The Rebirth Of A Titan

CHAPTER 8

I sat in my office and stared at the empty wall. I could still see that twenty five million dollar figure burned into my brain.

In my first life, that money was my salvation. It was the dagger Marcus used to kill me after I did all the hard work.

I wasn't going to wait five years this time. I wanted that deal now.

I leaned back in my chair and pulled up the files on the Grand Company. They were the biggest fish in the sea.

Right now, they were looking for a partner to handle their logistics. It was the perfect fit for my family business.

But there was a problem. A big, ugly problem called the Blackwood Group.

They were my father's biggest rivals. They were a bunch of sharks who loved to play dirty.

In my first life, they beat me to the table. They charmed the Grand Company and stole the contract right from under my nose.

I felt that old familiar heat rising in my chest. I remembered the smug look on Julian Blackwood's face back then.

He had laughed at me in the hallway of the hotel. He called me a little boy playing a man's game.

Well, this little boy had a secret. I knew exactly why the Blackwood Group eventually fell apart in the future.

It wasn't because of the market. It was because they were hiding a massive tax fraud scheme in their offshore accounts.

In my first life, that scandal didn't break for another three years. By then, they had already sucked the Grand Company dry.

I wasn't going to let them have three years. I wasn't going to let them have three minutes.

Thomas walked into the office. He looked like a completely different person than the man I found in that bar.

His hair was cut and he was wearing a suit that actually fit him. He looked like the genius I remembered.

"Boss, we have a little situation," Thomas said. He set a tablet down on my desk.

"Julian Blackwood is having lunch with the CEO of the Grand Company today," he told me.

I looked at the screen. There was a photo of them shaking hands outside a fancy restaurant.

"Julian looks very happy," I said. I felt a cold smile stretching across my face.

"He thinks he has the deal in the bag," Thomas grunted. "Our sources say they are signing the intent papers tomorrow."

I stood up and walked to the window. I looked down at the city and felt like I was looking at a chessboard.

"He's not signing anything," I said. "Thomas, do you still have those old contacts in the investigative press?"

Thomas nodded. "I have a few people who owe me favors. Why?"

"I need an anonymous drop," I told him. "I want the Grand Company to get a very specific tip."

I grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down three bank account numbers. They were the secret accounts Blackwood used for their fraud.

Thomas looked at the numbers and his eyes went wide. "How the hell did you get these, Victor?"

"Don't worry about how I got them," I replied. "Just make sure the CEO gets them before dessert."

Thomas didn't ask any more questions. He just took the paper and walked out of the room.

I sat back down at my desk and opened my laptop. I had a second part of the plan to finish.

I created an encrypted email account. I made sure it could never be traced back to my office or my home.

I typed out a short message to the Grand Company's board of directors. I didn't use flowery language.

I just told them to check the audit logs for the Blackwood merger from two years ago. I told them exactly where the bodies were buried.

I felt a rush of adrenaline as my finger hovered over the send button. This was the part I loved.

In my first life, I was always reacting. I was always the one trying to catch up while they cheated.

Now I was the one setting the traps. I was the one who knew the end of the movie before it even started.

"Fuck you, Julian," I whispered. I hit the enter key and watched the email vanish into the web.

I leaned back and let out a long breath. The $25 million ghost was finally starting to take shape.

The System pinged in my ear. It was a soft, satisfying sound that made my skin tingle.

[Strategic Sabotage Initiated] the blue screen flashed. [Influence Stat Increased: +15].

I felt a sudden jolt of power in my chest. It was like a physical weight was being added to my presence.

A moment later, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Thomas.

"The package has been delivered," the message read. "The CEO looks like he just saw a ghost."

I laughed out loud. I could imagine the scene at that fancy restaurant right now.

Julian Blackwood was probably mid-sentence, talking about synergy and growth. And then the CEO's phone chirped.

One look at those account numbers would be enough. The Grand Company was famous for being strict about their reputation.

They wouldn't touch a company like Blackwood with a ten foot pole once they saw the fraud.

The deal was going to fall apart by the morning. And when it did, there would be a massive hole in their schedule.

I was going to be the one to fill it. I was going to walk in there with a clean record and a better offer.

I stood up and stretched. My body felt light and full of energy.

I decided to go check on my mother. She was still in the private wing of the estate.

As I walked down the hall, I saw Sarah coming my way. She looked worried.

"Victor! Have you heard the news?" she asked. She grabbed my arm with her cold hands.

"What news, Sarah?" I asked. I made my voice sound calm and curious.

"The Blackwood Group is in trouble! There are rumors about a federal investigation," she whispered.

She looked at me like she was trying to see if I knew anything. I just gave her a blank stare.

"That's a shame," I said. "I guess some people just don't know how to run a clean business."

She shivered. "You're being so cold lately, Victor. It's like I don't even know you."

I pulled my arm away from her grip. I didn't feel any pity for the look of hurt on her face.

"Maybe you never did," I said. I walked past her without looking back.

I had bigger things to worry about than a traitor's feelings. I had an empire to build.

I reached my mother's room and the guards nodded at me. Leo and Silas were standing like statues.

I went inside and saw my mother reading a book. She looked peaceful and happy.

"Hi, honey," she said. She put the book down and smiled at me.

"Hey, Mom. Just wanted to see how you were doing," I told her. I sat on the edge of her bed.

She looked at me closely. "You have a look in your eyes, Victor. You look like your grandfather did when he won a big battle."

I squeezed her hand. "I'm just making sure our family is taken care of, Mom. That's all."

"I know you are," she said. "I feel safe when you're around."

Those words meant more to me than any system reward. I had saved her life and now I was saving our future.

I stayed with her for an hour, just talking about small things. It was the only time I felt like a human being.

When I left her room, the coldness came back. It was like a suit of armor I put on to face the world.

The Grand Company was going to call me soon. I could feel it in my bones.

The $25 million deal was coming home. And this time, I was going to make sure nobody could take it from me.

I walked back to my office and saw Thomas waiting for me. He had a big grin on his face.

"The Blackwood Group just issued a press release," he said. "They are withdrawing from the bid due to internal restructuring."

I sat down in my chair and looked at the $25 million ghost. It wasn't a ghost anymore. It was becoming real.

"Get the presentation ready, Thomas," I said. "We're going to the Grand Company tomorrow."