It's already evening in Oakland, with dark, stormy clouds. The underground parking garage of the NewYork Oil Gold tower was quiet, lit with yellow overhead lights across the smooth concrete floor. Eric Chester stood behind a concrete support pillar near the exit ramp, breathing heavily through his mouth. His jaw was still wrapped in tight medical bandages, and his front teeth ached constantly. The humiliating memory of getting his teeth smashed by Damien Ross at the contract partnership selection replayed multiple times in his mind like a recurring nightmare. He could not sleep or eat, and his social standing in the high-society circles had completely collapsed as news of his combat humiliation remained a mocking trend in Oakland. He had spent his last savings to hire a backup. "Are you sure these guys can handle one bodyguard?" Eric muttered nervously, glancing back toward the s

The grand executive boardroom of NewYork Oil Gold was a masterpiece of modern architecture. Around the massive conference table sat the top executives, senior partners, and board members of the conglomerate. They were dressed in sharp, expensive designer suits, murmuring among themselves as they reviewed quarterly financial reports and global trade forecasts. At the head of the long table sat Sheraton Miguel. She wore a tailored white executive blazer, her expression cool, confident, and commanding. Her presence alone made everyone in the room sit up a little straighter. Standing a few paces behind her chair, silently, half-hidden in the soft shadows near the corner pillar, was Damien Ross. He wore his standard unbranded black suit. His hands were clasped behind his back, while his eyes observed the environs with absolute calm. To anyone looking in from the outside, he was merely

Chapter 20: The Silent Savior The quiet tension inside the private executive office of NewYork Oil Gold was still thick. Isabella Hart sat desperately in her chair, waiting for Sheraton Miguel to give her a final answer. The fate of her entire technology empire hung in the balance, laying on the whim of the powerful corporate COO in Oakland. Sheraton looked down at the open leather briefcase on the table, her eyes glued on the papers inside. She knew that approving a two-hundred-million-dollar emergency investment on the spot without standard public board review went against every normal corporate rule. Yet, before she could speak, a very faint sound caught her attention. Standing just a step behind her chair, Damien shifted his feet slightly. Without making a sound, he reached out and gently tapped his finger twice against the wooden edge of Sheraton’s desk. <