Joseph smoked hard, spit out, and green and white smoke made his face hazy.
"Do you have any leads on a suspect?" Leo's question marked a return to a semblance of normalcy after their altercation.
Following the intense confrontation, Joseph felt a slight alleviation of the heaviness and boredom that had weighed on his heart. Roy's death had ensnared him in a suffocating web of emotions. Despite his constant refusal to sign, it was evident that foul play was involved. Roy had met a tragic end while driving home—a deliberate tampering of his brakes had caused his car to ignite, ultimately burning him alive.
He was angry and shocked, but there was great sadness that could not be resolved. He could not express these emotions in front of Irish because it was her brother who died, and she was sadder and needed comfort than him.
The feeling of helplessness was terrible.
And this morning, when Leo's stock climbed again, that fire and anger could no longer be suppressed, which prompted him to rush into Leo's office and vent his anger and grief with fists.
Joseph understood that Leo had no involvement in orchestrating Roy's death. He recognized that the responsibility for Roy's killing lay elsewhere. However, as Leo had mentioned earlier, if it weren't for his actions that led Joseph to leave the Runestone Group, perhaps Roy's fate would have been different.
Joseph willfully counted all the mistakes on Leo.
Perhaps, in his heart, only Leo could indulge his wanton anger this time.
Who said he couldn't be human?
And who said he had to struggle hard?
He was tired.
On this road, from the time he just set foot on the business to now, from the naive and frank age to today's sophistication, he was too tired. He could no longer look at the blood on the scene, but profits had always been seen with blood.
In the face of interests, he had pursued, fought, compromised, struggled, and each time he was scared.
He had to face repeated parting, even blood.
In light of the circumstances and the consequences that unfolded, Joseph couldn't help but feel a sense of personal failure.
Throughout his journey, Joseph had held onto the belief that he could bring about significant change. However, reality had dealt him a harsh blow, serving as a stark reminder that no matter how wealthy or refined he might be, there were limits to what he could truly alter. The humbling truth was that the only thing within his power to change was himself.
From this, over the years, he changed, and Leo also changed.
Did they change people?
Funny! It was the world that changed itself!
Aware of his own vulnerabilities and inability to shield himself from the cruel reality of loss, Joseph understood that he couldn't simply move forward on this path without acknowledging the pain and confronting his emotions. He recognized that he needed to face the challenges head-on rather than attempting to avoid or overlook them.
The cigar burned quietly.
After a lengthy silence, Joseph finally broke his silence. "With Roy's death, the one who stands to gain the greatest profit holds the greatest suspicion."
"Why am I hearing that this person you're referring to is none other than yourself?" Leo raised an eyebrow, expressing his skepticism towards Joseph's insinuation.
Joseph took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke, as he responded with a cold and subdued tone. "From an outsider's perspective, it may seem that I am the one reaping the benefits. However, in my own view, Roy and I were in competition for something entirely different than what others may perceive."
Who was the man?
Joseph took a smoke, gently spitting it out. Finally, it dissipated and disappeared.
"The Lake." He was so sure.
Leo thought slightly, "The Lakes, apart from the already dead Roy, Ruby, and Henry, then there were only Shirley, William and their daughter Lilith, and my first love Irish."
Joseph picked up his eyes, unpleasantly staring at him.
Leo had no choice but to change, "Your wife is Irish."
Joseph's face is just slightly better.
"So, who do you suspect?" Leo then asked.
Joseph kept silent.
Leo analyzed the situation, considering the possibilities. "On the surface, William appears to be the most suspicious. As the elder in the Lake family, he holds shares that are less valuable than a man who can only fly an airplane. He even falls short in comparison to outsiders. Therefore, it's clear that he would harbor resentment and have reasons to be the culprit."
Joseph hummed.
"But the more it looks, the farther away from the truth it is," Leo said.
Unexpectedly, Joseph shook his head, disagreeing with Leo's analysis.
"Sometimes, people are misled by their initial instincts," he began slowly. "If we assume that William is the murderer, his motive would be to divert attention from himself. By being the most prominent figure, people are more likely to overlook him, believing that the obvious choice couldn't be the real culprit. It's a simple strategy, like hiding something. The safest hiding place is not necessarily inside, but rather the opposite."
"You doubt William?" Leo asked.
Joseph dropped smoke, and his tone was consistently calm.
"It also depends on how you act."
Leo was puzzled again.
He didn't react.
"What do you mean?"
Joseph put out the cigar, spit the last smoke, and slightly squinted.
"Help me to release the news of Roy's death, and the greater the public opinion, the better."
After hearing this, Leo felt cold and said, "Are you crazy? You should know the consequences."
"I know."
Being the President of the Runestone Group, Joseph's departure from the company had created a significant sensation. Shareholders were closely monitoring the organization's high-level changes. As a result, it was widely known that Roy had taken charge of the Runestone Group, and any news of his untimely death would likely cause a panic among shareholders, potentially leading to a mass sell-off of shares.
Indeed, with the news of Roy's death and the resulting potential panic among shareholders, the Runestone Group's share price was likely to experience a sharp decline. This could attract opportunistic investors looking to capitalize on the situation, likening the situation to a pool of crocodiles where the weakened prey becomes vulnerable and desirable.
By doing so, he could make the already unstable group suffer and eventually collapse.
Leo looked at him, puzzled.
"If the killer is indeed hiding among the board members, it would make sense for them to strongly oppose external intervention, including my involvement. Furthermore, they would declare him missing rather than announcing Roy's death. This approach offers two significant advantages. Firstly, it avoids a substantial sell-off of shares, allowing the perpetrator to acquire the shares discarded by other shareholders slowly. Secondly, it temporarily stabilizes the remaining shareholders, preventing them from seeking out professional managers."
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