The Invisible God-Level Tycoon

Chapter 5

Alex was sitting in the kitchen, drinking a glass of water, when Chloe walked in the next morning. She looked like she hadn't slept at all. Her hair wasn't in its perfect bun, and her eyes were red. She didn't even notice him at first. She just went straight for the coffee machine and sighed when she saw it wasn't ready.

"I've already started it," Alex said quietly. "It'll be done in a minute."

Chloe jumped a little, finally noticing him. She leaned against the counter and rubbed her temples. "Alex. I didn't see you there. Why are you up so early?"

"I'm used to it," Alex said. "I used to have a three a.m. shift at the warehouse. Old habits don't die easily. You look stressed, Chloe."

"Stressed? That’s an understatement," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "The family dinner was a disaster. My aunt is calling for an emergency meeting this afternoon. She wants to use your 'fake vase' stunt as proof that I've lost my mind. She’s saying I married a con artist and that I'm unfit to lead Miller Tech."

"I told you, it wasn't a fake," Alex said, pouring her a cup of coffee. "Jason’s was. Mine was real. I'm telling you, wait for the news today. The truth always comes out."

Chloe took the mug but didn't drink. "Alex, stop it. Just stop. I don't know where you got that guy to come in and play your assistant, and I don't know where you got that replica, but it didn't help. It made me look like I'm part of some cheap scam. I'm trying to save a multi-billion dollar company, and you're playing high school pranks."

"You don't believe me at all, do you?" Alex asked, looking her in the eyes.

"How can I?" Chloe asked, her voice rising. "I know your background! I've seen your files! You've got nothing. People don't just wake up with five-million-dollar vases. I wanted a quiet husband who wouldn't cause trouble. Instead, I got a guy who’s making me the laughingstock of the city."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Alex said calmly. "But I'm not who you think I am. Just give it time."

"I don't have time!" Chloe slammed her hand on the counter. "Jason’s father, Richard, just pulled the plug on our chip supplier. Star-Core Inc. canceled our contract this morning. Without those chips, our new smartphone launch is dead. We'll lose hundreds of millions. The board will fire me, and Jason will take my seat. Everything I've worked for is going to vanish because of his dirty games."

Alex frowned. "Star-Core? Why would they cancel? Don't they have a contract?"

"There’s a 'force majeure' clause they’re using," Chloe said, finally taking a sip of coffee. "Richard must've promised them something huge to get them to walk away. I've been calling their CEO all morning, but he won't take my calls. I'm finished, Alex. By five p.m. today, I'll be out of a job, and the Miller family will probably kick us both out of this house."

"They won't," Alex said firmly. "Trust me."

"Trust you?" Chloe laughed, though it sounded more like a sob. "Why should I? Because you brought a vase to a dinner party?"

"No," Alex stepped closer. "Because I'm the only one in this whole city who’s actually on your side. Everyone else wants to take something from you. I don't want anything. I just want to see you win."

Chloe looked at him, and for a second, her icy gaze softened. She saw the sincerity in his eyes. He didn't look like a loser right now. He looked like someone who knew something she didn't. "Why do you care, Alex? We're just business partners. You're getting paid to be here."

"Maybe it started that way," Alex said. "But you're the first person in years who didn't look at me like I was dirt when we first met. You treated me like a person. That means something to me. Go to your meeting. Hold your head high. I'll handle Star-Core."

"You'll handle them?" Chloe shook her head. "Alex, stay out of it. You'll just make it worse. Just... just stay here please."

She finished her coffee and walked out, her heels clicking again, though they didn't sound as confident as they had the day before.

Alex waited until she was gone, then he pulled out his phone and dialed Silas.

"Silas, you heard her," Alex said, his voice turning cold. "Star-Core Inc., who owns them?"

"A man named Harold Vance, sir," Silas replied. "He’s a greedy man. It looks like Richard Miller offered him a seat on the board of a new holding company to get him to drop Miss Chloe."

"How much is Star-Core worth?" Alex asked.

"Market cap is about two billion, sir. They’re a mid-sized player, but they hold the patents Miss Chloe needs."

"Buy them," Alex said. "I don't care about the price. Offer them triple the market value for a quick takeover. I want the papers signed before noon. And Silas, make sure Harold Vance is fired the second the deal is done."

"Consider it done, Young Master. Anything else?"

"Yeah. Check the news. Is the story about the vase out yet?"

"It’s trending on every local business site, sir. The appraiser Jason hired actually leaked it himself when he realized he’d put his reputation on a fake. Jason is currently being mocked by the entire art community. His father is furious."

"Good," Alex said. "Let’s keep the pressure on. I'm going to the Miller Tech headquarters. I want to see the look on Jason’s face when he thinks he’s won."

Alex changed into a slightly cleaner t-shirt and hopped on a public bus. He could've called a limo, but he didn't want to break the system’s rules. He had to stay "poor" in the eyes of the public.

When he arrived at the Miller Tech building, he saw a crowd of reporters at the entrance. He slipped through the back door, using the security pass Chloe had given him. He made his way to the top floor and waited in the hallway outside the boardroom.

Through the glass walls, he could see the meeting. Chloe was sitting at the head of the table, looking pale. Across from her, Richard Miller and Jason were smiling like sharks. Jason had a bandage on his hand, probably from smashing something in a rage earlier that morning.

"It’s over, Chloe," Richard’s voice boomed through the door. "The supplier is gone. The project is dead. Your husband is a laughingstock. The board has already voted. We're just waiting for the final signature to remove you."

"You pushed the supplier to leave!" Chloe shouted. "You're sabotaging your own family's company just to get power!"

"It’s not sabotage, it’s business," Jason sneered. "You weren't strong enough to keep the partners happy. I am. In fact, Star-Core is coming over here in ten minutes to sign a new deal—with me."

Chloe looked defeated. She put her head in her hands.

Alex leaned against the wall and looked at his watch. 11:55 a.m.

Suddenly, the elevator dinged. A group of men in dark suits walked out, led by a lawyer holding a leather folder. They didn't look like they were there to see Jason. They looked like they were on a mission.

"Are you the representatives from Star-Core?" Jason asked, jumping up with a huge grin. "I'm Jason Miller. I'm ready to sign."

The lead lawyer didn't even look at him. He walked straight into the boardroom and placed the folder in front of Chloe.

"Miss Miller?" the lawyer asked.

"Yes?" Chloe looked up, confused.

"I'm the legal counsel for the new ownership of Star-Core Inc.," the lawyer said. "We've just completed a total buyout of the company. The previous CEO, Harold Vance, has been terminated. Our new owner has a message for you."

The room went silent. Richard Miller’s face turned a strange shade of purple. "New owner? Who bought them? I was in talks with them an hour ago!"

"The new owner prefers to remain anonymous for now," the lawyer said. "But his instructions were very clear. Star-Core will not be signing with Jason Miller. Instead, we're here to offer Miller Tech a lifetime exclusive partnership, at half the previous cost, under one condition."

"What condition?" Chloe whispered, her eyes wide.

The lawyer looked at Richard and Jason. "That Chloe Miller remains the CEO with total control over the board. If she’s removed, the deal is void, and we'll sue Miller Tech for breach of previous contracts."

Jason's jaw dropped. Richard looked like he was having a stroke. Chloe looked through the glass wall and saw Alex standing in the hallway. He just gave her a small, casual wave and a wink.

"Alex?" she mouthed, her heart racing.

He didn't answer. He just turned around and started walking toward the elevator, his hands back in his pockets like he didn't have a care in the world.

"This is impossible!" Jason screamed inside the room. "Who is this owner? Who would spend billions just to help her?"

Alex stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby.

[Mission Accomplished,] the system rang in his head. [Reward: 5% stake in Global Shipping. Bonus: Miss Chloe’s trust level has increased by 10%.]

"Ten percent?" Alex sighed as the doors closed. "I guess I've still got a long way to go."