Chandler Logan's POV: The office is dimly lit with the huge fluorescent lights hanging on the ceiling as I enter the security office at New Leaf Corporation. I come here and expecting a normal meeting with Julius Mannell, my manager and discuss my monthly performance. I am also hoping for a promotion since I know to myself that I did a good performance on the last project that I handled. But as I get inside the room, I quuckly feel a tense atmosphere around me. Julius is lounging in his chair while his feet are propped up on the desk. His fingers are flicking the end of his cigar and letting the smoke curls up toward the ceiling. He doesn't bother to look at me as I stand in the doorway. The air around us is almost suffocating. Even without saying anything yet, I can already sense that something is wrong. “Mr. Julius, I heard you wanted to see me?” I said after clearing my throat. Julius looks up and meets my gaze with disdain and amusement in his eyes. “Chandler Logan” he s
I 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
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 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
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
"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