Rebirth of the Forsaken Heir

Chapter Three: shadows of the Past

The sun had barely risen when Ethan stepped off the metro and into the bustling core of the city. A cold wind knifed through his thin jacket, but he barely noticed. His mind was fixed on one thing: building his empire, brick by brick.

LuxSol’s shares had tripled in value overnight, and his growing investment portfolio was now officially worth over $10,000.

But it wasn’t about the money.

It was about the statement.

The power.

And the revenge.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the tall silver building before him—Atlas Venture Capital.

Ten years from now, it would be one of the most corrupt firms in the country, responsible for engineering financial collapses that ruined thousands of lives—including his.

Now, it was still hungry, aggressive, and greedy.

Just the kind of monster Ethan could feed and leash.

Atlas Lobby

The interior was glass and marble, cold and clinical. The receptionist barely looked up when Ethan walked in.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No,” Ethan said, adjusting his cuffs. “But if I leave now, you’ll be begging me to come back within a year.”

The receptionist blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“I want to speak with Arnold Grayson. Tell him Ethan Blake is here. I have a pitch that’ll double his firm’s portfolio growth in three months.”

She rolled her eyes. “Mr. Grayson doesn’t take cold calls.”

“He will this time.”

“I’ll call security—”

“Wait,” came a sharp voice from behind.

A woman in a tailored blue suit, with tightly coiled curls and piercing eyes, approached. Her ID read: Victoria Grayson – Strategy Director.

She studied him. “Did you say Ethan Blake?”

“That’s right.”

“My father’s in a meeting. But I’ve got ten minutes. Impress me.”

Ethan smiled. “I only need five.”

Atlas Café – Upstairs

Victoria sipped her coffee as Ethan launched into his pitch.

He told her about LuxSol. About Trinity Pharma’s downfall. About an AI-assisted trading system Jayden was developing that could predict market fluctuations based on insider behavior patterns.

Her expression never wavered.

But her eyes sharpened.

“You’re either a genius,” she said, “or a very lucky con artist.”

“Why not both?”

She chuckled softly. “We don’t invest in ideas. We invest in people. So tell me—what’s your angle?”

Ethan leaned forward. “I want a partnership. You fund my moves—I’ll return fivefold in less than six months.”

“And if you fail?”

“I won’t.”

Victoria stared at him for a long moment.

Then she slid her business card across the table.

“Convince my father. He listens to numbers. Bring a working prototype and three days’ proof. You’ve got one shot.”

Ethan took the card.

“I won’t need another.”

[New Objective: Secure Investment from Atlas VC]

Deliver AI market tool prototype within 72 hours

Convince Arnold Grayson to invest $1M seed capital

Reward: Atlas Partner Status + Political Influence Perk

Jayden’s Studio – That Night

“Three days?!” Jayden’s voice cracked. “Do you think I’m Iron Man?”

“You told me you had the framework,” Ethan replied, dropping a bag of takeout on his desk. “Now’s the time to build the armor.”

Jayden groaned and tore into the food with one hand while typing with the other.

“Fine. But I need help. Real help. I’ve got one guy who might assist, but he’s… difficult.”

“Name?”

“Zara. Zara Lin.”

Ethan blinked. “Zara? That’s a woman’s name.”

“Yeah, and she’s ten times smarter than me. But she also thinks the world is a simulation and doesn’t trust anyone who doesn’t play chess blindfolded.”

Ethan smirked. “Perfect. Where do we find her?”

Underground Arcade, East Side

The place was loud, sweaty, and smelled like expired soda and ambition. In the far corner, a girl in combat boots and a black hoodie sat cross-legged on top of a pinball machine, watching three screens at once.

Zara Lin. Hacker. Mathematician. Chaos enthusiast.

Jayden walked over cautiously. “Hey, Z. I brought someone.”

Zara didn’t look up. “If he talks corporate, I’ll bite him.”

Ethan stepped forward. “Chess. One game. You win—I walk. I win—you join us.”

Her eyes flicked toward him. “Blindfolded?”

“Standard board.”

“Coward,” she muttered. But she slid off the machine and pulled out a magnetic chessboard from her bag.

“White or black?” she asked.

Ethan smiled. “Always white. I like to strike first.”

Twelve minutes later…

“Checkmate,” Ethan said, moving his knight into position.

Zara stared at the board.

Then at Ethan.

Then at the board again.

“No one’s beaten me in two years.”

“You just met the future.”

She stood, crossed her arms, and grinned. “Fine. I’m in. But if this blows up, I’m hacking your tax returns.”

[New Ally Acquired: Zara Lin – AI & Security Specialist]

[Bond Level: 1/5]

[Team Bonus: AI Tool Progress +30%]

Back at the Studio – 48 Hours Left

Jayden and Zara worked in rapid bursts—code flying across the screens, coffee cups stacking higher, Ethan monitoring stock trends and prepping the pitch deck.

At one point, Jayden fell asleep on the keyboard, and Zara pelted him with popcorn until he woke.

“Hey!” he yelled.

“No sleep for the worthy,” Zara said, eyes glued to the monitor.

Ethan watched them with quiet satisfaction.

He hadn’t just recruited allies.

He was building a family.

Meanwhile… Blake Corporation – Executive Floor

Marcus Blake leaned on the windowsill, reading the latest internal report.

Daniel stood behind him, arms folded.

“A ghost investor just shorted McClaren before the leak. Profited massively. Then pumped LuxSol and vanished before the board could track the transaction.”

“And?” Marcus asked.

“The same alias—E. Blake.”

Marcus froze.

His voice dropped. “That’s impossible. He’s dead.”

Daniel frowned. “I thought so too.”

Marcus’s jaw clenched. “Find out who’s using his name. And shut it down. I don’t care what it takes.”

Final Day – 6 Hours Left

The AI tool was done.

The pitch deck was ready.

Ethan adjusted his tie, standing in front of the mirror in a borrowed suit.

Zara leaned on the wall. “You clean up okay. Still don’t trust suits, though.”

Jayden appeared, holding up a USB. “This is it. The tool. Predictive trade flow logic with encryption tied to insider leak patterns.”

Ethan nodded. “Let’s make history.”

Atlas Venture Boardroom

Arnold Grayson was not easily impressed.

Silver-haired, sharp-eyed, and surrounded by six other stone-faced board members, he gave Ethan exactly ten minutes.

Ethan gave them nine.

He laid out the market patterns. The AI's capabilities. His past two trades. The rapid growth of LuxSol and the collapse of Trinity Pharma.

Then he ran the AI live.

They watched as it predicted the next likely drop in the energy sector—accurate down to the dollar.

When he finished, the room was dead silent.

Arnold leaned back, steepling his fingers.

“If I give you a million, and you fail…”

“I won’t,” Ethan said calmly. “But if I succeed, you won’t just profit—you’ll make history.”

Another long pause.

Then Arnold stood and extended his hand.

“You’ve got yourself a partner.”

[Objective Complete: Secure Investment from Atlas VC]

[Reward Claimed: $1M Capital + Partner Status]

[Influence Gained: +50]

Final Scene: Unknown Location

In a dark room, a shadowy figure watched Ethan’s image on a monitor.

His face was obscured, but his voice was deep and familiar.

“So... the ghost returns,” he muttered.

He turned to a subordinate.

“Double security on Marcus. And tell Cassandra… her brother may still be alive.”