Joseph responded with an indifferent tone, yet his eyes revealed a sharpness. He stated, "If you want to completely eradicate the black marks and ensure your safety, then you must ensure that those who pose a threat to you disappear entirely. By removing him from the industry, you can find peace of mind and secure your position."
Inside the taxi, Joseph let out a sarcastic laugh tinged with a hint of self-deprecation.
Indeed, as you ascend higher in your endeavors, the path behind you becomes increasingly muddied, and it becomes difficult to find anyone who remains truly innocent.
But Leo at that time did not seem to agree with this argument, until even Leo's father agreed with his approach, Leo felt injured.
However, what Leo did not know was that one time. Leo's father took the initiative to find Joseph, and he spoke with his heart.
"I know you're smart, and you're very good at business though you're young, and you're gonna make it. I think it would be nice for your parents to see you. You and Leo are good friends. I found that he is sometimes quite dependent on you, for example, he will listen to your idea of everything. I'm glad to see that your friendship is strong, but as a father, I want my son to grow." Leo's father spoke very slowly but firmly, "He is my only successor, so he cannot rely on anyone. In many cases, he just needs to rely on his own strength and decision-making. Through this sale, I found your ambition is great, compared to Leo, you are more like a pioneer. Joseph, you may blame me for being cruel, but Leo is my son, I want to protect his interests."
Joseph listened quietly, then asked, "Uncle, what do you want me to do?"
"Do you not want to witness your relationship falling apart due to shared interests?" Leo's father looked at Joseph intently and continued, emphasizing each word, "You are an intelligent young man, and I want you to make a vow. Promise me that you will not enter the company, that you will not be involved in its operations or management, even if Leo extends an invitation. I know my son very well. He is not your match, especially when it comes to power struggles. You possess a level of ruthlessness that surpasses his."
"Uncle, I will not betray Leo."
"I don't want your word; I want to see your actions."
After a moment of silence, Joseph stood up and spoke softly, "I understand, Uncle. Please rest assured, I will not join your company."
Memories came to an end.
The driver stopped when the red light went on. Joseph looked at the red light ahead, feeling dazzled.
Leo would never know this matter, of course, he would not let him know that his father had looked for him.
Poor parents.
Joseph could understand.
****
In the courtyard, while waiting for Joseph, Irish found herself drawn to a diary that William had left behind. Curiosity overwhelmed her, and she began reading it repeatedly, noticing various peculiarities and encountering more unanswered questions.
After contemplating for a while, she decided to call Joseph.
The phone rang on the coffee table.
She just remembered that he did not take the mobile phone out in order not to be disturbed.
Irish took a raft and left him a message, and hurried out of the door.
****
The excitement that once filled the air had dissipated in the old Lake house.
The housekeeper remained in their position, and a few individuals were assigned to guard the premises and perform daily cleaning duties. As the house was now in Irish's name, she took responsibility for paying these workers.
From the time they began preparing the legal documents until recently, William had discussed the possibility of selling the old house with Irish. He expressed a desire to move back into their former residence. However, Irish consistently refused, stating that she would prefer the house to remain vacant rather than be sold or rented out. Deep down, she understood the true reason behind her reluctance: she still harbored a self-deceptive belief that Henry was somehow still present within those walls.
She did not want to recall the past because she did not want to touch the pain in her heart.
And this time, when she drove back to the old house and when she stepped into the cold hall, she finally admitted this fact. Henry was no longer there.
Her father and her mother were gone.
She felt pain in her heart, but she pressed it down.
Everything seemed to remain the same. The housekeeper diligently maintained the cleanliness of the Lake house, but there was a noticeable decrease in visitors compared to before.
She was wondering if it was time to let go.
She would transfer the old house to William's family or Roy.
While Irish pondered her thoughts, the housekeeper approached respectfully and spoke, "Miss Irish, Mr. William came by earlier and mentioned that he wanted to retrieve something from the house. However, since he didn't inform you beforehand, I didn't allow him access. I hope you understand..."
"What could he possibly want to take?" Irish inquired with curiosity.
During this period, both Irish and William seemed to have withdrawn from the board of directors due to the Lilith incident.
The housekeeper shook his head. "I'm not sure. Probably just some small items."
Irish contemplated the situation. If William only wanted to retrieve small items, she wondered why he felt the need to visit the house personally.
Upon reflection, Irish realized that it was indeed a common occurrence. During the court's swift judgment, everyone was in a rush to gather their belongings. Roy, in particular, didn't have many personal belongings at his house. Since he started working, he only returned to the old house on weekends.
That meant that the majority of the belongings left in the house belonged to Shirley and William, considering Shirley was almost forced out of the old house.
Irish informed the housekeeper of her intention and made her way upstairs.
Irish searched Henry's study but couldn't find anything of significance. As she entered his bedroom, she glanced up at the air conditioner, recalling the incident when it seemed to have been tampered with. She decided to inspect the air conditioning unit but found that it was functioning normally.
Irish turned to the housekeeper and inquired, "Did my father suddenly faint on the night before he was hospitalized?"
The housekeeper nodded in affirmation, confirming that it was indeed the case.
"What medicine did he usually take?"
The housekeeper sighed, "He seldom took medicine at ordinary times. He says taking medicine is not good for his health."
Irish was taken aback by the news and exclaimed, "So his condition worsened? His sudden fainting indicates a significant deterioration in his health."
Surprisingly, the housekeeper shook his head and replied, "No, that was the first time the master fainted. Normally, although he had a heart condition, it was not as severe as that night. He passed away suddenly."
Irish then inquired, "What did he eat on that night?"
The housekeeper promptly provided details about the various ingredients consumed that night and added, "The police had come and conducted an investigation earlier, and they found no issues with the ingredients."
Irish nodded thoughtfully.
"All right, you can go now."
The housekeeper rested soon.
Irish's brain was messy.
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