Chapter 2 Gift From Silas

• Jaziel looked at the men in black, all lined up and bowing in perfect unison, feeling a mix of confusion and disbelief. Mr. Jaziel? I come from a lineage of eight generations of poor farmers. When did I become so esteemed? Could they be mistaking me for someone else?
• Just then, the middle-aged man who had been leading the group straightened from his bow and approached Jaziel with purpose.
• “My name is Sean. I was sent by Mr. Nalitch to welcome you,” the man said with a polite nod.
• “Mr. Nalitch? Silas?” Jaziel's eyes widened in surprise.
• Silas was the one who had passed on his combat skills to Jaziel, and he knew that Silas' surname was Nalitch.
• “Yes, Mr. Jaziel. Please, get in the car. We can discuss the details on the way.”
• “All right.”
• Since it was Silas' arrangement, Jaziel naturally followed along, though doubts lingered in his mind. Just who is Silas, really?
• He settled into the car, and the entire convoy executed a precise U-turn before driving off into the distance.
• Meanwhile, Selina, having just finished her official duties, emerged from the prison. As she observed the departing convoy, a glint of admiration crossed her face. “Who is this big shot leaving prison today? What a grand spectacle,” she mused.
• With her professional acumen, Selina quickly recognized that these cars had been equipped with the most advanced military modifications, comparable to the exclusive vehicles of high-ranking military officials.
• Inside the car, Jaziel settled into the back seat while Sean took the front passenger seat. Turning around, Sean addressed Jaziel with deep respect. “Mr. Nalitch is aware that you're returning to Cadrexia, so he made all the necessary arrangements. He instructed us to remain on standby, ready to follow any of your commands.”
• “Where's Silas? I want to see him,” Jaziel said.
• Sean shook his head. “Mr. Nalitch is tied up with some important matters. He will come to meet you as soon as he's available. In the meantime, he asked me to give you this.”
• Sean handed Jaziel a photograph. The image featured a beautiful young woman, and the address on the back was familiar. This was indeed his ex-girlfriend, about whom he had heard—she had married her abuser.
• A fleeting smile of self-mockery appeared on Jaziel's lips as he crumpled the photograph in his hand, his emotions churning.
• The car traveled for an hour, and upon reaching Cadrexia, Sean led Jaziel to the base of a towering building.
• “This is Dominion Group,” Sean announced with a touch of pride. “Mr. Nalitch has invested two hundred billion into it as a gift specifically for you. It's now officially under your name.”
• “Silas sure is wealthy,” Jaziel remarked, taken aback.
• Following Sean, he ascended to the top floor of the building. The executives of Dominion Group had been waiting, and their surprise was palpable when they saw Jaziel walking ahead of Sean. While Jaziel's identity was unmistakable, the executives were taken aback by how young the new boss appeared.
• Moments later, the influential figures who held significant sway within the company approached one by one to shake hands with Jaziel.
• Jaziel noticed a woman with golden curly hair, not particularly old, standing among them.
• Sean introduced her, “This is Heather, the CEO of Dominion Group.”
• “Hello, Boss,” Heather Gellert said with a warm smile, extending her delicate hand. Her charm was undeniable, and even Jaziel found himself momentarily mesmerized by her presence.
• Jaziel took Heather's hand and, guided by her, gained a basic understanding of Dominion Group's primary operations. After a brief overview, he stood up and prepared to leave.
• In reality, even without Silas' lavish gifts, Jaziel was already quite wealthy. During his time in prison, he had learned about stock market strategies from various financial tycoons and had accumulated tens of millions through his investments.
• Right then, Sean handed him a gift box. “Mr. Jaziel, this is the Earl Grey tea you requested. It's the finest quality,” he said with assurance.
• “All right, thanks,” Jaziel said, giving Sean a friendly pat on the shoulder.
• The Earl Grey tea was a gift for his aunt. After the loss of his parents, his Aunt Susannah Lassche was the only family he had left. Over the years, she had been a steadfast presence, visiting him frequently in prison. Now that he was released, his first thought was to express his gratitude to her for her care.
• “Mr. Jaziel, are you sure you don't need me to accompany you?” Sean asked, unable to hide his concern.
• “No need, I'll call you if something comes up,” Jaziel replied, waving his hand dismissively without looking back as he stepped into the elevator.
• Upon reaching the first floor, Jaziel spotted a familiar and charming figure. It was Selina—fate seemed to be at work, bringing them together twice in a single day.
• At that moment, Selina had changed out of her military attire into a sleek black outfit that accentuated her curvaceous figure and enhanced her feminine allure.
• When she saw Jaziel, she was momentarily surprised but quickly masked it with a smile. “Jaziel, what brings you here? Are you here for a job interview? With Dominion Group just established, it's the perfect time to recruit talent. How did it go? Are you satisfied with how things went?”
• Jaziel was briefly taken aback by her question but chose not to elaborate. He simply replied, “It's all right.”
• Noticing Jaziel's reluctance to discuss further, Selina couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Just out of jail and already looking for a job—this classmate of mine certainly has ambition. But who would hire someone recently released from prison?
• A wave of sympathy rose within her. She offered, “The CEO of Dominion Group is a friend of mine. Perhaps I could put in a good word for you?”
• Jaziel politely declined, “No need, thank you for your kindness. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now.”
• With that, Jaziel left without hesitation. He and Selina were from different worlds.
• Selina shook her head. This old classmate of mine still clings to his pride. It's evident he desperately needs this job, yet refuses to accept my help. He doesn't seem to realize that in this ruthless society, his pride is worth little.
• After leaving Dominion Group, Jaziel unfolded the note he had been given. Following the address written on it, he arrived at an upscale residential area.
• His uncle, Timothy Barker, a successful businessman, had been thriving recently and had even upgraded to a new house. This was Jaziel's first visit to the new residence.
• Following the address, he arrived at Block 19 and rang the doorbell.
• “Who is it?” came a woman's voice from inside.
• Hearing the familiar voice, Jaziel felt excited and emotional. After a brief pause, he responded, “Aunt Susannah, it's me, Jaziel.”
• Susannah cried in surprise.
• Jaziel quickly entered the elevator and made his way to the thirteenth floor. As the door opened, he was met with the sight of Susannah, her eyes brimming with tears.
• “You're finally out! Why didn't you tell me? I could have come to pick you up,” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with relief and joy. “Come in, quickly.”
• Susannah welcomed Jaziel into the house, holding onto his arm as if she never wanted to let go.
• Inside the living room, a plump man sat comfortably on the couch. This was Jaziel's uncle, Timothy. With his square face and partially bald head, Timothy carried an air of authority despite his relaxed posture.
• Among Jaziel's relatives, Timothy was known for his capabilities. However, given Jaziel's mischievous nature as a child, Timothy never really liked him.
• Susannah guided Jaziel to the couch and said, “Jaz, take some time to catch up with your uncle. I'll go prepare something for you. Vivian will be back soon. You two used to love playing together when you were kids.”
• Once Susannah was gone, Timothy handed Jaziel an apple and said, “Here you go.”
• Jaziel accepted it with a nod, as if he were an obedient child. “Thanks, Uncle Timothy.”
• Timothy then asked, “What are your plans now that you're out of jail?”
• “Um...” Jaziel hesitated, not having given it much thought yet.
• Timothy frowned in displeasure.
• He had never been particularly fond of this nephew, but he had to admit that Jaziel had shown promise. The young man had always been bright and even managed to gain admission to a prestigious university. Among the younger generation of the Lassche family, Jaziel had been exceptional.
• However, prison had branded him as an ex-convict, and all those years he spent in university seemed to have been for nothing. Now that he was finally released, Jaziel appeared directionless and had yet to make any plans for the future. Timothy was disappointed, feeling that the time Jaziel spent behind bars had left him reduced to a shell of his former self.
• In the kitchen, Susannah chimed in, “Jaz just got out; how would he know what to do? Isn't your company hiring? Maybe he could join your team.”
• Timothy frowned instantly. “My company has specific hiring requirements, and Jaziel's field of study isn't relevant to our industry.”
• Truthfully, Timothy was reluctant to consider bringing Jaziel into his company. Jaziel had been stubborn since young, and Timothy wasn't keen on inviting trouble by bringing Jaziel in.
• “I've heard that driving for ride-hailing services can be quite profitable these days. Why not consider renting a car and becoming a driver?” Timothy suggested.
• Jaziel chuckled softly. “No need.”
• Timothy snorted in disapproval. “You've been through prison, yet you still refuse to humble yourself and work from the bottom. Do you still see yourself as a university graduate from a prestigious institution?”