The Carter Group headquarters towered over the city like a monument of power.
Lucas stood outside the massive glass building and tilted his head back to look at it.
"…That's ridiculous."
The skyscraper stretched high into the clouds, its sleek steel and glass design reflecting the bright afternoon sunlight.
Back in his original world, Lucas had seen tall buildings before.
But this one felt different.
This building wasn't just big.
It represented something much larger.
Money.
Power.
Influence.
The Carter Group was one of the most powerful corporations in the entire country.
And according to the original novel, it would one day belong to Adrian Carter.
Lucas shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat.
"Well," he muttered quietly, "enjoy it when you get it."
He had no interest in fighting for the company.
Just surviving this story was enough for him.
A black luxury car pulled up beside the entrance.
Victor Carter stepped out first.
His presence immediately drew attention from the employees entering the building.
People greeted him respectfully as he walked forward.
"Chairman Carter."
"Good afternoon, sir."
Lucas followed behind him.
The moment the employees noticed him, they greeted him as well.
"Young Master."
Lucas nodded casually.
He tried to act natural, though the attention still felt strange.
Being the heir of a billionaire empire definitely had its perks.
Inside the building, the lobby was enormous.
Polished marble floors stretched across the room, and a massive chandelier hung from the high ceiling.
Several receptionists sat behind a sleek desk.
The Carter Group logo decorated the far wall in elegant silver letters.
Victor didn't stop walking.
"Come with me."
Lucas followed him toward the private elevator.
Once the doors closed, the elevator began moving upward smoothly.
Lucas glanced at the control panel.
They were heading to the top floor.
Of course.
That was where the chairman's office and executive meeting rooms were located.
Victor stood silently beside him.
After a moment, he spoke.
"You will begin learning how the company operates."
Lucas nodded.
"Alright."
Victor glanced at him briefly.
"You seem unusually cooperative today."
Lucas forced a relaxed smile.
"Maybe I'm maturing."
Victor didn't respond, but Lucas noticed the faintest hint of surprise in his eyes.
In the original story, Lucas Carter hated coming to the company.
He thought business was boring.
Which was one of the reasons Victor eventually lost confidence in him.
The elevator doors opened.
They stepped out into a quiet hallway lined with glass offices.
Employees sitting at desks immediately stood when they saw Victor.
"Chairman Carter."
Victor acknowledged them with a slight nod and continued walking.
Lucas followed him into a large office.
The room was breathtaking.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city.
A massive desk sat in the center, surrounded by bookshelves and elegant furniture.
Victor took his seat behind the desk.
"Sit."
Lucas sat across from him.
Victor opened a folder.
"For now, you will observe."
Lucas leaned back slightly.
"Observe what?"
"Meetings. Reports. Negotiations."
Lucas sighed internally.
This sounded extremely boring.
But he kept his expression neutral.
Victor continued.
"The Carter Group operates in multiple industries."
Technology.
Finance.
Real estate.
Entertainment.
The list went on.
Lucas listened quietly.
Even though he didn't plan to run the company in the future, understanding it might still be useful.
After about twenty minutes, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," Victor said.
The door opened.
An assistant stepped inside.
"Chairman Carter, the board meeting will begin shortly."
Victor stood.
Lucas also stood.
"Follow me."
The boardroom was even larger than the office.
A long table stretched across the center of the room, surrounded by several powerful executives.
When Victor entered, the conversation stopped immediately.
Everyone stood.
"Chairman."
Lucas walked in behind him.
Some of the executives glanced at him curiously.
Of course they would.
The notorious young master of the Carter family rarely attended meetings.
Victor took the seat at the head of the table.
Lucas sat beside him.
The meeting began.
For the next hour, the executives discussed company projects, financial reports, and upcoming investments.
Lucas tried to pay attention.
But honestly…
It was difficult.
Most of the discussion involved complicated numbers and strategies.
Still, he noticed something interesting.
Victor Carter controlled the entire room effortlessly.
Every decision he made carried weight.
Every word commanded respect.
Lucas suddenly understood why the Carter family was so powerful.
This man built the empire himself.
Then the door opened again.
Lucas glanced up casually.
And immediately froze.
Adrian Carter stepped into the room.
He wore a dark suit today.
The simple outfit somehow made him look even sharper.
More mature.
More intimidating.
The moment he entered, several executives looked surprised.
Victor glanced toward him.
"You're here."
Adrian nodded slightly.
"I came to observe."
Lucas almost groaned.
Of course he did.
Adrian's gaze briefly shifted toward him.
Their eyes met for a moment.
Lucas quickly looked away.
The meeting continued.
But now Lucas felt even more uncomfortable.
He could sense Adrian occasionally watching him.
It was subtle.
But Lucas noticed.
Eventually the meeting ended.
The executives slowly left the room.
Victor remained seated, reviewing some documents.
Lucas stood up.
"I'll go explore the building."
Victor didn't object.
"Stay out of trouble."
Lucas smiled lightly.
"I always do."
Victor didn't look convinced.
Lucas stepped out of the boardroom.
The hallway was quiet.
He walked toward the windows and looked out at the city.
The view was incredible.
The entire skyline stretched across the horizon.
"…Not bad," he murmured.
A voice suddenly spoke behind him.
"You don't seem interested in the meeting."
Lucas jumped slightly.
He turned around.
Adrian stood a few steps away.
Of course it was him.
Lucas sighed.
"Were you following me?"
Adrian looked calm.
"No."
Lucas crossed his arms.
"So what do you want?"
Adrian studied him carefully.
"You're different today."
Lucas resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"Again with that?"
Adrian nodded slightly.
"You didn't interrupt the meeting."
"So?"
"You usually would."
Lucas shrugged.
"Maybe I'm learning."
Adrian stepped closer.
His gaze was sharp.
"Or maybe something changed."
Lucas felt the tension building between them.
Adrian was clearly suspicious.
Which made sense.
The original villain heir's personality had completely changed.
Lucas forced a relaxed expression.
"Look, Adrian."
Adrian's eyebrows lifted slightly.
Lucas continued.
"I'm not interested in fighting with you anymore."
Adrian didn't respond immediately.
Lucas sighed.
"You're smart. You know that."
"So I'm done wasting time trying to compete."
Adrian watched him silently.
Lucas added casually,
"If you want the company in the future, you can have it."
The words came out easily.
To Lucas, it was the truth.
He didn't care about the Carter Group.
But Adrian's reaction was unexpected.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're giving up?"
Lucas shrugged.
"I was never that interested anyway."
Silence filled the hallway.
Adrian stared at him for several seconds.
Lucas began to feel uncomfortable.
Finally Adrian spoke.
"You're lying."
Lucas blinked.
"What?"
Adrian stepped closer.
Their distance was now very small.
His voice lowered slightly.
"You hated losing to me."
Lucas sighed.
"That was before."
Adrian studied him again.
Lucas could practically see the calculations happening in his mind.
Then Adrian asked quietly,
"What happened to you?"
Lucas felt his heart skip.
For a moment…
He almost thought Adrian could see through him.
Of course that was impossible.
Right?
Lucas forced a small laugh.
"Nothing happened."
Adrian didn't look convinced.
But after a moment, he stepped back.
"Fine."
Lucas relaxed slightly.
Adrian turned toward the elevator.
But before entering, he said one more thing.
"Even if you give up…"
He glanced back.
"…I won't."
Lucas frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Adrian didn't answer.
The elevator doors closed.
Leaving Lucas alone in the hallway again.
Lucas ran a hand through his hair.
"…What is that supposed to mean?"
For someone who planned to avoid the protagonist…
He was somehow interacting with Adrian far more than expected.
Lucas looked out the window again.
The city stretched endlessly below.
Somewhere in this massive empire…
The future of the Carter family was slowly unfolding.
And Lucas was right in the center of it.
Whether he liked it or not.
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