All Chapters of From Rags to God of War: Chapter 1
- Chapter 10
20 chapters
Claiming the Promise
When he was ten years old, Nicholas lost both his parents.He didn't cry. A coldness gripped him. The world shrunk into ashes and silence. A few neighbors whispered, looking on with pity. No one came near. Everyone knew this child was alone now.Suddenly, a small shadow stood before him. A girl, perhaps his age, with braided hair and clear eyes. She held something. A chocolate bar and a single white rose. The girl placed the chocolate and the flower on the ground, right at Nicholas's feet."Don't be sad, this is for you." Then, she turned and left. Her steps were small, quick.Nicholas watched her back disappear into the crowd. He didn't know her name. But he knew the girl was from the Weber family.Time sped by. Twenty-two years later, Nicholas Krause stood at the pinnacle. His name was renowned in special forces. He was the God of War, a moniker earned from his battle records and unparalleled strategies on the battlefield. Thousands of enemies had fallen by his hand; dozens of natio
Dowry
Elsa guffawed. "You want to marry a girl from the Weber family, don't you?" she said, her smirk widening. "Go on, marry my sister!" She waved her hand towards Isabella, who had now reached the bottom of the stairs, her gaze dismissive. "I think you two would be a good match."Isabella looked at Elsa with cold fury."Elsa," Isabella said sharply, "I'm lame, not mute." She shifted her gaze from Elsa to the stranger in front of her, assessing Nicholas carefully.The man certainly looked disheveled, his clothes worn and his face stern. But there was something peculiar in his eyes, as if the world couldn't shake him. "Who are you?""I'm Nicholas Krause," Nicholas replied, unfazed by the commotion around him. "And I'm here to marry one of you two." He looked at Elsa, then back at Isabella, his gaze showing no preference.Isabella snorted. Elsa chuckled cynically. "Not even my sister would marry you."A sharp glint flashed in Isabella's eyes, but quickly vanished. She completely ignored Elsa
Announcement
Nicholas walked in a few steps, stopping in the middle of the room. "We just got married. Suddenly, even for me. You must be shocked. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, much less scared. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do." He looked at Isabella, his gaze steady, without any readable emotion. "For now, this is for the best. We have plenty of time. You can adapt, and I, well, I also need to adapt."Isabella didn't know how to respond. Nicholas's clarity, without pretense, without flattery, felt strange yet calming.Then, another question emerged. "Whose house is this?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper. "You said you didn't have a job. You came in a beat-up car. But this house is bigger than the Weber family's house." Her eyes swept across the room, trying to process all the conflicting information in her mind.Nicholas was silent for a moment. His face remained flat. There was a cautiousness in his gaze. "This house belonged to my grandfather," he answered,
Scandal
It was three in the morning. A notification sounded on Nicholas's phone. He picked it up, his gaze immediately fixed on the screen. A balance of USD 1,000,000 entered his account. It was payment for his last mission. A bank transfer from an offshore account. He was paid per mission, per operation. Sometimes, this payment could come from secret clients who paid handsomely for specialized skills, such as VIP protection, hostage rescue, or highly covert intelligence operations. Or it could be from governments needing hidden hands for jobs that couldn't be officially acknowledged. The sum of USD 1,000,000, for Nicholas, was a typical amount.Very early in the morning, when the sun had just made its appearance on the eastern horizon, Nicholas was already awake. There was a soft knock on his bedroom door. He got up and opened it. Isabella stood there."Good morning," Isabella said. "I've made breakfast."Nicholas was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected Isabella to be so proactive. "Oh."
Machine of Destruction.
Chaos erupted in the Weber house. Gilbert's howls of pain filled the hall, mixed with shouts and curses. Adam and Sonia immediately ran to their nephew. Gilbert clutched his now crippled hand, his face deathly pale from the immense pain.Adam looked down, trying to comfort Gilbert. "I'm so sorry, Gilbert. I'm truly sorry. I had no idea that man was so audacious."Gilbert looked up, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Adam with hatred. "Sorry? Do you think just being sorry is enough, Uncle?! Look at my hand! That bastard broke my fingers!" He shrieked again, pain mixed with uncontrollable rage. "Do you know what this means? My business! My reputation! This is all because of that damn daughter of yours!"Adam knew Gilbert wouldn't simply accept an apology. The Thompson family's position in the Weber Group was too strong. They held undeniable influence and power that Adam couldn't dispute."I'll make sure he receives a fitting punishment, Gilbert," Adam said. "I'll pay for all your losses. Any
Piece of Cake
Nicholas dropped Isabella off at a hotel. Then he left.The next morning, promptly at eight, Nicholas picked her up to take the girl home.As they entered the gates, several waiting guards immediately apprehended Nicholas. Four other guards quickly restrained his arms, while two more pointed guns at his head.Nicholas didn't resist. He allowed himself to be arrested.Isabella's eyes widened. "What are you doing?! Let him go!"Adam, Sonia, and Elsa were already waiting in the living room. Their faces were tense. Elsa smirked at the sight. Isabella was immediately dragged inside, and Nicholas was forced to his knees, two pistols pressed against either side of his head."What's going on here?" Isabella asked, trying to get closer."What's going on?" Elsa laughed, cynically. "Gossip about you has spread all over City A, Isabella! The Weber family's daughter committing adultery with a vagrant! It's the talk of the town everywhere! Do you know how shameful this is?"Isabella looked at Elsa,
Perfect
Another call came in. On the other end, a deep, authoritative voice spoke. "General. This is James Reed."Hearing the greeting, Martin, who stood nearby, tensed instantly. James, the highly powerful Chairman of the Organization, was calling the General directly."Yes, Chairman," Nicholas replied."I hear you're back in the thick of things, General," James said, his voice cheerful yet respectful. "Three years ago, you helped me by eradicating eighty thousand enemy troops who sought to destroy my organization. A debt I'll never forget. To celebrate your return and thank you in person, I'd like to invite you to a special lunch today."Nicholas closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a breath. He knew today would be busy, but an invitation from Chairman James of the Organization was something that couldn't be refused. Especially since he directly mentioned his enormous service three years ago, a highly confidential and impactful service."Of course, Chairman," Nicholas said. "I'll be th
Surprise
Richard held his stinging, red cheek, his eyes full of anger and vengeance. He couldn't believe an assistant dared to slap him."Do you know who I am?!" Richard barked, his voice hoarse. "My family owns Green Corporation! You think you can get away with slapping a conglomerate's son?! I'll make sure you lose your job! No company will ever hire you again!"Martin merely glanced at Richard with a cold stare. He wasted no time."I don't care who your family is," Martin stated plainly. "I don't have time for this ridiculous drama. I have a lot of other work to finish."Richard flinched, surprised by Martin's indifference. Martin completely ignored Richard, turning instead to Isabella."Miss Isabella," Martin said, his tone friendly but efficient again. "This venue is ready. Please sign this document as confirmation of its use." Martin handed a thick contract to Isabella.Isabella skimmed it. It was a confirmation for the use of the Sky Grand Ballroom. "I confirm," Isabella said. She quick
Called 'General'
Nicholas stepped forward, his gaze cutting through the crowd. His eyes locked on Sebastian. A flash of anger crossed his tired face."What are you doing?" Nicholas's voice was low, but it sent shivers down spines.Sebastian snapped out of his surprise. His usually pale face was now filled with false confidence. He glanced at Nicholas's disheveled appearance, then smiled disdainfully."Oh, look who it is!" Sebastian said, trying to diffuse the awkward atmosphere. "The groom finally showed up! Welcome, Mr. Krause! But... what happened to you? You look like you just fell into a ditch! Is this what a groom looks like?!" Sebastian burst into laughter, trying to incite laughter from other guests. Some guests joined in with cynical chuckles.Elsa approached, her face filled with mockery. "I knew it! He's a swindler! How could he possibly have money! All that dowry must have been ill-gotten gains, and now he's being hunted down, which is why he looks like this! Coward!"Adam looked at Nichola
Fired
Isabella looked at Nicholas, her heart pounding. There was a lot she needed to process. A sudden marriage, Nicholas's mysterious identity, and now this house."Nicholas," Isabella said, "How about tonight we sleep in different rooms? I need some time."Nicholas looked at Isabella, his expression unreadable. Isabella braced herself for an argument, or at least questions. However, Nicholas just nodded."Of course," Nicholas replied, without much questioning. "The master bedroom is over there." Nicholas pointed towards the corridor upstairs. "I'll sleep in the guest room."Isabella was surprised by Nicholas's easy response. Nicholas was indeed strange, but he also respected her.Isabella entered the master bedroom. Tired, she intended to sleep immediately. She took off her gown, and one by one, the accessories clinging to her body.While she was busy, a message came in on her phone. From Elsa. Isabella opened the message.'Gilbert says he's going to settle the score!'Isabella sighed. Gi