Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet

After a few seconds of silence, Lara Croft glanced at William, then subtly shifted her gaze toward Wilson. 

The implication was clear—Lara wanted to talk to William alone but felt too shy to ask Wilson directly to leave.

Wilson, however, interpreted her hesitant look differently. To his mind, it seemed like the young woman wanted to confess her feelings to William but was too embarrassed to do so in his presence. With a chuckle and a playful look that said, "Lucky you," he addressed Lara politely, "I'll leave you two to talk. I'll go check on the preparations for the outdoor picnic."

Watching Wilson walk away, Lara blushed, embarrassed by the misunderstanding. After a moment, she finally gathered the courage to speak, "I've heard there are very few things you can't accomplish, so could I ask you for a favor, Your Grace?"

"Just call me William," he replied.

Seeing a number of people casting curious glances in their direction, William gestured for Lara to follow him. They walked over to an outdoor seating area and took a seat on a bench.

"I think I know what you need help with," William said, "but before you say anything, can you tell me who suggested you come to me?"

Lara responded without hesitation, "It was Anna Miller, the trustee for the Croft family trust. Is that a problem, Your Gr—uh, William?"

Through his earpiece, William quietly signaled Sunday, who immediately began looking into Anna Miller's background.

"Problem? Maybe," he replied with a chuckle. "But let's leave that aside for now. How many years has it been since your father went missing, and where was he last seen?" The thought of that frightening virus from the movies made William curious.

Seeing his interest in her father's case, Lara contained her excitement and replied quickly, "Six years ago, he stopped to resupply at a port near an island nation, and after that, there was no trace of him. The police there have been searching all this time, but recently they sent me a formal document confirming his status as missing."

With no other options, she continued, "When I saw the media reports about you and heard Anna speak highly of your capabilities, I figured I might as well take a chance when I saw you here." She checked William's expression, relieved to see no sign of annoyance, then added softly, "So... does that mean you'll help me?"

"No, no, I don't owe you any help," William replied with a smile. "Especially when it involves a task that will cost time, effort, and money. If you want my help, it'll start at one hundred million dollars."

"I... I don't have the money right now, but if you help me find my father, I'll pay you one hundred million dollars afterward. Deal?"

"Ha, you mean you want to owe me?" William looked into her eyes, teasing, "You don't think I'm some fool who'll fall for a pretty face, do you?"

Before Lara could retort, he added with a smirk, "Why don't you try harder to charm me? Who knows, maybe I'll be so captivated I'll help you for free."

Unashamedly, he looked at her face and then let his gaze drift to her figure, lingering without restraint.

Already annoyed by William's flirtatious comments, Lara became even angrier at his unfiltered gaze. She glared at him, snapping, "If this weren't a public place, I swear I'd knock you down, you jerk!"

Laughing, William replied, "I don't mean to boast, but even if I stood still, you wouldn't be able to take me down." He glanced at her arms and her stance. "Boxing, right?"

"Hmph! How would you know if you haven't seen me fight?" she challenged. "I've been training in boxing for three years, and except for the pros, no one at my school can beat me."

Amused by her challenge, William felt no inclination to spar with an amateur. He remained seated, quietly considering whether to help her. If her troublesome father was still alive, he was likely on one of those islands. With the Black Hornet drones he had, it wouldn't be too hard to find him—he just needed to put in the time and deploy enough drones to cover the area.

The main appeal, however, lay in the fact that Lara Croft had an almost supernatural luck for finding treasure. With just a little investment, he could gain her gratitude, and perhaps in the future, any treasure-related opportunities could be hers to pursue on his behalf. Her life was bound for adventure, and with her natural skills, she was practically destined to become a top-tier treasure hunter. Partnering with her could mean access to endless discoveries.

Considering the shining treasures that could lie ahead, William felt a twinge of excitement. But looking at the young, relatively inexperienced girl before him, he also felt a bit concerned. In his eyes, Lara was a complete novice, skilled only with a bow and some basic boxing. She wasn't even equipped with her trademark dual pistols.

Perhaps, he thought, he could send her to Kingsman for training. Personally guiding this young countess to become a top-tier treasure hunter and agent might be satisfying.

With a smile, he finally said, "Alright, down to business. I'll keep an eye out. If I manage to find your father, you'll pay me one hundred million dollars, correct?"

"Yes, thank you," Lara replied gratefully. Though it was costly, she appreciated that payment was only due upon her father's safe return.

"Deal, then. And here's some advice. If you're serious about finding your treasure-hunting father, I suggest you work on strengthening your skills. With what you know now, you might be dead long before you find him."

He added, "You don't want your father returning only to find you're gone. You need professional training. If you pass a few tests, maybe I'll even be inclined to take you along someday."

"So... you think my father is still alive?" Lara asked, hope lighting her eyes as she grabbed William's arm. Everyone else had written her father off, but she had never fully accepted it. "You really believe he's still out there?"

"Are you an idiot?" William replied flatly. "I don't know Richard Croft. I've never met the man. How could I possibly know if he's alive?"

He gave her an exasperated look. I'd have to be an idiot to tell you your father's alive, he thought. If I do find him, you'll both be suspicious of how I knew.

Seeing her face fall, William encouraged her, "Look, the Croft family isn't exactly short on money. You can afford to keep searching for him. Until you have solid proof that he's gone, don't give up. Who knows—he may be waiting for you somewhere."

"Thank you, William. I hope you're right," Lara murmured, her expression sinking. "I just worry that if he is alive, he might not be able to hold on much longer."

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]

[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]