Chapter 223: New Quests, Unforgiven Debts, and A Father’s Redemption

Three days later, in the middle of the afternoon, Eric sat in his office located right next to Caleb’s room. He was scrolling through a tablet, scouting suitable properties for his new foundation, when suddenly, "vwooong," a holographic screen materialized right in front of his face. He read the text floating before him:

[Quest: Compose three songs for Nobelia and two songs for The Empress (0/5)]

[Reward: $2,000,000.-, Skill Distribution Card x2.]

"Hmm... another quest, huh? Writing songs for Nobelia and The Empress... alright then," Eric thought to himself.

"Dring!"

The desk phone rang. Picking up the receiver, he found the receptionist on the other end.

"Excuse me, Mr. Eric. Your father is downstairs in the lobby asking for you. Should I send him up to your office, or would you prefer to head downstairs?" the receptionist inquired politely.

"Send him right up," Eric replied.

"Understood, sir. I’ll let him know," the receptionist answered courteously.

Eric hung up the phone, turned his gaze back to the floating holographic display, and began mulling over potential song ideas. Before long, his office door opened. A security guard held the door, ushering Martin inside as he stepped in holding a thick folder. Entering the room, Martin paused, looking around Eric’s brand-new, luxurious office space. Eric stood up to greet his father,

"Let’s sit over on the sofa, Dad," Eric said, guiding his father toward the seating area.

"Oh... okay, sounds good," Martin replied.

After guiding his father over to the sofa, Eric walked over to the mini-bar, poured two iced drinks, and brought them back over to the coffee table. Sitting down across from Martin, he set the glasses down,

"What brings you here today, Dad? Rare to see you dropping by," Eric asked, taking a sip.

"You have a lovely office here. I’ve seen Caleb’s office before, but this is my first time seeing yours," Martin offered.

"Yeah... mine took a bit longer to set up. At first I didn’t think I needed one and planned to just work from upstairs, but after a while I got bored sitting around, so... here I am," Eric explained, looking around the room.

"I see. Well, it’s a good thing. If you stayed upstairs all day, you wouldn’t get any work done at all," Martin smiled softly.

"Haha... true. So, what’s up, Dad?" Eric asked.

"Well... I intend to sell off our corporate assets," Martin stated flatly.

"Huh... why?" Eric asked, taken aback.

"The business is beyond saving... we’re saddled with far too much debt thanks to your uncle and Jason... our reputation is completely ruined, and our stock prices have tanked... so I decided to sell the company along with its existing assets. There’s already an investor interested in taking over, but there’s a catch: my office assets in this city aren’t included in the package. The investor wants to focus on reviving the core business under a brand-new identity back in our home city first. And I heard you’re currently looking for a building for your foundation," Martin explained.

"Oh... you heard about me starting a non-profit foundation?" Eric asked, surprised.

"Yes... I heard about it... that’s why I want to offer you my property in this city, a 1,000-square-meter plot with a ten-story building," Martin answered, setting the folder down on the table and flipping it open.

Eric picked up the folder and began reviewing the documents. Martin’s property was situated right at the edge of the business district, slightly toward the outskirts of the city, yet in a very strategic location, close to schools, the apartment complex Eric used to live in (which he now rented out), and various shopping arcades. Eric reviewed the specifications thoroughly and attentively. Once he finished examining the land title copies, blueprints, and building layouts, he closed the folder and set it back on the table,

"How much are you asking for it, Dad?" Eric asked, looking at Martin.

Martin sat in silence, staring back at Eric with a stone-faced expression. He pulled the folder closer, opened it, and checked the numbers for a moment, though Eric could easily see the calculations running through his father’s head. After a long pause, Martin looked up, his gaze steady and resolved.

"I’m not going to sell it to you," Martin answered calmly.

"Wait, then what? You want to lease it out? How much is the rent?" Eric pressed.

"I’m not leasing it out either. I want to partner with you," Martin replied.

"Hmm... a partnership, huh? Break it down for me, Dad," Eric invited.

"You want to launch a non-profit foundation to support kids who ran away from home or got cast out because of family favoritism, kids who couldn’t take the abuse anymore or were thrown out despite doing nothing wrong... kids just like you," Martin said quietly.

"That’s right. What about it, Dad?" Eric asked, growing increasingly puzzled.

"Let me work at your non-profit foundation. I want to build something right for once in my life... I want to make amends for everything I did to you. And if you ever ask me to stand before the public and confess my sins, I am more than ready to serve as a living example of a terrible, biased parent who favored one child over another," Martin declared firmly.

Eric froze in shock at Martin’s words, staring intensely into his father’s face. There wasn’t a single shred of doubt or hesitation in his father’s eyes, only raw determination, deep remorse, and the resolve of a man who had made up his mind once and for all.

"Um... what’s with the sudden change of heart, Dad? What made you talk like this all of a sudden?" Eric asked, eyeing him with suspicion.

Hearing Eric’s question and looking at his face, Martin’s stone-faced expression gave way to a gentle smile. His eyes, soft and visibly weary, fixed on his son across the table.

"I’m tired, Eric. Ever since I was young, I was always chasing success, starting out working for others, then launching a company with your uncle and expanding it. Because of that... I turned a blind eye to what was happening at home... which led to your mother running around behind my back... Jason becoming a complete mess... you being neglected, and Ruby getting spoiled rotten... I just want to put an end to all of it and close that Chapter... then start doing something actually meaningful for others while I still can," Martin said softly.

"Um... Mom running around wasn’t because you neglected her, there were other reasons for that... and besides, I think it was completely natural for you to neglect me. Because the reality is, I’m not actually your son. Speaking as a man, if I found out my wife was pregnant with another man’s child, I’d probably react the exact same way you did," Eric stated casually, laying out the raw truth.

Eric’s words hit Martin like a blade. He flinched slightly before instantly retreating behind his stoic mask. He looked down at his fists clenched tightly in his lap. Eric knew his words sounded harsh and sharp, but he didn’t offer any empty comfort, because that was simply the reality of it. Martin lifted his head and looked directly into Eric’s eyes,

"All this time... even though you aren’t my biological son and I loved you dearly up until you were eight years old, I was the one who raised you for those eight years... I have to admit, my emotions completely took over back then, and I tried to distance myself from you because of it. I’m sorry, Eric. You don’t have to forgive me, but please just let me do something right with my life for once," Martin confessed softly.

Eric remained silent, staring intently at his father, whose face radiated genuine remorse. He glanced down at the folder on the table. The location of his father’s building was an absolute perfect fit for what his foundation needed. But the real conflict wrestling inside him was that he wasn’t quite ready to partner up with his father, become his boss, and build something together just yet.

While he still remembered the love and affection his father gave him up until he turned eight, the ten long years of cold distance and neglect that followed were an undeniable reality. Deep down, he wanted to rebuild a fresh personal relationship with his father first before taking such a massive step forward.

Eric appeared lost in heavy thought, running calculations in his head. Observing his son, Martin waited patiently without pressing or demanding an answer, fully aware of the heavy burden he had just placed on the boy’s shoulders. After a long silence, Martin finally broke the quiet,

"Alright, you don’t have to stress over it. I know it’s hard to just hand me a job, and I understand that trust takes time to rebuild. I won’t force it on you, but if you want to use the building, I’d be more than happy to hand it over to you," Martin said with a gentle smile.

Eric looked up at his father’s smiling face, a warm, affectionate smile he hadn’t seen in over ten years. Eric’s expression visibly softened,

"It’s not that, Dad... I’m just confused about what position to even give you," Eric admitted, smiling softly.

At Eric’s words, Martin’s expression shifted as a spark of hope flared in his eyes, even as his features quickly settled back into his usual stoic composure. Eric leaned forward, opening the folder once again to review the documents,

"Here’s what we’ll do, Dad: I won’t accept this building for free. I’ll evaluate the property value and rent it from you properly. As for your position, do you mind if I consult with my team first? I definitely want to give you a role, but honestly... I’m a bit stumped and need to talk it through with them," Eric explained.

"I understand... but that building is practically yours anyway... even though it’s listed under my will with Ruby as the beneficiary, you really don’t need to pay rent since we’re family..."

"Whoa... hold on a second, Dad. I don’t like mixing family and business on the same line. I’m still paying rent. You need an income stream too, and even if I pay you a salary, having additional revenue is essential. Don’t forget, Ruby still relies on you, and there’s no way I’m paying rent directly to Ruby," Eric cut in, interrupting his father.

"Hmm... you’re right. Turns out you’ve got a sharper business head than I do," Martin remarked, looking at his son with pride.

"More cautious and careful, really... I refuse to let money ruin family relationships... I’m sure you understand where I’m coming from, Dad," Eric said softly.

"Ah... absolutely. I understand," Martin agreed.

With the heavy topic settled, the two fell into an easy, relaxed conversation about everyday matters, leaving the serious business behind. Deep down in his heart, Eric quietly promised himself that he would find a fitting role for Martin in his new foundation.