Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Charles had no idea what the two men standing nearby were thinking he was too busy getting distracted by something shiny on the table. His eyes lit up as he spotted a piece of porcelain.

It looked sort of like a plate, but it was crystal clear and sparkled in the light. He picked it up and gave it a little shake, admiring it.

The doctor practically yelped, "Careful, young master! That's a white ice jade plate there's only one like it in the world! Please don't drop it!"

Charles didn't know the first thing about white ice jade. He just thought it looked cool and shiny. "I want this one, big bro."

The man took a slow sip of coffee. "Alright. Pack up, let's go."

Charles grinned from ear to ear and handed the plate to the doctor, who looked like he was about to have a heart attack. That thing was worth a fortune. But since the eldest master hadn't objected, the doctor could only keep quiet and start wrapping it up.

Charles's excitement skyrocketed the moment he stepped onto the private jet. He couldn't even think about sleeping.

The man next to him still had that cool, mature vibe going, typing away on his laptop like nothing in the world could faze him.

Charles got bored fast and couldn't help striking up a conversation. "So, when did Mitch head to the capital?"

"Mitch already left. He's meeting us there."

Charles nodded. Supposedly, Walter's birthday party this time was going to be huge a real event.

"Will my sister be at the party too?"

The man's fingers froze over the keyboard. Word was, the Ferguson family wasn't happy with her, and hadn't she lost her mind because of some medication? If she embarrassed herself, it'd be the whole Ferguson family's reputation on the line.

"Probably not."

Charles slumped back in his seat. "Then I don't want to go either."

The man closed his laptop and took the sleep mask from the doctor. "You weren't going anyway."

Charles just mumbled, "Oh." He wasn't wrong. As a Chester, he'd barely ever been invited to these parties anyway.

After all, he'd spent years taking the blame for that troublemaker. Everyone thought Charles was a hopeless case and wanted nothing to do with him. He was too tired to explain himself—it was Mitch's real sister, after all.noveldrama

"Big bro, if you come back early, can I stay longer in the capital?"

He didn't have any urgent tasks lately, and he wanted to spend more time with

Clara. Besides, Dylan had promised he could visit Palm Bay.

The man was already slipping on his eye mask, only the lower half of his face still visible.

"Little Charles, things between the Chester and Ferguson families are complicated. You can't really get it yet. As for you and your sister..."

Charles narrowed his eyes, and suddenly, it all seemed to make sense. "You mean the North American Ferguson family?"

Back in the day, the wealthiest families from Country Z had immigrated overseas-some had even played key roles in wars. Over the years, they'd grown into massive clans, just as powerful as the big overseas conglomerates. Their influence rivaled the top families back home, and even the president was careful not to cross them. The ties between government and business abroad were always... complicated.

The Chester family was one of the powerhouses, but the Ferguson family was even older, with a longer history and deep connections-even with old royalty. Thanks to influence from overseas churches, they'd set up a council of five elders over a hundred years ago. Every thirty years, they picked a new heir-and this year, it was time again.

The Ferguson family in Country Z was a branch of the North American Fergusons

-the branch with the best reputation, actually. Dylan had been interviewed by

more than a few finance magazines during his time abroad.

If nothing changed, the next heir of the North American Fergusons would probably

be...

The man looked a little surprised

that Charles had figured it out, and a small smile tugged at his lips. "Maybe you're not as clueless as you act. The Fergusons sent someone over recently. They're thinking about a marriage alliance. Just depends on who ends up in charge."

Charles didn't really get it, but his mind was already drifting. He looked out at the bright blue sky, hugging the gift he'd picked out for Clara, and started to hum a song.

The man heard him humming and let out a quiet sigh. After all, he was still just a

kid.