The heavy ss door mmed behind Sebastian Hawthorne with such force that the entire wall shuddered. I watched through the office window as he stormed across the bank''s polished marble lobby, shoving past a startled security guard. His tantrum was visible even through the soundproof ss – face contorted with rage, hands gesticting wildly as he barked into his phone.


    "Well," Leopold said with a satisfied smile, "that was certainly entertaining."


    I turned back to the desk where my two-billion-dor loan agreementy waiting. "Is he always that dramatic?"


    Leopold chuckled. "The Hawthornes aren''t ustomed to hearing the word ''no.'' Especially not Sebastian." He slid the tinum VIP card across the desk. "Your funds are immediately avable, Mr. Knight. This grants you ess to our exclusive services – 24/7 personal banking assistance, priority processing, private investment opportunities."


    I picked up the card, weighing it in my hand. It felt impossibly heavy for such a small object – not physically, but with the weight of what it represented. Three weeks ago, I''d been sleeping on a friend''s couch, scraping together cash for meals. Now I held two billion dors between my fingers.


    "This doesn''t feel real," I admitted, pocketing the card.


    "I imagine not." Leopold''s expression softened slightly. "If I might speak frankly, Mr. Knight – wealth of this magnitude changes everything. People will treat you differently. Some will resent you for it, as we just witnessed. Others will suddenly discover they''ve always been your dearest friends."


    I nodded, thinking of all the former colleagues and acquaintances who''d ignored my calls when I was down but would surelye crawling back now.


    "I appreciate the advice," I said, gathering the signed documents. "And everything else you''ve done."


    Leopold waved away my thanks. "I''m merely honoring my debt. What you did for my Margaret... no amount of money could repay that."


    The mention of his wife brought me back to the present. Three days ago, I''d used my knowledge to cure Mrs. Shepherd''s supposedly terminal cancer – knowledge that came from my mysteriously awakened abilities and the ancient medical texts suddenly essible in my mind.


    "How is she doing?" I asked.


    Leopold''s professional demeanor cracked, revealing genuine emotion. "The doctors are calling it a miracle. The tumors are gonepletely." He cleared his throat,posing himself. "But enough about that. You have a financial empire to build, and I''ve taken enough of your time."


    We shook hands, and as I walked toward the door, Leopold called after me.


    "Mr. Knight? Sebastian Hawthorne won''t forget this slight. The man holds grudges like treasures."


    I paused, hand on the doorknob. "Let hime. I''m not the same man I was before."


    ---


    In the bank''s marble lobby, I found two people waiting for me. Aurora Sinir, looking sleek and professional in a tailored pantsuit, and to my surprise, Jaxon Langley – my former colleague who''d joined the chorus of mockery during my downfall.


    "Liam!" Aurora rushed forward, beaming. "I''ve been promoted to Manager Ross''s position! Can you believe it?"


    Her excitement was infectious, and I smiled genuinely. "Congrattions, Aurora. Well deserved."


    "It''s all thanks to you," she said, lowering her voice. "After what you did to Ross, exposing his embezzlement scheme... Well, let''s just say the higher-ups were impressed with how I handled the transition."


    I nodded, unsurprised that my small act of revenge against my former boss had rippled outward in unexpected ways. Before I could respond, Jaxon stepped forward awkwardly.


    "Liam," he said, extending his hand. "Good to see you."


    I looked at his outstretched hand without taking it. Thest time I''d seen Jaxon, he''d beenughing as security escorted me from the building, my possessions stuffed into a cardboard box.


    "Is it?" I asked coolly.


    He dropped his hand, flushing. "Look, I know I was an ass. Complete and utter ass. But I want to make it right." He nced around nervously before continuing. "Word''s getting around about your... connections. The Ashworth family, Leopold Shepherd... I''d like to take you to dinner. Just to talk. For old times'' sake."


    The pathetic transparency of his attempt almost made meugh. Three weeks of unemployment had clearly humbled Jaxon – his designer suit looked rumpled, his confidence diminished.


    "Old times'' sake?" I repeated. "Which old times would those be, Jaxon? When you told everyone I slept my way into the firm? Or when you stole my client portfolio after I was fired?"


    Aurora shot Jaxon a disgusted look. "I didn''t know you were behind those rumors."


    Jaxon''s face went from red to white. "I was jealous, okay? You were rising faster than anyone, and I... I made mistakes."


    I considered him for a moment. Once, his approval had mattered to me. Now he seemed small, desperate – a remnant of a life I''d left behind.


    "Fine," I said finally. "Dinner. Tomorrow at Saint Laurent''s. Eight o''clock."


    Relief flooded his face. "Great! I''ll—"


    "You''ll pay," I cut him off, "and you''ll bring the client list you stole. All of them."


    He swallowed hard. "Of course."


    I nodded to Aurora. "Keep climbing. You deserve it."


    As I walked away, I felt their eyes on my back – Aurora''s admiring, Jaxon''s calcting. The weight of the VIP card in my pocket was a constant reminder of my transformation. Leopold was right – wealth changed everything. But so did power.


    And I was just beginning to understand mine.


    ---


    Sebastian Hawthorne mmed his phone against the dashboard of his Bentley, cracking both the screen and the polished wood trim. Three banks in one afternoon, and three humiliating rejections.


    "GODDAMMIT!" he roared, pounding his fists against the steering wheel.


    His driver remained stone-faced in the front seat, pretending not to notice his employer''s meltdown. Sebastian had visited every major financial institution in Eldoria, each time receiving the same response – his loan applications were denied. Institutions that had practically begged for his businessst month suddenly found "concerns" with hispany''s projections.


    Someone was blocking him. Someone with serious influence.


    The phone rang again – his father, for the third time today. Sebastian rejected the call. The old man would only demand exnations Sebastian didn''t have. The Hawthorne Industries expansion n required that capital, and without it, they would lose their chance to acquire theirpetitors'' vulnerable assets.


    In desperation, Sebastian scrolled through his contacts and stopped at a name he''d sworn never to call again: Isabelle Ashworth.


    He hesitated only briefly before hitting dial. <mark ss="frag-824350">My<i ss="node-sep"></i>Virtual<i ss="node-sep"></i>Library<i ss="node-sep"></i>Empire<i ss="node-sep"></i>(*)<i ss="node-sep"></i>hosts<i ss="node-sep"></i>the<i ss="node-sep"></i>original.</mark>


    "Sebastian," her cool voice answered after one ring, as if she''d been expecting his call. "How unpleasant to hear from you."


    "Cut the crap, Isabelle," he snapped. "What did you do?"


    "You''ll need to be more specific," she replied, her tone maddeningly calm. "I do so many things in a day."


    "The banks!" he snarled. "Every major financial institution in Eldoria has suddenly denied my loan applications. This has your family''s fingerprints all over it."


    Isabelle''s softugh sent rage coursing through him. "Oh, Sebastian. Always so quick to me others for your failures."


    "Don''t y games with me," he hissed. "Your family is blocking me."


    "If I wanted to block you, you''d know it," she said, her voice hardening. "But this particr situation? I can''t im credit."


    "Then who—" Sebastian stopped abruptly, the pieces clicking into ce. "Knight. It''s that nobody, isn''t it?"


    "Liam is many things," Isabelle said, emphasizing the name with something like affection, "but ''nobody'' isn''t one of them."


    Sebastian gripped the phone tighter. "What hold does he have over Leopold Shepherd? ckmail? Threats?"


    Isabelleughed again, genuinely this time. "Oh, Sebastian. Your mind always goes to the darkest ces. Did it never ur to you that Liam might have *earned* Leopold''s favor?"


    "Earned? How could some disgraced nobody possibly—"


    "Did you know Leopold''s wife was dying?" Isabelle interrupted. "Terminal cancer, Stage 4. The doctors gave her weeks."


    Sebastian frowned, caught off-guard. "What does that have to do with anything?"


    "She''s inplete remission now," Isabelle said simply. "Some might call it a miracle. Leopold calls it Liam Knight."


    The implications hit Sebastian like a physical blow. "That''s... that''s impossible."


    "Is it?" Isabelle''s voice dripped with mockery. "While you were trying to leverage your family name for special treatment, Liam was saving a woman''s life. It seems Leopold has different priorities than you anticipated."


    Sebastian sat in stunned silence, trying to process this information. Knight had cured terminal cancer? It didn''t make sense.


    "I don''t believe you," he said finally, but his voicecked conviction.


    "Your belief is irrelevant," Isabelle replied. "The facts remain: Liam has your loan, Leopold''s gratitude, and apparently, my continued interest. You, on the other hand, have... what exactly?"


    Sebastian could almost see her satisfied smile through the phone.


    "This isn''t over," he managed through gritted teeth.


    "For you, it is," Isabelle said pleasantly. "Goodbye, Sebastian."


    The call ended, leaving Sebastian in silence. He stared nkly through the windshield, his mind reeling with the implications of what he''d just learned. Liam Knight wasn''t just a pawn in Isabelle''s game. He had power of his own – power Sebastian couldn''t begin toprehend.


    The realization left him ashen-faced and speechless, a man watching his carefully constructed world crumble around him.