London, England. Inside an ancient castle estate.
Alexander sat alone in his study, his face clouded as he flipped through a stack of documents.
The man who had "committed suicide" was named Aide—a senior executive at the bank, directly involved in formulating their investment plan. By protocol, he should have only had access to a portion of the strategy. But somehow, the entire plan had been leaked… and it had come from his hands.
Something didn't add up.
Even more troubling, there was no clear evidence Aide had any history of mental illness or suicidal tendencies. He was in good health, financially stable, and came from a complete family. He had no obvious motive to take his own life.
Yet now, he was dead.
Whether the leak happened after he died—or whether he was murdered and the leak was staged as suicide—Alexander didn't know. Even after hiring the best private investigators to comb through the case, the official conclusion remained: suicide.
Alexander hadn't held his current position at the bank for long, and now such a massive scandal had occurred under his watch. It was a blow not just to his credibility—but to the very foundation of the Roche family's reputation.
Every family had its struggles. Even with their ancestral doctrine discouraging internal conflict, a powerful family like the Roches was bound to have tensions.
The banking division was the family's crown jewel.
The profits from their wineries, jewelry businesses, and art holdings all flowed into the banking group for reinvestment. Whoever controlled the bank… controlled the Roche family.
And plenty of people had their eyes on Alexander's position.
Saskia, his cousin, had inherited the winery business—including the famous Lafite vineyards. Though the Roche family traditionally passed down businesses through the male line, recent generations had relaxed that rule. Saskia, as the first female head of a branch division, clearly had the capability to justify her exception.
Then there was James—another cousin, married to a daughter of the powerful Hilton family. His network and influence, especially in the United States, made him a formidable contender.
And they weren't the only ones. Several uncles and more distant cousins controlled other branches of the Roche empire and were quietly jockeying for influence.
If Alexander didn't handle this crisis well, the family would begin questioning his leadership. And once that started, everything could snowball.
As he pondered his next move, a gray-haired, tuxedoed butler entered the study. Despite his age, the man moved with practiced elegance. He gently set a file on Alexander's desk.
"Young master, here's the latest report you requested. I thoroughly reviewed Mr. Aide's recent activities. He had no suspicious contacts, no behavioral anomalies, and nothing irregular in his phone records. There's no indication that he intended to commit suicide."
Alexander nodded silently as he accepted the file. The butler's findings only confirmed what he already suspected.
Another issue now loomed.
Following their recent acquisition of a telecom operator, the Roche Group had exhausted much of its liquid capital. The Marching Ant Company had agreed to collaborate on mobile phones, but declined to get involved in telecom operations.
If the investment plan hadn't leaked, they could have proceeded normally. But now that they were under siege, several deals had either been shelved or canceled outright.
"What's the latest within the family?" Alexander asked, breaking the silence.
"Not much outward movement for now, but there's plenty of noise from the outside. A rumor has started circulating: if this crisis isn't resolved soon, the family might replace you as head of the bank."
The butler paused before continuing.
"Some of the elders are growing restless. They haven't acted openly yet, likely because your father is holding them back. But they expect you to produce results—soon. And frankly, many of them disapproved of the cooperation with the Marching Ants from the beginning."
"What about my father?"
"The patriarch hasn't made a statement. He hasn't endorsed your deal with the Marching Ants—but he hasn't opposed it, either. Same with the investment plan leak. No public comment."
"I see," Alexander murmured.
The butler hesitated. Despite the age gap between them, he had served Alexander since childhood and remained one of the few people in the household Alexander trusted.
Still, he had a duty to speak up.
"Young master… the family is facing turbulence. Some of it stems from our partnership with the Marching Ants. Altice and Orange have publicly opposed us. Behind the scenes, Apple, Pioneer Group, and others are applying pressure.
"There are powerful forces arrayed against us. If you were to formally terminate the cooperation, perhaps it would alleviate some of that pressure."
Alexander sat in silence for a moment, then looked up.
"No. That won't happen."
His voice was calm, but firm—unquestionable.
"The partnership with the Marching Ants won't just continue—it will deepen."
The butler opened his mouth to speak again, then closed it. He understood. Alexander had made up his mind.
The Roche family had lost the U.S. market years ago, leading to their slow decline. In recent years, with China's meteoric rise, they'd begun shifting focus to Asia. Chinese investments had become a new lifeline.
Their ownership of Château Lafite dated back over 150 years. Yet for most of that time, it had been a symbolic asset—barely profitable.
That changed only recently, thanks to China's booming consumer market. Chinese demand for premium wine had turned the family's once-dormant vineyard into a cash cow. The winery's rising profits had elevated its status within the family.
Alexander understood this deeply.
China wasn't just a market. It was a revival.
And among China's new giants, the Marching Ant Company stood out. Chen Mo's enterprise had grown into a force of nature, with limitless potential. That was why, despite intense pressure, Alexander had chosen to collaborate with them.
No one else dared to bet on this new titan. He would be the first.
After meeting Chen Mo in person, Alexander's confidence had only grown. The young man was composed, confident, and sharp. Even Alexander had to admit a sliver of admiration.
He didn't believe he had misjudged him.
If this gamble succeeded, Alexander would go down in family history as the visionary who revived the Roche legacy.
If it failed, he would be remembered as the one who brought shame to the family name.
But business was like war.
The timid starved. The bold thrived.
And in this moment of chaos, chasing ghosts and uncovering the truth behind Aide's death wouldn't recover their losses. It was better to spend his time building something new.
"Make arrangements," Alexander said suddenly. "I'm returning to China tomorrow."
The butler's expression changed. "Young master, wouldn't another visit bring more trouble right now?"
"More trouble than the full exposure of our investment plan?" Alexander asked calmly, eyes narrowing.
The butler fell silent.
There was no answer.