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

New Money

Chapter 6

BZZZ. BZZZ.

The harsh vibration of Serena’s phone shattered the quiet atmosphere of the Diamond Lounge. She glanced down at the caller ID, and the small fraction of color that had returned to her cheeks vanished instantly.

"It's Richard," she whispered.

Richard Sterling. Julian’s father. The patriarch of the Sterling Empire, a man whose net worth hovered around ten billion dollars. He was known as the 'Viper of Valmont.'

"Answer it," Arthur commanded, sipping his water. "Put it on speaker."

Serena hesitated, then tapped the green icon, laying the phone flat on the white leather table.

"Serena," a deep, gravelly voice echoed from the speaker. The voice dripped with aristocratic disdain. "Julian just called me. He is currently sitting in the back of a limousine, covered in gutter water, claiming that a vagrant violently assaulted him and cancelled his engagement party."

Serena swallowed hard. "Richard, I"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, you miserable girl," Richard snarled, cutting her off. "Julian said you were inside. I told you to sign the Horizon contract over to him tonight. Did you orchestrate this little stunt to buy yourself time? Did you hire some thug to embarrass my son?"

Arthur leaned over the table, bringing his mouth close to the phone’s microphone.

"She didn't hire anyone, Dick," Arthur said cheerfully.

Dead silence on the other end of the line.

"Who is this?" Richard’s voice was dangerously low.

"My name is Arthur Vance. I'm Eleanor's ex-husband. The vagrant who threw your son into a puddle," Arthur replied. "I just wanted to formally introduce myself, seeing as I just purchased fifty-one percent of Horizon Neural Tech. The debt your son bought? It's voided. He’ll find a check for twenty-five million on his desk tomorrow morning to buy him out. We don't want your dirty money."

"You... Eleanor's husband?" Richard let out a dark, menacing laugh. "I know all about you, boy. You're a delivery driver. You don't have twenty-five cents, let alone twenty-five million dollars. Whatever fraud you and this bastard daughter are trying to pull, I will see you both in federal prison by the end of the week."

"Let me make something very clear to you, Richard," Arthur’s voice dropped, shedding all traces of humor. The Aura of Dominance he had unknowingly manifested through the System made the air in the room feel heavy. Even Serena shivered. "Your son took my wife. He tried to take my dignity. So now, I'm going to take everything else. Keep your lawyers on speed dial. You're going to need them."

Arthur reached over and ended the call.

Serena stared at him, her eyes wide with a mix of terror and profound respect. "You just threatened the most powerful man in Valmont City."

"He's only powerful because he has money," Arthur said, picking up his phone. "And I have more."

[Target: Serena Sterling]

[Loyalty to Host increased to: 65% (Fascination and Hope).]

Arthur stood up from the booth. "Elias will set you up in one of the club's VIP suites for the night. Do not go back to your apartment. The Sterlings will likely send someone to intimidate you. Tomorrow, we start restructuring Horizon."

"Where are you going?" Serena asked, looking up at him.

Arthur looked down at his soaked, cheap clothing. "I need a new suit. And a place to live. It's hard to be a billionaire when you look like you sleep in a bus station."

The morning sun broke through the gray clouds over Valmont City, casting a golden hue over the Zenith District. This was the Rodeo Drive of the city a three-block stretch of ultra-luxury boutiques, foreign car dealerships, and high-end real estate offices.

Arthur stepped out of a private black car Elias had arranged for him. He took a deep breath of the crisp morning air.

He had 10,100 System Points burning a hole in his pocket, but before he upgraded his body or bought new skills, he needed to fulfill the basic requirements of his new station in life. He needed armor. In the corporate world, armor was woven from Italian silk and measured by Rolex.

He walked up to the towering glass doors of Armani Valmont, the most exclusive menswear boutique in the state.

As Arthur pushed the door open, a bell chimed delicately overhead. The interior smelled of rich leather, expensive cedarwood, and exclusivity.

A tall, impeccably dressed salesman with a measuring tape draped over his neck looked up from a display case. He took one look at Arthur’s faded jeans and scuffed boots, and his polite retail smile instantly curdled into a sneer.

"Excuse me, sir," the salesman said, stepping briskly to block Arthur's path into the main showroom. "The public restrooms are down the street at the transit center. We don't allow panhandling in the Zenith District."

Before Arthur could reply, a woman's voice rang out from the VIP fitting area near the back of the store.

"Darling, does this tie match Julian's new charcoal suit? He ruined his other one last night in some freak accident."

Arthur froze.

Stepping out from behind a velvet curtain, holding a five-thousand-dollar silk tie, was Eleanor.

She looked up, freezing in her tracks as her eyes locked onto Arthur. Her jaw dropped.

Arthur smiled. Valmont City really was too small.