The office air was heavy, suffocating. Three years I had given to this place. Three years of grinding numbers, chasing deadlines, and pouring my soul into a single project. Project Chimera.
And I gave it all away. To Clara.
She was just an intern when I met her...bright, ambitious, with a smile that made me believe she could change the world. She said this chance was everything.
"Alex, this is my big break. The board is watching me. Please… help me."
And like the fool I was, I handed her my project. My late nights, my ideas, my future. All of it. Because I loved her.
Now I stood at the back of the boardroom like a ghost in a cheap suit. Clara stood at the front, my work on the screen, her voice strong and confident. She never glanced my way.
Applause thundered when she finished. Mr. Sterling, the cold CEO, actually smiled.
"Brilliant work, Ms. Vance," he said. "You have a future here. Perhaps even leading this division."
Clara's cheeks flushed with triumph. And me? I smiled weakly, torn between pride and the gnawing truth. That could have been me.
But love makes fools of men.
That night, my phone buzzed.
Clara: "Hey, come upstairs. Big news! Need help packing my desk!"
My heart lifted. Big news? Maybe she was promoted. Maybe this was finally our chance to celebrate together.
I rushed back up to the office, hope burning in my chest. The floor was dark, deserted. Only one light was on. Clara's desk.
And she wasn't alone.
Marcus Sterling. The CEO's son. The spoiled brat who flaunted his wealth like a weapon.
They were on the desk. Kissing. His hands greedy, her fingers tangled in his hair. Her laughter muffled against his lips.
My world shattered.
"Clara?" My voice cracked.
She froze, eyes wide, guilt flashing for a split second before she looked away.
Marcus smirked, straightening his tie. "Alex, right? Thanks for keeping her company. You don't need to anymore."
He sneered. "Look at you...cheap suit, broke wallet. Did you really think a fairy like Clara would stay with trash like you?"
Clara's lips parted. But she didn't deny it.
The last of my illusions bled out.
Rage swallowed me whole. I lunged, fists trembling with fury. I wanted to break his smirk, wipe him from existence.
But Marcus was ready. He shoved me hard. My head cracked against the edge of a desk. White-hot pain seared through my skull.
The world spun. Clara and Marcus blurred into mocking silhouettes. Their laughter echoed as darkness dragged me under.
And then...
[Host detected. Conditions met: Ultimate Betrayal. Financial Ruin. Social Forsaking.]
A metallic chime reverberated in my mind.
[Initiating bond with the Legacy System...]
[10%... 50%... 100%. Bond complete.]
[Welcome, Host.]
[The legacies of the forgotten and the wronged are now yours to claim.]
My eyes snapped open. I was lying on the cold tiles of the men's bathroom. The pain in my skull was gone. My body felt… sharper. Stronger.
And then I saw it. Floating before me, shimmering in neon blue.
[Status Window]
Name: Alex Thorne
Legacy: None (Unbound)
Wealth: $117.34
Influence: 0
Skills: None
Condition: Betrayed, Destitute, Forsaken
The words were real. Too real.
A new notification flashed:
[First Legacy available: The Forsaken Entrepreneur.]
[Do you wish to accept your inheritance?]
My hands trembled as I stared at the screen.
My life was in ruins. My love, my future...gone.
But maybe… maybe this was the beginning of something greater.
[Confirm: Accept Legacy? Y/N]
My lips curled into a bitter smile.
Yes.