LOGINElon's POV "What is it that?" Chtn smiled arrogantly. "It's a test."Of course, it was. To me, everything here tonight happens to be a test. "For what exactly?" I pressed on. "To gain trust," he replied, moving closer also. It was very close to the point I could literally see the fine lines inside his eyes. "You take this with you," he said again, placing the drive on the table beside me, "and ensure to deliver it." "To where?" I asked"To someone who would be waiting for your arrival." To be honest, that didn't in anyway answer the question I asked him. "That sounds vague to me," I replied. "And, it's actually supposed to be.""Don't be to fast to accept yet," Fort murmured from the other side. "We still haven't figured out what is inside it." I stayed, watching to at least get a clue of what's going on. "Why me?" I asked him instead. That was my way of buying time, or rather, trying to figure out the content of the flash. "Because, you are new to the game," he replied. "I
Elon's POV"Walk with me."Douglas Chen, didn't even wait for a second to know what my answer would be. He simply turned, as he was already expecting me to follow immediately. And for the records...I did. That alone was supposed to scare me aware. "Not too earger to do his bidings." Fort murmured from the other side, his voice low and controlled. "You look exactly like you're the one doing the chasing, which shouldn't be." On noticing that he was actually right, I quickly slowed my steps, forcing it to remain at a casual pace. "I thought you wanted me to be close," I muttered under my breath, barely moving my lips to avoid him suspecting. "Well, let's say I want you alive," Fort replied instead, and I could hear him giggle from the other end. "There's a difference between the two " At this point, I greatly resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Chen led away quietly, which was from the crowded ballroom, walking past laughing guest, and those clinking glasses with false excitement, u
Elon's POV Then...Chen did the unthinkable. He smiled, easing the tension. But it came out slowly and very dangerous. "Convenient," he said. "Efficient," I corrected.There was another silence, everyone to their thoughts. Then, he chuckled like something amused him, shaking his head. "From the look of things, it's either you're the worst liar that I've met...""Or the best so far," I said smoothly. He held my gaze, so long that thought he wouldn't say anything again. Then, he moved closer to me. Too close that I started panicking, but didn't show it. The scent of his cologne, was too expensive, very intimidating, but I held my peace. "You intrigue me, Julian," he murmured. "But one thing is sure... intrigue can also be very dangerous." "I've been told that many times," I replied quietly. His gaze briefly landed...on my hands, my posture, the way I held myself, before he finally returned to my face again.His face was analytic, measuring, and at same time, deciding. "Tell me
"So, what about you tell me, Julian," Chen started, his tone coming off a bit smooth and sharper now than before. "What exactly do you invest in?" I smiled faintly, but with a deliberate move, carefully swirling the champagne in my hand, more like the answer just and of bored me. "Well, it depends on the season." Chen didn't smile back, or dude didn't find it funny. "The season?" "Mmm," I took a slow sip, a way of buying myself a second to think properly. "Oil when the world kind of feels unstable. Then again is Tech, which is only when people pretend things are getting better. Then, I consider Art when I want to hide money in something pretty." His gaze remained intact, not wavering even for a second. "Specifics," Of course, that's what it's all about. I carefully let out a soft chuckle. "You are not very subtle, or are you?" "And, you're carefully avoiding the question." I tilted my head, but slowly studying him to ascertain if he was worth the effort. "Fine. But it would be
Elon's POV "I've heard through reliable sources that you have informations that I might find valuable in your possession. But if you must know, I don't ask for free...I offer entertainment in exchange for whatever you might be offering..."The moment I said that, Chen's eyes narrowed sharply, this time, like a paranoia. He quickly glanced around, before leaning closer to me. "What kind of information are you talking about?" "Well, it's the kind that keeps you ahead," I replied smoothly, carefully letting a playful smirk tug at the corner of my lips. "Supplier chains, to shipment routes...or you can consider it the sort of detail only made available for someone who isn't afraid to bend a few rules." I watched as his hand twitched slightly, moving toward his pocket, inside his suit. My pulse became alerted, and this wasn't because I was scared, but danger has a way of making everything sharper, and brighter. "I don't have the habit of giving my secrets to strangers," he said rather
Elon's POV "Julian," Chen called all of a sudden, his voice very smooth, but yet cautious. "News reached me that you've been traveling quite a bit this days. From London to Paris...and at this rate, I imagine the jet lag must really be...""Very terrible," I interrupted, finishing for him with a small exaggerated sigh, comfortabley swirling my champagne with one hand. "Though, I have always thought that jet lag is just a polite excuse to tolerate bad manners. You're by all means supposed to land somewhere, meet new faces, or old ones, smile, though it might be all pretence, but in all, you should convince them that you belong. And for me? I end up getting jet lagged while pretending." This made Chen to raise an eyebrow, half smile carefully tugged at the corner of his lips."I see. So, you belong to the group that likes to.. perform?" "Well, that only happens when the stakes are interesting," I replied, leaning slightly to to him. "Otherwise, life would end up being dull. Don't yo
Fort’s POVI stayed motionless for a long moment as the doctor patched me up, the sting of the needle and the warmth of the antiseptic barely registering. I couldn't even focus on the pain, not when my mind was on everything else. Dimitri had arrived exactly fifteen minutes after Elon made the cal
Fort’s POVI stayed motionless for a long moment as the doctor patched me up, the sting of the needle and the warmth of the antiseptic barely registering. My mind wasn’t on the pain. My mind was on everything else. Dimitri had arrived fifteen minutes later, his ex
Elon’s POVThey didn’t take me far.Just down a corridor, through a side passage, and into a room that felt like it had never seen daylight.The moment the door slammed shut behind us, Everything narrowed int
Elon’s POVMy mind wouldn’t slow down.That wasn’t normal.That wasn’t coincidence.Someone had planned that.Someone had known exactly where I was, exactly what I was doing, and exactly when to strike.And worst of all… they had succeeded.I clenched my hands together in my lap, still sitting in t







