True Tycoon Her Empire, Her Rules

Winnie was feeling a bit uneasy about the upcoming study trip that the kids were about to go on. She called for the family’s butler, Abdul, and asked him to fetch a recent yearbook from Nadine’s class.

Abdul, though puzzled, complied without a word.

Nadine overheard and curiously inquired, “Why do you need my classmates‘ yearbook?”

Winnie scrutinized her younger cousin, noticing that, unlike the other children, Nadine didn’t seem to be in immediate danger. However, a faint shadow of misfortune lingered around her, a subtle sign of upcoming bad luck.

Ignoring Nadine’s question, Winnie gently put down Pretty, allowing it to resume its playful romp with the children. She couldn’t possibly share her premonitions with them, and if her concerns about the trip were confirmed, it would be best to speak with the parents.

Soon enough, Abdul returned with the yearbook and even went the extra mile to pull up the kids‘ social media profiles, featuring their own pictures as well as those posted by their parents, including some recent ones.

Winnie silently commended Abdul’s thoroughness as she examined the photos of the kids who had posted updates that day. The signs were clear, and some showed hints of imminent peril, confirming her suspicions.

With so many children involved, including their families, Winnie knew this was beyond her capacity to address alone. She headed upstairs to consult with her grandfather Bacchus.

Bacchus was busy tracking her online activity when she shared her concerns. In the past, he might have dismissed her ramblings, but now he took her seriously. His expression turned grave as he

reached for the landline and summoned the butler to his study.

n for some After an hour in her grandfather’s study, Winnie made her way back to her rest. However, she was intercepted by her brother Springer, who seemed to have been keeping an eye out for her.

With a look of reproach, Springer blurted out, “Winnie, when did you get another brother? What’s he to you? How come I’ve never met him?”

Winnie was taken aback by his barrage of questions. She knew Springer followed reality shows and must have seen Sean, but his line of questioning was baffling.

“What’s it to you?” she retorted, not quite understanding his intent.

Springer felt like he’d been betrayed by a heartbreaker. He had always considered Winnie his only cousin sister, and now she seemed to have other ‘brothers‘ and was getting impatient with him.

He stared at her, his voice filled with a mix of accusation and hurt, “Well?,”

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Winnie gave him a cool glance, “Speak properly.”

Springer’s bravado deflated as if he were a scolded puppy, now looking at her with a mix of confusion and sullenness.

“That’s not my brother. He just needed my help with something, so he’s been tagging along,” she explained.

Springer’s mood lifted on hearing this, “That punk’s bothering you? Where is he? I’ll take care of him.”

Winnie was about to tell him to stay out of it. After all, at fourteen, Springer could hardly intimidate anyone. But then, as if struck by a thought, she raised an eyebrow slightly and said, “Actually, you

could help with something.”

Springer’s eyes

lit up. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Winnie finally needed him.

“Winnie, just tell me what to do. I may be young, but there’s not much I can’t handle.”

Winnie smiled, a rare occurrence, “This is something only you can handle.”

Springer was now brimming with excitement.

An hour later, he was on his phone, instructing Sean through a video call with a deadpan expression, “Come on in, I’ll add you.”

Soon, a pitiful newbie avatar appeared in the game lobby. Springer added him to the team, not without a disdainful snort at the screen, “A newbie scrub, huh? Watch and learn as I

carry you.”

This was the task Winnie had entrusted to Springer. With the nursery school trip issue still unresolved, and their powerful allies occupied with other matters, she was too busy to entertain Sean and worried he might get into trouble if left to his own devices. Thus, the solution: have Springer teach him how to play video games. No teenager could resist the lure of gaming, especially not a young sea dragon fresh to the world like Sea

With Sean occupied, peace returned to Winnie’s side. The online buzz from her public display of mystical arts continued to grow, but there was no sign of official intervention, which confirmed her

suspicion that the authorities might be gradually conditioning the public to accept the existence of metaphysics.

Otherwise, the lack of official action several hours after the incident was telling, and the government seemed to be letting the idea of mysticism take root in the public consciousness.

What Winnie didn’t realize was that her viral video had made it easier for the parents contacted by Bacchus to heed his warning. Nadine’s nursery school was a prestigious institution attended by children from affluent families, many of whom had ties to the Bryant family. After witnessing the events at the Smith family home and Winnie’s

extraordinary showcase on reality TV, most parents were inclined to believe her warning.

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After all, no one would gamble with their children’s safety.

Some folks remained skeptical about the whole affair, even if the buzz on social media suggested otherwise. They chalked it up to a publicity stunt, a bit of showbiz smoke and mirrors.

After all, the internet is a breeding ground for tall tales and hoaxes. Remember the spate of UFC sightings that had everyone talking a few years back?

But did anyone actually come face–to–face with a little green man? Hardly.

These doubters dismissed Winnie’s ominous warnings of “impending doom” as nothing more than superstition, and they saw no reason to bar their kids from joining the field trip organized by the local

park.

Despite receiving a heads–up from a concerned citizen named Bacchus, the park had to stick to their guns. The trip was a joint venture with a posh European preschool, and it wasn’t something they could scrap on a whim. If even one parent was game, the show had to go on.

When the day of departure rolled around, the roster of eager young explorers had dwindled considerably.

The kids who were left didn’t quite understand the drop in numbers, but their excitement was undiminished.

Meanwhile, little Nadine was having a meltdown at home. The tr