Victor's entrance startled everyone in the room, his voice echoing with disbelief. "Marianne, what are you doing?" he demanded, his eyes searching hers for recognition. But Marianne's response left him stunned. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion as she looked at him blankly. Victor's frustration bubbled to the surface, his jaw tensing. "How can you not remember me?" he exclaimed, his tone a mixture of anger and hurt. The doctor stepped in, his voice calm but firm. "Mrs. King has suffered memory loss due to her accident," he explained, his words carrying weight in the tense atmosphere. Victor's brows furrowed in frustration. "I don't care," he retorted, his gaze unwavering. "She's my wife, and she's coming home with me." But Mr. Harriganton's voice interrupted, his tone decisive. "It's Marianne's decision," he stated firmly, his gaze steady as he looked at his daughter. Victor turned to Marianne, his heart aching at the thought of her not recognizing him. "
Stephen left the room, his expression unreadable. Victor watched him go, frustration gnawing at him. As soon as Stephen was out of sight, Victor spoke into his earpod. "Was it successful?"Enoch's voice crackled through. "No, it hung at 99%. We need to stay close to Stephen to complete the decryption."Victor sighed, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "After all that effort..." He clenched his fists, struggling to contain his frustration.Victor paced the room, his mind racing. "Why did Marianne call Stephen?" he muttered to himself. "What is she up to?"Enoch's voice was calm but urgent. "We'll figure it out, but we need to be patient. Getting the decryption completed is our priority."Victor took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Right. Patience." He forced a smile, already planning his next move. He had to get closer to Stephen, to complete the decryption and weaken his defence. But he also had to keep an eye on Marianne and understand her motives."Enoch, keep me upda
Stephen woke up the next morning with a stiff neck from sleeping on the couch. Marianne’s loud snoring had kept him awake most of the night. He sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. His stomach growled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since yesterday.He walked to the dining table, hoping to find something to eat, but the sight made him groan. Plates and leftover food were scattered everywhere. It was a mess, clearly Marianne’s doing. He shook his head, deciding it was better to head to King’s Empire. Even the monotony of business meetings was preferable to dealing with this chaos.Stephen headed to the bathroom to freshen up. When he lifted the toilet lid, he recoiled. Marianne hadn’t flushed. The sight and smell made him gag. He flushed the toilet, muttering to himself, “This is unbelievable.”After showering and dressing, Stephen left the penthouse, escaping the mess and Marianne’s torment. He took the elevator down, the silence giving him a brief respite. As
Stephen's face tightened as he looked back and forth between Victor and Marianne, suspicion hanging in the air like a heavy fog. He didn't waste a moment before speaking with authority, "Victor, we need to talk. Now. In my office." Victor nodded, sensing the urgency in Stephen’s voice. He shot a quick glance at Marianne, hoping she wouldn’t catch onto their conversation. Following Stephen's lead, Victor trailed closely behind as they made their way to Stephen’s office, his mind already racing with anticipation of what was to come. Inside the office, tension filled the room as both men settled into their seats, their eyes locking in a serious exchange. Stephen broke the silence, his tone commanding, "Go on, Victor." Victor, who had been prepared for a different discussion, felt a flood of relief wash over him. "It’s about your brother," he began, recalling their earlier conversation about bringing Stephen’s brother back to the empire. Stephen's demeanor softened slightly as he list
Stephen stood before the mirror, adjusting his suit. He sprayed on his favorite cologne, the scent calming his nerves. Today was the day he'd finally expose Marianne. He smiled to himself as he left the penthouse, ready for the confrontation. Marianne had chosen the hotel's grand hall for their wedding. Music echoed through the building as guests mingled and congratulated Stephen. He forced a smile, hiding his true intentions. Arriving at the entrance, the doors opened to reveal a crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces. The room was filled with influential and wealthy individuals, all waiting for the ceremony to begin. Stephen smirked as he saw Marianne standing at the altar, dressed in a pristine white gown and holding a bouquet. Her parents stood nearby, looking uneasy. Stephen walked down the aisle, his steps measured and confident. He joined Marianne at the altar, the priest beginning the ceremony. The atmosphere was tense, a sharp contrast to the cheerful facade. When the pri
Victor leaned back in his armchair, his eyes fixed on the television screen. The news anchor’s voice was crisp, cutting through the room's quiet. "In a shocking turn of events, Stephen King, the newly appointed CEO of King's Empire, married and divorced his wife, Marianne Harrington, within three days. Marianne and her parents are now in police custody, charged with conspiracy to commit murder and fraud."He sipped his whiskey, the smooth burn helping him process the events. He had known Marianne for years, and seeing her fall from grace this way was jarring. She could have avoided all this if she had just trusted him with her plans. He sighed, feeling a pang of regret.Just then, the door opened, and Enoch strolled in. "Quite a wedding party," Enoch said with a chuckle, making himself at home by grabbing Victor's whiskey and taking a generous sip.Victor gave him a questioning look. "Did I say you could take that?"Enoch shrugged, unbothered. "You looked like you needed company." He
Gaga leaned back, the lollipop still in her mouth. "We received a call from your company a few days ago," she began. "A complaint from one of your staff." Stephen glanced at Victor, suspecting he might be the one behind the call. "I treat my workers well," Stephen said, folding his arms. "I've increased their salaries. Any complaints might be from someone jealous of me." Victor didn't flinch, maintaining his composed demeanor. Gaga stood up, sauntering over to the table in a seductive manner. "Darling," she said, perching on the edge of the table, "will you explain the financial discrepancies and incompetence in management?" Stephen frowned. "What do you mean?" Gaga's voice turned serious. "We've been monitoring your accounts. There's a significant amount of money there, far more than King's Empire has made recently. And you're risking the company's future by mining all the gold at once, ignoring warnings fro
Stephen stood outside the King's Empire building, frustration consuming him as he attempted once more to activate his system without success. "What's going on?" he muttered to himself, his mind racing. If only the system were functioning, he could uncover the truth before his impending trial. But he couldn't rely on it now. He had to find answers on his own.With determination, he climbed into his car and drove to the mining site. The journey seemed longer than usual, thoughts swirling about who might have framed him. Arriving at the factory, he saw workers in worn-out clothes, sweating profusely under the blazing sun. Armed guards kept watch, vigilant and tense.Exiting his car, Stephen was immediately hit by the heat and dust of the mining operation. The miners, dirty and exhausted, recognized him and stopped their work, watching him with a mix of respect and curiosity."Boss, what brings you here?" asked an elderly man, leaning wearily on his shovel."I'm here for information about
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late. The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late. The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen. Stephen did not sa
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late. The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late. The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen. Stephen did not say an
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late. The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late. The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen. Stephen did not say an
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late.The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late.The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face."Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen.Stephen did not say anythi
Stephen stood by the door, watching as Victor’s car grew smaller in the distance. The rumble of the engine slowly faded, leaving nothing but the usual quiet that hung around the small neighborhood. He let out a breath, resting his hand on the doorframe. The last two months had been tough—tougher than he ever imagined.Without the system—the network of contacts and favors that once made his life easy—Stephen had to figure out a way to survive on his own. And it wasn’t glamorous. Every day was a grind, a constant scramble for enough money to cover the basics. Work wasn’t easy to come by, not when you’d burned as many bridges as he had. But he’d managed to find some odd jobs here and there—just enough to scrape by, though never enough to truly get ahead.He closed the door softly, the sound echoing through the small room. Glancing around the cramped space, he couldn’t help but think of the penthouse he once called home. The stark difference between his old life and this one weighed on hi
Stephen stood in the door and watched as Victor's car dwindled to a dot on the horizon. The rumble of the motor died out, leaving only the silent night air hovering over the little neighborhood. He exhaled a breath, his hand falling to rest on the doorframe. The last two months had been rough-tougher than he ever imagined.No system to fall back on now-the network of contacts and favors that oiled his life-Stephen was forced to scrounge some means of survival for himself. Not quite glamorous, the daily fight, the eternal hustle just for the real basics. Jobs were not easy to find, not when one had burned bridges as he had. But he'd been able to find odd jobs here and there, enough just to scrape by, never enough to get any further ahead.He closed the door behind him with a quiet click. The softness echoed inside the tiny room. Glancing around at the cramped quarters, his mind strayed to the penthouse he once called home. The stark dissimilarities between where his life used to be and
Two months later, Victor stared at the address on his phone, then at the small, run-down building in front of him. It didn’t look like a place Stephen would be living. The paint was peeling off the walls, and the grass in front was overgrown. This was far from the sleek, modern apartment Stephen used to own.Victor killed the engine, stepped out of his car, and walked toward the house. It was a self-contained unit—cheap, cramped, and barely enough for one person. He checked the address again. Room number 9. It matched. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.When he reached room 9, he knocked hard. The wood felt thin under his knuckles, like the door could break if he wasn’t careful. He knocked again, louder this time.After a moment, the door creaked open. Victor’s eyebrows shot up. Standing in front of him was Stephen, but he was almost unrecognizable. His hair was longer, his face covered with a scruffy beard, and he’d gained weight—his old sharp features now s
Standing beside Ariane's bed, his mind was spinning as he stared down at the screen of the system on his phone. His fingers trembling, he hit the icon for healing skills. He muttered under his breath, "Why can't this work on her? Why can't I save her?The system kept mum-no explanation, no solution. The shallow breathing of his daughter echoed in the room; every weak breath made him helpless. Stephen swallowed hard as his throat went dry. He could fix deals, he could manipulate numbers, but here in this hospital room, he was powerless.The door creaked open, and Stephen turned to see Enoch step in. Gone was Enoch's usual smug expression, replaced with a concerned frown. "What are you doing here?" Stephen's voice was low, edged with suspicion.Enoch shrugged, glancing over at Ariane. "Heard she was sick, so I decided to come by. How's she doing?"Stephen stared at him for a long moment, unsure of how to reply. His mind flashed back to his earlier doubts. Ariane wasn't his daughter, at
Stephen sat cross-legged on a soft mat, his eyes closed to focus on the calm voice of the guru. The air around him was scented with burning incense; a low hum of chanting echoed softly from the walls. He had called in the guru in a last-ditch effort to clear his mind, escape the relentless pull of the system. It had started to devour him, bit by bit, till it was all he could think of, all he could perceive.He was losing his grip, and he knew it.The guru's voice came, calm: "Breathe in. breathe out. let your thoughts flow like water. Do not cling to them."Stephen sucked in an enormous breath, then let it slowly out again, as if to expel everything at the same time: the market crash, the system, the deals that went right past him. The tension between him and Enoch was endless. He'd gotten pulled into something so much bigger than he was that he couldn't possibly control it himself, and however hard Stephen fought his way free of it, he felt ensnared.Then, though, as his breathing st