Chapter 710: News of Silas and Michael

Dayo was in his office reviewing the latest financial reports from JD Records when the door opened and Felix walked in without his usual greeting. Dayo had been working through several documents concerning the final arrangements for the acquired label, and although the major decisions had already been made, there were still details his management team needed to settle before the transition could be considered complete.

Felix stopped beside the desk, looking as though he had come straight from another room after hearing something unexpected. "Dayo, have you heard the news?"

Dayo continued reading the document in front of him for another moment before looking up. "What news? Is something wrong with the company?"

"No, nothing like that. It’s Michael and Silas." Felix pulled a chair closer to the desk but did not sit down immediately. "They’ve both been found dead in prison. The report came out a short while ago, and the news is already spreading."

Dayo’s expression changed just enough to suggest surprise. He put the document down and looked directly at Felix, allowing a brief silence to pass before responding. "Both of them? Are you serious? How did that happen?"

"That’s what everyone is trying to find out. From what I’ve heard, there was an incident inside the prison, and the authorities are investigating it now. They haven’t released every detail, but the deaths have been confirmed." Felix finally took the chair, still watching Dayo as he spoke. "I thought you should hear it from me before the news starts appearing everywhere."

Dayo leaned back slightly, appearing to consider the information. In reality, he already knew that Michael and Silas were dead. The confirmation had reached him through the private monitoring arrangements he had established, and he understood that the authorities would now begin examining the circumstances surrounding their deaths. He had known this moment might come, but he had also prepared himself for the possibility that people close to him could begin asking questions.

"That’s unexpected," he said, keeping his voice steady. "After everything that happened, I thought they would spend the rest of their lives in there. I didn’t expect to hear that both of them were dead."

Felix did not immediately respond. He had worked with Dayo long enough to recognize when the younger man was genuinely surprised, but he also knew that Dayo could remain composed under pressure. His experience in business had taught him to control what he revealed, especially when a careless reaction could create problems later. Felix could not decide whether the reaction he had just witnessed was genuine or carefully managed.

After a moment, he asked, "Dayo, you didn’t have anything to do with this, did you?"

The question was direct enough that Dayo understood Felix was not merely making conversation. He looked at him for a moment, then returned his attention to the document on his desk, giving himself a natural reason not to turn the exchange into a confrontation.

"Why would I have anything to do with their deaths?" Dayo asked. "They were convicted, sentenced, and sent to prison. Whatever happened inside that place is for the authorities to investigate. I have a company to run, Felix. I’m not going to start involving myself in prison matters."

"I know, but you and those two men have a long history. After what happened to Jennifer, I wouldn’t have been surprised if you wanted to see them suffer." Felix’s voice remained low, and he seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "I’m not accusing you of anything. I just wanted to ask."

Dayo understood the reason for the question. Michael and Silas had threatened everything he cared about, and Felix knew how deeply Jennifer’s kidnapping had affected him. From Felix’s perspective, the deaths might have been connected to Dayo’s anger, even if there was no evidence to support that suspicion. Dayo could not afford to let his own feelings make him careless now.

"I wanted them held accountable for what they did," Dayo replied. "That’s why I gave the evidence to the proper authorities. They were convicted, and the courts gave them their sentences. Whatever happened after that was beyond my control."

Felix studied him for another few seconds, but Dayo gave him nothing that could settle his doubts one way or the other. There was no sudden defensiveness, no unnecessary explanation, and no attempt to turn the conversation away from the question too quickly. Dayo had answered as a businessman who believed the legal process had run its course, and Felix had no evidence that the answer was anything else.

"All right," Felix said at last. "Forget I asked. I came here to tell you what happened, not to interrogate you. The news will probably be everywhere before the end of the day, so I thought we should be prepared for questions."

Dayo picked up his pen and placed it beside the report. "People can ask whatever they want. Michael and Silas are gone, and the company they left behind is already under our control. We have enough work to do without spending the whole day discussing them."

Felix gave a short, tired laugh. "That sounds like you. Anyway, good riddance to both of them. They caused enough trouble for everyone, and I don’t think anyone in this office will be mourning them."

"Probably not," Dayo replied. "But we should be careful about what we say publicly. Their deaths are under investigation, and we don’t need someone taking a casual comment out of context. If the media asks about it, we can say that we are aware of the reports and leave the rest to the authorities."

"That’s sensible. I’ll tell the communications team to keep the statement brief if they receive questions." Felix stood, gathering the papers he had brought with him. Before leaving, he glanced at Dayo once more, as though there were still something he wanted to ask, but he eventually decided against it. "I’ll come back later. We still need to go through the final operational arrangements for MK Label."

"All right. Send me the updated schedule when it’s ready."

After Felix left, Dayo remained at his desk, looking at the closed door for a few seconds before returning to his work. He did not allow himself to dwell on the conversation. Felix had asked a question, but he had no proof of anything, and Dayo intended to keep it that way. The deaths would attract attention, particularly because both men had been involved in a major criminal case, but attention did not automatically lead to answers.

He turned back to the financial report and continued reading, making notes beside the figures that required further review. There were still decisions to make about the newly acquired company, and the news of Michael and Silas’s deaths did not change the work ahead of him. If anything, it meant the public would soon pay even closer attention to the business they had left behind.

Less than an hour later, Felix returned with Valerie and two other members of the management team. The atmosphere was different this time because the news had spread beyond their immediate circle. Valerie had already seen a report on her phone, while the others had received messages from colleagues asking whether the information was genuine.

"We wanted to check whether you’d seen the latest reports," Valerie said as she entered. "They’re confirming that both men died while serving their sentences. The details are still coming out, but the story is already being treated as major news."

"I’ve heard," Dayo replied, setting aside the report he had been reviewing. "Felix told me earlier. We should leave the investigation to the authorities, but I expect people will start connecting their deaths to the acquisition because of the timing."

"That’s exactly what I was thinking," one of the executives said. "The company has just completed its transition to JD Records, and now the two men who controlled it are dead. People will put those things together whether there’s a connection or not."

Valerie took a seat across from Dayo. "The important thing is that our records are in order. The acquisition was completed through the proper process, and the relevant documents are already settled. We should be ready to answer questions about the company without getting dragged into speculation about the prison."

"Agreed," Dayo said. "We have nothing to gain by discussing things we don’t know. If anyone asks about the deaths, we acknowledge the reports and say that the authorities are investigating. We don’t guess, and we don’t make statements about what might have happened."

Felix moved toward the conference table and opened the folder he had brought with him. "That brings us to the other matter. Everything related to the acquisition has been settled. The final arrangements are complete, and MK Label is officially under JD Records. We can now move forward with the company as part of our operations."

Although everyone in the room already knew the acquisition was close to completion, hearing that the formal arrangements were settled gave the discussion a different weight. The purchase had been a major undertaking, and the team had spent considerable time making sure the business could be transferred without leaving unresolved obligations behind. Now the process had reached its conclusion.

Dayo brought the relevant documents closer and reviewed the summary Felix had prepared. "So the transfer is complete, and the assets covered by the agreement are under JD Records?"

"Yes," Felix answered. "The required arrangements have been completed. The label’s business interests included in the acquisition now fall under our company, and the transition team can proceed with the operational work. We won’t need to revisit the purchase itself."

"Good. Then let’s keep the focus on what happens next. We need to make sure the artists understand how the transition affects them, the staff know where they stand, and the business continues operating without unnecessary disruption. The acquisition is finished, but the work of running what we acquired is only beginning."

Valerie opened her own folder, which contained the latest summary of the transition. "The team has been preparing for that. We still need to handle the integration carefully, especially where the new company’s existing arrangements differ from ours. The goal should be to keep things stable while we bring the operations under JD Records."

"Exactly," Dayo said. "We didn’t acquire the company just to put our name on it. We acquired a business with artists, staff, contracts, and responsibilities. Those things have to be handled properly. I don’t want people worrying about their positions simply because ownership has changed."

One of the executives looked down at the documents before speaking. "The media will probably ask whether the acquisition means JD Records is now the largest label in the industry. Before this, we were in sixth place, while MK Label was among the five leading companies. Once the reports are updated, the ranking could change dramatically."

"It will change," Felix said. "The acquisition gives us the scale and assets of a company that was already one of the industry’s biggest players. JD Records has been growing quickly, but this moves us into a different position. The other labels will have to take that into account."

Dayo considered the point while reviewing the summary. He had expected the acquisition to attract attention, but the deaths of Michael and Silas would make the announcement even more newsworthy. Reporters would want to know how JD Records had acquired such a large company, how the transition had been completed, and what the change meant for the remaining major labels. Some would focus on the business figures, while others would be interested in the personal history between Dayo and the former owners.

"Let them report the facts," he said. "We can confirm that the acquisition has been completed and explain what it means for the company. We don’t need to make claims about our position before the industry rankings are updated. The numbers will speak for themselves."

Felix nodded in agreement before correcting himself and turning to Valerie for the transition schedule. "We should also make sure the artists and staff receive the official information before they hear everything through the media. Some of them may already know that the purchase was happening, but they need confirmation that the process is complete and an explanation of what comes next."

Valerie agreed that the communications should go out promptly. She had no intention of allowing rumours to create unnecessary uncertainty among the people who worked for the acquired label. The team would explain that the transfer was complete, that JD Records would oversee the business, and that operational matters would be addressed through the established transition process.

Dayo listened as the group reviewed the remaining tasks, approving the necessary steps and asking for clear updates on the matters that still required attention. The discussion remained focused on practical decisions rather than the deaths that had brought them together. Michael and Silas had been major figures in the industry, but their absence did not erase the obligations attached to their former company.

By the time the meeting ended, the team had agreed on how to communicate the completed acquisition and how to proceed with the integration. Felix collected the documents that required further review, while Valerie prepared to coordinate with the relevant departments. Dayo remained at the table for a moment, looking over the final summary before returning it to the folder.

"One more thing," he said as the others prepared to leave. "Keep our public statement about Michael and Silas separate from the announcement about MK Label. The two stories may appear together in the news, but we shouldn’t treat their deaths as part of the company’s business announcement. One is an ongoing investigation, and the other is a completed acquisition."

"Understood," Felix replied. "We’ll keep them separate and make sure the communications team follows that instruction."

When the room finally emptied, Dayo returned to his office with the acquisition documents. The company had officially become part of JD Records, and the remaining work would involve making sure the transition was handled properly. Michael and Silas would no longer be able to interfere with the business, but the company they had built still needed to be managed.

Dayo sat down and opened the next file, preparing to review the operational plans. He had spent months dealing with the two men and the damage they had caused, but their deaths would not bring his work to a halt. The acquisition was complete, and JD Records now stood in a position it had never occupied before.

Outside his office, news outlets were beginning to report the developments. The first reports focused on the deaths of Michael and Silas, followed by updates about the completed acquisition of MK Label. As more details became public, the industry would have to confront the change in ownership and the new standing of JD Records.

Dayo continued working while his team prepared for the public announcement. He knew that people would question how a label that had once ranked sixth had managed to rise so quickly, and the acquisition would provide the most immediate explanation. Yet the purchase alone did not account for every part of his progress. His relationships with the other major labels had already changed the way they viewed him, and that history would soon become important as the industry tried to understand why none of them had moved to stop him.

For now, he concentrated on the work in front of him. MK Label was officially under JD Records, the necessary arrangements had been settled, and his team was ready to begin the next stage. Whatever the media chose to say about Michael and Silas, the business would continue under new ownership, with Dayo responsible for deciding what happened next.