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The system gave me the life of a filthy-rich second-generation heir. And all I wanted to do was curse the system's entire bloodline.
Trapped in a romance novel as a simp, George breaks free to become a villain and take control of his fate in a luxurious, high-stakes world.
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Key Takeaways
- Being trapped in a system can lead to rebellion and self-discovery.
- Predestined roles in stories can be challenged and rewritten by the protagonist.
- Strategic planning and information gathering are crucial for overcoming imposed limitations.
- Embracing one’s true self can bring relief and new opportunities.
- Appearances and social expectations can be subverted to gain power.
What the video covers
- The protagonist, George, is trapped in a system that forces him to play a simp role for three years in a romance novel world.
- George is a wealthy second-generation heir whose mission is to win the affection of the female lead, Sophia, but he repeatedly fails.
- After the mission fails, George is sentenced to permanent residence in the novel world and the system loses control over him.
- He decides to stop pretending and embraces a villainous role, rejecting the original plot and expectations.
- George prepares a business proposal and begins a covert plan to gain power behind the scenes.
- He attends Sophia's startup launch party in casual attire, signaling his break from his previous role.
- The story explores themes of control, identity, and rebellion against predestined roles.
- George’s transformation is marked by strategic moves in business and personal relationships.
- The video includes detailed scenes of George’s internal struggle and external actions in a luxurious city setting.
- The narrative is structured with timestamped chapters highlighting key plot developments.
Chapters
- 00:00Trapped as a Simp in a Romance Novel
- 03:01The Emotional Toll of Three Years
- 06:17Preparing for Sophia's Launch Party
- 09:29The Expected Humiliation and New Resolve
- 12:49Breaking Free and Strategic Planning
- 19:12Arrival at Star Bay Hotel
- 23:29Confrontations and Shifting Power Dynamics
- 28:45Business Moves and Personal Revelations
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
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Because it made me play the world's biggest simp. For three whole years. Three years. Do you have any idea how I survived those three years? A full three years.
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Trapped in this damned novel world. Forced to play a disposable side character named George.
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A pathetic simp whose only purpose in life was to chase after the female lead, Sophia.
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Relentlessly. Shamelessly. Only to be humiliated by the male lead and female lead over and over again.
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And in the end, lose everything. Yet no matter how hard I tried to win Sophia over, no matter how desperately I groveled, the mission still failed.
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Just as I was drowning in despair and preparing to be erased by the system, a crisp mechanical voice suddenly rang out.
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Ding. Mission time remaining: 0 days. Host's main mission has failed. Failure penalty: Permanent residence in this world.
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Wait. What the hell? You could've told me that earlier. Why didn't you tell me sooner? Chapter 1. I was convinced I must have owed the system money in my past life.
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No. Even debt collectors wouldn't torture someone like this. I opened my eyes to the same master bedroom once again.
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Over a hundred square meters of luxury handmade Italian bedding, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering skyline of City A, and dozens of custom-tailored suits lined up inside the walk-in closet.
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Anyone else would have been ecstatic to live like this. I just wanted to swear.
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Three years. For three whole years, I'd been trapped in this damned romance novel playing a disposable villain named George.
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The son of the richest man in the country. A spoiled rich heir. A character whose sole purpose was to relentlessly pursue the female lead, Sophia, create conflict between her and the male lead, Makoto, and eventually get humiliated in chapter three
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hundred and twenty before ending up abandoned by everyone around him. Ding— Main Mission: Obtain Sophia's affection.
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Current Progress: -35/100. Warning: Time Remaining: 0 Days. Failure Penalty: Permanent Residence in This World.
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Leaning against the headboard, I slowly curled my lips into a smile. For the first time in years, I could finally smile.
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Not George's trademark arrogant smirk, but my own. The genuine smile of a twenty-eight-year-old office worker from the real world.
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An orphan earning five thousand a month. Living in a cramped partitioned room in a rundown neighborhood.
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A smile from the bottom of my heart. Three years. I'd been acting for three entire years.
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The system's mission had been simple: Make the female lead fall in love with me.
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But from day one, I knew it was impossible. Sophia was the chosen heroine of this world.
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Her entire character setting revolved around loving Makoto, her Prince Charming. Her dislike for George was practically written into her DNA.
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No matter what I did, it was pointless. The harder I simped, the more she hated me.
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The system also forced me to complete at least one courting task every day. Failing to do so meant losing life points.
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So I had no choice but to act like an idiot. Flowers today. A private venue tomorrow.
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A heroic rescue the day after that. Only to retreat in embarrassment beneath Sophia's cold gaze and Maria's endless mockery.
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During the first year, I still felt ashamed. By the second year, I was numb.
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By the third, I was completely sick of it. Thankfully, it was finally over. "System." I called out silently.
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I'm here, Host. "Will you still exist after the mission fails?"
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The system will enter dormancy mode and will no longer provide assistance or issue missions.
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All host status panels will also be disabled. "In other words..." I emphasized every word.
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"You'll never be able to control me again." Yes, Host. I took a deep breath.
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The frustration I'd bottled up for three years slowly drained from my chest. Then I got to my feet and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.
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As dawn broke, City A's skyline gradually emerged from the darkness. No more pretending. For fuck's sake.
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I finally didn't have to pretend anymore. My phone vibrated on the bedside table. Picking it up, I saw a schedule reminder from my assistant.
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Today was Sophia's startup launch party. According to the original plot, I was supposed to show up carrying a flower arrangement worth over a million dollars, desperately trying to get her attention.
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Maria would publicly humiliate me. Then Makoto would make his gentle heroic entrance. Standing beside him, George would become the punchline once again.
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After reading the message, I casually tossed my phone back onto the bed. I walked into the closet.
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Ignoring the flashy designer suits, I dug out a black hoodie from the corner, paired it with dark gray casual pants, and slipped on a pair of sneakers.
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The mirror reflected a man standing six-foot-two. Sharp features. Intense eyes. Hair falling naturally across his forehead because he couldn't be bothered to style it.
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George really was handsome. The old me had always slicked his hair back, dressed like a peacock on parade, and worn an expression that practically screamed, "Woman, you've successfully caught my attention." The complete package of an insufferable billionaire CEO stereotype.
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I stared at my reflection for three seconds. Then I laughed. This time it was real.
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The laughter carried all the relief and exhilaration of finally breaking free after three miserable years.
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Opening the safe, I took out a black card, a USB drive, and a thick folder.
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The USB drive contained every piece of information I'd collected over the past three years.
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Information about Sophia. About Makoto. About those so-called relatives in the Wang family. The folder contained a business proposal I had spent an entire year perfecting.
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The system only required me to pursue the female lead. It never said I couldn't do anything else.
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Over the past three years, while everyone assumed George spent his days partying and wasting money, I'd quietly been weaving a massive web behind the scenes.
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Chapter 2. As I headed downstairs, I dialed a number. The call was answered after two rings.
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A deep middle-aged voice came through the speaker. "Young Master Wang, you're up early." "Uncle Law, that project I mentioned before can officially begin today." My tone was as casual as if I were commenting on the weather.
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There was a brief pause on the other end. Then Uncle Law chuckled. "I've been waiting a long time to hear those words.
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So where do we start?" I walked into the garage. Among rows of supercars and luxury vehicles, I found a dusty black Maybach.
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I'd chosen it on purpose. Low-key. Unassuming. But comfortable enough. I slid into the driver's seat and started the engine.
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The V12 rumbled to life with a deep, powerful growl. "Star Bay Hotel. Sophia's launch party." I steered with one hand as the car rolled out of the garage and merged into City A's morning traffic.
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"Wasn't I supposed to send flowers? This time I'll deliver them myself." Uncle Law was clearly surprised.
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"Yourself?"
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"Haven't you always had your assistant handle that?" I didn't answer. A faint smile tugged at my lips.
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I let my assistant do it because I didn't want to waste time looking at those people's faces.
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But today was different. Today was the final performance. And if I didn't show up, how was this farce supposed to end? Forty minutes later, I arrived at Star Bay Hotel.
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A red carpet stretched across the entrance. Congratulatory flower arrangements lined both sides. The most eye-catching one stood nearly two meters tall, wrapped with a gold ribbon that read, Congratulations from Makoto Ito.
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I glanced at it without the slightest reaction. Three years ago, I probably would've gritted my teeth and ordered my assistant to buy an even bigger one.
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Now I simply parked the car, grabbed my briefcase, and strolled toward the hotel entrance.
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"Young Master Wang." The receptionist recognized me instantly. His expression was... complicated. After all, George's reputation in City A's social circle wasn't exactly ste—
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By the time I arrived quite a few guests had already gathered. Business elites. Socialites.
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Representatives from Sophia's partner companies. Small groups chatted and mingled throughout the venue. The moment I stepped through the doors the atmosphere shifted noticeably.
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Some people lowered their heads and whispered. Others looked openly entertained. A few didn't even bother hiding their eye rolls.
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I swept my gaze across the room and quickly found Sophia. She stood at the center of the ballroom surrounded by admirers.
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Dressed in a white evening gown. Long hair cascading over her shoulders. Beautiful enough to seem unreal.
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Beside her stood her best friend Maria champagne flute in hand. Whatever she was saying made Sophia press her lips together in a soft smile.
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To Sophia's right stood a refined young man. White dress shirt. Dark gray waistcoat. Gold-rimmed glasses.
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Every gesture radiated elegance and sophistication. Makoto Ito. The second son of the Ito family.
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Sophia's Prince Charming. And the male lead of this novel world. Standing together the three of them looked like a perfectly composed work of art.
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I started walking toward them. Unlike before I wasn't wearing an exaggerated smile. I didn't have assistants carrying giant flower arrangements behind me.
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I hadn't even bothered dressing up. Wearing nothing but a hoodie and sneakers I crossed through a crowd of impeccably dressed elites and headed straight for the center of the ballroom.
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Sophia noticed me first. The smile on her face visibly faded. A slight frown appeared between her brows as if she'd spotted something unpleasant.
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Maria followed her gaze. Her expression darkened immediately. "Why is he here again " Her voice wasn't loud but it carried far enough for several nearby guests to hear.
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"It's Sophia's big day. Couldn't he leave her alone for once " Sophia said nothing.
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She merely turned her head and instinctively shifted a little closer to Makoto. Makoto however maintained his gentle smile.
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He even gave me a slight nod. The gesture looked gracious. Like a magnanimous host welcoming an unwanted guest into his home.
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chapter 3 I stopped in front of the three of them. The ballroom had already gone mostly quiet.
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Everyone was waiting for the show. According to tradition George would say something embarrassingly romantic present an outrageously expensive gift get coldly rejected by Sophia suffer Maria's cutting sarcasm and finally leave in humiliation while Makoto played the role of the gentle savior.
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The same script had been running for three years. People were tired of it. Yet somehow they still couldn't resist watching every time.
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But the very first sentence out of my mouth left everyone stunned. "Sophia." Looking directly into her eyes I said slowly "What I did before was wrong.
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I shouldn't have kept bothering you. Sorry for causing you trouble." I paused. "From now on I won't do it anymore." "You're free." My tone was so calm that it didn't sound like an apology.
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It sounded more like the reading of a final verdict. Sophia finally snapped out of her daze.
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Her brows drew together even tighter confusion flashing across her eyes. This wasn't right. This wasn't something George would say.
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He was supposed to cling to her relentlessly. How could he possibly give up on his own Maria was the first to react.
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Suspicion was written all over her face. Crossing her arms she said "George what game are you playing this time " "The last time you said you'd stop bothering Sophia you sent nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine roses to her company the very next day."
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"So what's this supposed to be now " "The noble act of letting go " "Or are you trying to play hard to get " I glanced at Maria.
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My gaze was so calm that it felt as though I were looking at a complete stranger.
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For some reason that made her uneasy. Because the old George had only ever looked at her with either fury or resentment.
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Never with this kind of... Indifference. "Miss Maria " I said. "You're overthinking it." "I'm just here to let you know." "Nothing more." Then I turned around and actually started walking away.
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The sheer decisiveness of it caught everyone off guard. "Wait." This time it was Sophia who spoke.
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She took two steps forward. Her sharp gaze locked onto my back searching for any sign that this was another act.
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Sophia hadn't climbed to her current position on beauty alone. Her instincts and judgment were far sharper than most people's.
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"George." Her voice was cool and measured. "You've chased me for three years." "And now you're suddenly giving up " "There has to be a reason." I stopped and looked back.
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My eyes met hers. Staring at that flawless face I suddenly smiled. The expression made Sophia's heart skip a beat.
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Because it wasn't George's usual self-satisfied grin. There was something else in it. Relief. Or perhaps...
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Freedom. I thought for a moment. "A reason " Sliding both hands into my hoodie pockets I said "Because I finally realized something." I looked straight at her.
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Then said calmly "You're not worth it." A collective gasp swept through the ballroom. Sophia's expression changed instantly.
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chapter 4 For the past three years George had always acted humble and eager to please whenever he was around Sophia.
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Forget saying she wasn't worth it. He had never even dared raise his voice in front of her.
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The man standing there now seemed like an entirely different person. Maria's face turned red with anger.
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"What do you mean by that George " "You chased Sophia shamelessly for three years " "And now that you can't get her you're saying she's not worth it " "Do you have any shame at all " I calmly added
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"What I meant was..." "She's not worth my time." Then I turned and walked away.
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This time I really left. Without looking back once. Sophia remained where she was unconsciously tightening her grip on the fabric of her dress.
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Her instincts told her that George wasn't acting. He genuinely didn't care anymore. That realization stirred a strange emotion inside her.
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She couldn't tell whether it was frustration unwillingness to accept it or something else entirely.
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Makoto stepped to her side and spoke gently. "Sophia don't take it to heart." "Young Master Wang is probably just acting on impulse." "He'll be back in a few days." Sophia nodded.
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Yet the crease between her brows never disappeared. Maria was still fuming. "George's doing this on purpose." "He's trying to get Sophia's attention with some cheap little trick." "How pathetic." The people around them quickly echoed her opinion.
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Everyone agreed that George was simply playing hard to get. That the act was far too obvious.
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And that within a few days he'd come crawling back again. But I wasn't coming back.
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The moment I stepped out of the hotel sunlight spilled across my face. Warm and bright.
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I took a deep breath. Even the air felt lighter. Three years. After three years I finally didn't have to wear that fake mask anymore.
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I didn't have to say lines that disgusted even me. I didn't have to endure those contemptuous stares and mocking smiles.
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I climbed into the Maybach and called Uncle Law. "Uncle Law the party's taken care of." "Proceed according to the original plan." "Step one: cut off all Wang family support channels connected to Sophia." "Step two: launch the infiltration strategy for the Ito family's business network."
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"Step three..." I paused. My gaze settled on the steering wheel. A faint smile appeared on my lips.
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"Contact Willow Liu the eldest daughter of the Liu family." Uncle Law laughed from the other end of the line.
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"Young Master Wang you've been setting up this game for an entire year haven't you " "Not one year " I corrected.
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"Three years." Back in the real world I had been an orphan with nothing. No matter how hard I worked survival was the best I could manage.
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But here The system had handed me the perfect starting point. The son of the richest man alive.
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Unlimited resources. And three years' worth of quiet preparation. Until now I'd been forced to act like a useless rich brat because the system required me to stay reasonably close to the villain character setting.
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Deviate too far and I'd be punished. But now The system was dormant. Who was left to control me I started the engine.
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The black Maybach merged into traffic and headed toward the most prosperous CBD district in City A.
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My phone vibrated several times along the way. Every message came from Sophia's side. Some were testing the waters.
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Some were mocking me. A few were even trying to persuade me not to stay angry with Sophia.
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I ignored every single one. Then tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. I had far more important things to do.
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Starting today I would be the one writing this world's script. My car eventually stopped in the very heart of City A's CBD.
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Violet Tower. The sixty-eight-story skyscraper served as the headquarters of the Wang Group. The beating heart of Pablo Wang's business empire.
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Yet over the past three years George Wang—the supposed heir to the throne—hadn't even possessed an access card for the building's executive elevators.
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Pablo thought I was an embarrassment. So he dumped me into a shell company with a meaningless vice president title sent me an allowance every month and kept me as far away from headquarters as possible.
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Out of sight. Out of mind. I stepped into the lobby. The receptionist froze the moment she saw me.
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"Young Master Wang " "What brings you here today " "Looking for Pablo." Without slowing down I headed straight toward the private executive elevators.
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"Young Master Wang the Chairman is currently in a meeting. Would you like to—" I ignored her and pressed the elevator button.
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The doors slid open. Inside stood two senior executives in tailored suits. They both froze for a moment when they saw me.
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Then came the expression I knew all too well. Polite on the surface. But unable to hide the disdain lurking beneath their eyes.
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chapter 5 "Good morning Young Master Wang." I stepped inside and pressed the button for the sixty-eighth floor.
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As the elevator climbed the two executives quietly exchanged words speaking just loudly enough for me to hear.
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"I heard he got rejected by Miss Kim again today." The other man snorted. "That's normal.
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Miss Kim only has eyes for the second young master of the Ito family. Who does he think he is " "Keep your voice down." "Why He's a loser.
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Even if he hears us what's he going to do about it " I looked at my reflection in the elevator doors.
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A faint smile tugged at my lips. When the elevator reached the sixty-eighth floor the doors slid open.
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Pablo's secretary Ms. Zhang was already waiting outside. She looked nervous. "Young Master Wang the Chairman is currently in a board meeting.
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This really isn't a good time to go in—" "Move." My voice wasn't loud. Yet for some reason a chill ran down her spine.
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She instinctively stepped aside. When I pushed open the conference room doors Pablo was in the middle of discussing the company's second-half strategy with several core board members.
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The people seated in this room controlled nearly a third of City A's business world.
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Every one of them was a heavyweight in the industry. All eyes turned toward the entrance.
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Pablo's expression darkened first. A man in his fifties with a square jaw and thick brows he naturally carried an intimidating presence.
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Now his brows knitted tightly together as he stared at me. "Who told you to come here " I walked into the room and stopped at one end of the conference table.
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My gaze swept across the directors before settling on Pablo. "Dad." "I'm here to discuss something with you." Pablo let out a cold laugh.
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"What serious business could you possibly have " "Need money again " "Did you already spend the five million I gave you last month " A few quiet chuckles echoed around the room.
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My expression didn't change. "I want control of all Wang Group retail channels." The room fell silent for a second.
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Then the laughter grew even louder. One elderly director with graying hair wiped at the corner of his eye.
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"Little Wang do you even know how much revenue Wang Group's retail division generates every year " "Three point seven billion." "I know." I spoke calmly.
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"And I also know that over the past three years Wang Group's retail market share has dropped by five percentage points annually." "Meanwhile Sophia's Cloudcrest Group has grown by twelve percentage points every year." "At this rate within three years
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Wang Group's retail division will completely lose its competitive edge." The laughter stopped. Pablo's expression changed.
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He stared at me as though seeing me for the first time. "How do you know those numbers " His voice turned serious.
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These were internal figures. Especially the competitor analysis. George the family disappointment should never have had access to information like this.
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I pulled the folder from my briefcase and placed it on the conference table. Then I slid it toward Pablo.
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"Because I spent a year putting together a complete restructuring plan for Wang Group's retail division." "If my proposal is implemented the division will return to profitability within two years." "Our market share will recover to the industry's top three."
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"And the core of this strategy..." I paused. "Is beginning a full-scale campaign against Cloudcrest Group's expansion starting today." Pablo opened the folder.
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After reading only the first page his pupils contracted sharply. The opening page wasn't a business proposal.
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It was a detailed diagnosis of every major problem within Wang Group's retail operations. The data was frighteningly accurate.
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Every issue struck directly at the company's weak points. This wasn't something an amateur could have written.
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Even many senior executives inside Wang Group couldn't have produced an analysis this deep. Pablo slowly raised his head.
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His expression was complicated. "You wrote this " "Yes." "I wrote it." I met his gaze without hesitation.
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"Dad you've always thought I was a failure." "I don't blame you." "Because for the past three years I really did act like one." "But that's in the past." "Starting today there are three things I intend to do." I raised one finger.
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"First help Wang Group reclaim its dominance in the retail sector." A second finger. "Second make Sophia realize that not choosing me was the biggest mistake of her life." Then a third.
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I looked directly into Pablo's eyes. My voice remained calm. "Third..." "Prove to you that your son isn't a failure." chapter 6 The conference room fell completely silent.
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The directors who had been laughing at me moments ago now wore stiff expressions. None of them had reached their positions by luck.
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They were seasoned veterans of the business world. Men who could judge the quality of a business proposal within minutes.
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And the proposal lying on the table in front of them— its depth of analysis its rigorous logic its strategic foresight— was on par with the work of a top-tier consulting firm.
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Pablo remained silent for a long time. Finally he spoke. "What do you want " "Full operational control of the retail division." I met his gaze.
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"Give me six months." "If performance doesn't improve within six months I'll voluntarily give up my inheritance rights to the Wang family." The room erupted instantly.
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Giving up the inheritance That wasn't something people joked about. Pablo was worth hundreds of billions.
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Walking away from the inheritance meant abandoning a fortune worth tens of billions. Pablo stared into my eyes for a full ten seconds.
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Then he made a decision no one expected. "Fine." "You'll have six months." "The retail division is yours starting today." "Chairman " The gray-haired director Sam jumped to his feet.
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"This goes against company procedure Young Master Wang has never managed anything before—" "Sam." Pablo cut him off.
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His eyes never left my face. "You read the proposal." "Do you honestly think someone with no management experience could produce something like that " Sam opened his mouth.
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Then closed it again. He had no answer. I didn't waste any more words. Picking up the folder I turned and walked out of the conference room.
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Just as I reached the door Pablo suddenly called out. "George." I stopped and looked back.
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His expression was complicated. There was scrutiny. Confusion. And something else he couldn't quite hide.
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"You've been working on this plan for the last three years " I didn't answer.
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I simply smiled. Then turned and left. Inside the elevator I pressed the button for the first floor and called Uncle Law.
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"Uncle Law the Wang Group retail channels are secured." "Now I need you to help me contact Cloudcrest Group's partners." Uncle Law's voice carried a trace of amusement.
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"We've already started reaching out." "Sophia expanded too quickly. Supply chain management has always been one of her weak points." "A lot of her core suppliers are unhappy with the payment cycles." "If we offer better terms—" "No." I cut him off.
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"Don't go after her suppliers." There was a brief pause. "Then who " "I want you to contact her distributors." "Distributors " Uncle Law sounded genuinely surprised.
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"That's right." I stepped out of the elevator and crossed the lobby. "Sophia's entire business model relies on high margins to support aggressive expansion." "Her distributors' profit margins have already been squeezed to the limit." "The only reason they've tolerated it is
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because Cloudcrest has been growing too fast." "No one wants to challenge a rising giant." I pushed through the revolving doors and headed outside.
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"Go tell them this." "Starting today Wang Group Retail will increase their profit-sharing ratio by ten percentage points." A brief silence followed.
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Then Uncle Law sucked in a sharp breath. "Young Master Wang..." "You're trying to cut off her cash flow." "Her cash flow is already under pressure." I walked toward my car.
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"Cloudcrest has expanded fivefold in just three years." "Their debt ratio is already above seventy percent." "The moment revenue growth slows down their capital chain becomes vulnerable." I opened the driver's door.
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"And all I'm doing..." I paused. A faint smile appeared at the corner of my mouth.
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is making sure that growth slows down." I slid into the driver's seat. For a moment I didn't start the engine.
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Instead I leaned back against the leather seat and closed my eyes. For the first time in three years I finally felt like I was playing the game on my own terms.
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chapter 7 Three years. After three long years I could finally do what I actually wanted to do.
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Back in the real world it wasn't that I lacked ability. I lacked opportunity. As an orphan who had lost both parents I'd clawed my way up from the bottom.
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Every step cost me ten times more effort than everyone else. And even then after giving everything I had I could barely keep my head above water.
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There was never any room left for ambition. But here I had resources. I had a platform.
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I had the identity of the richest man's son as my starting point. More importantly while I'd spent the last three years pretending to be an idiot I'd actually mapped out every major artery of this world's business landscape.
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Sophia was powerful. Makoto was no ordinary opponent either. But they shared one weakness. Their lives had been too smooth.
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Sophia had grown up adored by everyone around her. Anything she wanted she got. She had never truly experienced failure.
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Makoto came from a prestigious family. Everything had gone his way from the very beginning.
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He was intelligent and capable but he lacked the kind of refinement that only comes from real setbacks and hard-fought battles.
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I was different. I was someone who had crawled out of the mud. I'd seen the ugliest forms of competition.
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I'd tasted complete failure. I knew what it meant to survive when everything seemed lost.
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And now... I was going to let Sophia experience that feeling for herself. My phone suddenly rang.
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An unfamiliar number. I answered. A cool female voice came through the speaker carrying a hint of amusement.
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"George " "Who is this " "Willow." One of my eyebrows lifted slightly. I'd asked Uncle Law to contact Willow but I hadn't expected her to call personally.
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The Liu family was the only household in City A capable of standing alongside the Wang family.
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And as the sole heir of the Liu family Willow Liu's reputation in the business world surpassed even Sophia's.
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She didn't possess Sophia's unreal storybook beauty. Instead she had something far more dangerous. Calmness.
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Rationality. Power. Sophia's abilities were the result of protagonist privilege. Willow's achievements had been earned through intelligence skill and sheer capability.
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"Miss Liu." "I didn't expect you to call me yourself." My tone returned to its usual calm.
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"Your Uncle Law sent me a business proposal." Willow's voice remained unreadable. "I'd like to discuss it with you in person." "Seven o'clock tonight." "The rooftop restaurant at Financial Center Tower." "I've already made a reservation." "Sounds good." Then Willow added
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"But before that I have a question." "Go ahead." "You chased Sophia for three years." "Why give up all of a sudden " I thought about it for a moment.
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Then I gave an answer that left Willow silent for a long time. "Because I finally realized something." "What " "Pursuing her..." I looked out through the windshield at the city skyline.
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was a waste of my life." The line went silent. One second. Two. Three. Four.
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Five. Then Willow finally spoke. "Interesting." And hung up. I smiled at the darkened screen.
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I knew Willow would come. The things written in my proposal were just as valuable to the Liu family as they were to me.
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Cloudcrest Group had expanded too aggressively over the past three years. In the process it had stepped on far too many people's interests.
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The Liu family was one of them. What I intended to do was gather every force dissatisfied with Sophia and unite them into a single network.
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A network she would never be able to escape. But no one would ever see the entire picture.
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Uncle Law only knew step one. Pablo only knew step two. Willow would be shown step three.
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As for the real fourth step... Only I knew what it was. I started the engine.
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The black Maybach rolled forward into the golden afternoon sunlight of City A. A smile remained on my lips the entire time.
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Because this time I wasn't anyone else's villain. I was the protagonist of my own story.
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chapter 8 Over the next week three major events shook City A's business world. The first was that Wang Group suddenly announced a complete restructuring of its retail division.
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Two-thirds of the senior management team were replaced and the new person in charge was none other than the infamous playboy heir George Wang.
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The moment the news broke the entire business community erupted in laughter. Everyone thought Pablo had lost his mind.
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Handing a business worth tens of billions to a rich kid whose only known talent was chasing women It sounded absurd.
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The second event hit even harder. Three of Cloudcrest Group's core distributors suddenly announced the termination of their partnerships and signed exclusive agreements with Wang Retail instead.
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Overnight Cloudcrest's projected revenue was revised downward by fifteen percent. Its stock price dropped immediately.
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The third event was the one nobody saw coming. Willow Liu publicly announced a strategic partnership with Wang Retail.
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The two companies would integrate deeply across both supply chain and distribution channels. At the press conference Willow only said two sentences.
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"I believe in George Wang." "And I believe in the future of Wang Retail." Those two statements landed like a bombshell.
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Who was Willow Liu The undisputed Ice Queen of City A's business world. She rarely expressed opinions publicly.
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And she certainly didn't partner with incompetent people. If she was willing to make a statement like that then George Wang was clearly not as simple as he appeared.
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Almost overnight public opinion began to shift. Some claimed I'd spent the past three years hiding my true abilities.
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Others believed I had deliberately played the fool to mislead competitors. A few even speculated that some mysterious mentor had been guiding me behind the scenes.
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But none of it mattered to me. At that moment I was sitting in a private dining room at the rooftop restaurant of City A Financial Center.
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Across from me sat Willow. Tonight she wore a black shirt. Her hair was loosely tied behind her head.
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She wore no makeup. Yet it was still difficult to look away from her. She wasn't the type of woman who stunned people at first glance.
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Instead the more you looked at her the more striking she became. There was a composure and sharpness in her eyes that seemed far beyond her years.
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"I've read your proposal three times." Willow set down her knife and fork and looked directly at me.
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"Honestly it's impressive." "But I have one question." "Go ahead." "The logic and depth behind this proposal don't look like the work of someone without real business experience." She narrowed her eyes slightly.
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"What exactly have you been doing for the past three years " I took a sip of water before answering calmly.
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"Chasing Sophia." Willow frowned. "Are you joking " "No." I set down the glass. "Precisely because I spent three years chasing her I understand her business model better than anyone else." "I know how every move she makes works." "And I know where every weakness in those moves lies."
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I leaned back slightly. "Know your enemy and know yourself." "You probably understand that principle better than I do." Willow stared at me for several seconds.
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Then she suddenly laughed. It was the first genuine smile she'd shown all evening. Not a polite one.
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A real one. "So you spent three years chasing her just to study her " "No." I shook my head.
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"I chased her because I had to." "As for studying her..." "That was simply something I chose to do." Willow didn't ask why I had to.
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She was intelligent enough to understand that everyone had secrets they preferred not to discuss.
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"Fine." She picked up her knife and fork again. "Let's move on." "Tell me about your plan." "If I help you take down Cloudcrest Group what do I get " "When Cloudcrest falls Wang Group takes forty percent of the market share they leave behind."
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"The Liu family gets thirty percent." "The remaining thirty percent is divided among the other participants." I answered directly.
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"You help me you win." "If you don't help me I'll still win." "It'll just take longer." Willow paused in the middle of cutting her steak.
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Then she looked up at me. "You're very confident." "It's not confidence." I met her gaze calmly.
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"I did the math." Willow placed a piece of steak into her mouth and chewed slowly.
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As if she were weighing not the food but my words. After a long moment she set down her utensils.
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Picked up her napkin. And gently wiped the corner of her mouth. Then she extended her hand across the table.
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"Pleasure doing business with you." I shook her hand. Her skin was cool. Her grip was firm.
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"Likewise." As we released our hands Willow suddenly said something unexpected. "Sophia's hosting a charity gala next week." "You should've received an invitation." "I did." I leaned back in my chair.
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"But I don't plan on going." chapter 9 Willow's gaze carried a deeper meaning as she said "You should go." "Do you know what Sophia can't stand the most " "It's not failure." "It's being ignored." She swirled the wine in her glass before continuing.
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"You chased her for three years. Now that you've suddenly stopped she can still tell herself you're just playing hard to get." "But if you not only stop chasing her and instead show up with another woman by your side..."
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A faint smile touched Willow's lips. then she won't be able to lie to herself anymore." I looked at Willow and immediately understood what she was suggesting.
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"So you're asking me to go with you " "Not asking." She corrected me calmly.
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"Helping you." "Nothing destabilizes Sophia faster than this." "Women understand women better than anyone." I fell silent for a moment.
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Then I laughed. "Fine." "We'll go together." She was right. I needed Sophia off balance.
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Not because of love. Not because of jealousy. But because an emotional opponent makes more mistakes.
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And the more mistakes Sophia made the faster I could achieve my goals. After Willow left I remained alone in the private dining room.
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Looking out over City A's glittering night skyline. My phone screen suddenly lit up. A message from Sophia.
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【George Willow isn't as simple as she looks. You'd be better off staying away from her.】 I stared at the text.
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A mocking smile slowly appeared on my face. Three years. In three whole years Sophia had never once initiated a conversation with me.
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All those long confessions I'd sent her She had always left them on read. Now all it took was one dinner with Willow and suddenly she couldn't sit still.
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People really were strange creatures. When someone treats you well you take it for granted.
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But the moment they stop... That's when you start paying attention. I didn't reply. I simply flipped my phone over and left it face down on the table.
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I had more important things to focus on. Next week's charity gala would be my first true public appearance in City A's business world.
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Everyone was waiting to watch the "useless Young Master Wang" embarrass himself. My job was simple.
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Make sure nobody had anything to laugh about. I stood and headed toward the elevator.
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Just as the doors closed my phone vibrated inside my pocket. I hesitated briefly before pulling it out.
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It wasn't Sophia. The message came from an unknown number. There were only three words.
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【Be careful of Makoto. I stared at the message for two seconds. Then slipped the phone back into my pocket.
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My expression never changed. Of course I would be careful of Makoto. That gentle refined man everyone admired He was the most dangerous piece on the board.
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Sophia was only the visible opponent. Makoto was the one who would stab you in the back when you weren't looking.
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But that was fine. I'd already calculated every possible move in this game. Including Makoto's.
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chapter 10 The charity gala was being held at the Platinum Palace Hotel the most exclusive venue in City A.
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The guest list was simple Either you were rich or you were powerful. The minimum entry requirement was a net worth of over a billion.
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I'd attended events like this before. But every time I was known as nothing more than "that embarrassing Wang family disappointment" people whispered about behind my back.
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This time was different. I wore a perfectly tailored black suit. No tie. The top two buttons of my shirt left undone.
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My hair wasn't slicked back like it used to be. I'd simply brushed it back casually exposing the sharp lines of my forehead and brow.
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The man staring back at me from the mirror made even me pause. It wasn't about being handsome.
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It was something else entirely. The old George had been a sheep wearing a wolf's skin.
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No matter how hard he tried to appear intimidating there was always a hint of insecurity beneath it.
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Now I didn't have to say a word. There was a quiet danger about me.
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Like a blade hidden inside its sheath. The doorbell rang. I opened the door. Willow stood outside.
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She wore a dark emerald velvet gown. The line of her collarbone was elegant and refined.
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A pair of small diamond earrings hung from her ears catching the light with every movement.
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She hadn't made any special effort to dress up. Yet her natural presence made her look as though she'd stepped straight off the cover of a magazine.
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"Seen enough " A trace of amusement colored Willow's voice. I withdrew my gaze and smiled faintly.
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"Let's go." We left together and climbed into my Maybach. The driver was someone Uncle Law had arranged.
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A quiet middle-aged man who drove smoothly and never spoke unless necessary. "Makoto will be there tonight too." Willow looked out at the city lights sliding past the windows.
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Her tone was casual. As if discussing the weather. "I know." She continued "Recently he's been approaching several major Wang Group shareholders behind the scenes." "Trying to poach your people." I turned to look at her.
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That information was new to me. But my expression didn't change. "Which ones " "Dorian." "Walter." "Simon." Willow listed the names one by one.
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"Makoto Ito offered them a deal." "If they can push the board to strip you of control over the retail division the Ito family will buy their shares at twenty percent above market value." I leaned back in my seat
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and closed my eyes for a moment. Dorian. The first director who had openly opposed me during the board meeting.
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I'd researched him long ago. A Wang Group veteran. Deep roots. Expensive tastes. His greatest weakness was gambling.
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Several casinos in Macau had records of him moving millions back and forth across the tables.
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Walter. A fellow hometown acquaintance of Pablo's. He'd climbed the corporate ladder largely through that relationship.
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Not particularly capable. But unquestionably loyal. Unfortunately for him my information showed that his son's startup in the United States was facing a serious cash flow crisis.
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And recently they'd been desperately looking for investors. Simon was more interesting. The youngest director on Wang Group's board.
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Forty-two years old. Foreign-educated. Highly capable. Highly ambitious. He didn't lack money. He didn't lack status.
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What he lacked was an opportunity to climb even higher. I opened my eyes. My voice remained calm.
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"Makoto can't give Simon what he wants." Willow raised an eyebrow. "Oh " "Simon wants a seat in the core leadership of Ito Group." "But the Ito family's power structure is airtight." I looked out at the passing city lights.
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"Makoto himself hasn't fully secured his own position yet." "So what exactly can he promise Simon " Willow turned toward me.
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There was now a hint of curiosity in her gaze. "You even know that " "I spent a year studying the Ito family's ownership structure." I answered matter-of-factly.
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"The Ito family has maintained a direct male heir line for three generations." "But there are seven branch families." "Makoto Ito is the eldest grandson of the main branch." "His claim to succession is the strongest." "But his father has a younger brother."
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"Haruto Ito." "Haruto's son Kaito Ito is two years older than Makoto." "Just as capable." "And even more ambitious." I smiled faintly.
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"Right now Makoto's greatest threat isn't an outsider." "It's his own cousin." "In a situation like that there's no way he'd bring an outsider into the family's core power structure." "That would be like planting a landmine beneath his own feet."
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chapter 11 Willow fell silent. She realized she had still underestimated this man. The information he'd just casually revealed wasn't something a person could gather by skimming financial reports.
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It required deep connections. Reliable intelligence networks. Access to circles most people would never touch.
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So what exactly had George been doing for the past three years Had he really spent all that time chasing Sophia Half-joking Willow said "You're starting to scare me." I smiled but didn't answer.
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The Maybach pulled up in front of the Platinum Palace Hotel. A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way down the grand staircase.
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Media reporters lined both sides cameras already waiting. I stepped out first. Then naturally extended a hand to help Willow from the car.
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The flashes exploded instantly. George Wang and Willow Liu appearing together was already headline-worthy. One was the infamous disappointment of the Wang family.
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The other was the Ice Queen of the Liu family. The visual impact of the two standing side by side was enough to rival any celebrity scandal.
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"Young Master Wang " "What exactly is your relationship with Miss Liu " "Miss Liu when you said you believed in Wang Retail's future was that a business decision or a personal one " "Are the two of you dating "
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I ignored every question. Instead I stepped slightly aside and allowed Willow to walk ahead.
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Keeping myself half a step behind her. A small detail. But one that many sharp-eyed observers immediately noticed.
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A spoiled rich kid wouldn't possess etiquette that polished. The gala was being held in the third-floor ballroom.
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Crystal chandeliers cascaded from the ceiling across three levels. The floors were imported Italian marble.
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The air carried the scent of champagne and expensive perfume. By the time Willow and I arrived most of City A's elite business figures had already gathered.
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The moment we entered every head turned. Not because of George. Because of Willow. She rarely attended social functions.
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Any public appearance she made was viewed as a signal. And tonight not only had she come— She had arrived with George.
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That signal couldn't have been any stronger. The crowd instinctively parted. A path opened before us.
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Willow and I walked through the ballroom toward the VIP section at the far end.
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Sophia and Makoto were sitting there. Sophia wore a silver-white evening gown. Her hair was elegantly pinned up exposing her graceful neck and delicate collarbones.
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She was still the most dazzling woman in the room. But her expression wasn't quite as composed as usual.
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Because Willow's hand rested naturally on my arm. Makoto meanwhile remained perfectly calm. He rose to his feet and greeted us with his trademark gentle smile.
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"Willow." "It's been a while." Then he turned toward me and nodded politely. "Young Master Wang." "You've been making quite a name for yourself lately." Willow acknowledged him with a simple nod.
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I said nothing. I merely looked at Makoto. Just once. A calm glance. No hostility.
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No anger. No jealousy. Almost casual. Yet Makoto's smile froze for the briefest moment. Because he'd seen something in my eyes.
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Contempt. Not resentment. Not envy. Real contempt. The kind that came from deep within. Like a lion looking at a fox that believed itself clever.
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Sophia slowly stood. Her gaze moved back and forth between Willow and me several times before settling on my face.
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"George." "I sent you a message." "I saw it." "Then why didn't you reply " I tilted my head slightly.
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As though genuinely considering how best to answer. Then I gave her an answer that instantly changed her expression.
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"Because I didn't want to." chapter 12 Several nearby guests who had been eavesdropping sucked in sharp breaths.
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Everyone knew how George used to act around Sophia. Pathetically devoted. The kind of simp who would've gladly kissed the ground she walked on.
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And now in front of all these people he had casually said "I didn't want to reply." Sophia's nails dug into her palm.
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Yet she somehow maintained her graceful smile. "You've changed a lot lately." "People change." After saying that I didn't even look at her again.
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Instead I turned toward Willow. "Let's sit over there." Willow smoothly slipped her arm through mine.
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The two of us walked past Sophia without looking back. Sophia remained standing where she was.
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Her fingers trembled slightly. Makoto stepped beside her and spoke softly. "Sophia don't let it get to you." "He's doing this on purpose." "Trying to upset you." "I know." Sophia took a deep breath.
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Trying to make her voice sound calm. "I won't fall for it." That was what she said.
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But the turmoil inside her refused to settle. Not because she liked George. She never had.
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It was because the difference was too extreme. One day he was obsessed with her.
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The next he couldn't care less. The change was so dramatic that she could no longer convince herself it was some elaborate game of hard to get.
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People playing hard to get still looked at you with expectation. Hope. Desire. George's eyes held none of those things.
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When he looked at her now it was the same way he would look at a stranger.
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And somehow... That hurt more than any insult ever could. Halfway through the gala I headed toward the restroom.
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On the way back I ran into Maria in the hallway. Tonight she wore a bright red evening gown.
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Her makeup was flawless. Her expression wasn't. She planted herself directly in front of me with her hands on her hips.
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The picture-perfect image of someone ready to start an argument. "George." "What exactly are you trying to do " I stopped and looked down at her.
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Something about my gaze made her uncomfortable. But she forced herself to continue. "You chased Sophia for three years." "Now you've suddenly stopped." "And you're running around with Willow." "Are you doing this on purpose " "Trying to make Sophia jealous "
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"Let me tell you something." "Sophia isn't going to fall for your tricks." I leaned against the wall.
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Hands tucked into my pockets. Then spoke leisurely. "Maria." "Let me ask you a question." "What " "In the past three years..." I looked directly at her.
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"Was there a single time I showed up without you making some sarcastic comment " Maria froze.
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"Not once." I answered for her. "Every time I sent flowers you called me a nouveau riche clown." "Every time I paid for something you accused me of showing off." "Every time I helped Sophia solve a problem you claimed I had ulterior motives."
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I smiled faintly. "Three years." "More than a thousand days." "You never once said anything good about me." Maria opened her mouth.
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Ready to argue. Then realized she couldn't. Because everything I said was true. I chuckled softly.
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"And now you're standing here asking whether I'm trying to make Sophia jealous " Pushing away from the wall I walked past her.
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My voice wasn't loud. Yet every word landed clearly. "You're giving yourselves too much importance." I stopped beside her.
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Then added "I finally reached a point where I don't have to tolerate people like you anymore." Maria stood frozen.
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Her face alternated between pale and flushed. Unable to process what had just happened. After taking a few more steps I suddenly remembered something.
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Turning back I added casually "Oh right." "When you see Sophia tell her to take a close look at Cloudcrest's cash flow." Maria frowned.
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"What do you mean " "There's a short-term debt payment worth one point two billion due next week." "If I remember correctly..." I smiled slightly.
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the cash sitting in her accounts probably isn't enough." Maria's face changed instantly. "How do you know Cloudcrest's debt situation " I didn't answer.
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I simply turned around and disappeared down the hallway. When I returned to the ballroom I immediately noticed something was different.
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The atmosphere had shifted. Makoto stood at the center stage holding a microphone. His smile was polished and confident.
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Beside him stood a middle-aged man in a silver-gray suit. I recognized him immediately. The director of City A Television Network.
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"Ladies and gentlemen." Makoto's voice echoed through the ballroom speakers. "On this wonderful evening I'd like to share some good news." He paused briefly.
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Then smiled. "Ito Group has officially signed a strategic partnership agreement with City A Television Network." "For the next three years Ito Group will become the network's largest corporate partner." A ripple of surprise swept through the ballroom.
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And from where I stood I finally understood what move Makoto was making next. chapter 13 Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
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Makoto continued smoothly "Furthermore Ito Group will invest one billion dollars alongside City A Television Network to create a brand-new business program." "The goal is to showcase outstanding local companies and promote the spirit of entrepreneurship throughout City A." At first
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it sounded like nothing more than a standard business announcement. Then Makoto delivered his next line.
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And the temperature in the ballroom seemed to drop ten degrees. "Our first guest is planned to be Miss Sophia Kim of Cloudcrest Group." He smiled warmly.
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"Miss Kim is one of City A's most outstanding young entrepreneurs." "Her journey deserves to be seen by more people." The applause returned.
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Even louder than before. I stood at the edge of the ballroom with my hands in my pockets.
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Expressionless. Willow stepped beside me and lowered her voice. "He's taking a shot at you." "City A Television Network is the biggest media platform in the city." "By securing this partnership Makoto controls the narrative." "If he wants to smear you later
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he'll have all the tools he needs." "I know." Willow glanced at me. "You're not worried " I looked toward the stage.
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Slowly a smile appeared at the corner of my mouth. Makoto noticed me too. Across the crowd our eyes met.
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He smiled. That same gentle smile everyone loved. Polite. Refined. The smile of a man who looked like a genuinely good person.
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But behind those gold-rimmed glasses I saw something else. A carefully hidden trace of satisfaction.
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And provocation. Then Makoto lifted the microphone again. "Oh right." "Young Master George Wang of Wang Group is also with us tonight." "Young Master Wang recently took over Wang Group's retail division." "I'm sure that with his talents he'll lead Wang Retail to even greater heights."
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The words were flawless. On the surface it sounded like praise. In reality it reminded everyone of exactly one thing George Wang was a spoiled rich kid.
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And Wang Retail was doomed. A few quiet laughs rippled through the ballroom. All eyes turned toward me once again.
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Waiting. Would I lose my temper Force an awkward smile Or retreat in humiliation like I always had before I didn't move.
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I simply stood there. The chandelier light fell across my face casting sharp shadows along my features.
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At that moment I didn't look like a disgraced heir being mocked. I looked like a chess player standing above the board.
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Calculating his next move. Then I smiled. Not an angry smile. Not an embarrassed one.
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The kind of smile that made people uneasy. The smile of someone who already knew the outcome.
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I pulled out my phone and made a call. "Uncle Law." "Send that file to the deputy director of City A Television Network." Then I hung up.
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Raised my head. And looked calmly toward Makoto on stage. The entire process took less than ten seconds.
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Nobody in the ballroom knew what had happened. But a few moments later Makoto's phone rang.
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He answered. Listened for several seconds. And the color drained visibly from his face. "What did you say " His voice cracked.
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For the first time the image of the perfect gentleman showed a crack. "The director of City A Television Network is under investigation for economic crimes " "When did this happen " "What evidence " He abruptly turned toward the
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station director standing beside him. The middle-aged man's face had already gone white as paper.
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Then Makoto looked at me again. This time the expression in his eyes was completely different.
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I picked up a glass of champagne. Raised it slightly in his direction. And took a slow sip.
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The ballroom fell into an eerie silence. Nobody knew exactly what had happened. But everyone had seen Makoto's reaction.
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And everyone had seen how calm I remained. At that moment the same thought surfaced in countless minds.
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Who exactly was George Wang Was he really a useless man Or was he a venomous snake that had disguised itself for three years only now finally baring its fangs chapter 14 In a corner of the ballroom Sophia watched everything unfold
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her fingers tightening around her champagne glass. For the first time she seriously began to wonder if she had missed something important.
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The charity gala came to an abrupt end amid an unsettling atmosphere. News that the director of A City Television had been taken away spread through the ballroom like wildfire.
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No one knew what was inside that document but everyone saw the outcome— The strategic partnership Makoto had spent three months negotiating became worthless just fifteen minutes after it was announced.
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Standing on stage Makoto still gripped the microphone in his hand. The warm refined expression on his face had turned completely grim.
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The way he looked at me was no longer concealed hostility. It was open scrutiny.
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When exactly had this man set the trap I set down my champagne glass and turned toward the exit.
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Willow followed behind me and lowered her voice. How long did you spend preparing that file One year.
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My voice was quiet enough that only Willow could hear it. I got the evidence that the director of A City Television was taking bribes a year ago.
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But releasing it back then wouldn't have accomplished much. Now it's different. In front of more than a hundred of the most influential people in A City Makoto personally announced the partnership and then the director got arrested.
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How do you think tomorrow's headlines will read Willow sucked in a sharp breath. Ito Group just announced a partnership and then the person in charge of the partner company got arrested.
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The public won't care when the director started committing crimes. They'll only think one thing—either Ito Group has terrible judgment or there's something wrong with Ito Group itself.
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As I stepped out of the hotel the night wind brushed against my face. Squinting slightly I continued Either way it's a devastating blow to the Ito family's reputation.
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Willow stared at my profile before suddenly asking a completely unrelated question. Who are you really I turned to look at her.
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Narrowing her eyes she said “You're not the old George. Her gaze was as sharp as a scalpel.
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That George was a spoiled rich kid who only knew how to chase women. He couldn't possibly have this kind of skill this kind of patience this kind of strategic mind.
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She paused. So who are you The night breeze passed between us carrying the distant hum of traffic.
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I remained silent for three seconds. Then I smiled. Does it matter I said All you need to know is that you won't regret working with me.” Willow stared at me for a long time.
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In the end she didn't press further. But deep down she had already confirmed one thing— This man was hiding a secret.
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A secret far greater than George's identity. The next day every major media outlet in A City ran negative headlines about Ito Group.
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The Director of A City Television Suspected of Massive Bribery Ito Group Caught in Public Relations Storm Makoto Ito Announces Partnership in High Profile Fashion—Partner Arrested Fifteen Minutes Later: Coincidence or Inevitable Sources Claim Ito Group May Be Involved in Unfair Business Practices
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Regulators Launch Investigation As soon as the stock market opened Ito Group's shares plunged to the daily limit.
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Nearly ten billion dollars in market value vanished overnight. At the same time Cloudcrest Group was facing troubles of its own.
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Sitting in her office Sophia stared at the financial report in front of her. The numbers gave her a splitting headache.
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A short-term debt of one point two billion dollars was due next Wednesday. Yet the company had only four hundred and thirty million dollars in available cash.
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She had five days to fill the gap. Sophia looked at the Chief Financial Officer.
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What about bank loans “We've already approached three banks he replied. But all of them said year-end credit quotas are tight.
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Even under the best circumstances approval will take at least a month. What about supplier payment terms Can we negotiate an extension The CFO shook his head.
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Wang Retail Group has already poached three of our core distributors. Revenue projections have been revised down by fifteen percent and supplier confidence is weakening.
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Several key suppliers have already made it clear that if we fail to pay on time they'll consider terminating their partnerships with us.
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Sophia closed her eyes. A throbbing pain pulsed at her temples. The person responsible for all of this was George.
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No. That wasn't right. What should she call him For the first time Sophia realized she didn't understand this man at all.
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She had known him for three years. She had always believed he was nothing more than a useless playboy and an annoying admirer.
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But now it seemed that all those years of humility and devotion had been nothing more than an act.
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chapter 15 Sophia's phone rang. It was Makoto. "Sophia I'll keep this brief." Makoto sounded exhausted.
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"George has a detailed report analyzing your company's cash flow problems. He sent it to every potential investor connected to Cloudcrest Group.
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Right now no one dares to fund you. They're all waiting to see what George does next." Sophia's grip on her phone tightened instantly.
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"How does he have access to that much information " "I don't know." Makoto lowered his voice.
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"But I looked into the background of that Uncle Law who works with him. His full name is Marcel Law.
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Twenty years ago he was the most famous financial raider in A City. After a failed operation he retired from the spotlight and was later recruited by Pablo." "The connections and intelligence network this man has built are among the best in A City."
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"For the past three years George may have looked like he was chasing after you but in reality he was probably gathering information through Marcel Law the entire time." Sophia fell silent.
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Suddenly she remembered something. Three months earlier during an internal strategy meeting at Cloudcrest Group someone had proposed expanding into the new retail sector.
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She had hesitated at the time. But in the end she approved the plan. Looking back now it might have been the biggest mistake she had ever made.
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Wang Retail controlled the largest offline distribution network in A City. The moment Cloudcrest entered the new retail market it became a direct competitor.
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And George had been waiting for exactly that moment. "Makoto do me a favor." Sophia's voice was frighteningly calm.
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"Go ahead." "Arrange a meeting with George. I want to talk to him personally." Makoto paused for two seconds.
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"Are you sure " "I'm sure." After hanging up Sophia stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out at the skyline of A City.
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Her reflection appeared in the glass. Beautiful. Powerful. Untouchable. But she knew the truth. This was the first time in her life that she had felt genuinely threatened.
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Not because George's business tactics were exceptionally brilliant. But because she had realized something far more unsettling.
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She couldn't read him at all. When I received Sophia's request to meet I was in Wang Retail's new office reviewing a performance report.
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I set my phone on the desk. The screen displayed Sophia's message. "George let's talk.
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Tomorrow at three in the afternoon. The usual place." The usual place. A café beneath the Cloudcrest headquarters.
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For the past three years George had waited for Sophia there countless times. Every time he sat alone in a corner for hours.
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And every time he eventually received a message saying "Something came up. Can't make it." Looking at the text the corner of my mouth lifted slightly.
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I picked up my phone and typed two words. "No time." Send. Ten seconds later another message arrived.
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"Then you pick the time and place." I didn't reply. I turned the phone face down on the desk and went back to reading the report.
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I knew Sophia was panicking. A debt gap of one point two billion dollars. Five days remaining.
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Every investor in A City was sitting on the sidelines. She couldn't afford to wait.
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She needed a solution as quickly as possible. And I intended to make her wait.
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Let her wait. Let her worry. Let her grow anxious enough to make mistakes. It was a lesson I had spent three years learning.
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In business warfare the person with greater patience is usually the one smiling at the end.
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That afternoon Willow arrived at my office. She hadn't made an appointment. She simply pushed open the door and walked in.
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A folder was clutched in her hand and her expression was unusually complicated. Willow tossed the folder onto my desk.
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Then she said "Guess what I just received." chapter 16 I opened the folder and glanced through it my eyebrows lifting slightly.
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It was a letter of intent from Makoto. The proposal outlined a partnership between the Liu family and the Ito family to jointly block the expansion of Wang Retail.
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The terms were generous. As a show of good faith the Ito family was willing to give up ten percent of its market share to the Liu family.
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"What do you think " Willow sat on the sofa with her legs crossed watching me with an amused smile.
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"Makoto is getting desperate." I closed the folder. "The alliance between him and Sophia is starting to crack.
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He needs a new ally and the Liu family is his best option." I looked at Willow.
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"You have something Wang Retail doesn't—access to high-end consumer channels." "So he offers ten percent of his market share as bait." "Exactly." I pushed the folder back toward her.
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"But Makoto forgot one thing." "What " Willow raised an eyebrow. "What he can offer the Liu family I can offer too." I met her gaze.
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"And what I can offer he can't." "Such as " "Trust." My tone remained calm.
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"If you work with Makoto he'll sell you out the moment a bigger opportunity comes along." "But if you work with me you don't have to worry about that." "Because Wang Retail's core advantage is your channel network.
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Without you my plans would take at least twice as long to execute." I paused.
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"So I won't betray you." "Betraying you would be the same as betraying myself." Willow was silent for several seconds.
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Then she suddenly laughed. "You know George..." She stood up picked up the letter of intent and tore it in half right in front of me.
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"I've met plenty of businessmen." "When they're negotiating they all love to say things like 'We're friends.'" "And then they stab you in the back the first chance they get." She tossed one half of the document onto the desk.
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"You're the first person who's ever said 'I won't betray you because there's nothing to gain from it.'" Leaning back in my chair I watched her throw the shredded papers into the trash.
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"So you're choosing to work with me " I asked. Willow walked toward the door.
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"I choose to work with people who can win." Then she paused and glanced back at me.
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"Oh and one more thing." "That one point two billion dollars in debt Sophia owes next week " "I could cover it for her if I wanted to." "But I won't help you." "And I won't help her either." A faint smile appeared on her lips.
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"I want to see how you plan to solve this problem." The door closed behind her.
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I remained seated lightly tapping my fingers against the desk. Willow was right. That one point two billion dollar debt was the key.
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If Sophia survived this crisis she'd have room to breathe again and enough time to organize a counterattack.
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If she failed Cloudcrest Group's cash flow would collapse. At that point bankruptcy and liquidation would only be a matter of time.
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But I had no intention of letting Cloudcrest go bankrupt. Not because I was soft-hearted.
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Because Cloudcrest's assets were simply too valuable. Liquidation would be a waste. What I wanted was for those premium assets to be divided acquired and absorbed into Wang Retail's growing empire.
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And for that to happen Sophia needed to make concessions. Not willingly. Not at first.
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But eventually. In desperation. Five days. Within five days I would make Sophia sit across from me at the negotiating table of her own accord.
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And when she did she would accept every condition I offered. chapter 17 I picked up the phone and called Uncle Law.
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"Uncle Law spread the word. Tell people that Wang Retail is interested in acquiring Cloudcrest Group's core business divisions.
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But there's one condition—Sophia must step down as CEO and withdraw from all management responsibilities." There was a brief silence on the other end.
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"Young Master Wang that's too harsh. Sophia will never agree to it." "She will." My voice remained calm.
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"But not now." "When she runs out of options she'll realize it's the only choice she has left." Uncle Law sighed.
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"What about Makoto There's no way he'll just sit back and watch." "Makoto " I rose from my chair and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
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Looking out over the glittering skyline of A City I spoke slowly. "He's already struggling to save himself." Uncle Law froze.
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"What do you mean " Instead of answering directly I said something that left him even more confused.
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"Uncle Law look into someone for me." "Who " "Kaito." "Makoto's cousin. Haruto's son." "What exactly do you want me to investigate " "I want to know how deep the conflict between him and Makoto really goes." I turned around.
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A cold glint flashed across my eyes. "And then arrange a meeting." For a moment Uncle Law said nothing.
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When he finally spoke his voice trembled slightly. "Young Master Wang... you're planning to tear the entire Ito family apart." "No." I corrected him.
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"I'm going to make them tear each other apart." After hanging up I remained standing by the window.
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The bustling city stretched out before me. And memories from three years ago surfaced in my mind.
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Back when I had first transmigrated into this world the system had given me a list of tasks.
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Day One: Send flowers. Day Five: Stage a chance encounter. Day Ten: Rescue the damsel in distress.
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Day Thirty: Confess your feelings. Every task was written out in perfect detail. All I had to do was follow the script.
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At first I tried to resist. But the system's punishment came swiftly and mercilessly. The first time I refused a mission it deducted an entire year from my lifespan.
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The moment the countdown timer on the interface dropped I felt genuine fear. So I obeyed.
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For three years. More than a thousand days and nights. Like a puppet on strings I followed the script the system had prepared for me.
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Performing one humiliating scene after another. But now the puppeteer was gone. The strings had been cut.
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And for the first time... I could move. With my own will. With my own hands.
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Doing what I wanted to do. Pushing those thoughts aside I picked up my phone and sent Willow a message.
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"Tomorrow night. Top-floor restaurant at the A City Financial Center. My treat. Bring your team." Her reply came almost instantly.
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"Planning something big " The corner of my mouth lifted. I typed back "Time to finish this." Over the next three days A City's business world experienced unprecedented turmoil.
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On the first day Wang Retail suddenly announced a strategic partnership with Kaito. The two sides would collaborate extensively in the new retail sector.
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At the press conference Kaito spoke without holding back. "The future of Ito Group lies in innovation and transformation." "And I firmly believe Mr George is the person most capable of helping the Ito family achieve that future." The statement was a direct challenge to Makoto.
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The internal conflict within the Ito family was dragged into the spotlight. Ito Group's stock price immediately dropped another five percent.
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On the second day three of Cloudcrest Group's core suppliers simultaneously announced that they were suspending deliveries.
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The reason was simple Cloudcrest had failed to pay outstanding invoices on time. Sophia urgently convened a board meeting.
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But halfway through the meeting the Chief Financial Officer delivered even worse news. Cloudcrest now had only one hundred and twenty million dollars in cash remaining.
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And the one point two billion dollar debt would come due the day after tomorrow.
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On the third day under overwhelming pressure Sophia finally made her decision. A message arrived on my phone.
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"I agree to negotiate." "You choose the time and place." chapter 18 I stared at the message without replying immediately.
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Instead I waited two hours before making a phone call. Not to Sophia. To Willow.
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"She agreed." There was no emotion in my voice. Willow was silent for a moment.
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"How are you planning to handle the negotiation " "Twelve core terms." "Every single one follows my plan." "If she signs Cloudcrest Group's core business goes to Wang Retail." "If she refuses Cloudcrest goes bankrupt the day after tomorrow." "She won't sign."
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"She will." I spoke calmly. "Because I don't just want her company." "I want her to admit something herself." "What " I didn't answer.
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I simply hung up. The negotiation was scheduled for the morning of the fourth day.
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The location was a conference room at Wang Retail. When I arrived Sophia had already been waiting for half an hour.
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She was dressed in a black business suit. Her hair was tied back tightly. Her makeup was flawless.
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But the exhaustion in her eyes and the faint lines at the corners betrayed her.
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For the past three days she had barely slept. She wasn't alone. Makoto sat beside her.
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He still looked refined and composed as ever. But behind those gold-rimmed glasses was something I had never seen before.
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Anxiety. Maria was there as well seated on Sophia's other side. The moment she saw me walk in her expression became incredibly complicated.
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I entered the conference room and took my seat at the opposite end of the table.
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Behind me sat only one person. Willow. Six people. One long table. A negotiation that would determine the future business landscape of A City.
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Sophia spoke first. Her voice was hoarse. "George what do you want " "Cloudcrest Group's core retail division." I slid a document to the center of the table.
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"Purchase price: three billion dollars." "Wang Retail acquires it in full." "Sophia resigns from all positions within Cloudcrest Group." "For the next three years she may not engage in any industry that directly competes with Wang Retail." "The remaining non-core businesses of
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Cloudcrest will be placed under Wang Retail's management." "Profit distribution: seventy percent to Wang Retail thirty percent to you." Sophia's face instantly turned pale.
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Three billion dollars. Less than one-third of Cloudcrest's actual valuation. And the requirement that she resign from all positions and accept a three-year non-compete agreement...
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That was equivalent to forcing her out of the company she had built with her own hands.
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Maria was the first to explode. She jumped to her feet. "Are you insane " "Cloudcrest is valued at twelve billion dollars " "You think you can buy it for three billion " "Keep dreaming " I didn't even look at her.
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My eyes remained fixed on Sophia. "Cloudcrest is worth twelve billion dollars under one condition." "That condition is continued operation." "The day after tomorrow your debt matures." "If you can't repay it the banks will begin bankruptcy proceedings." "Once that happens
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your assets will be auctioned off at fire-sale prices." "Forget three billion." "You'll be lucky if you recover one billion." I leaned slightly forward.
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"My offer of three billion is the last shred of dignity I'm willing to leave you." Sophia bit her lip.
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"I can find other investors." Her voice trembled. "Who " I leaned back and smiled.
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"I've already spoken to every investor in A City." "No one is going to finance you." "The Liu family." Sophia suddenly turned toward Willow.
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"Miss Liu." "You have cash." "Help me this once." "I'll give Cloudcrest Group ten percent of its shares." Willow picked up her coffee cup.
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She took a slow sip. Then she set it down and looked directly at Sophia.
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What she said next shattered Sophia's last remaining hope. "Miss Kim I think you've misunderstood." "I'm not here to negotiate with you." "I'm Wang Retail's business partner." She glanced toward me.
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"I came here to support George." Sophia swayed slightly in her chair. At last Makoto spoke.
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His voice was low and steady. "George." "What you're doing..." "Aren't you worried people will call it opportunistic extortion " chapter 19 I turned my head and looked directly at Makoto for the first time.
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"Makoto." My voice wasn't loud but every word landed like a nail hammered into the table.
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I shrugged. "And you're really going to lecture me about taking advantage of a crisis " "For the past three years every time Sophia ran into trouble you just happened to show up." "You just happened to solve the problem."
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"And somehow everyone always knew it was you who saved the day." I stared at him.
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"You weren't helping her." "You were building her dependence on you." "Sophia can't live without you now not because she loves you." "It's because you've spent three years turning her into someone who doesn't know how to survive without you."
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The conference room fell silent. The only sound was breathing. Sophia abruptly turned toward Makoto.
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For the first time a trace of doubt appeared in her eyes. Makoto's expression changed.
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"George what kind of nonsense are you talking about " "Nonsense " I pulled a document from my folder and slid it across the table.
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"Sophia take a look." "Over the past three years every time Cloudcrest raised capital Makoto acquired shares through shell companies." "Do you know how much he owns now " "Thirty-seven percent." I paused.
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"The largest shareholder of Cloudcrest isn't Sophia." "It's Makoto." Sophia opened the file. After only a few seconds her fingers began to tremble.
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"Sophia it's not like that—" Makoto reached toward her. "Don't touch me." Her voice was as cold as winter wind.
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She lifted her head and stared into Makoto's eyes. Anger. Humiliation. Disappointment. Too many emotions were tangled together in her gaze.
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"Makoto." "Explain these shares to me." Makoto opened his mouth. Not a single word came out.
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I stood up and walked to the window. My back faced everyone in the room.
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"Sophia." "I think you finally understand." "For the past three years there were two men by your side." "One pursued you openly." "You treated him like a joke." "The other manipulated you from the shadows." "And you treated him like the love of your life."
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I smiled faintly. "Don't you find that ironic " Sophia's eyes turned red. But she clenched her jaw and refused to let the tears fall.
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Suddenly she stood up. She picked up the acquisition agreement. Without even reading it she flipped directly to the final page and grabbed a pen.
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Maria immediately caught her arm. "Sophia have you lost your mind " "You can't sign that " "Maria." Sophia's voice was calm.
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Far too calm for someone about to lose everything. "You once said George was worthless." "You said he was trash." "You said he wasn't good enough for me." "You were right." Maria froze.
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"What do you mean " Sophia finally let the tears fall. One drop after another landed on the agreement.
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"He's not worthless." A bitter smile appeared on her face. "I am." She signed her name.
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Then she picked up her handbag and walked out of the conference room without looking back.
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Maria stood there in shock for two seconds before rushing after her. Makoto remained seated.
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The emotions on his face shifted one after another. Shock. Rage. Hatred. He stared at my back and spoke through clenched teeth.
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"You think you've won " I turned around. A faint smile curved my lips. "Won " I walked over and stopped in front of him.
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Looking down at him from above I said "Makoto." "This is only the beginning." "Cloudcrest Group was just the appetizer." "The Ito family is the main course." "Your cousin Kaito Ito has already agreed to a full strategic partnership with me."
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"In three months the major shareholders of Ito Group will vote again." I leaned closer.
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"Tell me." "Do you think you'll still be sitting in your current chair when that happens " The color drained from Makoto's face.
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"You-you..." "And one more thing." I bent down. My voice dropped low enough that only he could hear it.
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"The evidence involving the director of A City Television " "I only released a small portion of it." "If you try anything stupid..." "The rest of the evidence will go straight to the prosecutor's office." I held his gaze.
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"And when that day comes..." "It won't be just the station director going to prison." chapter 20 Makoto shot to his feet.
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His chair crashed backward onto the floor with a loud bang. He stared at me for a full five seconds.
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Then he turned around and staggered out of the conference room. The only people left inside were Willow and me.
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Willow set down her coffee cup and looked at me. There was an emotion in her eyes that was difficult to describe.
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"Did you really plan all of this from the very beginning " I walked to the window and looked out over A City.
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Then I shook my head. "Not from the beginning." I paused. "From the moment I decided I was done being someone else's supporting character." Willow stood up and walked over.
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Soon we were standing side by side in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. "What about now " She turned toward me.
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"You won." "What are you going to do next " I looked back at her.
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Sunlight streamed through the glass falling across her face. There was light in her eyes.
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There was laughter. And there was a warmth I had never seen in the real world.
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"Next..." I smiled. "I'm going to do something I never could before." "What " "Live properly." My voice was quiet.
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But unwavering. "Not to complete missions." "Not to meet anyone else's expectations." "Just to live for myself." Willow stared at me for a moment.
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Then she smiled. Her eyes curved gently like a spring breeze rippling across a lake.
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"What about me " She tilted her head slightly. "In your plans what am I " I was silent for a second.
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Then I reached out and took her hand. "You're the best choice I've made since coming into this world." Willow lowered her eyes to our joined hands.
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The tips of her ears turned slightly red. But she didn't pull away. Outside the window the sunlight over A City was perfect.
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My phone suddenly vibrated. A message from an unknown number. I opened it. There was only one sentence.
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[Penalty for mission failure has been activated.] [System entering hibernation.] [Host will remain in this world permanently.] [Enjoy the game.] I stared at the screen for two seconds.
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Then I slipped the phone back into my pocket. Turning toward Willow I smiled. "What is it " she asked.
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"Nothing." I chuckled softly. "Just an old friend saying goodbye." I paused. Then tightened my grip on her hand.
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"Goodbye forever." chapter 21 News of Cloudcrest Group's acquisition by Wang Retail sent shockwaves through A City's business world.
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Some called it a snake swallowing an elephant. Others said it was a fallen giant meeting its fate.
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But most people were asking the same question How did George pull it off How did the spoiled young master of the Wang family—the man everyone had dismissed as a useless rich kid—manage to acquire one of A City's top ten corporations in just a single month
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The media exploded with coverage. Analysis pieces appeared one after another. Every social media platform was flooded with different versions of "George's Rise to Power." Some claimed I had secretly studied under a legendary business tycoon.
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Some believed I was Pablo's carefully groomed successor all along. Others even insisted I was a reborn soul who had returned with memories of a previous life to seek revenge.
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None of those theories were true. Though one thing was. I was no longer a failure.
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When Pablo learned the outcome of the Cloudcrest acquisition he remained silent for a full ten minutes.
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Then he picked up the phone and called me. He said only four words. "Come home for dinner." So I went.
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The Wang family estate sat halfway up a mountain in A City's northern suburbs. The property covered nearly three thousand square meters.
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It took five minutes to drive from the front gate to the main residence. When I arrived Pablo Wang was already seated in the dining room.
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Four dishes and a soup sat on the table. Nothing extravagant. Just ordinary home-cooked food.
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Pablo's wife—George's mother—had passed away three years earlier. He had never remarried. In the enormous mansion only Pablo and a handful of servants remained.
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When I entered the dining room I saw him sitting alone at one end of the long table.
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Two sets of chopsticks and bowls had been prepared. "Sit." Pablo pointed at the seat across from him.
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I sat down but didn't touch the food. Pablo picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it in my bowl.
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The movement looked awkward. As if he hadn't done something like this in a very long time.
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"Before your mother passed away..." His voice was low. "She told me something." I remained silent.
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Pablo stared at the table. "She said George wasn't hopeless." "His time just hadn't come yet." "She told me not to push him too hard." I still said nothing.
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Pablo slowly put down his chopsticks and looked at me. "I didn't believe her back then." A faint smile appeared on his face.
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"Now I do." I picked up the piece of braised pork and took a bite.
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It tasted good. The chef was skilled. But it was nowhere near as good as the version his mother used to make.
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"Dad." I set down my chopsticks and looked at Pablo. "I don't blame you." Pablo's eyes reddened slightly.
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But he quickly turned his head away. When he spoke again his usual authority had returned.
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"Finished eating " "If you're done come to the study." "I need to discuss something with you." Inside the study Pablo opened a drawer and removed a document.
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He slid it across the desk. I opened it. It was a stock transfer agreement.
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Thirty percent of Pablo's shares in Wang Group were being transferred to George. I frowned.
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"What's this for " "You earned it." Pablo leaned back in his chair. "The Cloudcrest acquisition was funded entirely by Wang Retail's own capital." "You didn't use a single dollar from the parent group." "That proves you can operate independently."
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He tapped the agreement with one finger. "These shares aren't a reward." "They're an investment." His eyes met mine.
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"I believe in you." "That's all." I looked at the agreement. After several seconds of silence I picked up the pen.
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And signed my name. chapter 22 Not long after leaving the Wang family estate my car was forced to stop on the winding mountain road.
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A red Porsche blocked the lane ahead. The driver's door opened. Sophia stepped out. She wasn't wearing any makeup today.
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A plain white T-shirt. A pair of jeans. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders.
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She looked like a completely different person. Even without the flawless makeup she once relied on she was still beautiful.
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But the untouchable arrogance that had always surrounded her was gone. In its place was something I had never seen before.
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Exhaustion. And peace. "I want to talk to you." Sophia stood in front of her car.
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Her voice wasn't loud. But it was steady. I turned off the engine stepped out and leaned against the door with my hands in my pockets.
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"Go ahead." Sophia took a deep breath. As though she had finally made up her mind about something.
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"I've thought a lot about what you said in the conference room." She looked at me.
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"You said Makoto turned me into someone who couldn't survive without him." "You were right." I remained silent.
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Sophia lifted her head and met my gaze. "But there was something else you said." "And you were right about that too." A bitter smile appeared on her face.
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"You said my values were completely twisted." "You said I was blindly arrogant." "I didn't think so back then." "But now..." She laughed softly at herself.
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"I think you were right." I raised an eyebrow. Sophia continued. "Maria told me everything you said to her in the hallway." "Every word was true." "For three years she never once said a good thing about you." "And for three years
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you never actually did anything to hurt me." "You sent flowers." "You treated me to meals." "You helped me solve problems." "You never wronged me." "But Maria and I..." Her voice broke slightly.
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"We kept hurting you." The mountain breeze swept through the night carrying the scent of grass and trees.
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"I'm not here today to ask for forgiveness." Her hands tightened slightly. "I just wanted to say one thing." "I'm sorry." She lowered her eyes.
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"Not Sophia apologizing to George." "Just one person who did something wrong apologizing to another person she hurt." I looked at her.
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Looked at the sincerity that had finally appeared in her eyes. And for a long time neither of us spoke.
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Finally I broke the silence. "Sophia." My voice was calm. "For three years you never really looked at me." "All you ever saw was Makoto." "Your company." "And yourself." I paused.
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"There's nothing wrong with not liking me." "But using someone's feelings to boost your own ego..." "Enjoying the attention while never giving anything in return..." "That's where the problem begins." Silent tears rolled down Sophia's face.
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I straightened up. "I accept your apology." She froze slightly. "But remember this." "An apology isn't meant to make me forgive you." "It's meant to help you forgive yourself." I glanced toward the road ahead.
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"The Cloudcrest situation is over." "You signed the agreement." "I kept my promise." "You still have the remaining thirty percent of the non-core businesses." "Run them properly." "In three years you can build everything back again." Sophia wiped away her tears.
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Then unexpectedly she smiled. "Are you encouraging me " "I'm stating facts." I opened the car door.
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"You're capable." "You were just too successful for too long." "So successful that you started believing the world revolved around you." I looked at her one last time.
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"Falling this time might be the best thing that ever happened to you." I started the engine.
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Ready to leave. "George." Sophia called out. I leaned slightly out the window. She opened her mouth.
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Hesitated. But in the end she still asked the question. "During those three years you chased after me..." "Was any of it real " I looked at her.
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Silent for two seconds. Then I answered. "No." That was all I said. Then I pressed the accelerator.
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The black Maybach disappeared into the night. In the rearview mirror Sophia remained standing where she was.
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Her figure grew smaller and smaller. Until it vanished behind the curve of the mountain road.
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I looked away. My expression never changed. It wasn't because I was heartless. Every moment of "love" during those three years had been forced by the system.
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Every confession. Every bouquet. Every act of devotion. All of it had been part of a script I was ordered to perform.
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I had never loved Sophia. Not for a single second. And I knew that better than anyone.
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Meanwhile the conflict within the Ito family escalated exactly as I had expected. With my support behind him Kaito launched an aggressive challenge against Makoto during the board meetings.
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The ownership structure of Ito Group was notoriously complicated. Numerous branch families held shares. Although Makoto was the eldest grandson of the main family line he did not possess an absolute controlling stake.
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Kaito successfully united several branch-family shareholders. And together their voting power had already surpassed Makoto's.
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chapter 23 At the shareholders' meeting one month later Makoto was removed from his position as Executive Director.
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He was demoted to an ordinary board member. Kaito took his place and became the new power holder of Ito Group.
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The night he learned the result Makoto sat alone in his office and finished an entire bottle of whiskey.
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He thought about the things I had said at the negotiating table. He thought about every move he had spent the past three years planning.
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And he thought about the last look Sophia had given him. There had been no hatred in her eyes.
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Only disappointment. Failure wasn't what terrified Makoto the most. Being seen for who he truly was—that was.
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And I had seen right through him. Makoto picked up his phone and opened my contact information.
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He hesitated for a long time. In the end he never made the call. Turning off the screen he buried his face in his hands.
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Alone in the empty office he let out a low suppressed sob. Maria wasn't doing much better.
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Her reputation in A City's social circles had collapsed. The wealthy socialites who once called her their best friend suddenly kept their distance after the Cloudcrest scandal.
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No one wanted to be associated with someone who had publicly mocked George. Not because they had suddenly grown a conscience.
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But because George had become too powerful. And nobody wanted to be on his bad side.
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Maria's parents ran a small business. At best they were considered middle class in A City.
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In the past Maria had only managed to fit into elite social circles because of Sophia's support.
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Now that Sophia had fallen from power Maria's entire network vanished overnight. She sent me several messages.
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She wanted to apologize. I never replied. Not because I was deliberately ignoring her. I genuinely didn't have time.
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These days I was busier than ever. Integrating Cloudcrest Group. Expanding Wang Retail nationwide. Deepening cooperation with the Liu family.
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Three major projects were moving forward simultaneously. I slept less than five hours a day.
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But unlike the exhaustion of performing under the system's control this kind of exhaustion felt different.
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This time I chose it willingly. Willow appeared in my office almost every day. At first she came to discuss business.
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Then she started showing up for lunch. Eventually she came simply because she wanted to spend time together.
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Willow wasn't clingy. She had her own career. Her own social circle. Her own rhythm.
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But whenever she was with me she unconsciously slowed down. As if she enjoyed the rare feeling of not needing to calculate every move or keep her guard up.
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One day Willow suddenly said "You've been smiling more lately." I looked up from a mountain of documents.
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"What " She pointed at me. "Your old smile looked like this." Pulling at the corners of her mouth she mimicked a perfect corporate smile.
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Then she paused. "But now it's more like this." Her eyes curved. Her teeth showed.
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She smiled like a carefree child. I stared at her for a moment. Then I laughed too.
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"Because of you." I said it without hesitation. The tips of Willow's ears turned red again.
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But this time she didn't look away. Instead she met my eyes directly. "You once said that the best decision you've made in this world was choosing me." She paused.
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"Have you ever thought about turning that choice into something permanent " The office suddenly became very quiet.
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I set down my pen. Then I stood up. Walking around the desk I stopped in front of Willow.
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Gently I lifted her chin. My thumb brushed against her cheek. Her skin was fair and smooth.
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Under the afternoon sunlight it seemed to glow softly. "Willow." My voice was low and serious.
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"For more than twenty years I've never made promises to anyone." "Not because I didn't want to." "Because I was afraid to." I held her gaze.
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"Back then I had nothing." "I couldn't give anyone a future." Willow listened quietly. "But things are different now." I smiled.
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"I have the ability to give you the best life possible." "And I have the ability to protect what we have." "So I want to ask you something." Willow's heartbeat quickened.
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Yet she still maintained her usual calm expression. "What is it " I looked straight into her eyes.
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"Willow." "Would you be my girlfriend " chapter 24 Willow stared at me for three seconds.
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Then she lifted her hand and punched me lightly in the chest. Not hard. Not soft.
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Just enough. "After that whole speech I thought you were about to propose." She rolled her eyes but the smile tugging at her lips refused to disappear.
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"And that's all you've got " I laughed. "Then what did you want me to say " Willow rose onto her tiptoes and whispered something into my ear.
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My smile froze for a brief second. Then it deepened. "Okay." I nodded. "When the time is right I'll say those words." Willow buried her face against my chest.
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In a muffled voice she said "I'll be waiting." Three months later. I stood in the top-floor office of Wang Retail's new headquarters overlooking the skyline of A City.
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The building was the newest headquarters of Wang Group. Sixty-eight floors tall. And my office occupied the very top.
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Within six months Wang Retail's performance had doubled. George had silenced every skeptic with hard numbers.
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Meanwhile the thirty percent of Cloudcrest's non-core businesses that Sophia retained had slowly begun to recover.
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Under my policy of non-interference they had actually started thriving. Sophia resigned from all executive positions.
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She kept only an advisory title and devoted all her energy to product development. Without the pressure of endless expansion and capital games she rediscovered the passion she had felt when she first started her company.
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Maria left A City. She moved to a small southern town and opened a flower shop.
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Before leaving she sent me a very long message. This time I read it. But I still didn't reply.
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Some relationships don't need repairing. And some simply aren't worth repairing. Makoto Ito completely withdrew from the core leadership of Ito Group.
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He took his share of the family assets and moved overseas. Before leaving he called me from the airport.
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He said only one sentence. "You won. I admit it." Then he hung up. My assessment of that call was simple.
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He had finally acted like a man. The office door opened. Willow walked in carrying two bags.
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"Lunch." She placed them on the coffee table and began unpacking them. "You have a meeting at three this afternoon." "At five you're meeting Uncle Law to discuss next year's strategic planning." "And at seven—" I walked over and sat on the sofa.
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"What about after seven " Willow handed me a pair of chopsticks. "The time after seven belongs to me." I accepted them and looked into her eyes.
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"Your call." At last Willow smiled. Her eyes curved beautifully. Like a spring breeze rippling across a lake.
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Outside the window the city lights of A City were beginning to glow. Thousands upon thousands of homes lit up the night.
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As I ate I suddenly remembered something. Back when I first transmigrated into this world the system told me I would never be able to return.
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I still remembered the despair I felt then. That suffocating feeling of being trapped inside someone else's story.
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Of never being able to escape. But now when I thought about it... So what if I couldn't go back In the real world I had nothing.
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No parents. No lover. No career. Not even a place I could truly call home.
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But here... I had George's identity. I had Pablo's recognition. I had Uncle Law's support.
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And I had Willow's love. Most importantly... I had found myself. Not the villain created by the system.
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Not the useless loser everyone looked down on. Not someone else's accessory. Just myself. A man who climbed up from the bottom and changed his fate with his own hands.
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I picked up my phone and opened the contact with no saved name. Then I sent a message.
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"Please thank the system for me." "It put me through hell for three years." "But without it I never would have come here." Three seconds later a reply arrived.
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"The system is currently dormant and cannot receive messages." "But if you'd like I can accept your thanks on its behalf." I froze.
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Then turned to look at Willow. Willow was drinking soup. Sensing my gaze she looked up.
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"What " "Nothing." I put away my phone. The smile on my face was impossible to hide.
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Suddenly I reached across the table and took her hand. Willow paused. She didn't pull away.
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Instead she squeezed my hand in return. Outside the window a bright moon rose above A City.
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Moonlight spread across the entire city. Gentle. Quiet. Radiant. The story began with an unlucky man trapped by a system.
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The story ended with an ordinary man who had finally found freedom. Standing at the highest point of the city he now called home.
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Holding the hand of the woman he loved. Looking out at the countless lights below.
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Feeling nothing but peace. That was probably the best ending possible. No. It wasn't an ending.
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It was a beginning.
Topics:romance novelsystem trapsecond-generation heirsimp rolevillain transformationbusiness strategyfemale leadmale leadtransmigrationfictional world
