Tiring!
[Urgent Business Alert!]
[Domain Investment> Food Industry]
[Host Business Asset Has Suffered Reasonable Damage]
>Financial Damage: $241,000+ in estimated properties loss
>Reputation Impact: -8 Popularity Points
>Reputation Value: 10 over 100
>Reputation: First Time Millionaire
> Investment Operational Status: Suspended
[Warning> Business Domain >Food Industry< Revenue Flow Halted]
Ti-ring!
[Side Mission Triggered]
[Secure What's Yours!]
[Objective> Restore investment operations within 168 Hours]
[Reward> +1 Level up | +5 BGS Credits | +3 Reputation Points]
Keith's face turned flushed and contorted with rage as he looked down at the injured Daphne, she had nothing to do with his personal life and rivals, but she got harmed because of him.
His eyes narrowed to fiery slit as a burning rage consumed him.
With his fists balled up tightly from the intense emotions surging through him, his palms turned white as his fingernails dug deep into his flesh.
"You'll have to wait for my reaction…" he said softly.
And slowly began unwrapping his fist. "For now… these two are my priority…"
He rose from his kneeling position and closed his eyes shut for a few seconds. Within those seconds, a strange sense of calmness overshadowed him like he was dipped into a warm pool of rose petals.
He dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his smartphone, swiftly dialing a number and letting it ring.
Beep!
"911 What is your emergency?"
"I need an ambulance now, there's been a robbery…" he replied softly.
***
The wailing sirens grew louder, echoing through the broken windows of the restaurant.
Keith stood in the middle of the wreckage in the main serving space.
Splinted tables, shattered plates, and the pungent smell of gasoline in the air.
Now, the flashing red and blue lights painted the walls as two paramedics carefully carried Lucio and Daphne out in stretchers.
"We'll take it from here," one of them said bluntly, as they wheeled the unconscious pair out of the building.
Keith nodded. "Make sure the get the best care available, bill it to my account…"
He watched them leave.
The moment they were gone, silence showered over the restaurant once again. Only the soft crunch of glass under his feet as he walked further around was audible.
His eyes scanned the destruction, it was nothing like this when he left the place in the hands of Daphne. It was bubbling with customer and the sweet aroma of different delicacies.
Suddenly—
Ti-ring!
That familiar alert chime rang through his mind, but this time it was different— it was jarring.
[Alert!]
[Threat Alert… Threat Alert… Threat ALert]
A red warning screen with flashing golden borders lit up across the systems interface.
Vivid. Almost blinding.
[Financial Lawsuit Detected]
[Alias> Jena Carpenter]
[Allegation> Illegal siphoning of funds $1,000,000 from the Carpenter Family trust fund]
Keith's pupils constricted.
"What the hell…?"
Another alert slid across the screen like a sharp blade.
Ti-Ring!
[System Warning]
[All known financial accounts under host identity> Keith Hall]
[Status> Frozen by Federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network]
[Host now restricted from accessing digital funds]
[Cause> Federal Court Order Issued Under Civil Suit #Z223322 by Jena Carpenter]
Keith's expression darkened.
"That manipulative snake…" he muttered under his breath, clenching his fists.
"You are such a pain in the ass… no matter what timeline!!"
"She wants to rip me off of one million dollars just because of the divorce…"
Just then, his head snapped back.
"Huh!!!"
"I must have signed to siphoning the money when I signed those divorce papers… shit they were one step ahead this whole time!"
They tricked him.
On the day he signed the divorce papers, they intentionally a fraudulent document in the stash of papers. Which keith signed unintentionally thinking it was part of the contract.
His mind ran wild.
Jena. Just waited for him to rise just a little before plunging the dagger.
His thoughts were interrupted by one final update.
Ti-ring.
[System Recommendation> Business Influence Protocol]
[Business Influence Network]
[This informs all of host business partner about hosts current situation]
[Business Influence Network Unlocked: Would you like to call in a favour from one of your business partners?]
"Yes…" he said without hesitation.
Ti-ring.
[1 Business Partner found>]
[Valerie Sawyer]
[Business Partner Loyalty> 90%]
[Business Influence Network Successful]
[Business Partner >Valerie Sawyer< has been informed of all critical information]
It was like resonance.
Just then, his phone rang.
He raised it to his face to see the call coming from Valerie Sawyer.
He answered.
"Keith!" Her voice was laced with concern. "I got your message about the restaurant… and everything else. Are you okay?"
Keith exhaled, the sound heavy with frustration. "It was foolish of me to think pretending to be engaged with you would give me some sought of protection... "
"I'm so sorry, Keith," she replied almost immediately.
"We clearly underestimated Victor Sawyer and the Carpenter family. My uncle and Donald Matson are working together. They want me to marry Vikram, and you're the biggest obstacle in their way. This lawsuit, the restaurant attack—it's all connected."
Keith's jaw tightened. "And I suppose your grandmother's banned you from helping me, haven't she?"
"Yes," Valerie admitted.
"I can't lend you money, not with the lawsuit hanging over you. My grandmother would see it as a conflict of interest."
"Damn it!" Keith cursed.
With his accounts frozen, he was broke. No money to repair his investment, no funds to fight the lawsuit, no way to complete the system's mission to restore operations within a week.
He felt trapped, like a cornered animal.
"I'm sorry Lucio and Daphne," he muttered, guilt washing over him.
They'd been caught in the crossfire, and he couldn't even afford to help them now.
"There's one thing I can do," Valerie said, her voice brightening slightly.
"I can donate to the hospital where Lucio and Daphne are being treated. It'll cover their medical costs. My grandmother won't suspect a thing—I make donations all the time."
Keith's heart lifted, "You'd do that?"
"Of course," she said. "It's the least I can do. I feel like this is partly my fault."
Keith shook his head, even though she couldn't see him. "It's not your fault, Valerie..."
"So, what's your plan?" she asked. "How are you going to fight this?"
Keith's lips curved into a determined smile. "Believe me, Val, I'm a man of miracles."
He hung up.
His mind was already racing.
The restaurant was in ruins, his accounts were frozen, and a million-dollar lawsuit loomed over him.
But Keith wasn't done.
Not by a long shot.
He'd built his an empire in his past life, and he'd do it again.
[Side Mission: Secure What's Yours]
>Objective: Restore investment operations within 168 hours
>Rewards: +1 Level Up, +5 BGS Credits, +3 Reputation Points
Keith glanced at the mission details glowing in his mind.
Seven days.
That's all he had to turn this around. He took one last look at the shattered restaurant, then stepped out into the night.
"There's no way I'm letting this bitch and her entourage ruin me twice..."