The grand hall of the hotel was buzzing with whispers. Meera Singhania felt a cold sweat on her forehead. Just twelve hours ago, she had treated Jharu like dirt, and now he was standing there, looking more powerful than any man she had ever met.
"Jharu? Is that really you?" Meera's voice trembled.
Jharu smiled, but his eyes remained cold. "Mr. Bala, please. We are not close enough for you to use my first name, Ms. Singhania."
Siddharth Malhotra, Meera's fiancé, stepped forward. He was angry. "Listen, whoever you are! You can't just walk in here and disrespect my future wife. Do you even know who I am?"
Jharu turned his gaze toward Siddharth. Instantly, his Golden Eye activated.
[Target: Siddharth Malhotra]
[Status: Bankrupt in 3 months due to hidden gambling debts.]
[Secret: He is planning to steal Meera's company after marriage.]
Jharu laughed softly. "I know exactly who you are, Siddharth. A man living on borrowed time and borrowed money. You should worry about your debts before worrying about my respect."
Siddharth turned pale. "How... how do you know about that?"
Jharu didn't answer. He turned to the crowd and announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here to announce my first business move. I have just purchased the Landmark Plaza, the building right next to Singhania Tower. Starting tomorrow, I am launching 'Bala Tech'. And my first offer? I will hire any employee from Singhania Group and double their salary."
The room went silent. This was an open declaration of war. Meera's company depended on its top engineers. If they left, Singhania Group would collapse.
"You can't do this!" Meera shouted, her face red with anger. "You are doing this just because I broke up with you? That is petty!"
Jharu took a sip of his champagne. "No, Meera. I am doing this because I am a businessman now. You told me our worlds are different. I'm just making sure mine is much, much bigger than yours."
[Ding! Host has successfully intimidated the enemy!]
[New Reward: 'System Shop' unlocked!]
[Current Points: 5,000. You can now buy skills like 'Mind Reading' or 'Market Manipulation'.]
That night, Jharu sat in his new luxury penthouse. He looked at the system screen. He could see Meera's company stock prices falling in real-time. This was only the beginning. He wasn't just going to take her money; he was going to take her pride.
Suddenly, a notification popped up on his phone. It was a message from an unknown number.
"I know your secret, Jharu. You didn't get this lucky by accident. Meet me at the docks at midnight."
Jharu's eyes narrowed. Who else knew about the System?