World Domination Begins With Getting a System in a Modern World-Chapter 64: Empire Plan: Investing In Oneself

By the time James arrived home, the sky had almost darkened, and the evening air carried a cool breeze.

As he stepped into the house, the comforting aroma of freshly cooked food greeted him, making his stomach rumble despite the fact that it hadn’t been long since he ate at Ralph’s place.

Patty, who was dressed in a casual apron, had just finished setting the table. She glanced up and smiled warmly when she saw James.

"You’re back just in time," she said, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. "Sit down and eat before the food gets cold."

"Didn’t I just eat?" James chuckled, as he thought to himself.

His eyes, however, betrayed his words as they lingered on the meal — perfectly grilled steak, mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables, and a side of warm garlic bread. The dishes were plated so well that they wouldn’t look out of place in a five-star restaurant.

"Well, I guess I can make room," James added as he sat down.

Who is he kidding? There’s no way that he will skip any food made by Patty. If he had just eaten a food the size of a large pot, he will still make space for her food.

Across the table, Leslie was staring at him with a wide smile on her face. She had been in a surprisingly good mood lately, and it didn’t take much for James to notice.

"Alright, what’s with that grin? You look like you just won the lottery." He asked.

He feels that he probably know the reason why she’s smiling and happy, but he understand that since Leslie is looking at him like that, she wants him to ask.

Leslie smirked, chewing her food before responding.

"Nothing, really. I’m just... happy."

James paused for a moment. It wasn’t just the words she said, but how she said them — genuine and lighthearted, without any of the stress or worries that used to plague their conversations.

He smiled as he picked up his fork.

’This is exactly what I want. This is why I do what I do!’

No longer did they have to stress over bills, worry about where their next meal would come from, or live with the uncertainty of the future. In just a single week, their entire lives had changed.

And it wasn’t just the money.

Patty’s cooking had somehow improved as well — not that it was ever bad to begin with, but now that she had access to premium ingredients, she was able to prepare meals with a quality that even James hadn’t realized was possible.

As he took a bite, he couldn’t help but let out a small moan of approval.

"Wow, Patty. Are you sure you didn’t hire a Michelin-star chef while I was out?"

Patty laughed happily at James’ words.

"I wonder maybe I should start my own restaurant now that we can afford it."

Leslie’s eyes widened when she heard what her mother said.

"Ooooh! Imagine a fancy little bistro in Bel-Air. Patty’s Kitchen! We’d have celebrities lining up for reservations!"

James chuckled, shaking his head. "If that’s what you want, I’ll buy you the best location in town."

Patty rolled her eyes playfully.

"I was joking, James."

"I wasn’t," he said, smirking.

If it was what Patty wants, he will do it. How much would it cost him? $10 million? $50 million? These are amount he can afford to spend.

Patty shook her head with amusement, then shifted the conversation.

"By the way, I’ve ordered all the furniture we’ll need. Some of it will be delivered tomorrow. I’m heading over to Anzo Estate in the morning to make sure everything is set up properly. You want to come with me?"

James nodded without hesitation.

"Yeah, of course. I want to make sure everything’s in place too."

Leslie perked up. "Oh! Then I’m coming too."

James smiled. "Figured as much."

As the conversation continued, James thought about something important — Patty didn’t have a car.

She had always relied on public transportation or used James’ car when necessary. But now that they were moving to a place like Bel-Air, that had to change.

James knew Patty well enough to know that she doesn’t care about status symbols or appearances. She had never been the type to flaunt wealth or chase luxury.

But James cared.

The world they were stepping into was one that judged people based on material possessions. And Status mattered in ways that weren’t always obvious.

And as much as James disliked that side of society, he wasn’t going to let anyone look down on Patty or Leslie.

He had already bought Ralph a car, and now it was time to get one for Patty. Something sleek, reliable, and befitting their new lifestyle.

"She probably won’t accept it at first," he thought, knowing how stubborn she could be. "But I’ll convince her."

A soft chuckle escaped him as he continued eating. He had already decided on the car he was getting her.

Dinner passed by with lighthearted conversation, laughter, and the ease of a family that no longer had to worry about the future, as they were simply enjoying life.

***

After dinner, James retired to his room. He stretched out on his bed, staring at the ceiling as thoughts swirled through his mind.

Now that money was no longer a problem, it was time to focus on the next step.

The Offshore Trust Holding Company.

Once it was set up, he needed to decide what kind of company he wanted to build under it. A trillion-dollar empire doesn’t happen by accident.

Yes, he can just use the holding company to buy shares and grow it into a company that rivals BlackRock that has $11.55 trillion worth of assets under their management, but James doesn’t want that.

He wants to create something of his own. Naturally he isn’t going to be managing it as he can hire people to do that for him.

James has a lot of options for the company he wants to create.

Artificial Intelligence.

Biotech.

Pharmaceuticals.

Technology & Software.

Cybersecurity.

Energy & Infrastructure.

Even defence.

But there was a major problem.

James had zero experience or knowledge in any of these fields.

Sure, he could hire experts, but who would want to work for a company that doesn’t even exist yet? Or a no name company?

Even if he threw money at the problem, attracting the right talent was a different story. And loyalty wasn’t something money could always buy.

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Am I thinking too far ahead?" he wondered.

The offshore trust holding company hadn’t even been finalized yet, so maybe he was burning brain cells unnecessarily. He would cross that bridge when he got there.

Still, one thing was clear — he needed knowledge.

Real knowledge. Not just surface-level understanding.

James hated the idea of being an owner who didn’t understand his own company.

Sure, he didn’t need to be an expert in every field, but he needed to know enough to make informed decisions.

Maybe he should invest in himself first before making big moves.

"Yeah... I should probably start learning."

He made a mental note to buy books, online courses, and materials on finance, tech, AI, and business strategy. Not because he plans to do everything himself, but because knowledge was power.

Even billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett understood the industries they dominated.

And if James wanted to build a trillion-dollar empire, he would need to be just as sharp as them.

His mind also drifted to the ongoing investigation into the McCullens and their company.

"I wonder if Gregor has found anything yet. No call from him, so probably nothing major," he thought out loud to himself.

With that final thought, he let out a long breath and closed his eyes.