Stephen raised his hand, halting the old man's declaration. "No, Mr. Harrington. We shouldn't be too hasty. Perhaps Victor should just be suspended for today." He walked closer to Victor, a glint of determination in his eyes. "I can't let you out of my sight, Victor. I'd like to see you serve me and show me the respect I deserve." Victor chuckled bitterly, his voice laced with scorn. "Respect? Is that what all this is about, Stephen? If that's what you're looking for, you'll never get it. I'll never show respect to a poor loser like you." Stephen's expression hardened. "We'll see about that." Victor stormed out of the room, his jaw clenched in frustration. Marianne hurried after him, her steps quick to catch up. As they reached the garden, Victor slumped onto a bench, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He chuckled bitterly to himself, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "I'm sure my father would be so proud of me, losing my rightful place to a loser like Stephen." Marian
The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on Stephen as he stretched out on the bed. It had been a while since he'd slept so soundly. Standing up, he made his way to the bathroom, the routine of brushing his teeth and taking a shower bringing a sense of normalcy to his otherwise chaotic life.Dressed in a crisp suit, Stephen checked his reflection one last time before heading downstairs. He slipped into his car and drove towards the empire, the weight of his responsibilities settling on his shoulders.Upon arrival, he was greeted by the expectant faces of his colleagues. "Sorry I'm late," he said, taking his seat at the head of the table. He noticed Victor's cold stare but chose to ignore it, focusing instead on the matters at hand."We're losing miners over pay," one executive reported. "It's affecting production.""How much to bring them back?" Stephen asked, ready to solve the problem with a swift transfer of funds. “And I want all the 6 gold mine sites a
Stephen stepped out of the elevator into the top floor of the hotel, his mind inside a whirlwind of ruminations on the weird dictum of the system. He neared his penthouse door, fumbling in his pocket for his keycard. Bringing it out, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. To his surprise, Marianne was there, seated in his sofa in a striking red gown that hugged provocatively her curves. Stephen's eyebrows rose in a frown. "Marianne, what are you doing here?" he enquired, trying to keep a suspicion from springing into his voice. Marianne smiled at him carnally, her eyes shining with some kind of scheming. "I thought we could spend some time together, sweetheart," she purred, her words dripping with honeyed sweetness. Stephen's ire was continuing to burn, but he was still trying to maintain his cool. "I am not in the mood for games, Marianne," he said firmly. "What have you really come here for?" Marianne's smile flickered again, and her mask slipped. "I. wanted to see you," she ad
Enoch leaned in closer, his voice barely a whisper. "I know someone—a cybersecurity expert. They can hack into the system, remove the malicious software, but..." He hesitated, glancing around cautiously. "We'll need to keep Stephen close. Real close." Victor's brow furrowed in thought. "Stephen won't just waltz into our trap. He's too clever for that." Enoch nodded, his eyes scanning the room. "We'll have to bait him. Make him believe there's something valuable for him." Victor's mind raced with possibilities. "The company's confidential files. He's been after those for years." Enoch's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Exactly. We leak false information about a big data breach. He'll come running." Victor's expression hardened with determination. "Then we'll be waiting for him. Ready to strike." Enoch clapped a hand on Victor's shoulder. "Together, we'll take him down and reclaim what's rightfully ours." Victor nodded, a steely resolve in his eyes. "Let's do it. For our
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 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