Chapter 51: Power Transition

The Drake Mansion, main building, third floor.

In William's private medical suite, the heart monitor beeped steadily.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

The butler stumbled in, his face white as a sheet.

"Mr. Drake! Something... something terrible has happened!"

William's eyes snapped open. He asked weakly, "What is it?"

"Jonathan and Evan... they..."

The butler trembled. "They were at the Long Island villa... they had a shootout! Evan led a night raid on Jonathan's estate, and they both... they both died together!"

"What?"

William's eyes went wide as he sat bolt upright in bed.

"What did you say?"

He grabbed the butler by the collar, screaming hysterically, "Impossible! That's impossible!"

"Mr. Drake... It's true..."

The butler's face crumpled. "The police just called. The whole villa exploded... Jonathan and Evan are both dead."

"No... no..."

William's whole body shook as he released his grip.

He slumped back on the bed, his eyes filled with despair.

Two sons.

His two sons he was most proud of.

One ran the Drake Group's business empire, the other controlled the family's financial lifeline.

Just like that, dead?

"How could... how could..."

William muttered to himself, his eyes losing focus.

Then, without warning.

A mouthful of blood sprayed out, staining the white sheets red.

"Mr. Drake!"

The butler panicked and quickly hit the call button.

"Doctor! Get a doctor, quick!"

Several medical staff members rushed into the room and immediately began emergency care.

"Blood pressure dropping!"

"Heart rate unstable!"

"Prepare the defibrillator!"

"Beep... beep... beep..."

The heart monitor's beeping grew more rapid.

Thirty minutes later.

William slowly opened his eyes.

His pale face had lost all its former authority, leaving only a body on the verge of death.

"Graham..."

"Yes, Mr. Drake."

Graham Cooper quickly moved to the bedside.

"Call... call all core family members... hold a family meeting immediately."

"Yes!"

Graham immediately turned and left.

An hour later.

The Drake Mansion, main building, conference hall.

Around the long conference table sat all the core members of the Drake family.

There were veterans of the business wing, representatives of the political wing, and key figures from the military establishment.

But the head seat remained empty.

Everyone was waiting.

The conference hall doors opened.

Two nurses pushed a wheelchair slowly inside.

In the wheelchair, William's face was deathly pale, his body hooked up to various medical devices.

He had become skeletal, his entire body like a corpse.

But those eyes still radiated a chilling coldness.

"Mr. Drake..."

Everyone at the table stood up, addressing him with respect.

William said nothing.

The nurses pushed the wheelchair to the head seat, then left the conference hall.

The conference hall doors slowly closed.

William looked around at these family members who once showed him complete respect.

After a long moment, he slowly spoke.

"My two sons... are dead."

"The Drake family's business wing has suffered a devastating blow. Falcon Tech destroyed, the group's stock price crashed, hundreds of billions in value wiped out..."

"All of this..."

William took a deep breath, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes.

"Someone has been pulling strings from the shadows!"

"Someone wants to destroy the Drake family!"

With that, he slammed his hand on the wheelchair armrest.

The room fell dead silent.

No one dared make a sound.

Just then.

The side door of the conference hall was suddenly pushed open.

Everyone turned to look.

A young woman in a black suit walked in on high heels, composed and unhurried.

It was Ivy.

Behind her followed two bodyguards in black suits.

William's gaze instantly locked onto her, his eyes bursting with bone-deep hatred. "Ivy! It was you! You did this, didn't you?"

Besides Ivy's branch of the family, William couldn't think of anyone else who would drive his two sons against each other.

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Ivy calmly pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing her long legs. "Your two sons killed each other. Isn't that your responsibility as their father?"

There was no way she would admit to such a thing. After all, there was no evidence to prove she did it.

"Still playing innocent?"

William looked at the others around him, who remained silent, trembling with rage. "With Jonathan and Evan dead, you're the biggest beneficiary in the entire family! You orchestrated their mutual destruction!"

Looking at the current situation, it was obvious everyone else had sided with Ivy.

"Evidence?"

Ivy lit a cigarette and asked coldly, "The police investigation concluded they died in a shootout over the inheritance. Are you questioning the NYPD's competence?"

"You... you vicious woman!" William pointed at her, too angry to speak.

"William, discussing who the killer is has no meaning now."

Ivy took a document from her purse and tossed it on the conference table. "Jonathan and Evan are both dead. Your direct line is finished."

"According to family rules, starting today, I am the next head of the Drake family."

"You... you bitch!"

William trembled with rage. "You conspired with outsiders! You betrayed the family!"

"Betrayed?"

Ivy exhaled smoke, looking at William with contempt. "William, you're the one who truly betrayed the family."

"For your own gain, you dragged the Drake family into murder, fraud, technology theft, and other crimes."

"You're the one who ruined the Drake family's reputation."

"You... are the criminal!"

"I... I..."

William pointed at Ivy, too angry to speak.

Then, suddenly.

William coughed up another mouthful of blood.

William collapsed in his wheelchair, his chest heaving violently.

"Mr. Drake!"

Graham panicked and rushed forward.

"Call... call a doctor..."

William said weakly.

Medical staff immediately rushed into the conference hall and began emergency care.

"Blood pressure continues to drop!"

"Heart rate weak!"

"Prepare epinephrine!"

However.

Ivy just watched coldly, a mocking smile playing at her lips.

"William, you should stop struggling."

She stood up, walked to William, bent down, and whispered in his ear, "I've known about all your trump cards for a long time."

"The Secretary of State? He was impeached yesterday."

"Roland from the military? He's already been sent to a military court."

"Your friends in Washington? Ha... they're all too busy saving themselves."

"You have nothing left."

William's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Ivy.

He wanted to speak but found he didn't even have the strength to make a sound.

"William, don't worry."

Ivy straightened up and adjusted her collar. "I'll take good care of the Drake family."

"Unlike you..."

She turned and walked toward the door. "You made a complete mess of the family."

"From today on, the Drake family will be led by me to true glory."

With that, Ivy walked out of the conference hall on her high heels.