BOOK 1: The Heir Series; Choi Seungcheol

43: EBONY

Four years ago . . .

"Don't lose him, Haechan. We need him."

Seungcheol was trying to calm himself down as he listened to Yook Seungjae, his investigator friend whom he asked to investigate about their empire's case, while Seungjae was talking to another agent.

They were currently in the States while all of these things were happening and what they only have now was the phone to communicate with. He can't go home while learning on how to manage the empire. He couldn't leave while his family were worried about their own safety.

He's father was out of fit to do anything. He's too weak to do anything, especially while his mother almost died and someone has to take action to know who's trying to bring them down.

And since he's the eldest, it's part of his responsibility. He could not just sit down and do nothing. He had to do something. Fast.

Seungjae cut of the line. Right now, he's paid agents – best agents – were chasing a witness. They knew that he's on the run. That's why they need to catch him before someone else's could.

He' so nervous. He kept on praying that this time, nothing would go wrong. That what happened to the other witness would not happen again, that someone was there to tell them about everything that was happening in the empire, and directly tell them who that person who wants to bring them down is.

Someone has to pay and he won't allow them to slip off his hands that easily.

He turned to Seungjae who is intently staring at his phone while waiting for another call. "Seungjae." He called him. "We have to catch him before someone kills him. I need that man. He's the only one left who can tell me who's the person behind all of these."

He doesn't want to lose hope again. Their first witness died in his house and it was seen as a suicide act with medicine all over the body saying he overdosed himself then there's the second one, which was also seen as a suicide act due to depression.

Because of those reports, their family name was in vain. People blamed them for those people's deaths.

But he knows that it was that evil criminal psychopath.

But know that they have their last witness, yet he can't be just calm. He was feeling desperate.

"Don't worry, Seungcheol. My men were all there. They know what to do." Seungjae said when he saw him praying silently.

An antagonizing minutes passed by before another call came. He just stared at it feeling like his neck was in a tight rope. It rang a few times before Seungjae answered it. He set it in a loud speaker before putting it down again. They were alone inside Seungjae's office and it's soundproof so it's okay.