Conquering Ladies With My 10x Rebate System
Chapter 69: The Run

Chapter 69: The Run

"Before you start reading too much into that," Sophia added with a soft chuckle, "I should explain. The apartment is in St. Gregory City."

She glanced between the two of them before continuing.

"From the name, you should already guess—it’s practically run by the church. Well, not officially, but it’s one of the cities with the highest number of churches per block. They even call it The City of Holiness. During my... research, I discovered something interesting: beneath the entire city, a massive ancient pentacle is drawn. Practically woven into the land itself. As long as we’re in that city, X can’t reach us. Not easily."

Her voice remained steady, her words convincing.

But Caleb wasn’t fully at ease.

Somewhere deep inside, a small red flag waved. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Sophia was still hiding something.

That she had another game running underneath this one.

He exhaled, pushing the thought aside.

’I guess for now, we play along. We get as much information as we can. We need her for the time being...’

Just as he sank into thought, his phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket.

{Caller ID: Big Bro Jason}

"Hm?" Caleb blinked, slightly caught off guard as he saw the name. Still, he answered the call without much thought.

"Bro, what’s up?" Caleb greeted casually, pressing the phone to his ear.

Jason’s voice came through, slightly distorted by the line but still clear.

"Where are you? Diego De Bonez wants to see you. He says it’s a business offer. Something you’ll definitely want to hear."

Caleb’s brows furrowed.

’Diego? Business?’

That was strange.

Even stranger was the fact that Jason, of all people, hadn’t already snatched the opportunity for himself. It didn’t add up.

’What’s going on here...?’ Caleb thought uneasily, his mind already racing through possibilities.

’Well, I guess I’ll just do i—’

Caleb was still lost in thought when both sisters suddenly snapped to attention.

"Don’t go! X is here," Sophia said sharply, her voice tense and urgent.

-------

Jason held the phone to his ear, standing beside a man clad in an immaculate white suit. The man appeared to be in his early forties, his jet-black hair gleaming under the soft lights of the room. Like everyone else present, he radiated an unmistakable air of luxury—only, his presence was far heavier, far more commanding.

The man lifted a crystal glass of electric-blue wine to his lips, sipping calmly as he waited for the reply from the other end of the line.

"Tell him... I’ll get to him later. I’m a bit busy right now," came Caleb’s voice—clear and blunt.

Before Jason could even respond, the call abruptly ended. The man—Diego—had heard every word.

Jason’s eyes flickered, for a brief moment hollow and empty, but he quickly snapped back to himself. His bright brown eyes returned to normal as he lowered the phone with an irritated scoff.

"He said he doesn’t have the time or the opportunity to do business with you... my silly younger brother," Jason muttered under his breath, annoyance simmering in his voice. ’Why the hell did I even call him?’ he thought, biting back his frustration.

But he didn’t let it show for long. His mind quickly shifted back to the real prize in front of him. The opportunity was still alive—at least in his eyes.

"Sir Diego," Jason began smoothly, "I believe you’d have an even better opportunity if you choose to work with me. I—"

"Never mind, Mr. Jason," Diego interrupted flatly, not even sparing him a glance. "There’s no need to trouble yourself. I’m no longer interested."

Without another word, Diego turned away, heading towards the elevator with an unhurried but confident stride. His gleaming golden Chopard 201-Carat watch caught the soft light, its brilliance reflecting in the sharp silver glint of his eyes.

’I suppose there’s no need to hide anymore. They already know I’m here,’ Diego mused inwardly, his expression unreadable.

Reaching the elevator, he tapped the button for the highest floor—the floor reserved exclusively for the family members. The two guards stationed nearby caught sight of it, but neither said a word. They both turned their gazes away, as though they hadn’t seen a thing.

Diego didn’t spare them a second glance either.

Stepping into the elevator, he casually adjusted his dark sunglasses, slipping them over his eyes. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he tilted his head toward the mirrored interior of the elevator.

"I hope I look good," he murmured softly, amusement lacing his tone.

But when he looked at the mirror—there was nothing.

No reflection. No trace of himself in the glass.

Diego let out a quiet, tired sigh. ’I almost forgot...’ he thought, turning his head away from the empty reflection. For a fleeting moment, a deep sadness flickered across his face. But he quickly buried it, his features hardening into a cold, stoic mask once more.

_______

Meanwhile...

"X?" Caleb muttered, but he didn’t wait for an answer—the realization hit him hard.

Why else would Jason call him when he had the golden opportunity right in front of him? They were brothers, sure, but also rivals—bitter ones—each vying for control over their father’s fortune. There was no logical reason for Jason to hand him such a golden chance.

Unless, of course, the so-called "investment" wasn’t real. Unless it was something that wouldn’t benefit him at all.

But Diego?

A business offer from Diego de Bonez was the kind of deal that could rewrite destinies. The man ruled the agricultural empire—sixty percent of all agricultural goods across the continent were processed and distributed by his company. Diego wasn’t just rich—he was an empire unto himself, standing toe-to-toe with titans like Caleb’s father and even the legendary Eldora.

One deal with Diego could change a man’s life forever—turning a nobody into a billionaire almost overnight.

And yet... Jason was offering it to him? Diego himself showing up at Jane’s burial, specifically asking for him?

No. It didn’t add up.

Caleb’s green eyes narrowed. He could see the pattern now—the pieces locking together.

It was X. No doubt about it.

"We need to leave," Sophia’s voice trembled as she cut in urgently, her face pale. She was already grabbing her things, her body tense.

"We can’t fight them. Not yet... we need to get out of here. Now," she pressed, not even waiting for a reply. Helene was already on her feet too, visibly shaken.

Caleb’s gaze shifted. He caught the subtle signs—the hidden panic behind Sophia’s normally composed eyes... and Helene? She wasn’t even trying to hide it. Beads of sweat dotted her small, delicate face, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

Sophia stepped toward her, gently taking her sister’s hands and looking into her eyes with soft reassurance. "It’s going to be alright," she whispered.

Slowly, Helene’s shaking eased.

Sophia exhaled and turned to Caleb. "You can’t leave using your car. They’ve probably set something up already. And neither can you," she added, flicking her gaze toward Naya.

"My car has an enchantment on it. I just need to activate it. Caleb—can you drive?"

Naya arched a brow. "You don’t need to ask him that," she said confidently. "Just tell us where we’re going."

Her mind flashed back to the night before Julia’s death—the way Caleb had driven like a phantom through hell itself. If anyone could handle this, it was him. She knew that much.

Sophia hesitated for a breath, still wary. "We’re heading to St. George. We need to get there as fast as possible."

Her dark blue eyes locked onto Caleb’s, silently questioning him—was he up to the task?

Caleb’s response came with a smirk and a spark in his eye. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Without wasting another second, he took the lead, the group moving swiftly toward the elevator. He jabbed the button, his heart already thudding in his chest.

A soft mechanical voice chimed back:

{Please wait... Elevator is currently occupied.}

The group tensed immediately.

Caleb’s jaw clenched as the tension thickened. Every instinct screamed at him that whatever was inside that elevator wasn’t friendly.

The countdown had begun.

Caleb turned sharply, and their eyes met—no words needed. They all understood instantly.

Without wasting a breath, they bolted for the stairwell. Just as their feet hit the steps, the soft ding of the elevator echoed behind them, the doors sliding open with a slow metallic hiss.

None of them looked back.

Their steps were swift, barely touching the ground as they raced down the stairs. It was only a two-story building—ordinarily, it would take a full minute to descend. But none of them were ordinary. They moved like shadows, hitting the ground floor in seconds.

The funeral hall was still packed, the crowd dense and oblivious to the danger brewing above. They pushed their way through the sea of black suits and teary eyes.

"Excuse me—sorry—!"

"Pardon us!"

Caleb apologized reflexively as he maneuvered around people, gently but firmly pushing his way forward.

Sophia took the lead, gripping Helene’s hand protectively. "Stay close to me—I’ll get you to the car," she said without slowing down, her voice sharp with urgency.

Naya stayed hot on her heels.

Caleb followed just a step behind them—but then—

"Sir Caleb!" a familiar voice called from behind.