She Used Me for a Dare… Now I Own Her Mother Chapter 594: Setting the Board

Alex set his glass down, dabbing the corner of his lips with a linen napkin before pushing his chair back.

He glanced at Madison and Emma, an amused smirk lingering on his face from the morning banter.

"Take good care of Victoria when she wakes up," Alex instructed calmly. "Let her rest as long as she needs."

"Understood, Sir," Madison replied with a respectful curtsy, while Emma nodded earnestly, her face still carrying a soft, lingering flush.

Leaving the dining room, Alex headed out to the driveway, took his car, and pulled onto the private road winding through Roland Estate.

The morning air was crisp and clear as the vehicle hummed smoothly toward Viktor’s villa.

The security gates slid open smoothly as his car approached, and Alex pulled up to the main courtyard.

The moment he stepped out, Viktor was already walking down the stone steps to receive him. Dressed in his usual immaculate dark suit, the older man bowed his head with deep, unwavering deference.

"Master Alex," Viktor greeted warmly.

"Viktor," Alex replied, giving him a measured nod as his eyes swept over the quiet grounds. "Where are the others?"

"In the underground training hall," Viktor answered with a faint smile. "Reaching the Apex Realm in a single night is a massive leap. Their vital essence is running wild, so I have them running control drills to adapt to their newfound strength. If they don’t stabilize now, they’ll end up cracking the pavement every time they take a heavy step."

Alex chuckled, nodding in approval. "Good. Let them get used to it."

He paused, his gaze sharpening slightly. "And what about the task I gave you?"

"It’s done," Viktor said immediately. "We dug into Raymond Cole’s situation and gathered detailed files on the three families trying to seize his land. Everything is laid out in the briefing room."

"Lead the way."

They walked inside, leaving the quiet foyer behind as they stepped into the private meeting room. The heavy oak doors clicked shut, sealing in the room’s soundproofing. Viktor moved to the central mahogany table, opening a sleek leather binder and activating the digital projector.

Three distinct crests illuminated the screen.

"As you know, Raymond Cole’s commercial property sits on the most contested border in the district," Viktor began, his voice dropping into a steady, analytical rhythm. "These three families have spent months trying to force his hand, each using different pressure tactics. None of them are willing to let the others claim it."

Alex pulled out a leather chair, sitting back with one leg crossed over the other. "Start with the first."

Viktor tapped the screen, bringing up the crest of a clenched iron fist.

"The Valenti Family," Viktor said. "They are an old martial clan. Their wealth comes primarily from private security contracting, underground combat arenas, and brute enforcement. In terms of sheer martial tradition, they are the most dangerous of the three."

"And their peak combatant?" Alex asked.

"The patriarch, Vincent Valenti. He was once a formidable peak-stage Apex cultivator. However, two years ago, he suffered severe meridian damage from a coordinated ambush. Today, he is practically bedridden, his vital channels slowly collapsing. In fact, they were the original buyers—they were the ones who initially negotiated to purchase Raymond’s land to set up a new headquarters, right before their internal crisis worsened and the other two families stepped in to hijack the deal."

Viktor gestured toward the screen.

?"His daughter, Bianca Valenti, has taken over day-to-day operations. She is an exceptional martial artist at Late Enhanced, but she is struggling to hold their men together against outside pressure. Their weakness is Vincent’s failing health. Their rivals know the old man is fading, and vultures are circling their territory. Bianca is desperate for high-tier restorative medicine to save her father."

?A faint, knowing smile touched Alex’s lips.

?"So force isn’t necessary here. They wanted the land first, but right now, they need a lifeline even more. If we heal Vincent, Bianca will gladly step aside on the property and offer their entire enforcement network on a silver platter out of sheer loyalty and debt."

"Precisely, Sir," Viktor agreed before sliding his finger across the console.

The screen shifted to a crest bearing balanced gold scales over an anchor.

"The second player: The Calder Family," Viktor continued. "Unlike the Valentis, the Calders have very little martial bloodline. Their power is built purely on capital, maritime shipping, gray-market logistics, and warehouse docks. Their strongest enforcer is merely a hired Late Enhanced mercenary."

"What’s their problem, then?"

"A severe liquidity crisis," Viktor explained. "A hostile maritime syndicate from the northern harbor has blockaded their primary shipping routes and frozen several offshore accounts. The family head, Gavin Calder, is an arrogant gambler making reckless blunders to keep up appearances. But the real brain of the family is his younger sister, Sienna Calder. She’s a brilliant financial strategist, but she’s being choked by bad debt and blackmail from their rivals."

Alex rested his chin on his knuckles, his dark eyes gleaming thoughtfully.

"They have the shipping routes and warehouse infrastructure we’ll eventually need for Eclipse Holdings," Alex noted. "How do we handle them?"

"Two strikes, Sir," Viktor replied smoothly. "First, a targeted kinetic strike. We send Damien and Dimitri to eliminate the dock syndicate leaders blackmailing them — a simple task for two Apex operatives. Second, an injection of liquid capital. Once we relieve their debt and clear the docks, Sienna Calder will gladly sign over their logistics division to us for survival."

"Clean. I like it," Alex said. "And the last one?"

Viktor’s expression grew considerably more serious as he brought up the final crest... an ornate silver crest stamped with a municipal seal.

"The third player is a completely different monster," Viktor stated, his tone noticeably heavier. "The Mercer Family. Unlike the other two, they lack nothing. They have immense wealth, deep political roots, and private military muscle that openly rivals the Steele Family in commercial influence and land ownership."

"And their combat strength?" Alex asked.

"Terrifying," Viktor replied. "Their patriarch is a true Peak Apex cultivator. Six months ago, he stepped away from all daily affairs and entered closed-door seclusion to attempt a breakthrough into the Ascension Realm. That leaves the entire family empire divided in his absence."

"A succession clash?"

"Exactly," Viktor said. "With the old monster in seclusion, the family has split between two brothers fighting to claim the mantle before their father emerges. The legitimate son, Julian Mercer, is arrogant and entitled, backed by the traditional council elders and corrupt municipal judges. The other is the bastard son, Dominic Mercer... ruthless, cunning, and backed by the family’s younger, aggressive enforcers."

Viktor gestured to the property file on the screen.

"Raymond Cole’s land isn’t a matter of survival for them like it is for the others. It’s a trophy. A proving ground. Whichever brother manages to force Raymond out and claim that prime district proves to the elders that he has the iron fist needed to lead the Mercer Family."

Alex leaned back in his chair, a cold, sovereign calm settling over his features as the entire chessboard laid itself bare before him.

"The board is simpler than I thought," Alex said evenly. "The Valentis need medicine. The Calders need muscle and capital. And the Mercers need an internal purge."

He looked at Viktor, his eyes flashing with quiet authority.

"We don’t need a bloody three-way war. We offer a cure to the Valentis, crush the blackmailers choking the Calders, and support one of the Mercer brothers. In one stroke, we take Raymond’s land, gain their loyalty, and secure their networks for ourselves."

Viktor bowed his head deeply, a look of profound admiration in his eyes. "A brilliant strategy, Master Alex. Everything can be set in motion whenever you give the word."