The Rebirth Of A Titan

CHAPTER 4

I watched my mother laugh at a joke some old investor told. She had no idea how close she had just come to losing everything.

I couldn't let her stay in this room a second longer. Marcus was still lurking somewhere, probably fuming about his failed plan.

"Mom, I need you to do me a favor," I said. I took her hand and led her away from the noisy table.

She looked at me with those kind eyes. "What is it, Victor? You seem so tense tonight."

"I have a bad feeling about the crowd," I told her. "I want you to head to the private wing and rest for a bit."

She started to protest, but I squeezed her hand. "Please, Mom. Just do this for me so I can focus on work."

She sighed but nodded. "Alright, honey. If it makes you feel better, I'll go."

I signaled to two men standing near the exit. Their names were Leo and Silas.

In my past life, they were the only two guards who stayed loyal. Everyone else took a bribe from Marcus to look the other way.

"Leo, Silas, take my mother to the north wing," I ordered. "Nobody gets in or out without my personal word."

They didn't ask questions. They just nodded and fell into step behind her as she walked away.

Watching her leave felt like a massive weight was lifted off my chest. At least she was safe for now.

Suddenly, a familiar chime rang inside my head. It was a digital sound that made my ears ring.

[Mission Accomplished] the blue screen flashed. [Reward: $50,000 deposited. Skill Unlocked: Market Intuition.]

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and nearly dropped it when I saw the screen.

It was a notification from my bank. My balance had just jumped by exactly fifty thousand dollars.

Holy shit, I whispered to myself. This thing is actually real.

This wasn't just some hallucination from my dying brain. The System was literally paying me to fix my life.

I felt a surge of energy rush through me. The Market Intuition skill felt like a new sense, like I could suddenly see the hidden threads of money.

I turned back toward the ballroom. I didn't have time to celebrate yet. There was still one more snake to deal with.

Sarah was walking toward me, her red dress flowing behind her. She looked like a dream, but I knew she was a nightmare.

"Victor! There you are!" she cried out. She tried to wrap her arm around mine.

I stepped back before she could touch me. The look on her face shifted from a fake smile to confusion.

"Babe, what's wrong?" she asked. "You didn't even come find me for a dance."

I looked her dead in the eye. I didn't see my girlfriend. I saw the woman who watched Marcus stab me.

I saw the woman who laughed while I died on the floor. The coldness inside me was so thick I could almost taste it.

"I'm busy, Sarah," I said. My voice was as dry as bone.

She flinched like I had slapped her. "Busy? It's a party, Victor. Why are you acting like this?"

"The party is over for me," I replied. I didn't even try to hide the disgust in my voice.

She reached out to touch my face, but I grabbed her wrist. I didn't hurt her, but I was firm.

"Don't," I said. The word was a warning that made her entire body shiver.

"Victor, you're scaring me," she whispered. Her eyes were wide, and for once, I think the fear was real.

"Good," I said. I let go of her wrist and took a step back.

In my past life, I would have apologized. I would have kissed her and told her everything was fine.

But that Victor was dead. The man standing here now didn't have an ounce of love left for her.

"Where is Marcus?" I asked. I looked around the room like I was searching for a pest to crush.

"I don't know," she stammered. "He was just here a minute ago."

I leaned in close to her ear. I could smell her expensive perfume, the same scent that filled the room when I died.

"Tell him his little trick didn't work," I whispered.

I pulled back and watched the blood drain from her face. She looked like she wanted to run.

I didn't wait for her to respond. I just turned my back on her and walked away.

I could feel her eyes on me, burning with a mix of confusion and hate. Let her wonder.

I had fifty thousand dollars and a mother who was still breathing. That was more than I had an hour ago.

This was just the first night. I had five years to dismantle their lives piece by piece.

I walked toward the bar and ordered a glass of water. I needed to stay sharp.

The Market Intuition skill was humming in the back of my brain. It was pointing toward a small group of tech investors.

In my past life, I ignored them. They ended up becoming the biggest company in the city.

Not this time. This time, every winner was going to be on my team.

I took a sip of my water and watched Marcus reappear across the room. He looked frantic.

He was looking for my mother. He was looking for the tragedy that was supposed to happen.

I raised my glass toward him in a silent toast. He didn't see me, but that was fine.

He would see me soon enough. They would both see exactly what happens when you kill a man and he refuses to stay dead.

I felt the System pulse again, as if it was cheering me on. I was ready for whatever came next.

The real game was just beginning. And for the first time in my life, I knew I was going to win.