After sending the text to Ethan, Allen slid his phone back into his pocket.
He turned and walked toward the residence where he was currently staying—the basement of the Murphy estate. He unlocked the door and stepped inside the house, immediately spotting Yuri sitting in the living room, quietly sipping from a cup.
The moment she noticed Allen, her face hardened, her mood souring instantly.
"Ms. Yuri..." Allen said, keeping his voice polite but distant.
She looked up at him, her eyes narrowing. "What?!"
"Do you happen to know where Mr. Murphy is right now?" Allen asked.
"He left for the office just before you walked in," Yuri snapped, setting her cup down with a sharp click.
"Okay. Thanks," Allen replied, turning back toward the exit.
"Hey," Yuri called out, her voice cutting through the quiet room. "Don't go disturbing him."
Allen stopped, turning his head slightly. His expression remained entirely calm, completely unreadable.
"Ever since Uncle Murphy arrived, I am finally at ease," she continued, her tone possessive. "He is handling everything now. So don't go bothering him with your nonsense."
Allen gave a single, curt nod, offering no reply as he stepped outside and pulled the door shut. He walked down the pavement and waited at the nearby transit station. Within minutes, a city bus pulled up; Allen boarded, staring out the window as the urban scenery blurred past, eventually dropping him off directly in front of a towering glass skyscraper in the commercial district.
He looked up at the massive corporate logo gleaming against the sky. Kent Co.
Allen knew the history. Kent was the name of the father of the former chairman, Mr. Brian. In honor of his grandfather's legacy, Murphy named this empire after him.
Pushing through the heavy glass revolving doors, Allen walked straight into the pristine marble lobby and approached the front reception desk.
"Good morning, Sir. How can I help you today?" the receptionist asked, offering a professional smile.
"I am here to see Mr. Murphy," Allen stated plainly.
"Do you have a scheduled appointment?"
Allen shook his head. "No."
The receptionist exchanged a hesitant look with the secondary coordinator sitting next to her. Allen didn't give them a chance to turn him away.
"My name is Allen. I work directly for Mr. Murphy, and I am here to discuss an urgent operational matter with him."
Understanding the weight of that name, the second coordinator immediately dialed an encrypted internal line. She spoke into the receiver in a hushed tone. "Someone named Allen is down here requesting to see the Chairman... Yes, understood."
She placed the telephone back on its cradle and gestured toward the secure executive elevators. "You may go straight up. He is expecting you."
Allen nodded. "Thank you."
Allen stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 30th floor. The capsule ascended rapidly, the pressure popping his ears until a soft chime echoed and the polished steel doors slid open.
He walked down the quiet, carpeted hallway toward the grand double doors of the chairman's office. He gave a firm, disciplined knock.
"Come in."
Allen opened the door and stepped inside. The office was vast, but his focus immediately locked onto Murphy's broad, imposing back. The older man stood with his hands clasped behind him, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the sprawling city grid.
"Good morning, Sir," Allen said, closing the door behind him.
"Good morning, Allen," Murphy replied, his deep voice resonant, his posture not shifting a single millimeter.
"Sir, there is something I need to discuss with you regarding my schedule," Allen said.
Murphy gave a slight, permissive nod for him to proceed.
"I require a temporary leave of absence. I want holidays for the next few days."
Silence stretched across the room for a few heavy seconds. Before Murphy could answer, the office door clicked open behind Allen.
Victor stepped into the room, leaning casually against the doorframe, his signature smirk firmly in place.
Allen turned his head slightly, his eyes locking onto the newcomer.
"Asking for a vacation?" Victor mocked, his voice dripping with condescension as he stepped closer. "Our little Allen has grown quite a mouth, hasn't he? Thinking he can just demand time off."
Allen turned his body completely, his frame rigid as he leveled a lethal, unblinking glare at Victor.
Victor's smirk vanished, replaced by a dark flare of irritation as he closed the distance between them. "You got a problem with me, kid?"
"You have a death wish," Allen countered smoothly, his voice dropping into a cold, dangerous register as he stood his ground. He didn't back down an inch.
"Allen," Murphy spoke up, finally turning around from the glass. His commanding presence instantly diffused the oxygen in the room. "You are dismissed."
Allen broke eye contact with Victor, turning back to the chairman and offering a respectful nod. Murphy stepped forward, his expression completely unreadable as he reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a personalized, signed check, and extended it toward him.
"Take it," Murphy said.
Allen looked at the check, a rare flash of genuine surprise crossing his features.
"Consider it a gift from me," Murphy added smoothly.
Allen nodded, accepting the funds without a word. He turned on his heel and walked out of the office, the heavy doors sealing shut behind him.
The moment Allen was gone, Victor sneered, turning to his boss. "Sir, the kid is clearly up to something. You're just going to let him walk out like that?"
Murphy didn't answer right away. He turned back to the window, watching the horizon. Exactly twenty seconds of agonizing silence passed before his voice cut through the room.
"Let him be."