2025-04-17 19:16:44CHAPTER 6: Stormont vs. Stormont
The Stormont Corp headquarters didn’t feel like home.
Not yet.
But atleast it looked like it belonged to Rowan.
Tall glass panels, black marble floors, chrome staircases, and a minimalist, commanding design. The place reeked of wealth and legacy, his legacy.
Employees turned their heads as Rowan passed. Some bowed slightly. Others stood straighter. Everyone watched.
After his public reentry and the corporate bomb he dropped on the Coopers, Rowan was a name again. Not a whisper. Not a memory.
A name.
A force.
“CEO Rowan,” his assistant chimed in over the intercom. “Legal team reports the preliminary sweep of the Cooper merger history is done. Irregularities confirmed.”
Rowan tapped his earpiece. “Send everything to my private server.”
‘System Alert: Internal Integrity Scan In Progress... 54%’
He stepped into his office. The walls were matte black, the Stormont crest embossed above the massive desk.
He turned toward the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down on Manhattan.
This wasn’t just a view.
It was a throne.
‘New Task Unlocked: Advanced Tactical Response Training – Tier 2
Objective: Decode split-layered firewall in under 10 seconds.’“Seriously?” Rowan muttered. “Again with the firewalls?”
‘Success will unlock Deep Emotional Tracking & Real-Time Sentiment Analysis.’
He groaned and summoned the system overlay.
Ten seconds. Three walls. No tutorial.
He focused.
Five seconds in, he cracked the first wall.
Seven seconds later, second wall nearly fell, but a distraction hit him.
The elevator dinged outside his office.
The third wall collapsed in exactly 9.88 seconds.
‘TASK COMPLETE. New Skill Unlocked.
Warning: Unknown entity entering.’
The door opened.
Rowan turned slowly.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in a crisp grey suit walked in like he owned the building. His face was angular and sharp, brown hair streaked with grey, and piercing hazel eyes that held an unsettling calm.
But that wasn’t what rattled Rowan.
It was the system.
Nothing popped up.
No vitals. No emotion readout. No behavioral cues.
‘Subject: UNKNOWN. No data accessible.
Risk Level: Unable to determine.’Rowan blinked.
“Who are you?” he asked, even though the answer pressed at his gut. He kinda knew who he was.
The man smiled. “Took you long enough to ask. I’m Kane Stormont. Your uncle.”
Rowan stood straighter. His mind racing,as he stared on.
“Strange. Everyone else, my system reads like a book. He’s just... static.”
Kane chuckled softly and walked toward the desk. “I think i know what you're thinking about”
Rowan said nothing.
Kane placed a sleek black box on the desk. “From your father. Locked until your system syncs to 45%.”
Rowan’s eyes narrowed. “Why help me?”
Kane stepped back, adjusted his cufflinks. “Maybe I’m sentimental. Maybe I just miss my brother.”
‘Lie Detection Inconclusive.’
Rowan couldn’t see through him.
He hated it.
Kane’s tone was almost teasing now. “We’re family. You’ll see I’m not the enemy.”
‘New Mission Unlocked: Determine Kane Stormont’s Intentions.’
“And your family?” Rowan asked.
Kane’s smile curved, like Rowan had taken the bait.
“They’ll introduce themselves... in due time.”
He turned toward the door.
“Enjoy the throne, nephew. But be careful. The higher you sit, the more people want to pull you down.”
Then he was gone.
The room fell silent again except for the soft hum of Rowan’s system.
He looked at the black box Kane left behind.
Access Denied. Unlocks at 45% Sync. Current: 22.1%
“Not yet,” Rowan muttered. “But soon.”
*****
Back the Cooper firm, there was hell
“What do you mean the firm is being audited?” Aurora’s voice cracked.
Her father, Mr Cooper, threw a newspaper on her desk.
STORMONT CORP EXPOSES COOPER-DONOVAN FRAUD
FIRM TO FACE INVESTIGATION“Because of that boy,” Mr Cooper snarled. “That disgrace of a husband you let go.”
Aurora’s eyes burned. “ Why are you making it sound like this was all my fault? We all didn’t know he had power.”
“You should’ve made it work, I and your mother turned on him because you said you were tired of pretending and was sure he wasn't going to inherit his company anymore since he was already 24” Mr Cooper hissed. “Now you’re going to fix it.”
“I…what?!”
“You’ll seduce him again.”
Aurora stood, furious. “Is that all you see me as?. A pawn you throw at men for your gain? Moreover, He hates me now.”
“He still loves that child. Use her.”
She swallowed hard. “You want me to use Sofia to trap him again?Dad? That’s your granddaughter we are talking about”
“Oh shut up. Do you want to go to jail, Aurora?”
Her knees felt weak.
“Do what you do best,” Mr Cooper said coldly. “Lie. Be pretty. And get back in before it's too late”
*******
Rowan sat at his desk, shirt sleeves rolled up, eyes locked on holographic data files.
The system pinged rapidly.
‘Emotional Tracking Activated.
Reading Nearby Sentiments…’Rowan paused.
“System?”
‘High hostility detected. Location: Stormont Corp HQ. East Wing Elevator.’
He stood, walked toward the private corridor.
The elevator doors opened.
A woman stepped out tall, red-haired, wavy strands cascading like fire over a black leather coat. Her hazel eyes scanned the hallway with practiced indifference. She moved like a weapon refined and deadly.
Rowan’s system blinked.
‘Subject Detected: Unknown. Scanning... Match Found.
GENETIC TWIN LOCATED. 92% COMPATIBILITY.’
His breath caught.
She stopped in front of him, cocking her head.
“Hello, brother.”
Rowan’s voice was cold but surprised. “You’re... My twin?.”
He eyed her, from head to toe. She looked exactly like him. But much prettier.
Raven Stormont smirked. “Disappointed?”
“I expected someone taller.”
She laughed low and dark. “And I expected someone smarter. Took you long enough to show up.”
Rowan took a step closer, like he was going in for a hug. “It's so nice to finally meet you. I have been anticipating you”
Raven stepped back, her hand holding him back. “I'm not here for that.”
‘System Alert: TWIN SYSTEM INTERFACE ACTIVATED. Shared sync available. Warning: Proximity may alter abilities.’
Rowan’s jaw clenched.
Raven leaned in. “Let’s get one thing straight, Rowan. Just because we share blood doesn’t mean we share goals.”
“I dont understand. I’m just happy to see you. I don’t want a war.”
“Too bad,” she whispered, brushing past him. “Because I came for one.”
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