Chapter 111 Adoption Records

Chapter 111 Adoption Records

"Naming the heir."

Rhett chewed on these words, like chewing on a piece of not-so-fresh meat.

"Father is finally going to name an heir."

Rhett didn't say "who Father is going to pass the throne to," because he knew the answer.

Hamad had never really favored him, nor had he favored Griffin.

The person Hamad favored was that woman who had been dead for over twenty years... Sally.

Back then, Hamad had considered passing the throne to Sally.

In Emberlyn, a country traditional to its core, a woman inheriting the throne was almost unthinkable.

But Hamad had really considered it.

Because Sally was the smartest, most decisive, and most leader-like of all the children.

She wasn't impulsive like Rhett, wasn't gloomy like Griffin. She had a natural presence that made people want to follow her, like a magnet that could draw people in without saying a word.

You know, back then the loudest voices supporting Sally as heir came from Emberlyn's common people!

If only she hadn't insisted on marrying that commoner, if only she hadn't left the royal family, if only she hadn't died in childbirth...

Rhett's fists clenched tight.

"Keep investigating."

Rhett said to the butler.

"I want to know the content of every conversation between Griffin and Hamad."

"This..."

"Can't do it?"

Rhett's gaze turned cold.

The butler lowered his head.

"...I can do it."

The butler left.

Only Rhett remained in the reception room.

He stood by the window, looking out at the garden.

The bougainvillea in the garden was in full bloom, clusters of purple-red flowers like burning flames. He remembered when he was little, Sally would always play with him and Griffin in the garden. She'd run ahead, turn back and wave at them, smiling like a flower.

Back then he was too young to know what jealousy was, what hatred was.

He only knew he liked playing with Sally,

because Sally would always protect him, keep him from being bullied by other kids.

Later Sally grew up, became beautiful, became more dazzling than everyone else.

Hamad started paying more attention to her, hired the best teachers for her, took her to the most important events,

praised her in front of everyone as "the pride of the Emberlyn royal family."

Rhett stood nearby, watching how Hamad looked at Sally...

That proud, admiring, expectant look...

That should have been for him! He was the eldest son! Wasn't he!

As Rhett grew up, he swallowed fruit after fruit of jealousy.

Later Sally grew up, fell in love, and insisted on marrying some commoner who had drifted to Emberlyn!

Hahaha!

Only God knows how happy Rhett was when he heard the news!

He even actively helped Sally hide the truth!

Until Hamad flew into a rage, removed her from the royal family tree, and forbade anyone from ever mentioning her name again.

Rhett thought he'd be happy, thought that after Sally left, Hamad's attention would return to him.

But he was wrong.

Hamad's attention didn't return to him—it turned to Griffin instead.

Griffin was smarter than him, more cunning, better at pleasing Hamad.

Griffin would put on an obedient and understanding act in front of Hamad,

then turn around and bribe Hamad's servants to monitor his every move.

Rhett knew what Griffin was doing, but he couldn't expose him, because he was doing the same thing.

The two brothers—friendly on the surface, hostile underneath.

Complimenting each other in public, stabbing each other in the back in private.

This was the Emberlyn royal family's tradition of hundreds of years, and the survival rule that had kept this family going.

Rhett unclenched his fists and walked back to the sofa, sitting down.

He looked at Sally's portrait on the wall for a long time.

"Sally,"

he said quietly,

"your son is as smart as you were. But smart people often don't live long."

He didn't notice that the reception room door wasn't completely closed.

Outside the crack, a figure in a white robe stood for a moment, then left without a sound.

That was Griffin.

Rhett's younger brother.

Griffin was three years younger than Rhett, but looked five years older.

His face was thin, cheekbones high, eyes deep-set, lips thin. He looked like a knife without a sheath...

Sharp, cold, ready to cut whoever held it.

He walked without making a sound, not because he wore soft-soled shoes, but because he was used to making no sound.

Children who grew up in the palace all learned this skill...

Make no sound, so you can hear the sounds others make.

Griffin walked back along the corridor, past the garden, past the fountain, past the guard room, and finally returned to his own estate—The Crest Residences.

That's right, on either side of Emberlyn's palace were The Apex Residence and The Crest Residences.

And originally, this place had all belonged to Sally.

Griffin's study wasn't large, but it was elegantly decorated. Several pieces of Arabic calligraphy hung on the walls, and a copper lamp sat on the desk.

The lampshade had countless tiny holes, light streaming through them to cast scattered spots on the wall, like a miniature starry sky.

Griffin sat down behind the desk and picked up his teacup, taking a sip.

The tea had gone cold, but he didn't call anyone to replace it, because he didn't want anyone to know he was thinking.

So Rhett, who hadn't made a move for so long, was waiting for someone.

James from the dark web—Griffin knew about him too.

The inventor of C6 explosives.

Rhett wanted to get the C6 formula through him, use it to please Hamad, add weight to his side of the succession scale.

But James stood him up?

Haha, interesting.

Griffin took another sip of cold tea.

Rhett had never cared this much about anyone, except for Sally back then.

Just someone who can make explosives...

Or could he do more than just make explosives?

Griffin seemed to think of something. He put down his teacup, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

Not a smile, but something more complex than a smile,

like the expression of a chess player watching their opponent make a bad move...

Victory assured, but no rush to close the net.

Rhett was too impatient.

And not good at hiding it.

James... Apex Global Enterprises... Mr. M...

These three weren't connected?

Rhett was such an idiot.

And he wanted to inherit the throne with that brain?

James's identity—Rhett didn't know it, but Griffin did.

A few months ago, Griffin had used his intelligence network to find out about the person in charge of Apex Global Enterprises... Mr. M.

According to the information, Mr. M came from an orphanage in Lumaria, was later adopted by Robert, then joined Apex Global Enterprises,

and became the heir to Apex Global Enterprises after its founder died.

All this information was ordinary, so ordinary it seemed problem-free.

But Griffin felt there was a problem, because a person's background couldn't be this clean—so clean there were no weak spots, no vulnerabilities, no points of attack.

He had people dig deeper.

Finally, his people found a long-sealed document in an old archive in Lumaria...

An adoption record from the Emberlyn royal family...