2024-11-17 18:20:23There 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. Chandler Johanson. I can feel my breath catches in my throat. My fingers are now holding the edge of the coffee table tightly in front of me as if holding onto something firm and solid will stop the dizzying feeling in my head. It sounds so wrong with that surname attached to my name. It is a shadow from a past I don’t want to remember especially right now. The system is unaware with my inner thoughts. The blue holographic screen keeps flashing the words written on it front of me. It feels like this system is trying to taunt me by showing the next words on it. [Family Legacy.] Family legacy? Is this some kind of glitch? I have hidden wealth that I’m aware of? But after my mother died ten years ago, the only thing she left me was her remaining savings and the small apartment she owned. As I continue staring at the blue holographic screen, the tension in my chest is tightening every seconds. My breath becomes shallow as the thoughts in my head continue spinning. Soon, Jannica’s sharp and mocking voice slices through my confused mind. “Hey! What’s wrong with you? Did you hit your head or something?” I blink my eyes several times and snap back to reality. But the air in the room feels heavy and suffocating. I slowly look around and tries to recall the events that happened to me. I am now standing in the middle of an expensive hotel room and Jannica with her family are all here. I can feel their eyes on me and it is full of judgment, scorn and mockery towards me. I shake my head again, trying to clear the fog. The strange blue glowing light from the hologram remains showing in front of me and refuses to be ignored. Ignoring the hateful gazes from Jannica and her family, I put my focus back on the words 'Family Legacy' and ponders about it for a moment. I keep repeating those words in my mind. As I continue doing it, the hidden meaning of it is starting to weigh on me. I can almost hear the promise they carry. In my current situation, this can become a salvation door for me and brings me a way out of this miserable situation. I slowly return my gaze to Jannica. She is still standing across the room with her arms crossed and her eyes are narrowing in disdain towards me. I can feel the bitter feeling in my chest as I continue staring at the woman who I thought will love and choose me no matter what situation we'll be facing in the future. But now, she is nothing but a stranger to me. There is nothing left between me and Jannica. She is a reminder of everything I failed to provide her. The wealth, the luxurious lifestyle she always demand from me, the power she craves and the influence that can make her higher than the others. These are something I cannot offer to her during our marriage. And that stings. More than I care to admit. But... My gaze flickers on the strange system before me again. Maybe... 'Maybe this can change everything.' I look at the glowing interface again. I can feel my heart pounding while reading the words in it. [Wealth: 20 (Loan Limit: 10,000)] What does that even mean? Twenty what? And I wonder what's with the loan limit? I feel dizzy while trying to make sense of it. Is this some kind of digital currency? I let out a groan and runs my fingers through my hair. I really can’t focus right now. Not with everything else happening around me. And the words 'Family Legacy' is still bugging me. It sounds like a distant promise but I’m scared to approach it yet. It is also not helping me seeing that the system looks like it’s waiting for something. But what? Is it waiting for me to navigate its interface? Is the system wants me to activate the skill I supposedly posses? When I look back at Jannica one more time, I can see the growing impatience on her face. When our gazes meets, her lips curl into a sneer. She is waiting for me to break and crumble in front of her. But I can’t afford to do that. I’m done being a joke in front of these people. Jannica opens her mouth to speak but her words fade into nothing as I give all my focus on the hologram. The blue light is getting brighter as if it's almost taunting me forward. Determined, I slowly raise my finger to click the 'Activate' button on the holographic screen. [Activating Family Legacy.] I brace myself to see what will happen after this. I have no idea what am I expecting. All I need is a little momentum to change what is happening to me right now. And then… nothing. A rush of disappointment quickly crashes over me. The air feels stagnant around me. Did I do something wrong? Am I just imagining all of this? I can feel a lump rising in my throat. For a moment, I'm considering of retreating like a fool. Thoughts like admitting to Jannica that I was just kidding, that I will take the divorce without making any fuss so she can finally go to Hansel Renver and enjoy her life as a rich woman again. And while I am entertaining this foolish thoughts, I suddenly feel a gentle vibration on my body. There’s a soft hum that pulses within me. Soon, a new string of words appear on the blue holographic screen in front of me. [Family Legacy Activated. Wealth Unlocked. Pending Request: Transfer Funds (2 hours and 39 minutes left)] My heart skips a beat. My hands are now trembling as I try to steady myself. This is real. I am not just imagining it! It’s truly happening! The system is real and it is doing something that can possibly turn the tables in my messy situation. I don’t understand how or why is this happening. But this is not just a fragment of dream for sure. The fire in my chest that was slowly dying a minute ago is getting fueled once again and I can feel it in every fiber of my being. I glance around the room. Jannica, Danica, and Manuel... All of them are still standing around me with their eyes staring on me and waiting for me to collapse under their vile judgment. But now, the weight of their gazes doesn't matter to me. I will not beg to them anymore. 'I’m done with their mockery and ridicule.' During the years of my marriage with Jannica, I always lowered myself to her family and try earning their approval and acceptance. But I can now see it clearly. If not for this incident, I will never see the truth that Jannica never loved me sincerely. She never did. She only cared for the things I can give to her. And knowing that I might never give her the luxurious life she wanted, Jannica did not hesitate to throw me away. Without showing them any hesitation, I take a step forward and look at their faces. I ignore the pang of emotions in my chest. This is not the right time for me to show them any weaknesses. "Alright. I will accept the divorce." I said. My words are heavy but I can feel there is also strength in it that I never thought I had. “But you are not the one divorcing me." "What?" Jannica asked with a frown. "I am the one divorcing you, Jannica." Her eyes widen in surprise after hearing my declaration. "But you know what? You’re right about one thing, Jannica. You deserve better than me not because I can’t give you the luxurious life you always crave. It is because I am done letting people like you to walk all over me.” I can see Jannica's surprise has turn into a sneer. It is obvious that she cannot understand what I'm saying right now. She doesn’t see what is happening inside me. “Chandler, what the hell are you talking about?” Jannica demands. “You are nothing compared to Hansel Renver. Unlike him, you can never give me anything I want." My heart is now filled with rage. Because I trusted Jannica a lot, I let her and her family to step on me repeatedly. I let them define my worth. But I had enough of it. "You already made your choice, Jannica. Remember that." Without any hesitation, I take a step toward the door and holds the doorknob. Before leaving, I take one last look at my now-ex-wife. I can see the disbelief mixed with ridicule in her eyes. Once again, I reminded myself that she is no longer the woman I married and promised my love to. “You will regret this, Chandler!" Jannica shouted in a voice full of venom. “You will always be the poor and useless man I regrettably married.” For the first time, I shows her a smirk. I don't flinch at her words towards me. Not anymore. I already harden my resolve not to let anyone to belittle me. “I will regret nothing, Jannica.” I said. "As for you, I hope you will have a taste of bitter regret in the future." With that, I finally turn around and walk out the door.As I step into the quiet hallway, I slowly feel the weight of the world lifting from my shoulders. The world may have tried to break me, but I’m done being broken. It’s time to take control.
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I sat at my desk, while apping my fingers lightly on my wooden desk. But my thoughts restless. Something was wrong. It wasn't just paranoia. I had learned to trust my instincts. And right now, they were screaming at me.But why?Mrs. Stewart had been exposed. Jannica and Danica were desperate but powerless. Hansel had taken a hit in the public eye and my team was stronger than ever. But an unsettling weight sat in my chest. It's like a warning I couldn't quite decipher. Then A knock at my door snapped me out of my thoughts. Evan peeked inside. "Are you okay, sir? You look tense."I exhaled before rolling my shoulders. "Something feels off. I don't know what but I can feel it.""Maybe you are overthinking it, sir? We have been pounding them hard and they have not been able to respond properly. Maybe it's their turn to feel lost."I wanted to believe that. I really did. But my system was silent. Too silent to my liking. Normally, it would nudge me with subtle warnings and small notifi
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Hansel Renver is swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand. His jaw clenched while he stares at the fireplace. The flames are now flickering in restless chaos and it is much like his own mind.He had finally done it. He had cut Jannica off.That useless woman had outlived her purpose. He had humored her long enough and let her believe she was valuable. But in the end, she had proven to be nothing but dead weight.She had failed to trap Chandler. She had failed to weaken him. And worst of all, she had underestimated him.Hansel took a slow sip of his whiskey and it burns down his throat but he ignores it. He had always known Chandler was ambitious. But this? This new version of Chandler? It was ruthless, untouchable and unpredictable. It was far more dangerous than the fool who used to stand beneath him.And now, Mrs. Stewart had been exposed too.He let out a quiet laugh. He feels amused despite the tension in his muscles. So even the old woman had her own schemes. It was entertaining i
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Jannica stormed into her mother's house without bothering to knock. The sounds of her heels on the floor is too loud. The anger burning in her chest is making it difficult for her to breathe. Soon, she sees Danica while enjoying a glass of wine in the living room."Jannica?" Danica called before putting her glass down on the coffee table. "What is the meaning of this?"Jannica threw her phone onto the table. The screen of it still lit with the anonymous message she had received.'A piece of advice, Jannica. Teach your mother not to overestimate herself. She is playing a game she has no chance of winning.'Danica picked up the phone and starts reading the message carefully. Her expression changes. First it was confusion until a flicker of unease shows on her fsce. Then she schooled her features back into a practiced calm."I don't know what is this about." she said before putting the phone back down."Don't lie to me, mom!" Jannica snapped. "I know exactly who sent it."Danica raised a
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I sat at the head of the conference table with my fingers interlocked as I observed my team. Evan, Andrew and Robert were all present and their faces serious as they waited for me to speak. The weight of Mrs. Stewart's betrayal still lingered in the room. "She's been a step ahead of us." I finally said. "But we are not out of options yet." Andrew adjusted his glasses. "We need to assume she has more moves planned. She's too smart to make only one play." "She invested in Magnus X." Robert added. "That means she still sees us as an asset. The question is, how far is she willing to go to take control?" I start considering their words. Mrs. Stewart had been methodical and staying close while setting traps in the background. If I had learned anything from my father, it was that a betrayal from an ally was far more dangerous than an attack from an enemy. "She's not reckless." I said. "If she's making a move against us and she believes she can win. That means she either has more levera
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Jannica stepped into the grand entrance of the Zedd estate. Her face pale and her hands trembling. The moment she closed the door behind her, Danica's harp voice cut through the silence."Well?" Danica demanded while standing in the middle of the lavish living room and her arms are crossed. "What did he say?"Jannica swallowed hard and then she hesitates. Seeing this, Danica's eyes suddenly narrowed at her. "What are you doing there, Jannica? Did you do what I told you?"Jannica clenched her fists. "I did. I apologized. I told him I wanted to fix things."Danica's lips curled into a victorious smirk. "Good. And? When is he coming back?"Silence. Danica's expression stiffened all of a sudden. "Jannica?"Jannica bit her lip. Then she speaks that is barely above a whisper."He refused."Danica's smirk vanished. "What?"Jannica looked away. "He told me it is over and we have been over for a long time!"Everything goes quiet for a moment. And then...Slam!Danica's palm crashed onto
