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The polished oak walls of the courtroom gleamed under the midday sun. Reporters crowded outside the doors, their cameras aimed, waiting for any glimpse of the city's favorite scandal.
Inside, Adam Cole sat with his back straight, his hands calmly folded on the table in front of him. His tailored gray suit was immaculate, his expression perfectly neutral. If anyone thought he looked defeated, they weren't paying close enough attention.
Across from him, Sophia Lancaster adjusted the sleeve of her designer blouse and glanced at him as if he were nothing more than an unfortunate memory she was eager to erase.
The judge cleared his throat. "Ms. Lancaster, do you have any final statements before the decree is issued?"
Sophia's lips curved in a small, triumphant smile.
"I do, Your Honor," she began, her voice carrying just enough emotion to sound sincere. "I wish Mr. Cole all the best. But I think we can all agree this marriage was… a charity case that went on too long. It's time to move on."
A few muffled gasps came from the benches behind them. The phrase—**charity case**—spread like wildfire among the onlookers. Adam heard a reporter whisper it into a microphone.
Sophia folded her hands delicately, her diamond bracelet catching the light. She looked as though she'd already won everything.
Adam tilted his head slightly, observing her the same way he might watch an insect crawl across glass. He felt… nothing. Not rage, not humiliation—only a kind of detached curiosity at how quickly people revealed their true colors.
The judge's gavel struck. "The marriage between Sophia Lancaster and Adam Cole is hereby dissolved. All agreed terms are final."
A flurry of camera shutters erupted as the bailiff announced the conclusion. Sophia rose, smoothing her skirt, and turned to leave without sparing him a second glance.
She didn't notice the way Adam's hand drifted to the inner pocket of his jacket.
He took out his phone, ignoring the messages already pouring in—some sympathetic, most gleeful. The screen blinked with notifications from financial blogs eager to dissect his "downfall."
He unlocked the screen. For a moment, he considered putting the phone away, going home, and drinking himself unconscious.
But he didn't.
Instead, he opened the small folder labeled simply: **Contingency**.
A black screen loaded, displaying nothing but a single line of text:
> **BUSINESS ASCENSION SYSTEM – INITIALIZATION READY**
His thumb hovered over the "Activate" button.
Adam took a slow breath.
*If you do this,* he thought, *you can't go back to who you were.*
The thing was—he didn't want to.
He pressed the button.
A sudden vibration shot up his arm, as if the phone had come alive. The screen flashed bright white, then a cascade of text scrolled faster than he could read:
> SYSTEM BOOT COMPLETE.
>
> Welcome, Adam Cole.
>
> Primary Objective: Dominate all competitive business sectors within designated territory.
>
> Secondary Objective: Restore personal honor.
>
> Initial Reward: Activation of analytical enhancement modules.
>
> Please confirm acceptance of contract.
A thin smile curved his lips.
Outside, he could hear Sophia's voice, polished and sweet, giving a statement to the cameras. "I'm just relieved this chapter is over," she was saying. "I wish him the best."
Adam glanced at the door, then back at the glowing screen.
"Confirm," he said quietly.
The phone pulsed in his palm like a heartbeat.
> CONTRACT ACCEPTED.
>
> System Functions: ONLINE.
>
> First Mission Available.
A chime sounded, bright and final.
Adam rose from his chair, slipping the phone back into his pocket.
As he stepped out of the courtroom, the reporters turned their microphones toward him, eager to catch the first words of the discarded husband.
He paused at the threshold, the warm afternoon light streaming across his face.
He didn't look back.
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