Location: Alex’s Penthouse, Serrano City

Alex’s mind buzzed with the details of his day as he sat in the backseat of his sleek, black sedan. The hum of Serrano City's streets faded into the background as he processed everything Hartley had uncovered. Stratagem was making their move, and Arcadia—once the crown jewel of the gaming industry—was at risk of being gutted by the competition. If Stratagem succeeded, the legacy of Arcadia would be ripped apart, its valuable assets sold for parts.

But Alex wasn’t someone who accepted defeat easily. He had plans of his own, and failure was not part of the equation.

The sedan glided into the underground parking garage of his penthouse building, and Alex sighed, leaning back for a moment. His chest tightened with the weight of the situation. Despite his genius and the wealth he had amassed, Alex knew he had a lot to learn about the world of business. In Metropolis, he had Victor to handle the logistics of Mother AI, and later, once the government was involved, he barely had to deal with bureaucracy. But now, in Serrano, he was on his own, with no network and few contacts.

His thoughts were interrupted as the elevator doors slid open into his penthouse. For tonight, business could wait. He had a far more important meeting—dinner with his daughter, Samantha.

The smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the air, and Alex smiled as he entered the living room. Samantha was curled up on the couch, her eyes glued to her phone, but her laughter filled the room as she scrolled through something amusing. She looked up, and a wide grin split her face when she saw him.

“Hey, Dad!” she greeted, tossing her phone aside. Her energy was infectious, and no matter how stressed he was, it always lifted his mood.

“Hey, kiddo.” Alex strode over to ruffle her hair, prompting an exaggerated groan of annoyance. “How was school today?”

“Ugh, same old stuff,” she said, rolling her eyes but still smiling. “But can we talk about something other than school for once?”

“Alright, I’ll spare you the school talk,” Alex said, sitting down beside her. He placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in. “So, what’s been going on with you?”

Samantha looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eye, a sure sign that she was about to turn the tables on him. “Well, I heard you’ve been working super late. You don’t have any secret missions going on, do you?”

Alex chuckled. “Secret missions? Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.”

“Oh, come on! You always act so mysterious.” Samantha playfully pushed him. “Are you gonna tell me what’s been keeping you so busy, or do I have to call Uncle Hartley?”

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

He grinned. “You know how it is, Sam. Work never really stops. But tonight, I’m all yours. What do you want to do?”

She brightened at that, her face lighting up with excitement. “Pizza and a movie! Please?”

“Pizza and a movie it is,” Alex said. He reached for his phone to place the order. “But before we get too comfortable, I heard an interesting rumor today…”

Samantha’s expression shifted, suspicion creeping onto her face. “What rumor?”

“Oh, just something about you spending a lot of time with a certain boy at school,” Alex said casually, pretending to be deeply interested in his phone. “Tyler, was it?”

Her face turned bright red. “Who told you that?” she demanded, burying her face in her hands in embarrassment.

“I have my sources,” Alex said with a grin. “So, should I be worried about this Tyler?”

“He’s just a friend!” Samantha shot back, her voice a little too defensive. “He’s in my history class, and we hang out sometimes, that’s all.”

“Hmm, just a friend, huh?” Alex teased. “You sure about that?”

“Daaaad!” Samantha groaned, covering her face in mock horror. “You’re impossible.”

“Hey, it’s my job to keep an eye on things,” Alex said, laughing as he held up his hands in surrender. “But alright, I’ll drop it. For now.”

Samantha smiled again, clearly relieved to change the subject. “So, about that pizza…”

They settled in for the night, the movie playing on the large screen as they munched on slices of pizza. For a while, Alex allowed himself to forget about the pressure looming over his head. His focus was on Samantha, and that was enough. Moments like this reminded him why he worked so hard—for her future, for their life together. But even with the warmth of family time, a part of his mind never stopped churning, planning the next steps.

After the movie, Samantha leaned against his arm, half-asleep, and Alex’s thoughts drifted back to Arcadia. He still needed to work out a solid strategy for the acquisition, and after his meeting with Michael earlier that day, they had agreed on one thing: they couldn’t fight Stratagem alone. They needed allies—and fast.

Michael was the perfect choice for CEO. Alex knew he didn’t have enough business experience to manage the entire company himself, and Michael brought the right mix of experience and a vested interest in seeing the venture succeed. But even with their combined expertise, there was one more element they needed: investment. A lot of it.

As much as Alex disliked the idea of dealing with them, he knew there was only one place to turn—the banks. Or, as Michael had called them with a smirk, the “vampires.” He knew they would suck every ounce of profit if given the chance, but they had deep pockets. And without their help, Stratagem would have a major advantage.

Hartley had already confirmed there were security breaches within Arcadia—spies, faulty cameras, and more. Stratagem had its claws in deeper than he’d anticipated. He couldn’t afford to hesitate.

The stakes were growing, and it was time to call in the big guns.

“Dad,” Samantha’s sleepy voice broke his train of thought. “Are you thinking about work again?”

Alex smiled down at her. “A little, but don’t worry. I’ve got it all under control.”

“Good,” she said, her voice barely a whisper as she drifted off. “Because I like it when you’re here.”

As Samantha fell asleep beside him, Alex stared out of the penthouse window, the lights of Serrano City twinkling below. He had come this far, and he wasn’t about to let some corporate giant get in his way. Tomorrow, he would secure the future of Arcadia—and the future of his dream.

But tonight, he was just a father, holding on to the things that mattered most.