From that day that he had been humiliated in the restaurant, Marcus swore revenge on Reed. The memory of that day burned in his mind like a brand. The laughter, the humiliation, the complete and utter defeat. He had been stripped of everything in front of everyone who mattered.It seemed like his revenge would take a long time. He had nothing. Everything he had was taken away from him, his money, his power, his influence, his reputation. He was a ghost, wandering the streets of a city that had once been his playground.The thing foremost on his mind had been his plan to find a way back to the top, to crawl out of the gutter and reclaim what was his. But without resources, without connections, without anyone who would even take his calls, it seemed impossible.To his surprise, someone had reached out to him, ready to help him get his revenge. The plan had been set in motion, and Marcus had found himself with a new patron, someone who hated Reed as much as he did, someone with the reso

The expensive silk tie around Marcus's neck suddenly felt too tight, like a noose. Despite the air conditioning in the room, he felt a bead of sweat trickle down his hairline, cold and unwelcome. His heart was pounding so loudly he could hear it in his ears."Cole Scott, what does that have to do with anything?" Marcus demanded, his voice cracking despite his best efforts to sound confident. Fear was creeping up his spine like a cold hand, and he couldn't shake it.Marcus had expected Reed to be scared. He had expected him to grovel, to beg for mercy, to fall to his knees like everyone else did when they were faced with overwhelming power.Instead, Reed had just called out the name of one of the most powerful men in the city."You don't even know who is playing the tune you're dancing to," Reed chuckled, his voice calm and condescending. "You will always remain in the small leagues. You can't step to me. You don't have the brains, you don't have the resources, and you certainly don't

Where the fuck is that idiot!" Cole muttered as he paced about the wide expanse of his private office. His footsteps echoed against the marble floor, sharp and impatient.The large windows overlooked the bay, a choice location with beautiful views. This was Cole’s place, his sanctuary away from the company and it’s busy pace. Here only trusted people could come, the view there always had a calming effect.But today, the views were the last thing on Cole Scott's mind. His reflection in the glass showed a man on the edge, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with barely contained fury.It was 7:30 p.m. Enough time for Marcus Thorne to have reported back to him. But he had gone silent, disappeared.Cole was unsettled.Unlike some people who believed that silence could be a sign of positives, Cole thought differently. When he invested his time and money into something, he expected results, and he expected them fast. Delays were unacceptable. Silence was unacceptable. Failure was unacceptable.

Yeah, Miguel," Cole answered impatiently, his fingers drumming against the polished surface of his desk. "What is it?""I'm trying to understand why a 60 million dollar loan popped up on your ledgers," Miguel said without preamble. His voice was clipped, professional, but there was an edge of concern beneath it.Cole's hand froze mid-tap. His eyes narrowed."60 million? What are you talking about?""You told me you were seeking 30 million for that film company," Miguel continued. "So did you take another loan I don't know about? Because I'm looking at a 60 million dollar liability that just appeared out of nowhere.""That must be wrong," Cole demanded with narrowed eyes, his voice sharp. "Check again. There's no way I took out a 60 million dollar loan. I would remember that."There was a short pause on the other end of the line. Cole could hear Miguel typing, the click of keys echoing in the silence."I've handled your finances for so long," Miguel said, his tone grave and a little in

[System Quest][Ask Jessie if she wants to be your date to the Governor's Ball][Reward: TBD]Reed's brow furrowed in surprise. The system's quest was very unexpected. Why would it ask him to take Jessie out? What possible benefit could there be in attending a social event with his assistant?He took a careful look at Jessie, starting from her long shapely legs in stockings up to the hem of her tiny skirt, to her tiny waist emphasized by the belt around her waist, up to small perky breasts. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. And it was not a bad idea to go out in town with a beautiful woman on his arm.But the system had never been random before. Every quest, every reward, every push had served a purpose. There was something about the Governor's Ball that the system wanted him to attend. And there was something about Jessie that made her the right person to bring.Jessie, who was waiting for Reed's answer, became shy as he kept staring at her but did not say a word. Her hea