The Shadow Tycoon
Copyright© 2026 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 44: The Center of the Storm
Michael shot William a vicious glare. Even a fool would know this was not the time to use force. He turned and left as quickly as he could.
A few minutes later, Mr. Fox entered the room looking puzzled.
After closing the door behind him, he noticed the gifts piled nearby and chuckled.
“I just saw Michael downstairs. He looked pretty angry.”
William nodded and gestured toward the gifts Michael had brought.
“He came to ask for forgiveness. I said no.”
Mr. Fox sighed.
Walking over to a round chair, he sat down and casually picked up a piece of fruit. After taking a bite, he discovered it was surprisingly juicy.
The shops and stands inside the hospital were all hospital-owned businesses.
A great many people depended on them for their livelihood, so nobody dared cut corners. In a way, this was one of the hidden advantages of commercialization, or capitalism itself.
Competition.
People, businesses, and even entire industries that lacked competitiveness would quickly be swept away by the tides of capital.
To avoid becoming the next casualty, everyone did their best to remain competitive.
After swallowing the fruit, Mr. Fox hesitated before speaking.
“Honestly, if this can be settled peacefully, it probably should be.”
He paused.
“If you really drive Michael out, the IRS isn’t going to pretend to be blind and deaf.”
From Mr. Fox’s perspective, William had already achieved what he wanted.
He had beaten Michael.
Michael had come begging for forgiveness.
If both sides compromised a little, the matter could be resolved without anyone looking too bad.
That was how people like Mr. Fox usually operated.
They might pressure law enforcement agencies that threatened them, but they never truly drove the knife all the way in.
The reason was simple.
Their own hands were hardly clean.
If they managed to bring down one official today, another would arrive tomorrow.
So they preferred stopping at the right point.
Everyone staying alive was often the best outcome.
In Mr. Fox’s view, William was pushing things too far.
Far too aggressively.
He spoke meaningfully.
“If you make the IRS lose face, they’ll keep their eyes on you forever.”
The statement was neither entirely right nor entirely wrong.
William turned and looked at him.
“Mr. Fox, even if I stop right now, do you really think this can still be stopped?”
He raised a finger.
“The story has already spread across the Federation. This is far beyond the authority of some small IRS Director in Sabine City.”
“No.”
He shook his finger.
“The people above want to know who embarrassed them. The people below want to recover some of the dignity they’ve lost because of me.”
“Whether I forgive Michael or not, they’ll still be watching.”
“In less than three days they’ll start looking for ways to make trouble for me.”
“If I forgive Michael now, they’ll only conclude that I’m a young man with no connections, no backing, someone weak enough to bully whenever they feel like it.”
He smiled.
“If forgiving him won’t change what’s coming, why should I humiliate myself?”
Then he added:
“Once you’ve decided to act, don’t waste time thinking about escape routes. The more carefully you calculate, the less courage you’ll have.”
Something changed in Mr. Fox’s expression.
After thinking for a while, he nodded.
“You’ve got a point. So what happens next?”
Looking at the situation objectively, nobody had committed any unforgivable mistake.
If anyone had, it was Michael for choosing the wrong target.
Had William not fought back, he would have been the one ruined.
Either Michael would have thrown him into prison and made his life miserable, or someone like Mr. Fox would have quietly arranged an accident for him.
Someone had to fall.
Most successful people did not rise from the ground through their own strength alone.
They climbed atop the bodies of those who failed.
If William’s prediction was correct, the tax authorities would soon begin investigating him.
Other enforcement agencies beyond the tax system might also start probing him.
William wasn’t particularly concerned.
“We’re legitimate businessmen, Mr. Fox.”
Then he smiled.
“Actually, this could be a tremendous opportunity for both you and your business.”
Mr. Fox immediately became more attentive.
He tossed the half-eaten fruit into a trash can and pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the sticky juice from his fingers.
“What do you mean?”
“Sabine City has attracted attention from above.”
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