Getting Stronger By Marrying And Investing In Abandoned Villainesses

The managing director stared down at a couple of parchment sheets, turning one face-down, before he looked up at Theo.

”Mr Theolyne Chadwick. It seems you opened your account with us with your father as your proxy. However, he is now listed as deceased.”

Theo nodded.

The MD nodded lightly too. He noticed the change in Theo’s countenance at the question and did not press it, only reading on through the information the bank held.

Then he raised his head and addressed Theo again.

”Mr Theolyne Chadwick. We saw that recently a certain amount of money, one that is not so negligible, was credited into your account. The account was flagged at once, because it had been created with a much lower limit in mind. I suppose neither you nor your father expected such an amount would ever drop into it... I suppose. But that is the thing, Mr Theolyne Chadwick. It seems your father, the proxy, had indeed suspected something like this might happen.”

Theo’s attention sharpened.

”There were some contingencies in place. More like a loan, one made accessible to you precisely because you hold such an amount of money.”

Theo was growing confused, and it was showing on his face.

The MD went on, while Billy stayed behind Theo’s chair and paid close attention.

”In banking, when you reach a certain level of balance history, you move up the tiers of our premium customers. We have clients of far larger wealth who loan money throughout their lives, using their existing money as collateral to avoid being taxed on it. The process is usually secretive and slow. But your father ran the same process for you, and left only the final step for the day you actually received the money.”

Theo’s brows drew into a frown.

’If father set that up to keep me from being taxed on this money, then he knew I was going to come into it. Which most likely means father knew about the... System?’

The conclusion landed and Theo went still, his hands flat on his knees. His father had planned for money no ordinary man could have seen coming, had set the whole thing up years before it arrived. But his father was dead, and there was no way left to ask what exactly the man had known.

The MD studied Theo’s working expression for a moment, and only when the shock in it had settled did he choose to continue — carefully.

”That is one. The second thing we noted, Mr Theolyne Chadwick, is the sender of the money in your account. Or perhaps we should call it... the conversion.”

Theo raised a brow.

”A conversion?”

’A conversion can only mean one thing...’

The MD continued.

”Yes, Mr Theolyne. The money was a conversion from a high floor in the tower. We couldn’t discern the floor, which means it lies above floor fifty. The strangest thing, though, is that the sender’s name is Theolyne Chadwick.”

Theo’s shock was plain on his face.

’Above floor fifty. And the sender was... me?’

The managing director carried on regardless.

”However, it is known that no one in Meteor City, or the wider world, has passed floor fifty of the tower. If such a person existed, we would know of them. But the matters of Heroes are not our concern. We concern ourselves only with your finances, which is why we would like to offer you a Royal tier membership with our bank.”

Theo was silent at first, turning over everything the man had said and weighing each piece of it. Then he met the MD’s eyes and asked.

”What are the advantages and disadvantages of this membership tier?”

’I don’t expect them to be a hundred percent straight with me. Banks are known for their greedy nature. But it has to be favorable, at the very least, to the things I want to do. It is only fair if we use each other.’

The MD smiled pleasantly.

”I will be straight with you, Mr Theolyne. If there is one disadvantage, it is that you would be living on loan for the rest of your life.”

Theo frowned.

When the man saw it, he quickly rerouted himself.

”Oh, of course, that does not mean anything bad, nothing you should worry about. Wealthy people do this all the time. When wealthy people live on loans, it is a very different thing from when poor people do. We are offering you a loan of a higher value than the money in our custody, using that money as collateral.”

The man’s smile stayed in place.

”We will also set you up with a black card for your transactions. The advantage there is that even though your money should not be readily available, with the preparations your father made you can now have ready money to spend without being taxed or questioned.”

Theo studied the man, and asked carefully.

”So if I buy a house, I’m not gonna be questioned?”

The MD smiled and nodded quickly.

”You will not. We will guard your information for you. Right now you are our top one percent of wealthiest customers, because three million dollars in liquid cash is not something we have been afforded to see in a long while. Do you want to buy a house? I can have Billy here start looking into it for you.”

Theo sighed and nodded.

”Yes. I want somewhere remote, too, a four-bedroom place with a good view of the lake from the porch. But right now, can you help me with the black card? There are urgent matters I need to sort.”

The MD smiled heartily again.

”Yes, sir.”

He glanced at Billy, and the latter hurried out of the office, returning a while later with a black envelope that looked as expensive as it was, its wax seal stamped with the bank’s mark. The MD stood to take it, offered it across the desk to Theo, and added:

”Along with all the privileges that come with a black card, your insurance, and that of anyone in your name, has been taken care of as well.”

That one landed differently. Theo sat forward, and it was the first thing all day to actually lift something in him.

”Really?”

The MD nodded.

”Of course. All of it is done. There is one thing, however, that I do want to bring to your attention.”

Theo gave the man a guarded look.

’Here it comes...’

The MD, noting how Theo was watching him, smiled politely.

”Please, it is nothing to worry over. I only want to advise you to either be awakened and hold a license, or at least keep a strong relationship with someone who does, once you begin to spend a lot. The government can be... nosy.”

Theo breathed in, breathed out, and answered politely.

”Thank you very much for the help.”

The man smiled.

”I will assign Mr Billy here as your account and personal manager. He will be your point of contact, should you need anything.”

Theo nodded and glanced at Billy. The man who had made all of this easy for him smiled, offered his card, and introduced himself properly as they stepped out of the office.

But Theo had no time for talk. He tucked the envelope away and was already moving, because there was only one thing he wanted to do, and it was hurrying him toward the hospital.