The boardroom slowly settled into a new stillness, papers being shuffled, tablets powered off, and half-empty glasses of sparkling water left behind as the introduction meeting neared its end.Schwarzenger turned his attention to the entire table, his voice composed but authoritative. “Are there any other issues on the ground we need to address before we wrap up?” he asked, gaze sweeping across the twelve high-ranking individuals.Heads subtly shook from side to side. “No, sir,” Rothschild Sr. replied first, followed by quiet murmurs of agreement from the others.Schwarzenger gave a small nod of satisfaction. “Very well then,” he said, rising from the seat with his usual calm grace. “You’re all dismissed. Kindly proceed to the bottom floor. My son would like to address the press and well-wishers from the boardroom balcony.”Chairs scraped gently against the tiled floor as the general managers began filing out, one after another, each offering a polite nod or bow in Elijah’s direction

Maestro winced as the antiseptic stung his arm, but he didn’t complain. The Schwarzenger estate doctors worked swiftly, treating the gunshot wound with utmost precision.The medical bay inside Schwarzenger Manor was far from ordinary—it rivaled the top-tier suites of private hospitals across the country.White walls gleamed under soft golden lighting, the air filtered and faintly scented with sandalwood, while premium instruments hummed quietly beside the soft leather recliner he was laid on.A female nurse gently swabbed the wound again, her gloved hands moving delicately across his skin. “The bullet only grazed you,” she said with a respectful tilt of her head. “Still, we’ll be keeping you under supervision for the next 24 hours. Lord Schwarzenger gave us direct instructions."Maestro, despite the dull pain, nodded calmly. “Tell him I’m grateful.”Another doctor stepped in with a tablet in hand, scrolling through his vitals. “Vitals are stable. The bleeding stopped cleanly. We’ve al

Hmmrphh. Elijah was jolted awake by a cacophony of noise filtering through the high windows of his opulent mansion. With a low grumble, he squinted at the ornate gold clock that hung on the wall, its hands mocking him as they ticked steadily forward. The ruckus outside clawed at his nerves, sending him spiraling back to the gunshot he had heard just the day before. Heart racing, he sprang from his bed and staggered to the window, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios."I think I need to get a gun license," he muttered, apprehension flooding his thoughts at the possibility of another attack. When he pulled back the heavy curtains and scanned the estate surroundings however, he was met not with chaos but an eerie calm. A cluster of Schwarzenger's guards had surrounded a single man, who looked utterly terrified, his wide eyes darting between the imposing figures. Without a second thought, he bolted downstairs, shirtless with urgency propelling him forward.Elijah burst through the t

The lead guard stood just outside looking sharp, his helmet under one arm and his dossier in the other. “My lord,” he greeted, bowing his head. Elijah stepped aside. “Come in. And I hope you brought good answers.” "Yes, my lord." He said and saluted Elijah, who had sunk into a couch. "I made very sure I got all the information relating to him." "Nice, please sit and tell me what you've got." Elijah nodded and gestured for the guard to sit." Ignoring Elijah's gestures to him, the guard proceeded to speak while still standing. "After..." "You didn't hear me when I told you to sit, right?" Elijah interrupted, letting out a low sigh of frustration. A sinking feeling overwhelmed the guard as he mumbled under his breath and buried his stare into the floor. "We dare not sit in front of Lord Schwarzenger or look at him in the eye, my Lord. No one dared to, not even me...your ordinary subject." Amused, Elijah released a loud chuckle. "The last time I checked, I'm Lord Schwarzenger and I.

Peter August’s hands trembled as he finally tucked in his shirt, his face still flushed with humiliation. He swallowed hard before mustering the courage to speak. “Y..yes, I’m Peter August,” he stammered, his voice hoarse. “But who the hell are you people? And how did you get past the security guards to badge in here?” Before Elijah could respond, Peter’s eyes suddenly narrowed, studying Elijah’s face with growing recognition. His lips parted in disbelief as he spoke with excitement. “Wait… you look familiar,” he muttered, taking a hesitant step forward. His eyes widened. “You’re… the son of the wealthiest man in Futuriux! The one standing with him on the balcony of the Schwarzenger Global Inc. tower when...when that assassination attempt happened!” "Finally, someone recognizes me."Elijah exhaled softly under his breath, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his features. Though, of course, it had to be tied to that horrific incident. “Thank goodness,” he murmured dryly before st