. Alex stood beside her, clapping. Rendi closed the news and put his phone in his pocket.

The coffee shop was small and had glass walls. In the farthest back corner, an old man in a gray shirt sat alone with a cup of black coffee.

Rendi recognized the old man. Mr. Darto's hair was whiter than Rendi remembered, and his eye bags were heavier.

Mr. Darto stood up as Rendi approached. The old man shook Rendi's hand with both of his, then studied Rendi's face for quite a while.

"You look thin," Mr. Darto said.

"The past week has been tough, Sir."

"Sit down. I'll order you some coffee." Mr. Darto signaled a waiter. "Where are you living now?"

Rendi pulled up a chair and sat across from the old man. "A rented room in a flea market vendor's house. During the day, I help out at a friend's garage."

Mr. Darto raised an eyebrow. "A garage?"

"I'm learning how to change tires, Sir."

For the first time that morning, Mr. Darto gave a faint smile.

The waiter arrived with the coffee, then left again.

"Sir," Rendi said. "Thank you for paying my hospital bill."

Mr. Darto raised a hand. "Don't mention it. Twenty years ago, your father paid for my wife's surgery. Back then, I was just an ordinary accounting staff. Your father never asked for it back."

Rendi didn't know that story. He looked down and swirled his coffee cup.

"I also apologize," Mr. Darto continued. "I couldn't stop them."

"My mother said you refused to sign."

"I refused, and then I was removed." Mr. Darto took a sip of his coffee. "Two weeks before your wedding, Hendra held an extraordinary board of directors meeting. I was deemed to be obstructing company decisions. That very day, I was asked to clear out my desk."

"Why didn't I hear about that?"

"Because you were busy preparing for the wedding." Mr. Darto looked Rendi straight in the eye. "And because Evelyn read all the reports before they reached your desk."

Rendi gripped his cup tighter. One more thing he had missed because he trusted too easily.

Mr. Darto opened the old leather bag beside him. The old man took out a brown folder and placed it on the table.

"This is a copy of the deed of grant," Mr. Darto said. "My old secretary took it secretly before she was also fired."

Rendi opened the folder. Inside were dozens of photocopied pages, complete with notary stamps and signatures.

Most of the pages were familiar to him. His own signature was on every page, because he had signed them all without reading.

"Open page nine," Mr. Darto said.

Rendi flipped the papers to page nine. The title read: Transfer of Rights for the Martin Family Estate.

"That house didn't solely belong to you," Mr. Darto explained. "After your father died, the house was under two names. Yours and your mother's."

Rendi read the page line by line. At the bottom, there were two signature columns.

The first column contained Rendi's signature. The second column contained a signature with his mother's name beneath it.

Rendi stared at the second signature for a very long time.

"My mother never signed anything," Rendi said quietly. "She didn't even know the house was being handed over."

"That is exactly what your mother told me two days ago." Mr. Darto tapped the page with his finger. "If this signature is forged, the transfer of the house is invalid. That is the first loophole."

"Only the house?"

"For now, just the house." Mr. Darto leaned back in his chair. "But someone who dares to forge one signature usually doesn't stop at one page."

Rendi focused his gaze on his mother's signature. His eyes grew hot for a moment.

The photocopied paper faded, but there was nothing behind it. Only the flat, even ink of the photocopy machine.

Rendi blinked. A copy couldn't prove anything. He needed the original document.

"Sir, where is the original document?"

"At the notary's office that legalized it. Notary Graham, on Westbrook Street." Mr. Darto lowered his voice. "But Graham is Alex Wijaya's personal notary. He will not show that document to you."

Before Rendi could answer, the blue screen appeared in front of his eyes.

[Ding!] [Unexpected Mission: Ink Trail] [View the original deed of grant at Notary Graham's Office. Find proof of the forged signature on page nine.] [Time limit: 3 days.] [Reward: 500 Points and one skill of choice from the System Shop.] [Reward will be disbursed once the proof is found before the time limit.] [Accept or decline?]

Rendi stared at the panel. After that, he looked at Mr. Darto, who was waiting for his answer.

"Son?" Mr. Darto asked. "You're awfully quiet."

"I was just thinking, Sir." Rendi closed the brown folder. "If I can see the original document, could you help me find a lawyer?"

Mr. Darto frowned. "There is a young lawyer I trust. But seeing the original document is no easy task, Rendi. Graham won't let you in."

Rendi twirled the ring on his finger. He didn't need to be let in. His eyes only needed to be close enough to the document.

"Accept," Rendi whispered.

Mr. Darto looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"I said, thank you, Sir." Rendi stood up and tucked the folder under his arm. "Contact that lawyer. In three days, I will bring the proof."