2025-05-06 06:16:23"You're here for the banquet? With this piece of trash?" Sierra and Marcus burst into loud laughter, drawing the attention of people nearby.
"Please, I know you've spent the past few years trying to get a partnership with Nova," Sierra said smugly. "Too bad—they chose me every single time!"
"You know why that is?" she asked, wrapping her arm around Marcus's proudly. "Because I know who can help me. And you... just look at that garbage beside you. Don't tell me you actually believe he got you that invitation?"
Sierra let out an exaggerated laugh. "You're pathetic, Alice. Truly pitiful! You must've begged someone on your knees to get in, huh? Oh wait—you probably still won't get in."
Alice tilted her head, a slow, amused smile forming. "Don't worry about me. I'm exactly where I need to be."
Sierra rolled her eyes. "Spare me the cryptic lines, sweetheart. This is a Nova Company event, not a street carnival. Only invited names make it through."
"You and Ethan are perfect for each other. He's always been a freeloader, relying on whatever woman is willing to drag him along. And you? You're the underdog startup that'll never break into the big leagues. So desperate to climb that you're pretending you got invited here?" She continued.
Alice's jaw tensed, but her smile never faltered. "It's funny how threatened you sound, Sierra."
Sierra sneered. "Threatened? Don't flatter yourself."
Alice arched a brow. "You're right? Want to make it interesting?"
Sierra's eyes glittered. "Are you challenging me?"
"Let's bet," Alice said smoothly. "Whoever fails to enter tonight kneels right here at the entrance—and admits they were wrong."
A small crowd began to gather at the entrance, sensing drama brewing.
Marcus snorted. "You're seriously betting against Sierra? Her name's on every guest list from here to the capital."
Sierra didn't even hesitate. "Deal. I hope your knees are in good shape."
With that, she flicked her hair, strutted up to the security team, and handed over her diamond-embossed invitation. The guard scanned it once, nodded, and stepped aside.
"Welcome, Miss Sierra. Mr. Marcus," he said politely, gesturing them in.
Sierra turned with a smirk and winked at Alice. "I'll keep the floor warm for you."
Alice's smile stiffened. She reached into her clutch, pulled out her invitation, and handed it to the security guard with confidence.
Alice looked at the arrogant Sierra with growing frustration. She let out a cold snort and handed over her invitation letter—personally delivered to her that morning via express courier from Elsa herself. She was confident there wouldn't be any issues.
However, the security guard took the invitation and frowned.
"Miss, may I have your name?"
"Alice Morgan. My companion is Ethan Storm," Alice replied.
The guard typed in their names, then said sternly, "Sorry, Miss, your names aren't in the system. You'll have to leave."
Sierra and Marcus burst into loud, mocking laughter.
"Alice, I can't believe you'd embarrass yourself like this. Don't tell me you were fooled by that piece of trash next to you?" Sierra sneered. "Did he say he could get you into Nova's banquet?"
Sierra laughed even louder. "And you actually believed him!"
Alice's face turned pale. She looked at Ethan with a trembling voice. "W-What's going on?"
Ethan frowned and gently held her hand, trying to calm her. "Don't worry. I'll call Elsa right now and ask what happened."
"Hahahahaha! Did you all hear that?" Sierra howled with laughter. "He said he's going to call Elsa! Does he think he's someone important? Elsa Logan is an incredibly important figure—why would she take his call?"
"Shut your mouth," Ethan said coldly. "One more word, and I'll be happy to teach you what manners are."
Sierra flinched under Ethan's icy gaze, then bristled with rage. "How dare you talk to me like that, you garbage!"
Just then, a man in a suit rushed out of the banquet hall and called to the security at the entrance.
"Restart the system! Have all guests who just entered step out for a moment!"
"There's been a change to the guest list—we need to update the registrations!"
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The service tunnel was barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Water dripped from the ceiling, and the air smelled of damp concrete and rust. Their footsteps echoed through the darkness as they hurried away from the facility. Daniel led the way, using a small flashlight to illuminate the uneven floor. Claire followed closely behind him, while Adrian kept checking the device in his hand. Ethan walked beside Alexander without saying a word. He could still hear his mother’s voice in his head. He doesn’t want to kill you. That’s what makes him dangerous. Ethan clenched his fists. “Who is Malcolm Voss?” Alexander glanced at him. “An Order director who believes everything can be justified if the results are valuable enough.” “That doesn’t tell me anything.” “Voss doesn’t believe in limits. He doesn’t care how many people suffer as long as he gets what he wants.” Ethan looked ahead. “And what does he want from me?” Alexander hesitated. “Control.” “Control over
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Beneath it was a date from nearly two decades earlier.Adrian opened the report.The first few pages contained technical observations, medical results, and details about the experiments performed on Ethan.Then he stopped.“There’s a section here about the transfer.”“What transfer?” Ethan asked.Adrian read silently for a moment.His expression changed.“Alexander, you need to see this.”Alexander approached the terminal.As he read the document, the color drained from his face.Ethan immediately noticed.“What is it?”Alexander didn’t respond.Ethan stepped beside him and read the final paragraph.Following the unauthorized transfer of Subject Thirteen, Dr. Alexander Storm was removed from active project operations. All subsequent records concerning the subject were classified.Ethan frowned.“Unauthorized transfer?”Gabriel nodded.“Your father didn’t simply hand you over to the Order.”Ethan looked at him.“Explain.”“The agreement Alexander made was supposed to give the Order tem
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Ethan stared at the screen, unable to move.His mother’s words kept repeating in his mind.You were never supposed to be a child.You were supposed to be the first vessel.He slowly shook his head.“No.”Gabriel watched him without speaking.Ethan turned toward his father.“Tell me he’s lying.”Alexander’s face was pale.“Ethan—”“Tell me he’s lying!”His voice echoed through the facility.Alexander took a step toward him, but Ethan immediately moved back.“Don’t.”Alexander stopped.For several seconds, neither of them spoke.Then Ethan pointed at the document floating above Gabriel’s device.“What does primary subject mean?”Gabriel answered before Alexander could.“It means your parents believed they could prepare a human body to withstand the energy contained in the Keys. The Order had attempted it before, but every subject died or suffered irreversible damage.”He paused.“Your parents believed they had found a solution.”Ethan looked at the screen again.“And that solution was m
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Before Alexander could explain, the lights came back on. Every monitor in the facility activated simultaneously. One screen. Then another. Then dozens. A single image appeared across all of them. A woman. Ethan’s mother. But this time, she wasn’t younger. She looked older. Tired. And she was sitting in what appeared to be a cell. Ethan stepped closer. “Mom…” The image wasn’t a recording. Her eyes moved. She was alive. She looked directly into the camera. “Ethan.” Ethan’s heart nearly stopped. “Mom?” Alexander stared at the screen. “No…” His mother’s expression changed when she saw him. For a moment, something like relief crossed her face. Then fear. “Ethan, listen to me carefully.” Ethan moved toward the screen. “Where are you?” “Don’t come looking for me.” “Mom—” “Don’t.” Her voice became urgent. “The moment you activated the Key, they knew.” Daniel looked at Adrian. “Who?” The woman glanced toward something outside the frame. “They’re already her
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“Then who?” Static interrupted the message. For several seconds, nothing could be heard. Then her voice returned. “Ethan…” Her voice trembled. “If you’re with Alexander, leave immediately.” Alexander stepped toward the speaker. “No.” His voice broke. “No, no…” Ethan stared at him. “Why?” Alexander looked at his son. “Because she knows what’s coming.” The lights suddenly went out. A violent metallic sound echoed from somewhere beneath them. Then another. And another. Something was moving through the facility. Fast. Adrian immediately activated his energy field. “Everyone get behind me.” Ethan didn’t move. He was staring at the speaker. His mother’s voice came through one final time. “Ethan, whatever happens next…” A pause. “Do not let them wake the Thirteenth Key.” The recording ended. For several seconds, nobody moved. Then the entire facility shook. A deep pulse of energy erupted beneath their feet. Ethan staggered. His vision blurred. Something ins
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Alexander lowered his eyes.“I know.”Ethan stood silently for a moment.Then Adrian spoke.“There’s something else.”Everyone turned toward him.Adrian was still staring at the terminal.“The archive isn’t finished.”Ethan frowned.“What do you mean?”Adrian moved closer to the screen and began scrolling through the corrupted files.“There are multiple encrypted sections. Most of them are locked behind Order clearance levels.”Daniel leaned over his shoulder.“Can you open them?”“I can try.”Ethan looked back at Alexander.“You knew about these files?”Alexander’s expression changed.“No.”Adrian glanced at him.“He’s telling the truth.”Ethan looked at Adrian.“How do you know?”“Because this encryption predates the current Order system. Whoever created it wanted these files hidden even from senior members.”Alexander stared at the screen.Then his face went pale.“There’s only one person who used that encryption.”Ethan’s heart skipped.“My mother?”Alexander nodded slowly.“Yes.”
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