William lingered outside “The Haven Brew,” studying the café as if it were a blueprint for a building he had yet to construct. The drizzle from the morning had faded into a soft mist, leaving cobblestones damp and glistening. He took a deep breath and stepped inside. The familiar chime over the door rang sharply, echoing in the nearly empty room. Nora looked up from the counter, wiping her hands on a faded apron.“I didn’t think you’d come back so soon,” she said, her voice cautious but curious.“I told you I wasn’t here just to write a check,” William said, letting his gaze travel across the café. “I want to see what we’re working with before we start.”The interior was modest, almost quaint, but the walls told stories of neglect. Peeling wallpaper, faded tables, and a few chairs scuffed from years of use. A faint aroma of coffee lingered in the air, comforting yet bittersweet. Students hunched over laptops and an elderly man sipped tea at the corner, oblivious to the subtle tension

The city glimmered beneath the soft glow of evening lights as William stepped out of his car. Glass towers rose on both sides of the street, and the air carried the faint scent of rain. He straightened his jacket and walked toward the restaurant entrance, calm but alert. Mrs. Langford had invited him to a private dinner with a few investors who were interested in his growing business. It was more than an opportunity for expansion. It was a test of how far he had come, and how much further the System could take him. Inside, the restaurant hummed quietly with polite laughter and the clinking of glasses. Mrs. Langford stood from her seat when she saw him. “William,” she said warmly. “Right on time. Come and meet a few colleagues of mine.” He smiled and joined the table. Two men in dark suits looked up with polite interest, their postures relaxed but their eyes sharp. “This is the man I told you about,” Mrs. Langford continued. “The one who turned a failing café into one of the busiest

The night carried on like nothing had happened, but beneath the glamour and laughter, William could feel the weight of eyes following him. The rival was gone from sight, yet the System’s last message kept echoing in his head.He walked through the hall with quiet confidence, stopping once or twice when another investor approached to greet him. The name William Price was no longer unknown. People were curious now, drawn to the man who’d spoken with conviction in front of the Hamiltons.But Devon was watching from the far end of the room. His expression looked calm to everyone else, but behind that calm was a bruised ego.He moved through the crowd, smile practiced, voice smooth as ever. “Impressive speech, Hudson,” he said, stopping just beside William. “I didn’t expect you to steal the spotlight in my own house.”William turned, his voice calm. “I didn’t steal it. I just earned it.”Devon’s grin widened. “Earned it? With what, coffee and charm? This is business, not a street corner ca

The mansion’s air felt too heavy, too full of fake politeness. William walked into the Hamilton estate with his head high, the kind of calm that made guards stand straighter.Gregory Hamilton sat behind a glass desk when he entered, dressed in a black suit that screamed wealth and control. Devon sat on the left, jaw clenched, his eyes sharp with the same anger that had followed him since the slap.“Mr. Hudson,” Gregory said with a slow smile. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you.”William didn’t sit. “You sent for me.”Gregory gestured to the chair opposite him. “Please. Sit. We have much to discuss.”William sat down, his posture relaxed but unyielding.Gregory studied him like a puzzle. “You’ve become a trending name in the city. Slapping my son was a bold move.”“I don’t regret it,” William replied simply.Devon scoffed. “You’ll regret it soon enough.”Gregory lifted a hand. “Devon.” He turned back to William. “You have fire. I like that. But fire without direction burns everything a

The room was heavy with silence, broken only by the steady hum of the ceiling fan slicing through the air. The faint glow from William’s phone screen cast blue reflections across the floor, making the place feel colder than it was. He had barely slept. Something about the system’s last message still clung to his thoughts like static.> [System Booting...][Syncing recent activity...][Error: Incomplete data stream.]William leaned forward on the bed, staring. “Incomplete data stream? What does that even mean?”The glow flickered, then steadied again.> [Minor interruption. External interference detected during network sync.]He frowned. “External interference? You mean someone’s trying to hack you?”> [Unknown. Trace inconclusive.]William exhaled sharply. “That’s not exactly reassuring.”> [Threat level: Low. Proceed with normal activity.]He stood up, stretched, and reached for his towel. “Low threat. Sure. That’s what you said last time.”> [Sarcasm detected. Ignored.]Even under