"You know… he is one lonely motherfucker who thinks life as a human is cool, while on the other hand, I think his life is bliss.. Everyone adores and worships him.. But he's just a dumb ball of light.." Diego shook his head, a grin splitting his weathered face. "Best conversation of my entire life."The car traveled in silence for a few blocks, the engine humming a low, uneven tune. The urban sprawl of the city was beginning to fade, replaced by wider roads, cleaner air, and the sprawling, heavily wooded perimeters of the old-money districts.Then, the energy in the front seat suddenly dropped. The rhythm Diego had been tapping on the steering wheel stopped entirely."But... you know how the story goes," Diego said softly. The booming, pestering vibrance in his voice vanished, replaced by a raw, scraping gravity. "You drink to forget the talking. But then, one night... the talking stops forever."Nathan turned his head slightly, looking at the back of the driver's head to understand w

Nathan pulled out a chair and sat across from his father. It felt strange to be here. For eight long years, he had lived in cramped dorm rooms and leaky basements, eating cheap noodles and sweeping floors. Now, he was sitting on a private golf course with a trillionaire, drinking iced water from a crystal glass."You look tired," Sage noted. "Dwayne gave me the briefing. He told me about the alliance between Principal Epstein and the disgraced Prime Minister. He told me they are planning a coordinated strike against you at the White House Innovation Summit."Nathan nodded, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. The playful banter was over. It was time for business."That's actually why I came home today, Dad," Nathan said, his voice turning serious. "Epstein is desperate. He knows he can't fight you directly for the ownership of the Quantum Machine. So, he filed an emergency legal injunction. He is claiming that because I built the prototype on Braxton College property, th

A whole crowd of humans were already gathered, hovering around their designated seats. Steaming bowls and silver platters of food were already laid out across the table.Nathan froze for a second, scanning the room. He recalled all their faces from that brief, chaotic introduction a few weeks ago, but their actual names escaped him. He was terrible at keeping up with people. To be fair, his entire life for the past eight years had been about survival, not family reunions.His eyes landed on one face he did remember. Bush. The rapper. His cousin. Bush was leaning against his chair, wearing an absurdly expensive, flashy chain over a designer t-shirt that completely clashed with the formal setting of the dining room.Nathan figured being the heir to the Walters throne gave him a valid excuse for not remembering everyone's names. As soon as he and Dr. Sage crossed the threshold, the low murmur of conversation instantly died.The entire room moved in unison. Everyone rose from their chairs

"Don't get me wrong, I understand that the young master must focus on his education to build his skill level. He’s young. He’s stepping into the shoes of the Walters empire, and I know exactly how daunting this whole thing must be on his shoulders. The pressure is immense."Nathan just stared at him. He recognized exactly what this was. It was a classic corporate takedown masked as familial concern. Ronav was painting him as an incompetent, overwhelmed college kid playing dress-up in a trillionaire's world."Because of this," Ronav continued smoothly, "I have come up with a helpful solution. One that benefits the entire ecosystem of this family."Sage finally put his knife down. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Let’s hear the solution then, Ronav."Ronav smiled, clearly pleased that he had secured the floor. He sat up a little straighter, tapping his prayer beads against the table."During my years of refinement in India," Ronav began, his voice taking on a soft, lec

But nobody dared voice those thoughts out loud. Instead, as if moving on a single, synchronized string, the entire table turned their heads to the right. They all looked at the King, waiting for his response.Sage, however, was completely ignoring them.He had gone back to his meal. He casually dragged a piece of rare steak through a pool of peppercorn sauce, popped it into his mouth, and chewed slowly. He followed it up by picking up his ornate ceramic bowl with both hands and slurping his broth. The sound of his slurping was aggressively loud in the quiet room. It was the ultimate display of disrespect—a man being pitched the restructuring of his empire, and he couldn't even be bothered to put down his soup.A long, agonizing minute passed. Ronav just sat there, his smile frozen in place, waiting.Finally, Sage finished. He dropped the ceramic bowl back onto its saucer with a sharp clack.Before he even fully lowered his hands, a servant rushed out of the shadows, practically materi