In the underground market, there was even a legend circulating about the Faulkner Family—that they were a millennium-old clan tasked with guarding the Ancient Royal Clan and possessed a Treasure Map.
This Treasure Map could not only allow its holder to vault into the top ten of the Forbes Rich List with its wealth, but it also came with a token that could summon all the descendants of the families who once guarded the royal clan.
With this Treasure Map, even establishing one's own country would not be out of the question.
Phoebe Faulkner didn't believe such a fantastical rumor in the slightest. After all, she had never even heard of the Treasure Map. But in this world, some people would always believe such nonsense.
'Perhaps this man—the one who spent a billion to buy me for no reason, took advantage of me, and then demanded I pay him back ten million within two days—is one of them.'
'Otherwise, I can't imagine why a man I've never even met would spend a billion to buy me for no good reason.'
After Phoebe Faulkner's parents went missing, her brothers met with a series of accidents, and her grandfather passed away, she went to live with her second uncle, Kenneth Faulkner, and his family. Kenneth had always taken good care of her. He had two daughters of his own; the elder was a successful actress who rarely came home, while the younger, only a month older than Phoebe, had been intensely hostile toward her since childhood.
When Phoebe Faulkner returned to the Faulkner residence, her cousin Hailey Faulkner happened to be there. The moment Hailey saw Phoebe return safe and sound, the look in her eyes shifted. "Phoebe Faulkner, you... you..."
"What? Didn't expect me to make it back alive?" Phoebe Faulkner walked right up to Hailey. "Sorry to disappoint you. I never fell into your trap. I was just beating you at your own game."
Phoebe leaned in close to Hailey, channeling all her frustration with Jace Lennox toward her cousin. "Starting today, I won't go easy on you for our uncle's sake anymore. So, Hailey, don't provoke me again. Otherwise, I will make sure you—die without a grave!"
The old Phoebe was a total pushover, easy to bully. Especially for Kenneth Faulkner's sake, she would endure even the most outrageous things Hailey did and just let them go. This was the first time Phoebe had ever warned Hailey directly.
Hailey was genuinely intimidated by Phoebe's sudden burst of intensity.
Phoebe didn't give Hailey time to react. After saying her piece, she turned and went upstairs, where she found all her bank cards, logged into her online banking, and checked her account balances.
She received an allowance of tens of thousands a month, which she always saved instead of spent. The amount she'd accumulated over the years was not insignificant. But after checking all her accounts, the total was still a far cry from ten million.
'Selling the company shares is out of the question.'
'I'm just a college junior who just found an internship; there's no way I can make that kind of money.'
Phoebe's head throbbed. 'Where am I supposed to scrape together ten million? That man is demanding it for no reason... he must want to use this to keep pestering me for clues about the Treasure Map. I absolutely cannot give him that opportunity!'
"Phoebe, Phoebe, this is Kitty. Phoebe, Phoebe, this is Kitty. Come in, do you read me? Come in, do you read me!"
Just as Phoebe was stressing out about the money, the landline in her room began to ring.