I am the King

Chapter 20

After dropping off Franklin and his wife, Vincent took Emma back to her apartment.

"Vincent, my mom is always like that. Don't mind her, okay?" Emma said apologetically.

Vincent smiled and replied, "It's okay. I was planning to get you guys a mansion anyway. We can't have Hope stay in this cheap apartment after she's discharged from the hospital, can we?"

"But..." Emma hesitated.

"No need for 'buts'. Leave it to me," Vincent assured her.

"Okay." Emma didn't say much more, but she couldn't sleep that night. Despite Vincent's recent surprising actions, she still felt uneasy. She pondered, "Could Vincent truly possess such vast wealth to casually purchase a mansion worth millions?"

Late at night, Emma finally fell asleep. Vincent watched her sleeping peacefully, a smile playing on his lips. Then, he stepped outside and made a phone call. "Galahad, have you found a mansion for me?"

"My lord, in three days, there will be an auction at M City Auction House for Cloudtop Villa. It’s the number one mansion in M City." Galahad replied.

"Very well. Arrange for me to attend the auction in three days," Vincent said, gazing at the distant night sky.

"Yes, my lord!"

After hanging up the phone, Vincent's face softened with warmth. ‘Emma, I promised I'd give you the best life.’

The next day, at the Joseph family residence. 

Clement and the others appeared  grey.

Behind them, the mansion that once belonged to the Joseph family was now sealed by the bank. A dozen men in suits standing at the gate.

Norman cried, "Dad, our company has been sealed off, our mansion and cars have all been mortgaged by the bank, and our funds have been frozen. We have nothing left." Overnight, the Joseph family, once a somewhat prestigious name in M City, had become destitute. The feeling of falling from heaven to hell in an instant was unbearable for them.

Edison, with a look of unwillingness, said, "Grandpa, it's all Vincent's fault! Are we just going to let this slide?"

"Hmph!" Clement snorted, "Of course, we can't just let it go! But we need to figure out Vincent's true identity first."

Vincent's appearance last night was terrifying. Tanks, helicopters... They had scared Clement and the others witless. Faced with the soldiers' guns, they had no choice but to compromise. If Vincent really was connected to the person who could command a five-star general, the Joseph family would never have a chance for revenge!

Clement glanced at Norman and asked, "Did you find out Vincent's identity as I told you?"

Norman immediately turned serious. "Dad, I've found out it. Vincent left five years ago to join the military and only recently retired. According to my investigation, he's not that important figure."

Clement's face lit up. "Is the information accurate?"

Norman gritted his teeth. "Absolutely, Dad. I hired a private detective, and he confirmed it. It's definitely true!"

What Norman didn't know was that no one was qualified to investigate King's information. The private detective he hired was caught by Galahad on the same day he started investigating. Eventually, he was paid double to provide false information to the Joseph family.

"Damn it! That bastard Vincent! How dare he play us!" Suddenly, everyone in the Joseph family looked furious. The thought of Vincent being the cause of their loss left them seething with anger.

Clement's expression also turned angry. "We must seek revenge. Unfortunately, we have nothing left..."

As his words trailed off, everyone fell silent. The Joseph family now had nothing. How could they seek revenge against Vincent?

Suddenly, Norman's eyes lit up. "Dad, why don't we call our family base in Europe for help? Apologize to your elder brother. He's the current head of the European headquarters. If he helps us, we might have a chance to start over."

Clement's expression soured immediately. The Joseph family branch in M City was merely an offshoot of the European Joseph family. Years back, Clement had lost the battle for family leadership against his elder brother, leading to his departure to M City and severing ties with the European headquarters out of spite. Now, being compelled to plead with his own brother, his former adversary, was a blow to Clement's ego.

Seeing Clement hesitate, Norman urged, "Dad, I know you have conflicts with your brother, but isn't it time to put that aside? If you don't ask him for help now, our family will end up on the streets."

"Yeah, Grandpa, can you bear to see us starving on the streets?"

"Master, at this point, you mustn't be stubborn!"

Suddenly, the Joseph family members became anxious, urging Clement to make the call.

Clement sighed lightly. "Things have come to this. My dignity doesn't matter anymore." He picked up his phone and dialed a number he hadn't called in a long time.

Soon, a dignified voice answered on the other end. "Clement, after all these years, you finally called me."

Clement forced himself to remain calm. "Stop the chatter. I need your help."

The other person chuckled lightly. "I never thought the day would come when you'd ask me for help. When you left home all those years ago, didn't you swear never to have anything to do with the family again?"

Listening to the mocking tone, Clement felt a surge of embarrassment wash over him, coloring his face crimson. "Brother, please..." With a deep sigh, he shut his eyes tightly. His posture slumped further, as if he had aged a decade in an instant.

The other individual erupted into laughter. "Come on, spill it, what's on your mind?"

Clement took a deep breath and said, "Our lives in M City has been ruined by someone named Vincent Chesterton. I want him dead!"