Chapter 14 - An Enigmatic Attraction

"Search! I need every surveillance camera on that road checked meticulously," Ethan demanded, his voice echoing through the room. "Understood, Mr. Benton," replied a tall, thin man who had been standing behind Ethan. His name was Austin Mitchell, Ethan's special assistant and a trusted lieutenant in his work. During Ethan's time in a vegetative state, Austin had been moved to a remote branch office by Clive Benton. Now that Ethan had regained control of the company, Austin had been called back. "In addition, he has been my driver for the longest time. He has shown me nothing but loyalty over the years. Send ten million to his family. I heard he has a daughter in school. I will sponsor her education from now on." "Alright, I will arrange that shortly." … "Ugh," Vivian yawned and opened her eyes, stretching lazily. Neither she nor Ethan had been seriously injured in the car accident. But the driver in the front seat had been gravely wounded. She had fallen asleep while waiting for surgery, and now she didn't know how much time had passed, or whether the driver had been saved. But looking at Ethan's face, she could tell that the news was not good. "Mr. Handsome, where's Uncle Driver?" Vivian asked innocently. "Is he okay? Can he drive us home now?" Ethan's face was grim. "We'll take another car home. The driver... he's gone." As he spoke, a body covered with a white sheet was wheeled out of the room. Vivian understood, but she played dumb and took Ethan's hand, "Oh, then let's go too!" Ethan let her small hand guide him away. Neither of them noticed that around the corner of the corridor, a sneaky figure was surreptitiously taking their pictures. … Amorita - The Famous Vegetative Young Master of the Benton Family Wakes Up! Scandal! The Benton Family Arranges a Marriage for the Vegetative Young Master to Bring Luck! What a Feudal Superstition! Eye-opening! The Benton Family's Bride Turns Out to Be a Simpleton! The Benton Family Shows No Gratitude! After the Vegetative Young Master Wakes Up, He Attempts to Abandon His Simpleton Bride Within just a few hours, this series of news had exploded on the Internet. By the time Ethan discovered this and tried to suppress the news, the story had already spread nationwide. Kaysen's call came through almost immediately. "Ethan, have you seen the news online? What's going on?" he demanded. Rubbing his forehead, Ethan replied, "I've seen it. I had it taken down as quickly as possible. I'm looking into who's behind this." "You've just taken over the company and already there's this kind of negative news. Clearly, someone doesn't want to see you succeed. They're trying to smear your reputation. Find out who's behind this. We won't let them get away with it." "I'm aware, Grandpa. Don't worry about this. Just enjoy your tea and walking the dog." Ethan hadn't informed him about the car accident the previous night, not wanting to worry him. But these two incidents, one after another, were obviously targeted at him. And the evidence pointed to the same culprits Clive Benton and his son, Tyler, from the second branch of the family. "There's something else, Ethan," Kaysen continued. "For the stability of our Benton Group, you probably can't divorce Vivian for the time being. If you abandon her now, our Benton Group's reputation will be damaged." "Your father has been building our empire overseas all these years, and we can't let him down here at home. So, Ethan, it falls on your shoulders to make some sacrifices." Ethan frowned, the image of Vivian, his little simpleton, curled up sleeping in his arms when he woke up this morning flashed through his mind. If he couldn't divorce his little simpleton, then he would keep her by his side, caring for her as if she were his little sister. … At the Lakeside Mansion, in the playroom. Vivian couldn't help but smile as she watched the internet explode with discussions. She had been planning to devise a way to continue staying with the Benton family, but someone had already paved the way for her. The Benton Family Shows No Gratitude! After the Vegetative Young Master Wakes Up, He Attempts to Abandon His Simpleton Bride With such news circulating, even for the sake of the Benton Group's stock price, Ethan wouldn't divorce her in the short term. And in a few months, it would be Kaysen's birthday. All the younger generation of the Benton Group scattered around the country would come to celebrate. That would be the perfect time for her to investigate clues about her cousin. In high spirits, Vivian's tone was light and cheerful. ”This did not go unnoticed by Nathaniel on the other end of the line. "I have to say, Crocodile, you seem to be in a great mood today. Is it because I'll be joining you soon?" "Cut it out! Save your playboy charms. Let's get down to business." "Ah, my dear Miss Crocodile, always so cold. Well then, let's talk about the Swain Group. Business hasn't been so good these past few years, so the CEO, Howard, has set his sights on investing. He's a greenhorn. If we tailor a trap for him, he'll walk right into it and wouldn't be able to get out. Then it'll be your turn to reap the rewards." "You're right, creating trouble and setting traps are your specialties. I trust in your capabilities." "Thank you for your faith in me, my dear Crocodile. However, remember, Valarna isn't home turf for me. Do you recall, I once mentioned a close former classmate of mine in Amorita? I'm planning to partner with him this time." "No problem, just let me know how I can help." "God, you know me so well. We really are a perfect team." 　　 "Spare me the chatter!" "Ok, here's the deal. I'm currently busy with Reya's Plan A and can't be with you for now. But my classmate can be a hard nut to crack, so I need you to negotiate with him personally. Is that alright?" "Sure. Send me the time, place, and his information." … Regal Investments was an obscure little firm, but Vivian had a deep impression of the company and the big fish behind it. Most investment firms are driven by profit, but the powerhouse behind this one seemed to be in it just for the thrill and challenge. Every case he handled was a do-or-die, come-from-behind victory. Several billion-dollar cases had been offered to him, but he turned them all down, stating they were too easy and uninteresting. The man was audacious, yet incredibly capable. For a while, Vivian had been eager to challenge him, but his whereabouts remained elusive. He was a mystery, with absolutely no accessible information. Even the data Nathaniel had provided contained nothing useful, not even a real name or a photograph. So, Vivian was looking forward to this meeting with great anticipation. In the CEO ‘s office, Ethan received a message. "My dear classmate, I regret that I will not be able to meet with you in person this time. However, my partner 'Crocodile' will be there in my stead. I hope you find interest in this case." 　　It was a busy time, and Ethan had no plans to accept any invitations beyond his work schedule at Benton Group. But then Nathaniel mentioned "Crocodile"... A figure of legendary stature in the Western investment world, the mere mention of 'Crocodile' successfully piqued his interest.