Chapter 40: Morning Routines and Dark Revelations
As he contemplated this, light footsteps began to echo from upstairs. Without needing to turn around, Avery knew who it was; Bruce could never wake up this early.
Just then, he finished organizing the newspapers and set them aside. He turned around to see Dick standing there, looking confused, as if he didn't know where to stand.
Avery greeted him with a gentle, polite smile: "Young Master Dick, breakfast is ready. Please follow me to the dining room."
Dick sighed with relief and obediently followed the butler to the dining room.
"Um… Why hasn't Mr. Bruce Wayne come down for breakfast?"
As they sat at the long dining table, with the aroma of delicious food filling the air, Dick suddenly noticed that his newly minted adoptive father hadn't shown up yet, prompting him to ask Avery.
Avery's reply was calm: "Master is still resting. You don't need to worry about him; he will show up when the time is right."
Still resting at this hour?!
Dick's expression turned a bit astonished: "But it's already…" It was past mid-morning!
Avery casually remarked, "Master has a rather rich nightlife; it's only natural for him to get up late."
Knowing that Bruce Wayne wasn't Batman, it didn't seem too hard to guess what this famous playboy from Gotham filled his nights with.
So, Dick stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth and took a sip of soup, choosing to remain silent.
After breakfast, Dick, who was currently out of school, found himself with nothing to do.
It wasn't that there had been any major disruption in his education; it was simply that he wasn't in a position to go out, and he would likely be switching schools soon anyway.
Avery, when disinterested in something, could entirely disregard it without a second thought, not wasting a shred of energy or memory on it. However, when he chose to focus on something, he became incredibly meticulous.
This made his behavior seem unpredictable at times, but that's not the point here. Already anticipating this scenario, Avery gave a knowing smile and led Dick to the study room.
The study room was very big, with rows upon rows of sturdy mahogany bookshelves, almost all filled to capacity. Dick couldn't help but widen his eyes, unable to believe that a single household could possess so many books.
So, this was the life of the wealthy?
In truth, most of these books had hardly been read. After all, this was just a temporary residence, and the books were added later so that the owner could have reference materials available at any time. As for the books Bruce often perused, they had long been destroyed in the fire at Wayne Manor.
But the reconstruction of Wayne Manor would soon be completed, and when that happened, everything, including these books, would be moved back. After all, Bruce was still eagerly waiting to return to his beloved Batcave.
Avery walked ahead, politely guiding Dick through the study room, even being mindful of the fact that an eight-year-old might not know so many words: "This area is for children's books. Feel free to browse."
He pointed to a row of brightly colored books that looked playful and inviting—these had been added recently, for a reason that was now quite obvious.
"This is a snack tray prepared for you. If you need anything else, feel free to let me know."
Avery then presented a tray filled with snacks, desserts, and drinks.
Dick stood there, obediently nodding. As Avery left the room and closed the door behind him, both of them, separated by the door, simultaneously let out a relieved sigh.
Dick: It's much more comfortable being alone.
Avery: Taking care of kids is really such a hassle.
Time passed peacefully. Avery called Dick down for lunch, during which Dick discovered, to his surprise, that Bruce Wayne was still asleep.
It wasn't until the afternoon that the wealthy man, still groggy from sleep, finally descended the stairs, ready for a meal.
Avery has been long accustomed to this routine, he set the prepared food on the table. Bruce ate while fiddling with his computer, just casually browsing some information—until something unexpectedly caught his attention.
It was a post made on a personal social media account earlier that morning. The content reported that Margaret Williams had died in her home early that morning.
The attached image showed Margaret strangling herself. Her face was contorted in extreme despair, and the eerie nature of the pose made the scene unsettling.
"She really just died like that?"
At this point, Avery came over and glanced at the screen, also somewhat surprised by the turn of events.
The owner of the social media account turned out to be one of the many parents whose children had been abducted by Margaret. After her scandal had been exposed and then forcibly suppressed, this man had remained active in his campaign against Margaret.
After realizing that legal action was unlikely to bring down Margaret, this man began tracking her movements closely—something that did not escape the attention of Batman, who had also been monitoring her. The man's intent was clear.
Early this morning, this former military man took advantage of a gap in the patrol shift, carrying a portable firearm, and quietly snuck into Margaret's home. He became the first witness to her death.
Although he was disappointed that he hadn't killed her himself, he was still pleased enough to post the news on his social media account, which received many likes, comments, and, soon after, a visit from the local police.
As for the true culprit—the one responsible for Margaret's death—he did a quick mental calculation and realized that the man must have entered her villa shortly after he had left. It was quite a coincidence. Had he stayed a little longer, it might not have been necessary for him to act at all; Margaret, without her usual protection, would have died at the hands of one of her victims.
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