"But how about I propose a new deal?" William suggested as he looked at Edward with a newfound glint in his eyes.
Just now, William thought of an idea that could turn out to be quite beneficial for both of them but mostly to William. But that was something Edward wouldn't know about ever.
Edward's brow furrowed. "What exactly are you getting at?" Edward felt that the next words that would come out would definitely something that he would probably seem crazy.
"I'm proposing a new deal— something that benefits both you and me. But mostly you." William said trying to bait him.
Edward sensed that whatever William would say was now will have some kind of hook in it but he too was a professional at this. "Something better, huh? Alright, let's hear it." Edward replied, his face twisting into a mockery of a smile.
William wasn't fazed by the derisive smile. Instead, he leaned in slightly and said, "Why not let me finance the operation? Only you and me?"
"Hah?" Edward blurted, as if he'd just heard something preposterous. "What did you say?" He heard what William say but he couldn't believe in it.
"I'm suggesting that my Trust Family fund the entire operation— no other organizations or families involved, Just only me and you as its sole beneficiary." William stated with casual confidence, his voice betraying not the slightest hesitation.
Edward remained silent, scrutinizing William's face. He was tempted to laugh, thinking the boy was merely joking to lighten the mood. But the unwavering confidence on William's face, coupled with his calm demeanor, suggested otherwise. Edward carefully considered what William had just said before asking, "Are you absolutely certain about this?"
"This is something that is quite different then what we are talking about so I need to know whether you are truly serious about this or not?"
William nodded without a moment's hesitation. "Yes, I am."
Noting the earnestness in William's eyes, Edward adopted a more serious tone. "Alright, let me rephrase that, and this time, consider your answer carefully.
Edward took a moment to let William digest what he was going to say, "You're proposing to finance the entire operation yourselves, meaning the Trust Family would assume full control of the funding for the project, correct?"
"Yes."
'Because he did it very subtly, and you've let your guard down too much around him,' Anne explained.
'So, how do I stop it?'
'Use your Chaos affinity. It has the ability to dispel mental illusions and anything related to the mind, so it will help you overcome your current predicament.'
William took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and tapped into his Chaos affinity. He didn't realize it, but the energy he was channeling would have immediately alerted Edward. However, Anne was quicker, cloaking the aura to keep it from radiating out of William's body.
From the outside, Edward observed the change in William. At first, he saw worry and confusion in the boy's eyes, and he knew his subtle influence had taken hold. Edward hadn't wanted to resort to such deceitful tactics but felt it necessary. William might have been making reckless promises without understanding the full ramifications— something only his father could authorize.
Edward felt a pang of guilt for using such methods, but that feeling dissipated as he noticed a shift in William's demeanor. Just moments ago, fear had been evident in the boy's eyes, but now, with his eyes closed, William had managed to dispel the influence entirely.
Not only that, but Edward could sense a distinct change in William. When he attempted to project his aura over the boy again, it was as though he had hit an impenetrable wall.
'Impressive. He dispelled my psychic influence and even shielded himself from further attempts,' Edward thought, his initial surprise morphing into a smile. 'This might be more intriguing than I originally thought.'
He waited as William remained silent, his eyes still closed. Edward said nothing, curious to see what William's next move would be. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. William opened his eyes, which were now clear and focused, and said calmly, "Edward, could you give me a moment? I need to discuss this with my father."
Edward nodded. "Of course."
William rose from his seat and walked to the back of the office, near the window. Edward noticed from the corner of his eye that William was pulling out his phone and typing something. Edward was intrigued but chose not to pry, looking away as William returned a moment later. A smile played on William's lips as he said, "Good news. My father is on board with the deal.
Now the only question is, do you agree?"
This time, Edward wasn't surprised. He had anticipated this outcome, so he smiled and said, "Well, if you're so determined to move forward, I can only say yes."
"Even though I stand to gain the most from this deal," Edward added, still puzzled by the enigmatic smile William gave in return.