Chapter 288: The Birth of a Monument

(Cole's POV – The King's Castle)

Cole stood in front of Chris's desk, staring at the 500 billion dollar cheque resting between them.

A sum that could break nations.

And Chris had just signed it away without hesitation.

"You're really doing this," Cole murmured, lifting the cheque slightly between his fingers. "A castle."

Chris leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. "Not just a castle." His voice was smooth, unwavering. "A fortress. A symbol. The heart of an empire that will never fall."

Cole exhaled through his nose, turning the cheque over. He had expected something like this, but the sheer scale of it?

Classic Castle.

A name already echoing across the highest circles of power. A one-of-a-kind masterpiece, built not just to stand, but to last forever.

"The world will see it as excess," Cole pointed out.

Chris smirked, eyes gleaming. "Let them."

Cole shook his head but didn't argue. If there was one thing Chris Blackwood understood better than power, it was perception. This wasn't just about a home.

It was about a legacy.

"Construction starts immediately," Cole confirmed, pocketing the cheque. "But a project like this will draw attention."

Chris's smirk didn't fade. "Good. Let them watch."

He turned toward the grand window, looking out over the city—the empire he had claimed.

"When it's finished, the world will have no doubt." He exhaled slowly. "Blackwood doeIsn't just rule. Blackwood reigns."