2024-11-15 13:08:11I goes straight to the hotel with a pounding heart in my chest. Every step I take feels heavy. I can also feel the confusion, anger, and fear crawling on my chest as if something had already been decided without my knowledge. When Danica gave me the room number over the phone, her tone was full of finality and felt like a slap to my face.
When I finally reaches the door and pushes it open, a surreal sight welcomes me in an instant. The room is too luxurious that I can only afford in my dreams. There's a lot of huge furniture everywhere, expensive paintings on the walls, and thick carpets covering the floor. It is a huge contrast to the frugal life I've been living until now. Jannica is sitting on the plush sofa with her mother beside her. They are quietly sipping tea and completely at ease, as if they didn't just invited me here to watch the end of my marriage and my career. My eyes flickers to Jannica first, and then to Danica, who gives me a resentful glare that makes my blood boil. “Jannica, explain all of this." I said in a voice tight with urgency. I ignore the look on Danica’s eyes towards me. My focus is on my wife's face. “This is just a misunderstanding, right?” Jannica puts her teacup down on the coffee table and sighs softly. "Well…" Jannica started. "I didn’t betray you... Oh, forget it." I feel a chill run on my spine when I hear the sudden change in her voice. "No, it’s not a misunderstanding." Jannica said with a smile. "I betrayed you. Simple as that. So let’s get a divorce today, okay?” The words hit me like a physical blow. My legs nearly gives out as I try to process what she had just said. Divorce? Now? After everything? After all the years we’d been together? Is it really that easy for her to do this? Before I can respond, the door swings open and someone enters the room. It was Manuel, my brother-in-law. Manuel glances at me with a mocking expression before moving to greet Jannica and Danica. “What are you doing here?” I asked in a low voice to contain the anger in my heart. Manuel smirks at me and crosses his arms. He stands arrogantly in front of me and speaks in a tone dripping with mockery. "Me? I’m here to fetch my sister and mother. As for you… Heh. You’re nothing more than trash. My sister finally did the right thing of divorcing you. She deserves better than someone like you. Jannica will just waste her bright future if she continue staying with you." "And that means she is going to be with Hansel Renver?" "Exactly." My blood boils more at those words. Hansel Renver is someone Jannica and I knew during our college years. The three of us goes to the same university but I only got a few short interactions with Hansel Renver. His family owns a lot of businesses in our city and Hansel will inherit all of it in the future. I know the Zedd family is always looking down on me. Ever since I married Jannica, her family never spare any chances to treat me like an outsider. My background, my family, and my career truly pales in comparison to the wealth and status of the Zedd family. "But why...?" I can't help but asked. “You're really asking that?" Manuel sneered at me. "Jannica obvioulsly agreed to go with Mr. Wallace because has everything you don't have." Danica doesn't wait for me to react and add more insulting words towards me. "Mr. Renver is offering fifty million to invest with our family's new business venture. Unlike you who can’t even gather ten thousand dollars so quickly, Mr. Renver can provide everything my daughter wants." Fifty million. It is an amount I cannot even imagine to have in my pocket. I am well-aware that Jannica's family is greedy. But today, I can now clearly see just how desperate they are for money. And for that, the Zedd family and my wife are willing to throw themselves to Hansel Renver because of his money. “I can’t believe you will do this to me, Jannica!" I shouted in a voice filled with disbelief. “You’re really going to sleep with that man for money? Are you seriously going to sell yourself just like that?” "Watch your mouth, you loser!" Manuel said as he tightly grips my collar. "Shut up! This is about me and my wife!" I argued back while glaring at him. "You—" "Oh, please! Stop now, will you?" Jannica quickly separates us and quickly stands in between me and her brother. After making sure Manuel is okay, she throws me a contemptious look. “Jannica, why are you doing this?” I asked. I clench my fists and feels my chest tighter with anger while waiting for her answer. But instead of showing any remorse or guilt, Jannica rolls her eyes at me as if she is starting to get irritated. Then with a huff, she looks at me from head to toe before shaking her head. “You're asking me why? Because you can’t do anything!” Jannica shrieked. "...What?" “You are proven useless to me to all those years that we've been married, Chandler. To be fair, I truly married you for love. But can you blame me? I keep seeing the man I used to love getting useless as the time goes by. You cannot even buy me a good gift on our last anniversary!" Jannica exhales again before she continues. "Unlike you, Hansel Renver can provide everything I need. Hansel just need to make a call and he can instantly bring me anything I want. Tell me. Can you do that, Chandler? Can you give me anything I want?" "I—" "No, you can't! You cannot even buy yourself a new suit. So how am I expecting you to buy me a new bag or jewelry during special occassions? You’ve done nothing for me, Chandler!” Her words hit me hard. I always give the best of my ability to provide for our family. I always believe that I am not a failure and the right time for me to be lucky in life will come to me soon. But right now, I cannot ignore the truth anymore. Jannica had given up to our marriage. This hurts me to admit it, but it's true that I cannot give anything that she asked from me. Although Jannica grew up as a rich lady, I thought she would understand our new life when she said yes to my proposal. But now, she is choosing a man for his wealth and power. Jannica is choosing someone who is not me. "Back in university, I was so in love with you because I thought you are different. You were ambitious and full of ideas. You were the most capable man I knew. I chose you because you promised me a better life! But now? Just look at you!" Jannica viciously points her fingers at me. "You are now a loser. I tried to help you, Chandler. I asked my dad to get you a better job in one of our company but you refused. You just want to be an ordinary employee who works in a dull office from nine to five everyday! I asked you to think about our future but all you did was telling me for the right time. But when will it happen?! I am getting impatient, Chandler!" The words I want to say is now stuck in my throat. I want to tell her the truth. Despite her beliefs, I want to say I’m not a real failure. I just have a little situation that stops me for showing my full potentials. But since it is not yet the right time, that means I can't show her that side of me yet. "But Jannica, listen to me. I—" “You don’t get it, Chandler!” Jannica shouted angrily. "You are just a nobody for me. You can’t even stand up for yourself! Gosh... You will never become someone who is worthy to be respected!” My hands trembles in mixed emotion right now. I want to scream at her. I really want to tell her who I really was. I am now weighing wether I can give her a hint or just let everything I built with my own strength falls right in front of me. “I’m so done with you, Chandler! I will have our family lawyer to prepare our divorce papers today." Jannica said coldly. “But don't worry. Since I'm the one who wants this divorce, then I will compensate you with money. Is five million enough for you? Knowing how frugal you are, I'm pretty sure that amount is enough for you." Five million? I can feel my blood running cold in my veins. All of This wasn’t just about the money. It was about my pride, my dignity. I couldn’t let her go like this. Not now. “I... I'll give you a luxurious life." I said before swallowing the lump in my throat. “I will find a way to make it happen. I’ll give you everything. So please... Don't divorce me.” The room becomes silent for a moment. But Danica's mocking huff interrupts it followed by Manuel's laughter. “You?" Manuel scoffs. “You will give my sister a luxurious life? You cannot even buy yourself a car! So pathetic!" “Are you crazy now?” Danica added while shaking her head. “I can do it. I have a way to make it happen. I can give my wife the things she wants. I—" "Oh, please. Chandler, I know you. You will never give me the things I want to have." "Jannica—" "We're over, Chandler." I look at Jannica straight to her eyes. I cannot see the love she used to have in it for me. Right now, her eyes are full of ridicule and mockery while staring at me. And those are breaking me slowly from the inside. But before I can say another word, something strange is happening again. There is a sudden faint blue glowing light like a hologram flickering in front of me. When I blink my eyes, the time around us seems to become slow. And then, a female robotic voice echoes in my mind. [Update: Wealthy System Activated.] [Loading...] [ | Character Profile | Name: Chandler Logan Real Name: Chandler Johanson Level: 2 Class: Hidden Heir Health: 70/100 Mana: 20/50 Reputation: -150 points Wealth: 20 (Loan Limit: 10,000) | Special Abilities | Hidden Potential (Passive): Increases strength, intellect, and charisma by 7% each year of survival. Family Legacy (Inactive): Once activated, it can unlock hidden wealth from the Johanson estate. Resilience (Active): Reduces mental and physical damage by 20%] I blink my eyes several times but the blue hologram light in front of me is still there. What is happening now?
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There is now a hologram is blinking in front of before me. Its faint blue light is casting a gentle glow inside the whole room. For a moment, it feels like I slips into a strange dream similar to a virtual game. I can feel my heart beating so fast in my chest. My palm is also starting to sweat. As I continue staring at the hologram, I can feel my body trembling in mixed confusion, amazement and fear. Soon, I can hear a mechanical voice in my mind. Its words is waking me up from my trance. I blink my eyes rapidly and reads the words written on it. [Wealthy System Activated.] I shake my head and squints my eyes on the words in front of me again. What is going on right now? These things doesn’t make sense at all. I shake my head again and try to force myself to focus. The words 'Character Profile' on the holographic screen flashes for a moment before coming into sharp focus again. My name, Chandler Logan, is displayed first, follows by something that causes my stomach to churn.
The Son-in-law's Wealth System Chapter 4
The elevator ride down from the hotel room feels like the longest journey of my life. I feel the weight of my decision sinkingdeeper in my mind in every floor I pass. But it also feels liberating in a strange way. The cold steel walls of the elevator feels strangely comforting. No one is offering their judgment and expectations here. All I hear is the hum of the elevator and the quick beating of my heart. Closing my eyes, I exhale slowly and tries to calm my the thoughts running inside my head. "Family Legacy, huh..." I mutter under my breath. Until now, I am still trying to process the strange system that showed up in front of me. The blue light from the holographic screen, the words flashing on it, the wealth and power it promised... It feels like something you can only see in your dreams. But this is not a dream. I have lost track of how many times I shake my head and pinch myself to make sure that I am not dreaming. Not to mention that the loud heartbeat in my chest tells m
The Son-in-law's Wealth System Chapter 5
I can't tell if it is the brisk air of the chilly evening or the sheer exhaustion I felt from from emotional disaster that happened to me today. But for once, it seems like all of my emotional baggage disappears as I focus my gaze ahead. The countdown on my holographic display in my peripheral vision is ticking steadily. The panic that I always feel is now replaced with determination to prove everyone wrong. I've been complacent for too long. I let the expectations of others drag me down. Manuel and his judgmental sneers, Jannica’s endless nagging and disappointments, her family’s mockeries and other people's harsh judgment as they keep sizing me up like I am a failure since birth. But I want to change all of it now. I stop walking for a moment and stares at the holographic display in front of me. Without my knowledge, the countdown has reached two minutes. My pulse quickens as I think of the possibilities that will happen after this. As I wait for the countdown to finish, sever
The Son-in-law's Wealth System Chapter 6
"I trust that you already received the funds?" I look at Harold Johanson first before I nod my head. I can't help but feel a little uneasy now that I'm sitting in of him. "Yes. I received them." I replied. My own words feels hollow although I am only speaking the truth. I have a million dollars sitting in my account. But what does that really mean? What did he expecting from me? Mr. Harold’s gaze on me never wavers. His eyes are piercing into me with a sharpness that feels like it is cutting through to the core of who I was. "Good." He said with a nod. His voice sounds neutral as if he is examining an object rather than a person. "I assume you understand that I am giving it to you not as a gift." I swallow hard and nods my head again. The weight of his words is sinking in. "I understand." I said carefully. "But why?" Mr. Harold nods his head as if he is already expecting that question. "You are going to use that money to build something. You will prove to everyone that yo
The Son-in-law's Wealth System Chapter 7
The weight of Mr. Harold Johanson's words still presses on me even hours after leaving his office. He is giving me the opportunity to prove that I am more than the derogatory words that others have thrown at me. I close my eyes and remembers how I barely breath in Mr. Harold's room. Now that I'm out of that suffocating atmosphere, the reality of what's been handed hits me harder.The money sitting in my account should feel like a godsend, right? But right now, I feel like this is a little burden. This is not just about the money alone. It's also about anticipation and expectation. Mr. Harold wants to see if I have the edge to turn this money into something I can be proud of. If I'm not going to be careful, this 'opportunity' will turn into something that will make me fall flat on my face. There’s no middle ground. It's either I make something of myself or I’m left with nothing and be a loser forever.I let out a sigh and stare at my phone which shows my account balance.[Remaining Ba
The Son-in-law's Wealth System Chapter 8
I've been walking for what feels like hours now. The things that happened earlier keeps looping in my head. I keep doing it so I will surely not forget everything that happened between me and Hansel Renver. I am determined to use that as another motivation to succeed. "Focus, Chandler. Focus!" I mutter to myself under my breath. I also slap my cheeks to pump myself up and to stop my nerves from making my determination waver. "You can do this!"I stop in front of a convenience store and opens its door. The sweet chiming of bells hanging on it welcomes me together with the chilling air coming from the inside. The store is brightly lit and their aisles are packed with snacks, sweets, and canned goods.I grab two packs of sandwiches and a huge bottle of water before paying at the counter. Unlike the guy in the car earlier who tossed money at me like it was disposable, I properly give my payment to the cashier and wish him a good night. Unlike that jerk, I have good manners. I can feel
The Son-in-law's Wealth System Chapter 9
"Julius Mannell." I begin in a steady voice. "I'm not here to beg or to take any more of your crap. I am not going to mince my words. I am here to tell you exactly what you did wrong."Julius raises his eyebrow and leans slightly forward."Wrong? Me? I'm pretty sure you're the one who did something wrong." He sneers.Julius is clearly thinking he still has the upper hand in the situation. But I fold my arms and stand taller than I ever had before in this room. "You ruined people's lives with your petty power games. Unlike you, there are more people who worked hard and sacrificed so much who is more deserving to that position."While my mouth is moving and speaking on it's own, I notice that the door is now slightly open and there are a few employees listening to our conversation. But it seems like Julius doesn't notice them because he is more focused on me. "You treated the other employees like dirt. And for what? Because we didn't bow to your petty demands? Because we had the guts
The Son-in-law's Wealth System Chapter 10
[Mission Success!][Rewards Acquired:• +35 Reputation• + 20 Reputation• + 40 Reputation• Unlocking Special Reward]I carefully read the words being displayed in front of me. The amount of reputation points I got is quite good. But just to be sure, I check my character profile to see if the reward quickly takes effect.[ | Character Profile |Name: Chandler LoganReal Name: Chandler JohansonLevel: 2Class: Hidden HeirHealth: 89/100Mana: 22/50Reputation: -55 pointsWealth: 1,000,000,020]I smile to myself seeing that the rewards I got quickly improves my reputation points. But the words 'Special Reward' is making me curious. The system is not being specific of what kind of additional reward I'll be getting after I finished the task.But I try to keep myself positive. I believe the system will not give me anything that can harm me at this point. So I look around again and start expecting something good to happen. Maybe I'll be getting another notification saying I received anoth
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Chapter 104
As Hansel took a slow sip from his glass, I mirrored his smirk but remained silent for a moment and letting the weight of our conversation settle. He had thrown down the truth to me but I wasn't foolish enough to think this was just some casual challenge.I know that Hansel Renver never did anything without a deeper motive. So I leaned back and tapped my fingers against the table. "So this real game of yours..." I mused. "What exactly does that entail? More power plays? More corporate sabotage? Or is there something bigger at stake?"Hansel chuckled. "Oh... Chandler, Chandler, Chandler... You're still thinking in such small terms." He said before placing his glass down and folded his hands together. "This isn't just about business. This is about influence, control, and survival too. You've already proven you're not just some underdog. But tell me..."Hansel looks at me before tilting his head. "Are you willing to take that final step and to truly become one of us?"I narrowed my ey
Chapter 103
I sit back in my chair and feel my mind racing. Then I turned to my team and look at each one of them. "We need more information on Goldenmount Holdings. Now."Robert nodded his head in reply. "I-I will dig into their financials." Robert said. "I think I-I can enter their system."Andrew cracks his knuckles and rolls his neck. "I will see if I can intercept any communications between them and the Cyber Gods." he said. "Though I guess I'm confident I can do that."Then Andrew looks at me. "And what about you?" I slowly let out a sigh. "I have a meeting to arrange." I said. "And this is quite important too."Hansel Renver had made his move. I still don't know the real reason behind his action. But was time for me to start playing offense.So the next evening, I made my way to a private lounge in one of the city's high-end hotels. I had called in a favor through Mr. Harold and securing a meeting with someone from Renver Industries. To my mild amusement, it wasn't some nameless exec
Chapter 102
It didn't take long for the bait to be set.Robert crafted the perfect false vulnerability. It is a fabricated flaw in our firewall that but to an outsider, it looked like an unpatched security loophole. It was designed to mimic a backdoor that if it get exploited, it would grant access to what appeared to be a segment of our client database.But in reality, it was a digital hunting ground.The moment the Cyber Gods took the bait, we will have full visibility into their operations. We will track their methods, their origins, and rheir network structure. And more importantly, we will find out who was pulling the strings."Alright." Robert said with a sigh. "The honeypot is now live."Andrew was already monitoring the system. "No activity yet but it's only a matter of time."Evan then exhaled. "Don't worry, sir. They will come for it. It's too tempting not to."I lean back in my chair and stares at the digital trap we had just laid."Then we will just wait."Luckily, I didn't have to
Chapter 101
I watched the city skyline in silence and seesvthe glow of distant headlights tracing the paths across the night. The weight of everything is slowly pressing me down although I refuse to acknowledge it. Our enemies at the gates, the betrayals and the threats lurking in the shadows are all bothering me one by one. But this pressure is nothing new to me."The Cyber Gods, huh." I mused to myself. "What a disgraceful name."The name alone is enough to turn stomachs in the cybersecurity world. They are a notorious syndicate with reach in cyber warfare, trafficking and the main black market trade of classified data. I heard that they had taken down corporations before. They made a whole security firms to crumble under their relentless assaults. And now, they had set their sights on Magnus Tech.And maybe... Just maybe... Hansel Renver is the reason for it.But I cannot prove it. At least not yet. But the bounty and the attacks we experienced are not just a coincidence. That was a test and
Chapter 100
Danica Zedd cannot stop herself from pacing back and forth inside her lavish living room. She is holding her phone so tight that her knuckles are slowly turning white.This was a disaster.Kenneth had failed. That brat failed a simple job that he had to do! And worse, he had been caught.But she had been relieved even for a little while that Chandler hadn't pressed charges against him. But that relief had been short-lived. If Chandler knew, then Hansel Renver would definitely knew.And Hansel Renver was not the kind of man to tolerate incompetence. Danica knew that. Although he is treating her well, she can still see a few glimpse of his real temper.Hansel might get snap at her for this failure. And Danica doesn't want that to happen. She doesn't want to lose Hansel's favor on her.Danica had worked too hard to secure his favor. She had spent years making sure her family remained useful to him. He was supposed to be her future son-in-law, after all. When she first met Hansel Renver,
Chapter 99
Two months after launching Magnus X, we had solidified our presence as the new titan in the cybersecurity industry. Contracts poured in from corporations, government agencies, and high-profile clients and each eager to secure their digital assets under our impenetrable system. The revenue had exceeded even our most ambitious forecasts and Magnus Tech was no longer a rising star. It was a force reshaping the industry.And to say that achieving these things are easy. Because they are not. Although I have a lot of resources in my hands now, doing these things are all tiring and draining.But what is more tiring is having a successful career and having a lot of enemies at the same time.The bounty on Magnus X had ignited a firestorm in the underground hacking community. Every day, we faced relentless cyberattacks. Some were sophisticated, others reckless, but none had succeeded in breaching our defenses. The failed attempts only strengthened our credibility, fueling our momentum in both t
Chapter 98
Two months after the launch, Magnus Tech had transformed from a promising startup into a dominant player in the cybersecurity industry.Many corporations, government agencies, and high-profile clients were practically throwing their contracts at us. Our revenue had skyrocketed beyond projections. We expanded our workforce, leased new office space, and set up dedicated infrastructure to support our enterprise-level customers.But with success came pressure.The team was working tirelessly. Andrew, Robert, and Evan barely took breaks, and even I found myself clocking in longer hours than I should have. There was always another deal to negotiate, another meeting to attend, another decision to make.And then, the real problems began"Chandler, you need to see this," Andrew said while barging into my office one evening. His face was pale, and that is something I haven't seen so often. I look up from my laptop and puts my pen down. "What is it?"Then he pulls out his tablet and placed it
Chapter 97
That was one hell of a launch.I can still remember it all. As soon as the hacker was shut out during the launch, the entire room was rupted into a standing ovation. The investors are murmuring among themselves with clear approval while the reporters were scrambling to frame the perfect headline. Cameras flashed everywhere and capturing every moment of what would soon become the most talked about product launch in the cybersecurity industry.I lean on my seat and opens my eyes. Then I adjust my tie and once again remembers the applause that washed over me like a victory anthem that day. The tension in the room had been completely flipped on its head too. And instead of skepticism, they were excitement instead. There was also respect in it. And most importantly, it opened more opportunities for us.Evan soon enters my office and gives me a report. "Sir, the social media is still blowing up until now. The press is calling this the most daring product launch of the year too." Evan said.
Chapter 96
I exhale slowly and starts pushing aside any lingering nerves in my body. If this hacker thinks he can embarrass us on our own stage, then he's severely underestimating us. Instead of panicking, a cold and calculated focus settles all over me.I turn back toward the audience and adjusts my tie as I step forward with a smirk."Well..." I said steadily and it carries over the hushed murmurs of the crowd. "I was planning to demonstrate Magnus X's capabilities with a controlled simulation anyway. But it seems like we've been given a live challenge instead, huh?"The tension and nervousness inside the room thickens but I refuse to let it weigh me down. Instead, I look around to find the camera. When I find it, I meet its lens head-on."To our unexpected guest." I addressed the hacker through the massive display. "You've chosen the wrong opponent today."From the corner of my eyes, I can see Andrew and Robert are already moving. Their hands are flying across their keyboards at our workstat
