The Supreme Forsaken

Chapter 6: A Pawn

"What will you use to quell the storm?"

Ryan Seraphine's heart sank with disappointment at Theodore's audacious stance.

Years had passed since he last set foot in the Seraphine household, and it was a bitter pill to swallow that his return was marred by such an unfortunate debacle.

Liya gestured placatingly, her eyes softening towards her irate husband. "Ryan, if this young man insists on flaunting his bravado, let him be. Once we reach the Seraphine estate, we'll make it clear to everyone that we wash our hands of this matter."

"Any fallout will rest squarely on Theodore Triumph's shoulders."

Hearing this, Adelaide's voice wavered with concern for Theodore, "Mother, how could you be so callous?"

"This is blatantly setting Theodore up for failure..."

Before Liya could retort, Theodore interjected with an air of confidence, "Adelaide, this minor hiccup is nothing I can't handle."

"Adelaide, did you hear that? He has accepted the challenge himself."

With these words hanging in the air, Liya took Ryan's arm and led him away.

Adelaide glared at Theodore, her anger palpable, "What are you playing at? This is clearly a trap laid out for you, and you're willingly walking into it!"

"How do you plan to navigate the treacherous waters of the Seraphine family?"

"Rest assured, I have my strategies."

With a nonchalant smile, Theodore reassured her, "Let's go, our parents are eagerly awaiting us!"

Watching Theodore's calm and composed departure, Adelaide stomped her foot in frustration.

She dared not imagine the trials and tribulations the Seraphine clan would put him through.

At this moment, the Seraphine mansion was abuzz with the arrival of all the relatives.

A pall of gloom hung over everyone's faces.

"Mother, you must advocate for our dear Ray!" Ava Seraphine implored, her voice laced with distress, "Ray's company, which was finally showing some signs of progress, has been ensnared by the their indiscretions. The promising collaborations have all crumbled!"

"All of Ray's tireless efforts over the past year have been in vain!"

"And mother, our Seraphine Group, once sailing smoothly on the winds of success, is now floundering under Mr. Sterling's oppressive tactics."

Upon hearing Ava's lament, the matriarch remained silent, her face a mask of displeasure.

"Our business too has suffered greatly since the them offended Alexander Sterling. We're barely managing to pay salaries."

"Yes, mother, you must intervene! Our businesses may be small, but the repercussions we face are disproportionately severe. If we don't find a solution soon, we'll be left destitute."

The peripheral relatives of the Seraphine family couldn't help but voice their grievances.

Seeing this spectacle unfold, a smirk played on Ray Seraphine's lips, though his face feigned righteous indignation.

"Grandmother, over the years, Ryan's family has not only failed to contribute to the prosperity of the Seraphine family but has also stirred up a hornet's nest of troubles. You must come to our aid!"

The matriarch nodded solemnly, "All your losses will be compensated by them."

As her words echoed through the room, the half-closed door creaked open.

Ryan Seraphine's family stood before the gathering.

"Mother..."

Ryan's voice trailed off as he was cut off by the matriarch's icy retort, "Who are you calling mother? I have no son who brings such disgrace!"

"Grandmother, what grave sin have my parents committed?" Adelaide asked, her voice laced with confusion.

"The gravest mistake your parents made was adopting you, a harbinger of misfortune! And you, shamelessly married a convict."

"You may have lost all sense of dignity, but our Seraphine family still has its reputation to uphold!"

The matriarch's eyes blazed with fury, "It's because of this wretched boy's audacity in provoking Mr. Sterling that our entire clan is suffering."

"You must bear the brunt of everyone's losses!"

"What losses?" Liya queried.

"Ray's company had three lucrative deals lined up, but due to your reckless actions against Mr. Sterling, they've all fallen through, resulting in a direct economic loss of 3 million dollars!"

3 million?!

Adelaide couldn't hold her tongue any longer.

"Grandmother, surely you jest? Ray's is nothing more than a shell company, barely worth 3,000, let alone suffer a loss of 3 million?"

Ignoring Adelaide's protest, the matriarch continued, "And these collateral relatives, due to Mr. Sterling's heavy-handed tactics, have collectively suffered losses amounting to 1 million!"

"All you need to do is compensate a total of 4 million dollars."

Hearing this, Ryan shook his head in disbelief, gasping for breath.

He hadn't returned to the Seraphine family for several years, naively hoping that time would foster a sense of kinship among them.

It wasn't until this moment that he realized he had been living in a fool's paradise.

Demanding a compensation of 4 million?

Wasn't this tantamount to signing their death warrant?

"Mother, it's not our responsibility to foot this bill!" Liya Seraphine declared, her voice echoing with a defiant tension.

"The storm was brewed by Theodore Triumph. It's only fitting that he should weather its consequences."

With these words, Liya unceremoniously thrust Theodore into the tempest's eye.

Upon hearing this, Ray Seraphine rolled his eyes in disbelief, "This drifter? What resources does he possess to make amends?"

"Auntie, you're surely not contemplating evading your obligations, are you?"

Liya, hands akimbo, was about to retort when Theodore stepped forward, silencing her with his presence.

"So what if I've crossed paths with Alexander Sterling? Is it truly such an earth-shattering event?"

Theodore's calm and composed words left everyone in the room gasping for breath.

Alexander Sterling, a towering titan, was reduced to insignificance in Theodore's discourse?

"From your tone, it seems like you don't hold Mr. Sterling in high regard?" Ray perked up, eager to challenge Theodore.

Theodore glanced at Ray impassively, "After listening to your incessant chatter, it appears that Alexander Sterling has become a stumbling block in your path to progress, correct?"

"What are you insinuating?" Ray asked, a puzzled frown creasing his forehead.

"As long as I neutralize Alexander Sterling and clear the path for everyone, there should be no more grievances, right?"

At Theodore's response, everyone was struck dumb.

Neutralize Alexander Sterling?

Who in the entirety of Lin City would dare make such a audacious proclamation!

Adelaide Seraphine, anxious, tugged at Theodore's sleeve, whispering urgently, "Theodore, don't spout nonsense."

Regaining his composure, Ray scoffed, "And how do you plan to 'neutralize' Mr. Sterling?"

"By driving his company into bankruptcy."

Ray burst into unrestrained laughter, "Fine, if you can drive Mr. Sterling's company into bankruptcy, we won't ask for a penny in compensation!"

Sterling's company, Sterling Group, was the leading enterprise in Timberwood City.

In recent years, it had been thriving. How could Theodore, this nonentity, claim to bring it down so effortlessly?

Hearing Ray's words, Theodore casually pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Joseph Taylor, I want Sterling Group to go bankrupt within half an hour."

With these succinct words, Theodore ended the call.

Everyone present, including Adelaide, looked at Theodore with expressions of disbelief.

"Did you just call Joseph Taylor?" Ray asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes."

Laughter erupted from Ray and the others.

"I didn't realize you were such a skilled actor! Joseph Taylor is the wealthiest man in our city!"

"Why would he listen to a drifter like you?"

Unfazed by the questioning, Theodore responded, "Won't we know in half an hour?"

With that, Theodore sat down.

Joseph Taylor was indeed the wealthiest man in Lin City.

However, what no one knew was that he was merely a pawn that Theodore had casually placed in Timberwood City a few years ago.

His rise to wealth was all thanks to Theodore!