Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet

"My words are never wrong," William said as he stood, gently patting Lara's smooth cheek. "Here's some advice: not looking for your father would be best for both of you."

Lara was about to brush his hand away, but his words stopped her. She urgently asked, "What do you mean?" A hopeful realization dawned on her, "You know my father is still alive, don't you?"

William hadn't planned to tell Lara that he knew Richard Croft was alive. However, while they'd been talking, Sunday had sent over a dossier on Anna Miller. One look at her photo, and William's memory clicked. He recalled exactly who Anna Miller was—she was certainly affiliated with Trinity, and there was a strong possibility that Richard Croft was as well, perhaps even holding a significant position within the organization.

Trinity: an organization that split from the Knights Templar centuries ago, with historic ties even to the Priory of Sion.

William didn't respond to Lara's expectant gaze. Telling her that her father was alive would give her the motivation she needed to commit to her training; without that hope, Lara might lack the resolve to endure the demanding regimen of the Kingsman Academy.

"I prefer girls with lighter skin," he teased, smiling as he began to walk away. "See you tomorrow, Miss Croft. Let's hope you can survive the training."

"Jerk! William Devonshire, you're a complete jerk!" Lara shouted after him, her concerns about her father forgotten for a moment as she fumed at his remark.

"Whoa, did you just turn her down?" Wilson asked with a raised eyebrow as William approached him. "Why? She's one of the rare, eligible beauties among the nobility. If I hadn't known she'd be too hard to handle, I would've tried my luck with her the first time I met her two years ago."

"Ha, 'try your luck with her'?" William scoffed. He could tell Wilson wasn't entirely serious. "More likely, you tried and she smacked you down. Am I right? Otherwise, how would you know you couldn't handle her?"

"Hell no, I didn't get beaten by anyone," Wilson glared at him, though his expression showed that William had hit close to the truth.

"Well, alright, maybe I thought about it," Wilson admitted. "But when I saw her break a nobleman's nose on the boxing ring after he wouldn't leave her alone, I thought better of it. Besides, her father's been missing for years, and the noble council agreed that if she signs the papers declaring him officially missing, she could inherit the title and the Croft family fortune."

"But she refuses to sign those papers and prefers to work odd jobs instead. We respect her for it, sure, but honestly, most of us think it's a bit foolish. If it were me, I'd claim the title and wealth first. Then, with money in hand, I could hire people to find him. She's only making things harder on herself and delaying the search."

William considered this and found it made sense. The Croft family was among the wealthiest in England's aristocracy. With access to that kind of money, hiring people to search was a no-brainer.

"Maybe she's not foolish at all," he said with a grin. "More likely, someone has misled her, keeping her trapped in grief."

"Misled?" Wilson's brow furrowed. "You think someone is trying to get their hands on the Croft fortune?"

"Who knows?" William shrugged, his gaze narrowing. "But if this were a simple matter, someone would have told her by now. And considering that all her family's assets are in a trust, who stands to benefit if no one takes over?"

"Damn it, we might need to investigate this," Wilson muttered. "The Croft family has always been one of the strongest supporters of the nobility, and they've had a good relationship with our family. Nobles despise outsiders scheming to take our wealth."

"Fine by me. Leave it to the council," William agreed, pleased. Letting the noble council investigate Trinity would be far more convenient than getting involved himself.

"Alright. I'll bring this up with the council," Wilson said, nodding. "By the way, what did she want from you?"

"What else?" William smirked.

"To find Richard Croft?" Wilson understood immediately. "I sympathize with the Crofts, but, man, that's a tricky job."

"One hundred million dollars to find one man. What do you think?" William replied with a laugh.

"A hundred million?" Wilson shook his head, staring at his drink in amazement. "If someone offered me that, I'd accept too. With that kind of money, he could've been found ages ago. I don't know what her family's trustees are doing."

"Not every servant is truly loyal, my friend," William remarked, casting a knowing glance at Wilson. "Keep in mind that Lara was only eleven years old when her father disappeared."

After a camping picnic, the two of them flew back to London. The next morning, William gently freed himself from Abigail's embrace, kissed her cheek, and got ready for the day. Dressed casually and with a mask on, he rode his Ducati to the school Lara attended.

With Sunday's guidance, William soon found himself at the somewhat run-down boxing gym on campus.

Walking in, he didn't even give the receptionist a chance to ask questions before placing a crisp one-hundred-pound note on the counter. "Mind if I look around?"

"Of course not." The receptionist discreetly pocketed the bill, flashing him a welcoming smile.

Inside the gym, he spotted Lara in the center, sparring with another girl while a balding, heavyset man barked instructions at her from the sidelines.

William stayed back, sitting on a bench and watching as Lara struggled. Within minutes, her opponent managed to lock her in a chokehold, forcing Lara to tap out in surrender.

Clapping broke the silence, and the three people in the gym turned toward him.

The older coach frowned at William. "Who are you, and who let you in?"

William tossed him a roll of cash. "The person up front let me in. Any problem?"

The coach looked at the bundle, estimating it to be at least five or six hundred pounds. He grinned, shaking his head. "Not at all. Kid, you here to learn boxing? Well, you've come to the right place. I won the England title ten years ago. If you want a solid foundation, I'm your man."

Ignoring the coach's rambling, William approached the ring and called out to Lara, "How does it feel to get taken down?"

Already irritated by her loss, Lara shouted back, "Screw you! Get in here and fight me yourself—I'll have you down in one round!"

"I'm not interested in sparring with a rookie. Let's go, Miss Croft. Your hellish training awaits."

Lara's eyes sparkled as she pretended to nod obediently. Raising her gloved hands, she said, "Just give me a minute."

[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]