The elevator doors slid open, revealing the stark brightness of the corporate penthouse — glass walls overlooking the city like a fortress of ambition. Ethan stepped out, his mind racing with the weight of the mission that now ruled his life.
Charlotte was waiting.
Her eyes, sharp as daggers, scanned him from head to toe, searching for the man she once knew. But Ethan had changed. Not just in body, but in soul. He carried a cold fire in his gaze that promised reckoning.
"So," she said, voice dripping with mockery, "you actually expect me to believe this... resurrection is some kind of miracle?"
He smiled, the hint of danger curling at the edge of his lips. "Believe what you want. I'm here, aren't I?"
She circled him like a predator sizing up her prey. "And what exactly do you want from me? Redemption? Revenge? Or… something worse?"
He caught her wrist before she could retreat. The touch was electric, a spark from the past igniting between them. "I want what I never had — control. Over you, over my company, over my destiny."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed, but beneath the armor was a flicker of something else — fear? Desire? Ethan wasn't sure. What he did know was this game had just begun.
The clock was ticking. Twenty-four hours to kiss the woman who shattered his life. But that kiss would be the key to unlocking more than just memories.
It was the beginning of his return.
The office behind Charlotte was a cathedral of glass and steel, sterile and cold. Ethan's footsteps echoed as he followed her inside, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
"Sit," she commanded, pointing to a sleek leather chair.
Ethan complied but kept his eyes on her.
"Let's talk business," Charlotte said, crossing her arms.
"I thought we'd start with the past," Ethan replied.
She laughed, a low, bitter sound. "You never could resist stirring the pot."
Their conversation danced between old wounds and new power plays. Charlotte revealed cracks in the Lu empire — rival factions, boardroom betrayals, and alliances as fragile as glass.
Ethan listened, calculating, absorbing every detail.
"You think you can fix this mess?" she sneered.
"I don't fix. I conquer," he said simply.
Outside the penthouse, the city pulsed with life — unaware that beneath its glittering surface, a storm was gathering.
Charlotte leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Then prove it."
Later that night, Ethan sat alone in his study, the glow of his laptop casting shadows on his face. The system's notifications blinked relentlessly.
[Sub-Mission 1: 90% complete.][Time Remaining: 4 hours.]
He poured a glass of whiskey, the burn grounding him in the moment.
The kiss with Charlotte had cracked the ice, but the war was just beginning.
A message popped up on his screen: "You're closer than you think."
Ethan's jaw clenched.
This was no ordinary game. This was survival. And he was ready to play — no matter the cost.
But beneath the calculated calm, a storm brewed within him.
He thought of the years lost — the nights alone, the deals gone wrong, the trust shattered like broken glass.
The Ascension System was more than a tool. It was a promise. A second chance wrapped in cold digital steel.
Ethan closed his eyes, feeling the pulse of power rising inside.
Tomorrow, the board meeting would be his battlefield. Allies and enemies cloaked in suits would judge his every move.
But this time, Ethan was not just a man. He was a force.
And the game had only just begun.