Shadow Empire

Chapter 1119 Roland's Affairs
After finishing his day's work, Roland returned home and quickly washed up.

Federals don't like to groom themselves at night. Even if they're covered in sweat, they'll just curl up on the sofa or spring mattress and fall into a deep sleep, leaving behind a strong smell of sweat.

They would take off their clothes the next morning and go to the bathroom to shower.

Of course, this only applies to the lower classes. The middle class and upper class still clean themselves up every day, if conditions permit.

Roland came out of the bathroom, drying his hair. His wife had already prepared his casual clothes and placed them on the table outside the bathroom.

As he dressed, he inhaled the fragrance wafting in the air.

He didn't live in a villa, but in a detached house, about two hundred square meters in total. The aroma of food being cooked in the kitchen wafted into his nose through the living room, making him feel hungry.

"What should we eat tonight?" He walked into the restaurant, found a seat, and sat down.

The table was set with beef and lamb, along with some fruit salad and bread—a simple yet hearty dinner.

"Simple" means that it doesn't have any complicated cooking techniques or fancy things, while "abundant" refers to the meat.

"Thank you," Roland said once again, looking at the sumptuous dinner.

His wife sat opposite him, calmly manipulating her knife and fork, placing some beef and lamb onto Roland's plate. "You saved me and my family. This is my promise to you. You don't need to thank me."

Many years ago, Roland unexpectedly saved a family of three from the brink of death while working. They were being driven to the brink of despair by the mob due to personal debt problems.

Roland had a case that involved this gang, and he also knew about it, so he saved the family.

At that time, Roland was probably not too extreme, not so extreme in his sense of justice. After saving his current wife and her family, his wife asked if there was anything she could do to help him.

At the time, Roland didn't need her in any way, but she repeatedly emphasized that she would repay Roland's life-saving grace whenever he needed her.

In the following years, Roland solved many cases, and his style began to change. In the words of his former colleagues, he went from being a humorous and cheerful person to becoming cold, serious, and having a hatred for evil as if he were hating an enemy.

His methods were sometimes crude, and he often went a bit too far when dealing with criminals.

However, because he was dealing with criminals, and at that time the federal government did not have the idea of ​​taking care of criminals, many criminals were tortured and had no choice but to accept their fate.

During this process, something happened: Roland's parents were retaliated against. Although there were no serious consequences, this incident served as a wake-up call for Roland.

This made him realize that the better he did, the more the criminals hated him, and the more dangerous it would be for him and his family.

After that, he found his current wife and asked her to play this role, which she continues to this day.

Roland picked up his knife and fork and began to eat the food on his plate. As he ate, he said, "It'll be over soon, it'll be done in no time."

"As long as I finish all the work I have at hand now."

His eyes were filled with longing at this moment. He would only open his heart to his nominal wife, because he knew that anyone could betray him, but the woman in front of him would not.

They had known each other for twenty years, and in those twenty years, she had never let him down. She had also encountered dangers, but she had always gritted her teeth and persevered.

His feelings for this woman were very peculiar; they weren't those of a husband and wife, but more like those of a comrade-in-arms or colleague who shared common ideals and common goals.

His wife paused in her eating. "Is everything really going to end like this?"

Roland suddenly seemed to transform into his younger self, a satisfied smile spreading across his face, warm and passionate.

"Yes Yes!"

"Having won over the Perez and Lance families, the president can fulfill a promise he made to the people in less than six months after taking office, which is enough to greatly boost his approval rating."

"At the same time, people will expect the federal government to deal with the remaining gangs, and I, as the initiator and the one who will take the lead, will get everything I want!"

He forked a large piece of mutton and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing without a care for his image, even as food scraps flew out of his mouth. "Power, greater autonomy, I can do more, without so many constraints, no one calls me when I'm at a crucial moment in solving a case and tells me to put everything down."

Over the years, he has experienced many such things: those evil criminal groups, who, despite having evidence of their crimes, would refuse to cooperate simply because they had connections with certain powerful figures.

The hard-won evidence, which could even be described as evidence stained with the blood of his colleagues, was ultimately to be destroyed by him.

He'd had enough. He wanted more power, more power, and no one to control what he did or wanted to do anymore.

"Congratulations," his wife said, putting down her knife and fork and looking at him with a smile. "Your wish has finally come true."

Looking at his nominal wife, Roland couldn't help but show some emotion. "Actually, I'm the one who should be thanking you. If it weren't for your help over the years, my life and other things might have become a mess!"

Sincerely.

The couple were so polite and courteous to each other that they didn't seem like a married couple at all. Soon they turned their attention back to their daily lives.

They chatted about topics that interested them individually, but not necessarily the other, and then ended their dinner.

Roland's wife cleared away the dishes, and when she returned to the living room, Roland had already gone back to his bedroom to rest.

He was too tired, not physically tired. How could he be tired from sitting in the office?

It's a psychological process; he wants to sit behind a screen and control the escalating war between two massive gangs until the very end.

The various unexpected events left him extremely exhausted, and he quickly fell asleep and even started snoring.

Hearing the snoring that seemed to fill the bedroom, Roland's wife went back to her bathroom. She took off her clothes, adjusted the water temperature, and went inside.

The water from the showerhead gushed down like a sudden downpour. She ran her hands through her hair, instinctively closed her eyes, and stood in the rain with her mouth open.

The water from the showerhead was warm, but she couldn't feel it.

After her initial excitement subsided, she emerged from the bathroom and walked naked into her bedroom, looking at herself in the full-length mirror.

She had two knife wounds on her shoulder; a madman had once hidden outside their house seeking revenge on Roland.

After Roland left, she was just about to go out to buy some groceries when the madman rushed out and started slashing at her.

Fortunately, there were many police officers and their families around where they lived. Her cries attracted the attention of others, and the guy was subdued after only two stabs.

Later she learned that Roland had shot and killed his son at the scene of a robbery. He had no family left, and after losing his son, he was all alone in the world.

He attacked her to make Roland experience the pain of losing a loved one.

The injury on her shoulder has not fully healed yet, and whenever the weather is gloomy, she always feels a slight pain in her bones.

Her gaze then fell on her right chest, where there was a gunshot wound.

Roland sent a gang leader to prison, where the guy later died under mysterious circumstances. Some say it was because of a conflict between gangs that he was killed in prison.

But some say that this was arranged by Roland.

The gang leader's relative, seeking revenge on Roland, attempted to assassinate her.

She was actually quite lucky; the gunman's aim was off, and the bullet pierced through two panes of glass before hitting her and lodging in her ribs.

Although it did not cause serious consequences, her ribs were broken, and she had to rest for almost half a year as a result.

Even a deep breath, a sneeze, or any other action that increases pressure in her chest cavity would cause her severe pain.

She has several more such injuries on her body, and her life over the years has not been simple or safe.

At first she was scared, but as she experienced more, she began to get used to it, to getting hurt, to being retaliated against, and to enduring it all.

Although he only ever received an "I'm sorry" and some explanation from Roland, he would never change anything; he continued to pursue what he wanted.

If all of this was something she could tolerate, then what she found most unbearable was that Roland had never touched her. Strictly speaking, she was still a "girl," and she had tried to have something happen between her and Roland, but he always rejected her.

However, she knew that Roland had a real wife and two children, and that she was merely a cover for his real family.

She had always believed that one day she would be able to move Roland and that something would happen between them.

Even if she didn't necessarily have to have a child with Roland, she might be content just to stay by his side forever.

Twenty years of companionship, plus the life-saving grace, made her develop even deeper feelings for Roland.

Roland always avoided it, avoiding her fervent desire.

Looking at herself in the mirror, no longer young, a sense of resentment inexplicably arose in her heart.

However, this feeling came and went quickly. She changed into a light nightgown, lay down on the bed, and unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

Tomorrow is another new day.

When Roland got up in the morning, he went to the garage to take some documents to the office, but when he came back, he was frowning the whole time.

The woman who was eating asked, "What's wrong?"

"Didn't you like breakfast?"

Roland snapped out of his reverie. "No, it has nothing to do with breakfast."

“I remember the garage door was fully closed last night, but when I checked just now, it was slightly raised.”

The garage's roller shutter door has a problem; when it closes normally, it doesn't close completely, leaving about three or four fingers' width of space between it and the ground.

He wasn't worried about anyone squeezing in at that distance, but he was concerned about wild animals running in.

The federal ecological environment is currently acceptable, especially the environment of the community where they live, but there are many rats, stray cats, and other wild animals.

These small animals don't pose any great danger to him, they just make a mess of the garage.

These little creatures are full of curiosity, and every time they sneak in, it takes him a long time to clean up.

So he would stand on the roller shutter every time to make sure it was fully lowered.

He had been saying he would fix it, but he never had the time.

Of course, it's also possible that he considers this matter far less important than the things he needs to do, and at least he won't deal with it until he's finished with what he wants to do.

His wife, however, resumed eating. "It was probably the wind that made it bounce up accidentally."

"The wind has been a bit strong lately, and I heard that a hurricane is very close to us."

Roland looked at her and thought for a moment, then said, "I'll have someone from the community come and fix it."

He felt something was off, but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, so he could only say that for now.

His wife seemed indifferent; whether it was repaired or not, she wouldn't go to the garage, a place only men went to.

After finishing breakfast, he returned to his office. It was already mid-August, the hottest time of the year, but in the mornings and evenings, one could already sense the chill and desolation of autumn.

After greeting many people, he returned to his office and was just about to start working on some work-related matters when the phone suddenly rang.

Without thinking twice, he answered the phone, "This is Roland."

A few seconds passed before a voice came through the receiver, "I'm in trouble and need your help."

Roland immediately put down his other work, glanced at the half-open door, said "Wait a minute," then got up, walked to the door, closed it, and locked it.

He then returned to his seat behind the table. "What happened?"

"I told you before to try not to call me, the situation is still unclear."

The woman on the other end of the line seemed a little aggrieved. "I didn't want to call you either, but they rejected Jamie's application to attend university."

"I was wondering if you could think of any way to get them to agree."

Jamie is his son, his eldest son, and he should be starting high school this year.

He had previously contacted his real wife, and they arranged for him to attend a good local private high school. The school's administrators also agreed to accept him.

But for some reason, just before the start of the school year, when his wife went to register Jamie, the school changed its mind and said it couldn't accept Jamie for the time being.

Private schools, especially the good ones, require more than just money for admission; connections are also essential.

The most common reason is "alumni connections." For example, these students' parents may be graduates of this school, or they may have other celebrities recommending them.

Otherwise, if you want to get into a good private school, you either need to do very well on the exam or be very willing to spend money.

Roland is actually wealthy. As the director of the FBI for two or three years, it's impossible for him to be without money.

But this money can't be spent with complete peace of mind, especially when it's used to sponsor schools. Doesn't that just tell people that he has a connection with someone in the school?

Hearing his wife's words, he was somewhat annoyed. "I'll make a call and ask. I'll call you back when I have news."

He hung up the phone as he spoke. He was very concerned about his child's studies because he himself was part of the vested interest group in these matters.

He could not have become the director of the FBI if he hadn't attended a good school and met so many people during his studies.

Based on one's own abilities and skills?
He dared to say that in the entire Federation, there were at least several hundred, if not thousands, of people who were better than him in his field.

But why is it that someone who might still be working as a patrolman in a police station in some remote city has already risen to such a high position?
Just because he graduated from a better, more prestigious university, while those people only graduated from high school.

Therefore, he hopes that his child can have a smoother path in the future, so a well-known private high school and an elite alliance school are the paths he must take.

After he completes these journeys, Roland will recruit him directly, make him an agent, and give him more opportunities to make contributions. He wants to build the Bureau of Investigation into something that can be passed down through generations.

Although there are still many problems, he believes he can do it.

His efforts to curry favor with Congress were aimed at preventing changes in FBI personnel from mirroring changes in the presidency.

A president is replaced every eight years at most, and if the director of the FBI is the president's man, then he will definitely be replaced repeatedly.

But if he's on Congress's side and has influence with the president, then he can stay indefinitely.

Moreover, he intends to gain access to more people's privacy in order to ensure that his power is not taken away.

Only in this way can power be passed on to his son through his own hands.

He sat there in a daze for a while, then dialed a number. "My friend's child, the one I told you about last time, little Jamie."

"He was rejected for admission. Ask him what happened."

This was one of his cousins, and apart from himself and his wife, no one knew that the two children were related to him.

He publicly claimed that the mother and her two children were the family members of a deceased friend of his, and that he had promised his deceased friend that he would take care of their family.

His cousin immediately agreed, saying he would contact him as soon as he had any news.

After hanging up the phone with his child, he felt uneasy for some reason.

(End of this chapter)