Dark Lord Seduction System: Taming Wives, Daughters, Aunts, and CEOs novel Chapter 290

Chapter 290: Hero Complex?

I opened it to find her still in her pale green top and tactical pants, looking like she’d processed enough data to fill a library.

"The data checks out," she said without preamble, entering the room. "Every account, every transaction, every crime. It’s all real."

"I know."

She moved into the room with the fluid grace of someone trained to assess threats in microseconds. Even in civilian clothes, she radiated lethal competence. But there was calculation in her dark eyes now — the look of someone trying to solve an equation with missing variables.

"The eighteen billion is really there," she continued.

"Ready to transfer the moment you agree to my terms."

"Terms beyond Charlotte’s ownership?"

This was the crucial moment. I walked to the window, keeping my real thoughts hidden.

"Your government has been chasing Vincent Castellano for six years," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "Forty million in resources spent. Three agents lost. Tonight, I’m offering you everything — Vincent, Dmitri, their networks, and eighteen billion in recovered assets."

She studied me carefully. "Why, not just Charlotte, right?"

"Because blood money is poison." I let the lie hang, polished and heavy. "But justice? Justice is currency."

Let her think I was motivated by righteousness. The truth — that I was trading unusable criminal funds for a future corporate empire worth hundreds of billions — stayed locked in my mind.

"The vultures destroyed dozens of companies," I continued, pulling up data on my phone. "Five of them were taken through explicitly criminal means."

ARIA’s display showed the information, but I was careful to present only what Ava needed to see: Meridian Logistics Corporation — Shipping company, forced sale after sabotage. Apex Manufacturing Solutions — Electronics fabrication, destroyed by planted evidence. Cloudstone Infrastructure — Data center company, collapsed after false reports. Genway Research Labs — Pharmaceutical research, FDA trials corrupted. Hartfield Investment Group — Financial services, destroyed by orchestrated run.

"These companies will become government property when you seize them," I said simply.

"Correct. They’ll likely be auctioned to recover funds."

"I want to buy them. Two billion dollars for all five."

She actually blinked — the first real surprise I’d seen from her. "That’s... nearly double their current value."

"These companies employed thousands of people. Communities were destroyed. They deserve proper rebuilding, not to be carved up for parts."

What I didn’t tell her was everything. That Meridian’s shipping would give Charlotte global logistics control. That Apex’s manufacturing meant vertical integration. That Cloudstone’s infrastructure would host revolutionary AI after I restructure it. That Genway’s research would accelerate bio-tech and medical breakthroughs. That Hartfield would manage capital flows for an empire from my Liberation Holdings.

These weren’t just companies — they were carefully selected pillars that would amplify Quantum Tech’s value by orders of magnitude. But to Ava, I was just a generous fool overpaying for damaged goods out of misplaced charity.

"Two billion is extremely generous," she said carefully. "Why would you pay so much above market value?"

"Because sometimes doing the right thing costs more than doing the smart thing."

Let her think I was driven by altruism. Let the government believe they were dealing with someone whose conscience outweighed his calculation. They’d never suspect that two billion was a bargain for companies that would generate that much profit within eighteen months when properly integrated.

"I’ll need to discuss this with my superiors," Ava said.

"Of course. There’s one more element — the twenty percent of Quantum Tech shares the vultures bought. When they’re voided, they go to Charlotte Thompson. Complete ownership, right?"

"The shares were purchased with criminal proceeds. The government could claim them."

"Could. But won’t. Not when someone just handed you eighteen billion and is offering to overpay for damaged companies to help rebuild communities."

The implicit message was clear — I was being generous, but generosity had limits. Push too hard and that eighteen billion might become complicated.

She pulled out her encrypted phone. "I need to make a call."

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