The tires of the car in which Rino drove brushed quietly on the well-laid road with practiced calm. Madling sat silently, occasionally stealing glances at his boss—no, at Rino, a young man who had attained what most called "untouchable level" of success within just half of a year.
Madling couldn't help but wonder why Rino was planning to get a huge loan from a bank if he had the opportunity to. While they drove, Rino had told him what he planned to do, since they became a bit compatible with each other after some dialogues.
As the skyline of the city they travelled in faded behind them, their car curved through the exclusive estate leading to the Carter Family Mansion. The security checkpoint, recognizing who the driver of the car was, didn't bother to ask for further identification.
The gates recognized the car as well, and silently rolled open like the sea parting into two for a path.
The mansion was erected at the end of the long cobbled driveway, like a golden-crowned fortress living its entirety in silence. Glass walls shimmered, giving off a mirror-like glare under the half-gone sun.
By the right of the driveway was a water fountain in which a feminine human statue was erected on a crystal pavement in its center, with a crown of glittering stars worn on her head, and in her right hand, stretched above her head, she held a metal, circular in shape, with the dollar symbol melted in between.
By the sides of this fountain, in front and behind, two lion statues were placed, respectively, either as guardians or, better still, for decoration. Their mouths carved mid-roar, exuding a sense of power.
"Woah, this is wealth," Madling said with shock in his face, leaving Rino to only glance at him for a while before concentrating on the steering wheels once again.
Rino hurled the car into the garage space, which had different of these Limo kind of cars, arranged in neat order according to their parking lots. As soon as the car that he drove halted on one of the parking rectangular lots, Rino stepped out and adjusted his tie. Madling followed behind as they advanced to the entrance door of the mansion.
Madling rushed to open the door to allow his boss in, but before he could knock, the front doors—grand and polished oak—opened without a creak, as if they had anticipated his arrival.
Inside the mansion, a row of housemaids stood in complete silence. Each of them wore a uniform, well-ironed, and gave off a shine under the pristine chandeliers hanging above. They were lined up like statues, eyes lowered, hands clasped in front of them.
None of them moved. None offered greetings. They simply waited.
Madling, walking behind Rino, marveled at the display. He thought what he'd just witnessed was an extravagant way of showing off wealth, but he preferred to keep his mouth shut and silently follow Rino.
Rino didn't hitch or make an attempt to pause. Just like the maids had done, he didn't acknowledge them either. He just walked straight ahead, passing through the spacious lobby where a golden staircase spiraled upward in an elegant swirl.
But they didn't climb.
Rino turned right into a long corridor that led them toward a glass door inscribed with the symbol of a koi fish—gold and crimson—coiling around a silver coin.
He knocked once.
No response.
So, he turned the door knob and pushed it open.
Inside, the room stretched out like a floor-to-ceiling glass painting, covering the far wall and revealing a private inner garden glowing under the hidden lights at that end.
In the center of the room, on top of a large expanded table, was an oval pond, raised and enclosed in transparent glass. Goldfish, white-speckled koi, and a few rare dragon fishes swam lazily within.
Carter Josh, represented as [2-Beta], stood there.
He was tall and had a slender body. His back was turned to the door, and in his right hand was a wine glass half-filled with white wine. His other hand rested behind him, as he silently observed the fish swimming in the artificial pond.
Rino paused by the doorway.
"Sir," he announced with a bow of his head.
Carter Josh didn't turn.
"You're late," Josh said softly, as though speaking to the pond.
"I apologize," Rino replied, stepping into the room, leaving the door for Madling to close behind him after he entered.
A full thirty seconds passed before the new Chairman finally turned to face him. His face was carved from the same mold as his late father's. Rino could tell from the display he had seen on the projector inside the hall. High cheekbones, piercing black eyes, thin lips that always curled, presenting a faint amusement.
Their only difference in facial looks was that his late father's was not pale, and rounded like that of Josh.
He walked away from the pond, setting the wine glass on a marble side-table, and approached a wardrobe at the far end of the room.
As he opened it and reached for a dark grey suit, he said, "So, tell me, Rino Ikenna, what do you think?"
Rino Ikenna, as was his official and full name, was what Josh preferred to address him as, instead of the Rino, every other person preferred to call him. Maybe that was his way to show that others didn't deserve to address Rino by the same name as he does.
"Yes, sir," Rino answered. "I don't seem to get the direction of the question."
Carter Josh hummed approvingly.
"I see." And after a brief pause, Carter Josh continued. "Do you also think a duck can play with the cat and go scot-free? What do you think, Rino?"
Rino tilted his head to meet Madling's gaze, which exuded surprise, before returning them back to Josh's direction.
"Sir, I think the probability of the duck going scot-free is high," Rino answered.
"So, you also think the same. Why?!" Carter Josh shouted, his voice sending goosebumps to play on Rino's and Madling's skins. "Why, Rino?"
"Uhm, because the duck won't have played with the cat in the first place if it didn't approve of it," Rino replied.
"And what if the cat had used this acceptance as a deceitful technique to get the duck?" Josh asked again.
"The duck is wise, sir," Rino concluded.
Josh calmed his reaction now and gave a small, weird smile.
He slipped into the suit with a dancer's elegance, brushing the lapel lightly, then turning back to face Rino, his eyes now sharper.
"Plans changed."
Rino remained silent.
"You won't be driving me to the celebration again," Josh said.
"But sir, your presence is needed in the hall. And we are already behind schedule," Rino complained.
"I didn't say I won't be attending. I meant that I have another task for you. Since you have him with you, he should drive me to the ceremony, while you carry on the other," Josh explained.
"As you wish, sir."
Josh folded his arms, leaning against the table now. He signaled Madling to make a chance for the two people remaining in the room, and as soon as he did, Josh stood upright.
"You'll go to the Omega Branch Bank and withdraw all the money left in it. I need the money ready tonight," Josh ordered.
"How much is the withdrawal, sir?"
"The entire regional holding for Carter Group," Josh replied smoothly.
Rino's lips parted slightly. That was... huge.
"That's $240 million, Sir," Rino muttered, just loud enough for the room to hear.
Josh nodded.
"You will go with clearance codes, an identity seal, and a biometric pass. Everything has been prepared. This operation must be swift, confidential, and smooth."
Rino nodded.
"And, Rino..."
"Yes, sir?"
"You're now a Senior Finance Manager," Josh said. "This task will decide how deep your loyalty truly runs."
Rino straightened his posture.
"I will not fail, sir."
Josh smirked, tossing a small silver envelope from his coat pocket. Rino caught it midair. Inside were two items: a platinum fingerprint chip and a black business card engraved with golden lines in the shape of a fingerprint. At the bottom was one phrase: "Carter Blood Approves."
That was the highest level of security clearance.
Josh walked past him, gently patting his shoulder once.
"You know what to do. The world doesn't reward questions. Only obedience," Josh smiled. "Go get the funds, Rino Ikenna."
Rino followed behind, but this time his mind raced. Carrying an amount as much as $240 million in cash was something of high risk. And the Chairman didn't even bother to place some guards with him.
Maybe because it should be confidential, just as the Chairman had said. Or, does it mean something else, sharing this high kind of secret with the Chairman of Carter Group?
He didn't let the thought linger further in his mind, he simply let them off as they exited the mansion.
On their way out, the maids were still lined in place as though frozen in time. Josh nodded to them once before disappearing out of sight.
As soon as Carter Josh left the mansion, the maids seemed to be free of a chain that had bound them for a long time. They motioned to whatever their businesses of the day were, and Rino only nodded his head in pity as he left through the door.
Poor things.
As he alighted into the car, alone now, the words Carter Josh used kept playing, and replaying in his mind:
This task will decide how deep your loyalty truly runs.