LOGINPeace lasted for exactly three days before the chaos started again.
But this time, it was a happy kind of chaos.
"No, absolutely not," Serenity rubbed her temples, looking at the tablet Jackson handed her. "Jackson, we cannot rent the Statue of Liberty for a private reception."
"Why not?" Jackson sat at his desk, signing checks without looking. "I already called the Mayor. He owes me a favor."
"Because it's a national monument!" Serenity sighed.
"Fine," Jackson swiped to the next slide. "How about a private island in the Caribbean? I can fly in 500 guests on private jets."
Sitting across from them was Pierre, New York's most expensive wedding planner. He looked like he was about to faint from excitement.
"Mr. Sterling," Pierre stammered. "A private island logistic... it would take months to prepare."
"You have two weeks," Jackson stated. "Money is no object. If you need a runway, build one."
"Jackson," Serenity reached over and took the tablet away. "Stop acting like a billionaire for one second."
"I am a billionaire, sweetheart," Jackson grinned, catching her hand and kissing it. "I promised you the world. Let me give it to you."
"I don't need the world," Serenity softened. "I just need our family. And maybe not a national monument."
Suddenly, Alex chimed in from the couch where he was programming a drone.
"Mom, if you pick the island, I can hack the satellite weather system to ensure zero rain," Alex offered casually.
Serenity looked at her son. "Alex, hacking weather satellites is illegal."
"It's a grey area," Alex shrugged.
"I want fairies!" Mia shouted, running around in a tutu. "And a unicorn!"
"Done," Jackson nodded to Pierre. "Find a white horse and glue a horn on it. Make it sparkly."
Pierre scribbled furiously in his notebook. "Unicorn... check. Satellite weather control... uh, check?"
Margaret walked into the room, looking elegant and healthy. She laughed seeing the scene.
"Jackson, stop terrorizing the poor man," Margaret sat down next to Serenity. "Let Serenity choose. It's her day."
Serenity smiled gratefully at her mother-in-law.
"Actually," Serenity said, a thought forming in her mind. "I don't want a castle or an island. I want... where we first met."
Jackson paused. "The University Library garden?"
"Yes," Serenity’s eyes shone with nostalgia. "It was spring. You were reading a book under the cherry blossom tree. That was the moment I fell in love with you."
Jackson stared at her. The arrogant CEO expression melted away, replaced by pure tenderness.
"You remember that?"
"I remember everything," Serenity whispered.
Jackson turned to Pierre. "Forget the island. Book the University. Donate a new library wing if you have to. I want every cherry blossom tree in full bloom, even if it's autumn."
"I... I will import trees from Japan immediately!" Pierre jumped up.
"And," Jackson added, looking at Serenity with intense love. "Invite everyone. Not just the elites. Invite the orphanage staff where Serenity grew up. Invite her old teachers. I want everyone who ever knew her to see how much she is loved."
Serenity felt tears prickling her eyes. "Jackson..."
"Two weeks," Jackson declared. "It will be the Wedding of the Century. Not because of the money. But because of the bride."
As Pierre ran out to start making miracle calls, Jackson pulled Serenity onto his lap.
"Are you happy, Mrs. Sterling?"
"Very," she kissed him.
"Good. Now, let's go practice the honeymoon," Jackson winked.
"The kids are right there!" Serenity slapped his arm, laughing.
For the Sterling family, the dark clouds had truly cleared. The sun was shining brighter than ever.
The Architect's Temporary Base. Unknown Location."Denied?" Zero stared at the screen. "What do you mean 'Access Denied'?""The bank accounts are frozen, Sir," his subordinate stammered. "Sterling bought the banks. He bought the holding companies. He even bought the electric grid supplying this building."PZZZT.The lights in Zero's office flickered and died. The emergency red lights turned on."He cut our power," Zero whispered, trembling with rage.In one hour, Jackson Sterling had dismantled an empire that took fifty years to build. No supply chain. No weapons. No money to pay the mercenaries."He thinks he can starve us out?" Zero smashed his desk lamp. "He thinks we are businessmen? We are gods!"He turned to his lieutenant."Assemble the Legion. Every remaining soldier. Every working Drone.""Sir? What is the target?""His heart," Zero pointed to a map of Long Island, New York. "The Sterling Manor. We go there tonight. We burn it to the ground. If we can't rule the world, we wil
The Architect's Temporary Base. Unknown Location."Denied?" Zero stared at the screen. "What do you mean 'Access Denied'?""The bank accounts are frozen, Sir," his subordinate stammered. "Sterling bought the banks. He bought the holding companies. He even bought the electric grid supplying this building."PZZZT.The lights in Zero's office flickered and died. The emergency red lights turned on."He cut our power," Zero whispered, trembling with rage.In one hour, Jackson Sterling had dismantled an empire that took fifty years to build. No supply chain. No weapons. No money to pay the mercenaries."He thinks he can starve us out?" Zero smashed his desk lamp. "He thinks we are businessmen? We are gods!"He turned to his lieutenant."Assemble the Legion. Every remaining soldier. Every working Drone.""Sir? What is the target?""His heart," Zero pointed to a map of Long Island, New York. "The Sterling Manor. We go there tonight. We burn it to the ground. If we can't rule the world, we wil
Sparks showered from the ceiling. The sound of tearing metal was deafening.The dining car groaned and tilted violently to the right. Tables, chairs, and expensive wine bottles slid down the slope, crashing into the wall.Jackson slammed one hand into a window frame, his other arm locked around Serenity’s waist. He stopped them from sliding into the pile of broken glass below."Don't let go!" Jackson shouted over the noise.Serenity looked down. Through the shattered window beneath them, she saw nothing but swirling snow and darkness. They were dangling over a canyon."The coupling is breaking!" Serenity yelled, pointing to the metal hook connecting their car to the rest of the train. It was stretching, groaning under the weight.CLANG.The door at the top of the tilted car (the one Zero left through) was kicked open.Two figures rappelled down into the car on zip lines.They wore sleek, matte-black armor. No faces. Just glowing red visors. They moved with robotic precision, magnetize
The Midnight Express tore through the darkness of the Swiss Alps at 300 kilometers per hour.In the exclusive private dining car, crystal glasses jingled softly with the vibration of the tracks. Outside the window, nothing existed but snow and night.Jackson adjusted his cufflinks. Under his tuxedo, he was wearing a ceramic knife taped to his ribs—the only weapon the metal detectors didn't pick up.Serenity sat opposite him, looking breathtaking in a black velvet gown. She held a clutch that contained a small vial of Margaret’s anti-serum."Nervous?" Jackson asked, pouring her water."I’m having dinner with the man who tried to kidnap our children," Serenity’s eyes were cold. "I’m not nervous. I’m restraining myself from stabbing him with a fork.""Patience," Jackson whispered.The door at the end of the car slid open.A man walked in.He looked nothing like a villain. He was handsome, in his forties, wearing a grey suit that cost more than the train itself. He had silver hair and a s
"Close your eyes," Liam commanded softly.The nursery was dimly lit. Aurora and Alex lay on the large rug, pillows under their heads. Liam sat between them in a lotus position. Jackson and Serenity watched from the couch, feeling useless but alert."Grandpa, this is unscientific," Alex muttered, keeping one eye open. "Telepathy isn't real.""Quantum entanglement is," Liam placed a finger on Alex's forehead and another on Aurora's. "Connect."A pulse of violet light rippled through the room.The Dreamscape.Alex gasped. He wasn't on the rug anymore.He was standing on an endless plane of pure white water. The sky was white. The horizon was white. It was a blank canvas."Whoa," Alex looked at his hands. They were glowing. "High definition rendering. Zero latency.""Where are the toys?" Aurora appeared next to him. In the dream, she wasn't wearing pajamas. She was wearing a sparkling fairy queen dress.Liam appeared in front of them. He looked younger here, powerful and majestic."This i
That night, the Palace was quiet. But the air was heavy.In the royal nursery, five-year-old Aurora was tossing and turning in her bed. She was sweating.“No… go away…” she whimpered in her sleep.Around her room, objects began to react to her distress. Her teddy bears floated into the air. The heavy curtains rustled as if caught in a storm, though the windows were closed. The water in her glass began to boil.In the Dream:Aurora was standing in a field of grey ash. The sky was purple.In the distance, a massive Black Tower stretched up into the clouds. It looked like a needle piercing the sky.Standing at the top of the tower was a man. He didn't have a face. Just a smooth, white mask with a single vertical line drawn on it."Come here, little star," the man’s voice echoed inside her head. "Your light belongs to me."Shadowy hands reached out from the ground, grabbing Aurora’s ankles."Daddy!" she screamed in the dream.In the Real World:CRACK!The mirror on Aurora's wall shattered







