Chapter 520: Do You Want to Come Up for a Cup of Coffee?

“Beatrice, what do you know?” Alister demanded, suddenly disgruntled. “Wait a second. Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?”

“Because you’re a giant baby who’s always looking for his pacifier,” Beatrice retorted with undisguised scorn. “Grow up, Alister. You’re a man in your forties.”

Alister had been sitting next to Beatrice, but after hearing her “grow up” comment, he defiantly lifted both of his legs and propped them on the dining table in front of her, shooting her a provocative look.

“You bastard!” Beatrice punched Alister again, then stood up and moved to the seat next to Timothy.

“Alright, quiet down,” Timothy said, asserting his authority as the eldest brother. He turned to Alexander. “Father, what is this all about?”

Alexander simply watched his children bicker, observing them in silence. Only after Timothy spoke and everyone had quieted down did he slowly begin to speak.

“I heard from Liz that you plan on registering an entity within the Free Port, and then placing the license for that beverage of yours inside it?” he asked, looking at Li Wei.

“That’s right,” Li Wei confirmed with a nod. “The projected licensing fee for the first year is one billion USD in cash, which will circulate within the Free Port.”

“Wardafa?!” Alister dropped his legs from the table, asking in astonishment, “That beverage of yours is selling that well?!”

Even Timothy and Beatrice couldn’t hide the shock in their eyes.

While each person at the table had a net worth of over a billion, the resources they could command were far greater.

Furthermore, the Mellon Family’s influence in politics, culture, art, and finance allowed them to easily accomplish things that money couldn’t.

Still, they were shocked that Li Wei could possess such immense wealth at his age. Anyone would find it unbelievable.

Alexander’s expression remained unchanged. He simply nodded and said no more about Li Wei.

“This brings me to my point today,” he announced. “I trust that after three months, you’ve all familiarized yourselves with the procedures and operations of the Delaware Free Port.”

They all nodded.

“Now is the time for rapid growth,” Alexander said. “If we want to have a sufficient voice within the family, we need to get the Free Port’s capital flowing faster, proactively accepting and absorbing more funds.”

“But Richard and his side still can’t find out about any of this?” Beatrice asked.

“Correct,” Alexander nodded. “The governor of Delaware and two senators are on our side. I’m also working my connections in Washington to establish a protective network with enough clout.”

“The condition being that Uncle Ronan must not find out,” Timothy said. “So we can’t use the foundation’s network?”

“Oh, of course, what a great question, Timothy. I’m sure Uncle Ronan would open his arms and say, ‘Hey, welcome to your branch of the family undermining ours! After all, we’re all family,'” Alister said sarcastically.

“Besides, one governor and two senators might not be enough,” Beatrice added. “A few years ago, at a charity gala at the White House, I personally witnessed Uncle Ronan mocking the former president.”

“That’s not your concern,” Alexander said with a wave of his hand. “Your job is to get the Free Port up and running, and quickly.”

As soon as he said this, Li Wei clearly observed the expressions on the faces of Timothy and the others shift slightly.

‘The old King doesn’t want to cede power. His children will never get access to what truly matters—the network, the connections.’

For a moment, Li Wei thought the Jester’s Skull was speaking, but then he realized it was still lying quietly in his inventory.

‘Damn it,’ he thought. ‘Hanging around with the Jester’s Skull for so long has warped my perception of Alexander.’

“The Swiss government has tightened regulations, and the attitude of the operators of the Geneva Free Port has displeased the private banking families of Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, as well as the diamond trading families of Belgium,” Alexander said, observing his children’s expressions. He then added, “Also, family offices from the Gulf Countries, the Qatar Investment Authority, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority… they will all be injecting capital.”

Hearing this, the expressions on the faces of Timothy, Alister, and the others softened slightly.

If their father said so, it was almost certain that these powers would have a stake in the Free Port.

Then, even if Ronan’s branch, which was deeply tied to the United States of America’s financial settlement system, intended to use that system or the IRS to suppress the Free Port, they would have to consider the stance of these capital groups.

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, that will be all,” Alexander said with a smile. “I have other matters to attend to. I hope you can produce some satisfactory results for me by the end of the year. After all, I’m already 81.”

At that last sentence, Timothy and the others exchanged glances, as if they had all understood some hidden meaning.

…

“Do you think he was deliberately baiting you all, or is he really planning to retire?”

Elizabeth asked on the way back to Manhattan from the Upper East Side.

“He does have a history of it, right?” Li Wei said with a laugh as he drove. “Didn’t he pretend his health was failing last year? In the end, he knocked Timothy from his position as successor right back to the same starting line as his siblings.”

“Yeah…” Elizabeth sighed. “Timothy is going crazy with his desire to take over.”

“But from what you were all saying, it sounds like this Ronan fellow is the real Sect Leader of the Mellon Family?” Li Wei asked casually as he drove. “Is he from the finance branch?”

“Yes. Do you remember Richard Mellon, the one who wanted to launder money through me before?” Elizabeth paused to think. “Uncle Ronan is Richard’s father, and he’s the current Family Head of the Mellon Family. Their branch was involved in establishing the cross-border clearing system for USD. When CHIPS—the New York Clearing House Interbank Payments System—was founded in 1970, Uncle Ronan’s branch was one of its core operators.”

Li Wei nodded. “That’s a tremendous amount of power. They practically have a stranglehold on all USD transactions.”

“Yes. With them holding us down, all the other branches have to obey their orders,” Elizabeth sighed. “I just hope this Free Port works out.”

Li Wei wasn’t worried about whether the Free Port would affect his own money. At the end of the day, it was just a family feud. It’s not like Ronan Mellon could just throw a fit and freeze the funds of everyone from the Middle East and Europe.

If the sky were to fall, these titans would be there to hold it up. Li Wei was only putting in one billion USD a year. It wasn’t a small amount for the Free Port, but it certainly wasn’t enough to be conspicuous.

“Let’s just take it slow. He seemed pretty confident, anyway,” Li Wei said as he stopped the car. “We’re here.”

He parked between Park Avenue and Madison Avenue, somewhere between East 70th and 80th Street. It was very close to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, less than a mile away.

He looked at Elizabeth and asked jokingly, “Aren’t you going to invite me up for a cup of coffee?”

“Um…” Elizabeth hesitated, then said shyly, “Do you want to come up for a cup of coffee?”

“Hm?” Li Wei paused, raising an eyebrow. “In that case, I’m really coming up.”

“Come on, then,” Elizabeth bit her lip. “No one’s home.”

“But I have an agreement with Anya,” she said. “We… we can’t go all the way. But I can help you with my hand.”

“It’s not that I was thinking of doing anything,” Li Wei cleared his throat. “I just happen to be thirsty and wanted an actual cup of coffee.”

If this had been Anya, she probably would have pinched him by now.

But Elizabeth just became flustered and awkward. Her face flushed bright red as she silently pulled Li Wei upstairs.

The doorman recognized the Cullinan and Elizabeth’s face. He was tactful enough not to announce her arrival over his walkie-talkie, instead opening the door and calling the elevator for her with a faint smile.

This was Li Wei’s first time at Elizabeth’s home. Unlike Anya’s luxurious penthouse in Riverdale or Li Wei’s own estate on Long Island, Elizabeth’s place seemed somewhat… ordinary.

It was a two-bedroom, two-bathroom with a study, around 1,600 square feet. The living room just inside the entrance featured dark oak paneling against white walls, a dark gray sofa, and dark hardwood floors, giving it a stuffy, old-fashioned air that didn’t suit her age.

‘Very similar to the style of Alexander’s house,’ Li Wei mentally commented. ‘It looks very Mellon.’

Elizabeth’s wardrobe was the same. It was filled with clothes made of solid-colored, natural materials and a wide variety of formal gowns. Not a single piece had a visible logo, but the quality of the fabric, the cut, and the stitching spoke to their expense.

‘The complete opposite of Anya’s style,’ Li Wei commented to himself. ‘Very Mellon.’

“Stop judging!” Elizabeth pounced on Li Wei, and they tumbled together onto the four-poster princess bed in her bedroom. “Don’t mention Anya right now. It’s just the two of us.”

Before she could finish, Li Wei’s lips were on hers.

Elizabeth’s body stiffened for an instant, but she quickly melted into a fragrant, boneless puddle, sprawling on top of Li Wei.

‘This is so much more thrilling and comfortable than that time in Pasadena,’ she thought.

She drew the curtains and took off her clothes.

“Not… not today,” she stammered. “I can’t hide any more from Anya.”

“I understand,” Li Wei said, looking down at her. “Are you all natural, or do you shave—”

Elizabeth didn’t know whether to cover her face or her body.

“N-Natural,” she whispered.

Then they lay together, hands roaming over each other’s bodies.

For a moment, it seemed both had forgotten their promise, but at the crucial point, Elizabeth took hold of him with one hand and shook her head hesitantly.

…

By the time Li Wei left, Elizabeth could barely lift her hand. She felt like she’d gotten the short end of the stick, yet somehow also came out ahead. Li Wei’s skillful technique was so good it made her angry, yet it also sent her to heaven. In contrast, her own inexperience made her feel clumsy, especially since she’d spent the entire time hiding her face with a pillow, not daring to meet his eyes.

She recalled the feel of him in her hand, his astonishing size, and made a rough measurement against her lower abdomen. A wave of concern for her own future washed over her.

‘Can Anya really handle that?’ she wondered.

She couldn’t wrap her head around it. She grabbed the pillow again and covered her face, wanting to smother herself.