I Became Rich With My System

Chapter 11

Lucien’s eyes pinned me, sharp and skeptical. His voice finally cut through the heavy silence.

“How should I believe you, Kael?”

The corner of my mouth tugged upward. I’d been expecting that. “I heard your birthday is in a few days,” I said evenly, watching his brows twitch. “The contract will be signed then.”

For a moment, nothing. Then Lucien leaned back and threw his head back in laughter. The sound filled the entire room, a mocking echo that rattled the quiet tension. His laughter stretched until it bordered on cruelty, and then he wiped his eyes, smirking.

“Fine,” he said at last, the grin lingering on his lips. “That will be the best gift I’ve ever received on my birthday.”

I could’ve stopped there. I should’ve stopped there. But my chest tightened with the weight of what I had carried into this room. My throat worked as I said, “But…”

The single word hung like a blade in the air.

Every head turned toward me. The shift was almost physical—chairs squeaked, eyes burned into my skin. Even Lucien’s laughter froze, curiosity sharpening in his gaze.

I drew in a slow breath. “I’d like to ask something from the Chairman.”

A hush blanketed the room. No one so much as shifted. Their attention pressed down on me like a mountain.

Across the table, the Chairman folded his hands, unreadable as ever. His voice was steady, almost challenging.

“Then say your terms, Kael.”

I felt Aria’s gaze flick toward me, a silent question. My jaw tightened. This was it. “If the contract is secured, then I ask you to give my brother Darren control of the subsidiaries—”

Murmurs exploded before I could even finish.

The subsidiaries weren’t just branches. They were the veins pumping blood into the heart of the company, the lifeline every shareholder clung to. Giving it away was like handing someone the kingdom’s crown.

I pressed on, firm. “Make Darren the head there.”

“Absurd!” someone hissed from the side.

“He’s lost his mind!” another barked, the words tumbling like stones thrown at me.

Curses layered over one another. I caught phrases—as lowly as Darren, does he even know what he’s saying, the Chairman will never agree to this.

The heat of their disdain didn’t shake me. I stood tall, my voice unyielding even in the storm.

Lucien, of course, was the one to slice through the noise. His smirk was back, sharp as a blade. “If he gives it to Darren,” he said, leaning forward, “then what benefit does the company gain?” His tone carried the smug certainty of a man who believed he’d cornered me.

I looked him straight in the eye. “What every businessperson in this room craves,” I said, my words low but steady, iron under silk. “Profit, growth, and leverage. And I’ll get it for you, Lucien.”

Victor suddenly scraped his chair back, the sharp sound cutting through the silence of the table. He shot up to his feet, his face dark with fury as his voice thundered.

“Kael… do you even know what you’re talking about?” His eyes blazed, veins standing against his neck. “Are you saying that bastard Darren is worth enough to head this family? You’re asking us—us Delacroix—to be under his wing?!” He spat the words like venom, his lip curling in disgust. Then his eyes locked on me, narrowing. “You’re nothing but a deluded fool, Kael. A leech who thinks too highly of himself.”

I clenched my fists under the table, forcing myself to keep calm, though his insults stung sharper than knives.

“Victor.” Lucien’s voice cut like steel. His gaze was steady, piercing through Victor like a blade. “Sit down. Or I will personally send you out of here.”

Victor froze, his rage simmering, but the weight of Lucien’s tone forced him back into his chair. He muttered under his breath, but he didn’t dare push further.

Lucien then turned his attention to me, his expression unreadable. “Kael, what you ask for is not something I can rush to give an answer,” he said evenly. “You’ll have it—but later. For now…” He glanced at the dishes before us. “Let’s focus on our food.”

The rest of the dinner passed in heavy silence, the air thick with resentment. When it was over and we rose from the table, the rest of the family stormed out with cold glares, leaving a trail of anger behind them.

As Darren, Mira, and I stepped outside, Mira finally broke the silence. She crossed her arms, her voice sharp but laced with concern. “Can the two of you tell me what happened to the car? And what exactly all that talk inside was about?”

Darren sighed, his gaze shifting to me. “That’s what I was about to ask Kael,” he said. Then his tone hardened, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “Why did you ask Lucien that, Kael? Don’t you know what kind of man he is? He’ll see you as nothing but obsessed with his company.”

I met his gaze firmly. “I doubt he’ll let it go,” I said. “Not with the offer I gave him.”

Mira’s eyes widened slightly. “Kael… are you really sure about this contract? About everything you’re staking on it?”

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. My voice carried no doubt. “I’m sure.”

I checked my watch and exhaled slowly. “I need to go now. Visiting hours at the hospital are almost over. Luckily, it isn’t far from here.” I gave them both a small nod. “I’ll take my leave.”

I walked away, my chest heavy, until I reached the hospital. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air as I entered the ward. My steps slowed when I spotted them—my wife seated by the bed, and next to her, Liam… my son.

I swallowed hard, my throat tightening as I whispered, “Liam…”

He looked up at me, his small eyes widening. “Daddy?” His voice was soft, uncertain—yet full of hope.

That one word broke me.

I rushed forward and dropped to my knees beside him, wrapping him in my arms as tears spilled freely down my face. “Yes, Liam. Yes, I’m your daddy. I’m your father…” My voice cracked, trembling as I pressed him against my chest.

The walls blurred around me as I wept openly, holding him like I’d never let go. For so long I had carried weight, fear, and silence—but in that moment, all I was… was a father.

The house smelled faintly of antiseptic, the scent still clinging to Liam’s skin from the hospital. We had been discharged only a few days ago, and though the doctors assured us that Liam’s condition was stabilizing, their words were always wrapped with caution: “Make sure he comes for his check-ups… don’t miss a single appointment.” Those reminders echoed in my head as I stood by his bedroom door.

Liam’s breathing was steady now, his chest rising and falling in a rhythm that almost felt like a victory song to me. For the first time in weeks, he was resting without pain etched across his face. I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

I turned from him quietly and made my way toward the living room, where Aria sat on the couch. The exhaustion in her eyes was hidden beneath a forced smile, but I could see it. She had fought harder than anyone for Liam, and I respected her for that.

“I’ll be checking in on you both,” I told her, pausing near the doorway. My tone was calm but firm, the kind of tone that carried more promise than words could. “If there’s any issue—anything at all—please let me know immediately.”

She nodded, her hands folded tightly in her lap. But just as I turned to leave, her voice cut through the silence.

“Kael.”

I stopped. My hand lingered on the doorknob, and I looked back at her.

“You can… call anytime you like,” she said softly, her gaze flickering between the floor and me.

For a moment, I just stood there, caught off guard. Then I gave a small nod, my lips curving in the faintest smile. “I will.”

I stepped outside into the cool evening air. Relief weighed lighter on my chest than it had in weeks. Liam was okay, Aria was holding strong, and if I could push Darren into the position I’d been planning—leader of the subsidiaries—then my circle would finally be secure. With power and money locked into my hands, Milton would have no chance against me. For the first time, it felt like victory was close enough to touch.

But fate is cruel when it chooses its moments.

A car sped past me, too close, the wind slapping my face. Before I could react, its rear door swung open. A flash of steel cut across my vision, and searing pain exploded in my hand.

“s**t—!” I staggered back, clutching my bleeding palm. Warm blood streamed between my fingers, dripping onto the pavement.

The car screeched to a halt a few meters ahead. The night swallowed the sound of its tires, leaving only the thundering beat of my heart. The doors burst open, and shadows poured out like a flood.

One. Two. Three.

By the time I counted, there were fifteen of them. Fifteen men, each holding knives that glinted under the pale streetlights.

My breath came slow, deliberate, as I flexed my wounded hand. Pain was already spreading up my arm, but I forced myself to stand straighter, to meet them head-on.

Fifteen against one.

My mind was already calculating, already shifting into survival.

And the night had just begun.

The night air was heavy with the stench of smoke and city dust, but I barely noticed it. My hand dripped warm blood from the first s***h they’d carved into me, yet my mind was sharp, teeth gritted, rage burning through my veins. Fifteen of them stood before me, blades glinting under the streetlight.

I steadied my stance and growled, “Who sent you to me?”

Their leader, a tall man with a scar running down his jaw, spat on the ground and sneered.

“How dare you, Kael? You’ve messed with the wrong people. Coveting what isn’t yours comes with a price.”

My jaw clenched. One name rose like venom on my tongue.

“Was it Seraphine?”

The man’s grin widened. His men tensed, blades twitching in their hands.

“If it’s her, does it matter? You’ll die tonight either way.”

They came at me all at once—fifteen shadows moving like wolves closing in for the kill. The first swung for my throat; I ducked, caught his wrist, and drove my elbow into his nose. Blood sprayed across my arm as I tore the knife from his hand and rammed it into his gut.

Another blade nicked my ribs, hot pain ripping through me. I gritted my teeth, pivoted, and slammed my fist into his throat. He choked, dropped his weapon, and I buried it in his chest.

But they were skilled—trained killers. Their movements weren’t sloppy street brawls; they knew how to strike to end a man. Every s***h aimed for an artery, every thrust meant for the heart. My body was screaming, cuts piling up, but I didn’t let up. I couldn’t.

Steel clashed against steel as I blocked one strike with a stolen blade, spun, and kicked the attacker into the hood of the parked car. Another lunged for my back; I rolled, came up behind him, and slit his throat before he even realized he’d missed.

Blood coated the ground. My arms ached, my chest burned, but I kept moving—strike, twist, kill.

One by one, they fell. Their screams echoed down the empty street. Every move I made was instinct sharpened by survival. I wasn’t fighting for victory—I was fighting to live.

By the time the last two charged me, my shirt was torn and soaked crimson, my breath ragged. I let them come. At the last second, I sidestepped, dragged one into the path of the other’s blade, and buried my knife into the survivor’s chest. Both crumpled at my feet.

The only one left was the leader. His bravado was gone; his eyes were wide, legs stumbling back as he turned to run.

“No,” I hissed, charging after him.

He barely made it three steps before I caught him, slamming him against the car. His knife clattered to the ground as I pressed mine against his throat.

“Please—don’t!” he begged, trembling, blood from his men staining his boots. “Spare me! I was just following orders!”

I leaned close, my face inches from his, eyes cold.

“That’s your mistake. You thought I was prey.”

Before he could utter another word, I drove the blade deep into his chest and twisted, feeling his body jolt before going limp. I let him slide to the pavement, lifeless, his plea still echoing in the night.

My hands were drenched, my chest heaving. Fifteen men lay dead around me, their blades scattered like broken promises. My body was carved with wounds, but I was still standing. Alive.