Marco once confessed to regretting something he had said ten years ago during his final meeting with William's maternal grandfather, Henry Devonshire. He had mocked Henry to his face, accusing him of being heartless for leaving only a small house to his daughter and grandson while donating the rest of his fortune to charity.
Looking back now, Marco believed he was the one who should have been ridiculed. William, who had endured hardships growing up, had amassed a fortune in just a single year—double what Marco had accumulated over decades. Meanwhile, Marco's son, who had lived a life of luxury, turned out to be not only a failure but also someone who constantly relied on his father for money. There was even a real possibility that the Cannes family name might vanish within a generation.
The other beneficiaries of Marco's estate had similarly been corrupted by the prospect of inheriting vast wealth. They had become idle, waiting for the family patriarch to pass so they could inherit his fortune and enjoy a life of comfort.
After reading this confession, William briefly considered Marco's theory about Henry but shook his head. While Marco's assumption might hold some truth, the more plausible explanation was that Henry Devonshire had deeper motives. By withholding the inheritance, Henry likely wanted not only to toughen up William and his mother, Lena, but also to reassure opportunists. A penniless widow and her son posed no threat to anyone's ambitions.
However, as William read further, a suspicion began to form in his mind. For Marco to articulate such thoughts, it suggested the old man wasn't as senile as he appeared. There was another issue that William found perplexing. Marco was a Frenchman, and at over 70 years old, he would certainly have been aware of French inheritance laws. Those laws made it impossible for him to leave all his wealth to his new wife, even if he had wanted to.
In France, inheritance laws were specifically designed to prevent foolish individuals from leaving their entire estate to mistresses or much-younger second wives. Legally, half of Marco's wealth had to go to his wife, and the remaining half would be divided equally among his children, with even adopted children having legal rights to a share.
Given this context, William considered Marco's actions in a new light. Perhaps Marco had deliberately threatened to disinherit his descendants in an attempt to motivate them. If so, his goal may have been to spur them into building their own lives rather than becoming dependent on their inheritance.
Or—and this thought sent a chill down William's spine—Marco might have had an illegitimate child, someone he deeply favored. It was possible that Marco's real intention was to let his legitimate descendants tear each other apart while ensuring that his favored illegitimate child inherited everything.
"F***," William muttered as he shivered. If that were true, then...
Walking out onto the balcony of his suite, William gazed silently at the distant sea and the nearby golf course. After a long pause, he listened to the findings that Sunday had gathered and then instructed the hotel butler to invite Charles Cavendish to the Grand Casino Hotel. Carrying a stack of printed documents, William changed into a full set of golf attire and headed toward the golf course.
Charles, who had been feeling nervous after Marco and Toby's deaths, breathed a sigh of relief upon learning from the butler that William had personally arrived in Monte Carlo. Soon after, he made his way to the Grand Casino Hotel and rode a golf cart to the course.
From a distance, Charles saw William in casual attire, wearing a golf cap and chatting cheerfully with a beautiful coach. The woman, dressed in a long-sleeved jacket and a short skirt, was teaching William the finer points of swinging a golf club.
The butler, wearing formal attire and leather shoes, stopped at the edge of the course and politely said to Charles, "My apologies, Mr. Cavendish, but I cannot accompany you further."
"Thank you," Charles replied, understanding the butler's predicament. Adjusting his hat, he returned the bow and continued on foot.
Before Charles could get too close, William, who had been taking the opportunity to flirt with the coach while learning to swing, noticed him approaching. He stopped what he was doing, put down his club, and turned to face Charles.
Seeing that William had noticed him, Charles waved enthusiastically. "Good morning, William."
"Good morning," William replied, then walked over to a caddie. After nodding to the caddie, he smiled at Charles and said, "I hear you're pretty good at golf. Want to give it a try?"
Charles thanked him politely, accepted the club handed to him by the caddie, and confidently stepped into the spot William had vacated. After a brief adjustment, Charles swung his club, sending the golf ball soaring down the course. The ball flew straight toward the green, landing just shy of it moments later.
"Great shot," William said with a grin. "It seems the rumors about your love for sports are true."
Charles, who had felt good about the swing from the moment he hit the ball, was pleasantly surprised that it had landed so close to the green. Laughing heartily, he said, "Looks like I'm having a bit of luck today."
"Luck indeed," William replied, nodding. Before Charles could savor the compliment, William gestured for the caddie and the coach to step away. With a faint smile, he continued, "If you were the first in line to inherit, Marco's death yesterday would have been followed by your own trip to meet God. Instead, it was your cousin Toby. So yes, you're quite lucky."
Charles rolled his eyes, ignoring William's sardonic remark. "So, you know everything?"
William nodded, placing a golf tee into the ground and setting a ball on top. Following Sunday's instructions, he visualized the correct swing in his mind and took a shot. As he watched the ball veer off course, he handed the club back to the caddie and began walking toward the green with Charles.
"I have a few questions for you," William said.
"Ask away," Charles replied, walking half a step behind him.
"I read in the French police's report that just before Marco was killed, the yacht's main hall suddenly went dark. The killer used that moment to stab Marco with the Cannes family's heirloom dagger. Is that correct?"
Having been present at the crime scene, Charles immediately confirmed, "That's right. Marco was about to sign a new will, leaving everything to Susie. Just as he was about to put pen to paper, the yacht's power suddenly went out. When the lights came back on, Marco was on the ground with the gem-encrusted Cannes dagger in his chest."
"Do you think a $21 million yacht wouldn't undergo pre-sailing maintenance?"
Charles' expression darkened. He had already considered this point. It was too convenient for the power to go out at that exact moment. The killer had to have had an accomplice on board.
William continued with a smirk, "For example, I know that the Riva 50 yacht I gave my girlfriend, Ambrosio, is checked and maintained every time it sails or docks, to prevent—"
"I get it," Charles interrupted, cutting off William's explanation. The yacht crew and staff were certainly suspects, but those who had left the main hall just before the murder were even more suspicious. "So you're saying Grace Ballard is one of the culprits?"
"What do you think?" William responded, signaling the caddie to approach. The caddie quickly retrieved a folder from the golf bag and handed it to William, who passed it to Charles before motioning for the caddie to step back.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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