Divorced on Monday, Bought the City on Tuesday: The Infinite

Eviction Notice

Chapter 3

Julian Sterling stared at Elias, his mouth opening and closing like a suffocating fish.

Eleanor actually dropped her designer clutch. It hit the wet pavement with a dull thud, spilling lipstick and credit cards across the red carpet, but she didn’t even look down. Her wide, perfectly mascaraed eyes were locked on Arthur.

"Elias, you’ve lost your mind," Julian finally choked out, his voice shrill. He pointed a trembling finger at Arthur. "Him? The owner? This guy drives a 2010 Honda Civic and clips coupons for instant noodles! He’s a janitor!"

Elias’s expression remained ice-cold. He pulled a heavy, gold-plated tablet from inside his tailored jacket and tapped the screen.

"Three minutes ago, a wire transfer of three hundred million dollars cleared directly into the Thorne Syndicate's offshore accounts. The deed, the liquor licenses, and the property rights were instantly transferred via a priority blockchain contract," Elias stated, his voice ringing with absolute finality. He turned his tablet around, shoving it into Julian’s face. "Here is the verified digital deed. The owner is Arthur Vance."

Julian stared at the screen. The glowing text reflected in his eyes. Arthur Vance. 100% Equity.

"That’s impossible," Eleanor whispered, her voice trembling. She looked at Arthur as if he were a stranger wearing her ex-husband's skin. "Arthur... where did you get three hundred million dollars? Did you... did you steal something? Are you involved in a cartel?"

Arthur finally smiled. It wasn’t a kind smile. It was the smile of a wolf that had just cornered a very fat, very stupid sheep.

"You told me I needed to be realistic, Eleanor," Arthur said smoothly, stepping out of the rain and onto the covered red carpet. He didn't even look at Frank, the security guard, who was currently hyperventilating against the brick wall. "You said we operated in different worlds. I guess you were right. You just severely misjudged who was standing at the top of which world."

Arthur turned his attention to Elias. The manager immediately stood at attention, waiting for his new god's command.

"Elias," Arthur said casually, brushing a raindrop off his faded denim sleeve.

"Yes, Mr. Vance! Anything, sir."

"Mr. Sterling here mentioned he rented the penthouse suite tonight for a celebration."

"He did, sir," Elias confirmed quickly. "A booking for fifty guests. Open bar, caviar service, the works. He paid a premium deposit of fifty thousand dollars."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. He looked at Julian, whose arrogant swagger had completely evaporated, replaced by a deep, defensive confusion.

"Cancel it," Arthur said.

Julian’s head snapped up. "What? You can't do that! We have a contract!"

"I own the building, Julian. I am the contract," Arthur said quietly. He took a step forward, invading Julian’s personal space. With his new physical enhancements from the System, Arthur suddenly realized he was an inch taller than the billionaire lawyer. "I don't like your face. I don't like your cigar smoke. And I certainly don't want you breathing my air."

Arthur echoed Julian’s exact words from three minutes ago perfectly.

Julian’s face turned violently red. The veins in his neck bulged. "Do you know who my father is, you little piece of trash?! I am a Sterling! If you cancel my event, I’ll sue this club into the ground! I’ll tie you up in litigation until you're living in a cardboard box!"

Arthur didn't even blink. "System," he thought internally. "If he sues me, can you handle it?"

[Affirmative. The System maintains a retainer with the world's top 500 legal firms. Any legal action against the Host by the Sterling Family will result in a counter-suit that will bankrupt their lineage within 72 hours.]

Arthur’s grin widened. "Sue me, Julian. Please. I beg you. I have more lawyers on my payroll than you have brain cells. Now get off my property before I have you thrown into the street."

Eleanor stepped forward, grabbing Arthur’s arm. Her grip was tight, desperate. "Arthur, stop this. This is crazy. Whatever this is, whatever money you stumbled into, you're acting out of spite. Don't ruin my night. We were married for three years!"

Arthur looked down at her hand on his sleeve. He felt absolutely nothing. The deep, aching love he used to harbor for this woman was gone, surgically removed by the System's emotional trauma protocols and her own betrayal.

He calmly reached over and peeled her fingers off his jacket, dropping her hand as if it were contaminated.

"We were married," Arthur corrected her. "Past tense. You made your choice three hours ago in that office. You chose the swan. So fly away, Eleanor."

He turned to Elias. "The deposit he paid. Refund it?"

Elias shook his head eagerly. "Clause 4 in our contract states that management reserves the right to refuse service and retain deposits if a guest causes a disturbance. Mr. Sterling was verbally abusive to the owner. The deposit is forfeit."

"Good," Arthur said. "Keep it. Consider it a bonus for your staff."

Elias’s eyes widened, and he bowed even lower. "Thank you, Mr. Vance! You are too generous!"

"You can't keep my money!" Julian roared, finally snapping. He balled his fists and lunged at Arthur, aiming a wild, uncoordinated punch at Arthur’s jaw.

Before Arthur could even think to dodge, his body moved on its own. The physical enhancement serum he had received from the System fired his fast-twitch muscle fibers. Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Arthur simply swatted Julian’s wrist aside with his left hand, stepped into the lawyer's guard, and drove his right palm hard into Julian’s chest.

It wasn't a killing blow, but with his newly enhanced strength, it hit like a battering ram.

Julian flew backward, his feet lifting off the red carpet. He crashed hard into the velvet rope stanchion, knocking it over before tumbling off the curb and landing flat on his back in a massive puddle of dirty rainwater.

His bespoke charcoal suit was instantly soaked in black, oily sludge.

"Julian!" Eleanor screamed, hiking up her crimson dress and running out into the rain to help him up.

The other lawyers from their firm stared at Arthur in sheer terror, slowly backing away toward the street.

Arthur looked down at his own hands, marveling at the strength humming beneath his skin. This was incredible. The money was one thing, but this power... it was intoxicating.

"Frank," Arthur called out.

The massive security guard snapped to attention, trembling like a leaf. "Y-Yes, boss! Please don't fire me, boss! I didn't know!"

Arthur pointed at the soaked, wheezing Julian, who was currently hacking up rainwater in the gutter.

"Don't worry, Frank, you get to keep your job," Arthur said lightly. "On one condition. Make sure those people don't come within a hundred feet of my doors again. If they step on my carpet, break their legs."

Frank cracked a massive, malicious grin, cracking his knuckles. "With pleasure, Mr. Vance."

Arthur turned his back on his ex-wife and her billionaire lover, walking through the glass doors of his new three-hundred-million-dollar empire.

Ding.

[Hostile encounter resolved. Dominance asserted.]

[Reward: 500 System Points (SP) generated.]

[New feature unlocked: The System Store.]

Arthur paused in the grand foyer of the club, listening to the chime in his head. The night was just getting started.