2025-01-20 06:21:12
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Beyond the Bottom Just Another Day in Paradise
Chapter 89The following week brought with it a mix of excitement and unease. Jamal had spent the past few days dabbling with the creative writing workshops and meeting new people, but the familiar weight of Skilbridge still lingered in the background. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Isaac’s sudden interest in his app wasn’t just coincidence. Something about the way Isaac had asked about his project rubbed Jamal the wrong way. But for now, he had other things to focus on.The campus was alive with activity as students prepared for midterms, but Jamal was distracted. He’d spent the morning coding a new feature for Skilbridge, but his mind kept wandering back to the idea of pursuing something outside of the app. Something less stressful, something more personal.Leah had noticed his distraction as they walked to their next class. “You’re quiet today. What’s going on?”Jamal shrugged, trying to shake off the feeling that something was off. “Just thinking about some stuff. You know, th
Beyond the Bottom Calming Nerves
Chapter 90The crisp autumn breeze swirled through the campus, sending leaves scattering across the ground like confetti. Jamal sat at a bench outside the main building, his eyes scanning over a variety of articles on tech startups and business strategies. He hadn’t realized how much he missed this—the ability to just sit and focus without the looming pressure of deadlines or constant phone calls. For the first time in weeks, he felt a sense of peace. But he knew better than to get too comfortable. In his world, peace was often temporary.Leah appeared, as if summoned by his thoughts, carrying two iced coffees and a small stack of textbooks. "Hey, there you are," she said, sitting down beside him."Hey," Jamal replied, taking the coffee she handed him. "What’s up?"Leah stretched out her legs and leaned back, clearly enjoying the rare moment of downtime. "Nothing much, just trying to catch up on some reading," she said, flipping open one of the textbooks. "You?""Same," Jamal replied,
Beyond the Bottom Under the Surface
Chapter 91The library was quiet, the only sounds the soft rustling of pages turning and the occasional murmur of students in the corners. Jamal walked in, his mind racing, trying to piece together everything that had happened in the last few hours. As soon as he stepped inside, he spotted Ethan and Zoe at their usual table, a pile of textbooks and papers scattered across the surface. Ethan looked up when he saw Jamal approach, his expression tense."Jamal," Ethan said, his voice low. "Glad you're here."Jamal took a seat beside him, setting his bag down. "What’s going on? What’s this about Milo?"Zoe, who had been silently typing on her laptop, looked up. "We’ve been tracking some of Milo’s moves," she said, her tone sharp. "It’s not just him trying to undercut us. He’s getting help. We don’t know who, but someone’s backing him."Jamal ran a hand through his hair, frustration creeping into his chest. "Great. Just when I thought we had a handle on things."Ethan leaned in, showing Jam
Beyond the Bottom Melting Point
Chapter 92The morning air was heavy with anticipation as Jamal made his way to the university’s main building. His mind was racing, still tangled in the mess of the last few days. The pressure of the looming conflict with Milo, combined with his personal struggles, was beginning to take a toll. The weight of it all felt like a brick in his chest, and no matter how many breaths he took, it didn’t seem to get any lighter.As he entered the building, the familiar buzz of conversation and the shuffle of students moving between classes barely registered in his mind. He was already running late for a meeting with the investors, and the tension was suffocating. Milo’s moves had gotten more aggressive, and Jamal knew he couldn’t afford to show any signs of weakness. But the truth was, he was stretched thin, and something had to give.As he approached the conference room, he saw Ethan and Zoe already waiting, their faces tense. They had been working nonstop on damage control, trying to find o
Beyond the Bottom The Troubles Within
Chapter 93The rest of the day dragged on, the weight of the meeting still heavy on Jamal's shoulders. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were teetering on the edge of something bigger, and the uncertainty gnawed at him. As he walked through the campus, his mind raced, replaying every conversation, every look from the investors. But there was nothing more he could do for the moment. For now, the only thing he could control was what came next.Later that evening, Jamal sat in the lounge, his laptop open in front of him but his mind elsewhere. The glow of the screen was barely registering as his thoughts continued to spiral. He was so caught up in his worries that he almost didn’t hear the knock on the door.“Jamal?” Leah’s voice broke through the fog in his mind. “Hey, can we talk?”He looked up, blinking as if waking from a deep trance. Leah stood in the doorway, her arms crossed, her expression a mix of concern and determination. Jamal sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.“Y
Beyond the Bottom The Unfinished Business
Chapter 94The next morning, Jamal walked onto campus with a new resolve. He had spent the previous night going over everything—the investors, the pressure, Milo’s interference. It was clear now: he couldn’t afford to stay on the defensive. It was time to make a move.The crisp morning air did little to ease the weight pressing down on his chest, but at least now, he had a plan. The moment he spotted Leah, Ethan, Zoe, and Evan near the library, he knew they had something to tell him.Leah’s arms were crossed, her expression tight with concern. Ethan’s jaw was clenched, his usual calm replaced with something sharper. Zoe was tapping her fingers against her arm—a sign she was irritated. Evan stood slightly apart, his brows furrowed as he scrolled through something on his phone.Jamal sighed. “Alright, what’s the bad news?”Leah and Ethan exchanged a glance before Leah spoke. “Milo’s been talking.”Jamal’s stomach twisted. “Talking how?”Zoe exhaled. “He’s been meeting with people. Not j
Beyond the Bottom Setting the Stage
Chapter 95The days leading up to the presentation moved fast. Too fast.Jamal barely had time to catch his breath between finalizing Skilbridge’s demo, coordinating with investors, and ensuring everything went smoothly. Leah took charge of managing the logistics, making sure the right people received their invitations. Ethan and Zoe worked relentlessly on perfecting the interface, while Evan stayed glued to his phone, tracking Milo’s next moves.Despite the mounting pressure, Jamal knew one thing: they couldn’t afford any mistakes.And, more importantly, they couldn’t afford to lose.—The night before the presentation, the team gathered in Leah’s apartment to run through everything one last time.Ethan connected his laptop to the TV, displaying the Skilbridge interface. “Alright, final check. System’s running smooth, no lag, and all key features are in place.”Jamal leaned forward. “How’s the automated matching?”“Works like a charm.” Ethan clicked a few buttons, and the algorithm i
Beyond the Bottom Moment of Truth
Chapter 96The morning of the Skilbridge demo arrived with a mix of tension and excitement.Jamal stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his blazer. His mind raced through everything they had prepared. The presentation, the demo, the counterplay against Milo’s sabotage—it all came down to this moment.A buzz from his phone snapped him back to reality.Rachel: You got this, Jamal. We all believe in you.Jamal smiled faintly. Rachel always seemed to know exactly when to check in.Alex: Make ‘em regret ever doubting you, man. Can’t wait to hear about it.He exhaled, slipping his phone into his pocket. There was no room for doubt today.—By the time he arrived at the presentation hall, the energy in the room was electric. Rows of seats were filling up fast, and investors, professors, and students murmured among themselves. The last-minute buzz they had created worked. Even some of Milo’s allies were here—likely to see if the rumors were true.Jamal spotted Leah, Ethan, Zoe, and Evan at
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A Shift in Priorities
Chapter 126The tension in Jamal’s life was reaching its peak. Balancing Skilbridge, academics, and personal life was proving to be more than he had bargained for. Every day felt like a ticking clock, each second slipping away faster than the last.The workload at Skilbridge was growing, and with every new challenge came a new obstacle. University obligations were still looming over his head, and now, there was another layer to the chaos—Rachel and Alex’s relationship was crumbling, and though they were miles apart, Jamal could feel the shift in their dynamic.Rachel sat on her dorm room bed, staring at her phone. Alex hadn’t texted her in over a day. Normally, she would have been worried, but at this point, she was just exhausted. Every conversation between them had started feeling like a chore—strained, predictable, and lacking the spark they once had.Her roommate, Melanie, glanced at her over the rim of her laptop screen. “Still waiting for him to text?”Rachel sighed. “I don’t ev
The Threat Becomes Real
Chapter 125 Jamal sat at his desk, fingers tapping rhythmically against the wooden surface. His laptop screen glowed in the dim dorm room, the anonymous email staring back at him like a silent threat. He had read it a dozen times already, trying to decipher any hidden meanings, but its message was simple and direct:You think you’ve won? This is just the beginning.He clenched his jaw. Milo was getting bolder. And now, it seemed, he wasn’t acting alone. Jamal turned to Leah, Zoe, and Ethan, who were sitting on his bed, each of them wearing matching expressions of concern.“This isn’t just some petty campus rivalry anymore,” Jamal muttered. “Milo’s taking this outside Columbus University.”Leah folded her arms. “We need to track down who sent this. If he has outside help, we’re at a disadvantage.”Zoe sighed, running a hand through her hair. “But how do we stop someone we can’t see?”Ethan leaned forward, his eyes sharp with calculation. “Maybe we don’t have to find him. Maybe we make
On the Verge of Collapse
Chapter 123 – Breaking PointJamal sat in front of his laptop, the glow from the screen highlighting the exhaustion on his face. The Skilbridge scandal was spreading faster than he anticipated. Despite their efforts, the accusations kept circulating on campus forums. It didn’t matter that there was no concrete proof—people loved a juicy controversy.Leah’s voice came through the team’s group call. “The livestream is scheduled for tomorrow. We have three professors from the tech department agreeing to watch. If we prove our originality, we kill this rumor.”Ethan exhaled. “Still, we need to be ready for anything. Milo isn’t dumb—he’ll try to discredit us again.”Zoe, who had been eerily silent, suddenly spoke. “Then we do something he won’t expect.”Jamal rubbed his temples. “Like what?”“We go bigger,” Zoe said. “We turn this livestream into a full-fledged demo day. Invite students, industry experts, hell—even potential investors. We force the narrative into something positive.”Leah
Lines Drawn
Chapter 122 Jamal sat at the far end of the library, surrounded by stacks of textbooks and notes, yet his mind refused to focus. The weight of everything pressed against his skull—Skilbridge, his slipping grades, the rumors Milo was spreading. It was too much at once, and no matter how much he tried to block it all out, the anxiety simmered just beneath the surface.Leah tapped her fingers against the table, waiting for him to say something. She had just laid out the latest problem—the false rumors about Skilbridge’s tech. Someone was trying to undermine them, and they both knew exactly who.“We need a plan,” Leah said, her voice low but firm. “If this spreads, we could lose investor confidence.”Jamal exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. “We need proof that Milo’s behind it.”Zoe, who had been scrolling through her phone, suddenly smirked. “Or we can play smarter. If he wants to spread lies, we counter with undeniable facts. Make our work so solid that no one even considers his nons
Tipping Points
Chapter 121 – Tipping PointsThe night air outside Columbus University was crisp, but inside Jamal’s dorm, the air felt thick with stress. His desk was a mess—open textbooks, half-written assignments, and a laptop screen blinking with notifications. He tapped his pen against his notebook, staring at the calculations he needed to finish for his next class.His phone vibrated. Ethan.“Meeting in 10. Lecture Hall.”Jamal exhaled, rubbing his eyes. These late-night strategy sessions were necessary, but they were also draining. Skilbridge was growing at a pace none of them had fully prepared for, and balancing school with running a startup was proving to be more of a nightmare than he had expected.Still, there was no backing out now.He grabbed his hoodie and headed out.A Late-Night Strategy SessionThe lecture hall was mostly empty at this hour, except for Leah, Zoe, and Ethan, who were already inside, gathered around one of the large desks. Leah’s tablet was open, showing analytics, wh
Issues Brewing
Chapter 120 The office was quiet except for the soft tapping of keys. Jamal stared at the engagement report displayed on his laptop, his brows furrowed. The numbers weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great either. Skilbridge was growing, but not at the pace they had hoped. While universities were signing up, user retention was dropping. It was a frustrating plateau, one that could determine the platform’s future.Leah sat across from him, scrolling through her tablet. “We need something more compelling. The AI tutoring feature is promising, but it’s not enough. We need a hook—something that makes Skilbridge essential, not just convenient.”Zoe, who had been quiet until now, leaned forward. “What if we establish a student ambassador program? Get representatives in each school to market the platform directly to their peers. Word of mouth is still the strongest form of promotion.”Ethan, casually spinning a pen between his fingers, nodded. “That could work. Organic marketing has a bette
Cracks
Chapter 119 The weight of responsibility pressed down on everyone, stretching them thin in different ways. Jamal struggled to balance Skilbridge with university, Rachel found herself caught between ambition and love, and Alex—once the most dependable of them—had started slipping away into silence.The bonds that once felt unbreakable were now under strain.Rachel sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at her phone. Alex had been distant lately—more than usual. Their conversations, once filled with laughter and teasing, had turned into brief, one-word replies.She had assumed it was just basketball and school. But now, she wasn’t so sure.Rachel: Hey, are you okay?Minutes passed. Then ten. Then twenty.Finally, a reply came.Alex: Yeah, just busy.Rachel frowned. That was it? No reassurance, no questions about how she was?Her roommate, Ava, glanced over from her desk. "You’re staring at your phone like you’re waiting for it to explode."Rachel exhaled. "It might as well. Alex has been
Diverging Parts
Chapter 118 The weeks following Malcolm Reid’s investment felt like a whirlwind. Contracts were signed, funds were transferred, and Skilbridge began expanding faster than Jamal had anticipated. With Leah and Ethan leading different departments, they had started hiring new developers, refining their marketing strategy, and pushing for university partnerships beyond Columbus. But the real test was just beginning. Jamal sat in the office space they had rented near campus—a modest but functional place filled with whiteboards covered in code, marketing strategies, and expansion plans. It was late, and most of the team had gone home, but he was still there, staring at his laptop screen. "Still here?" Leah’s voice broke the silence. Jamal looked up to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed, a small smirk on her face. She walked in, setting her laptop on the table beside him. "You’re one to talk," he said with a chuckle. "What’s keeping you up?" Leah sighed, taking a seat. "The
Crossroads and New Beginnings
Chapter 117 Jamal lay awake in his dorm room, staring at the ceiling. The offer from Malcolm Reid weighed heavily on his mind. Five million dollars. That was a life-changing sum, more money than he had ever imagined having access to at this stage of his life. With it came the potential to take Skilbridge from a promising startup to a nationwide brand.But was it worth giving up more control?His phone buzzed. Leah.Leah: Can’t sleep?Jamal: Nope. You?Leah: Same. We’re about to make the biggest decision of our lives.Jamal: And we can’t afford to mess it up.Leah: Let’s talk in the morning. Maybe things will be clearer.Jamal sighed and put his phone away. He hoped Leah was right.By noon, the team reconvened in the same conference room where they had first strategized against ByteEdge. The tension was palpable.Jamal exhaled, looking around the table at Leah, Ethan, Zoe, and the other key team members. "Alright. Let’s vote. Do we take Malcolm Reid’s offer?"Leah leaned forward, her
