The rooftop air was cold again.
Arthur stood alone, high above Manhattan, gazing across a skyline glowing with ambition. Behind him, Bella's presence still lingered — in the cleaned reports on his desk, the coffee brewing precisely on time, the subtle but exact restructuring of café logistics across six time zones. She had proven herself.
But a new prompt had arrived.
Potential Partner Identified: Roxy Dalton
Occupation: Cashier (Former workplace: Vander & Wiles staff cafeteria)
ROI Estimate: 241%
Compatibility Index: 82%
Loyalty Projection: 94%
Recommended Strategy:
Emotional EncounterPersonal Rescue ScenarioCatalyst Event: Job Termination or Unjust Situation
Estimated Upgrade Path: Dame → Baroness (Finance Sector)
Arthur didn't hesitate.
He remembered her.
Roxy had been a quiet presence at the staff cafeteria, always at the register. Sharp-eyed, fast with numbers, pleasant with just enough restraint to avoid conversation. She had caught his attention briefly in the past — but now the system confirmed her potential.
And it was time to act.
Saturday Morning – Midtown
The small convenience mart tucked beside a laundromat buzzed with the dull murmur of fluorescents. Roxy stood behind the counter in a thin hoodie and jeans, scanning a customer's drink and sandwich while ignoring the argument happening behind her.
"—I said no refunds!" her manager barked from across the store. "You open it, you buy it."
"I never opened it! The seal was broken when I—"
"Don't care!"
Roxy kept her head down, eyes low. She hated this job. But rent didn't pay itself. She hadn't found anything better since Vander & Wiles outsourced their cafeteria services.
Her fingers were fast. Three clicks. Receipt printed. Bag handed off. Smile. Done.
Then a voice.
"Roxy Dalton?"
She froze.
That voice.
She looked up.
Arthur.
Only… not "Ethan Lennox," the elusive Wall Street genius.
Just a man in a dark cashmere coat, a silver pen tucked into his front pocket, and a slight half-smile that didn't touch his eyes.
"Y-You—what are you—?" she stammered.
Arthur glanced around the store, then lowered his voice.
"I need to talk to you. Somewhere private."
"I'm working—"
"Not anymore."
At that moment, her manager stormed up behind her, waving a clipboard.
"You were late again, and you didn't refill the back fridge. Third strike."
Roxy's jaw dropped. "What? I—"
"You're fired."
She stared in disbelief.
Arthur didn't blink. He turned slightly, just enough to see the system's gold glow swirl into motion behind her manager's head.
Threat Level: MinorLeverage Opportunity: HighSuggested Action: Public Rescue
Arthur turned fully now, raising his voice just a notch.
"She's not coming back."
The manager scoffed. "And who the hell are you?"
"Her new employer."
Roxy's heart thudded.
The man sneered. "You can have her. She's lazy, always late—"
Arthur stepped forward and said nothing. He just looked at him.
A look that crushed.
A look that said: You're irrelevant. And you know it.
The manager's mouth shut.
Without another word, Arthur turned to Roxy, held out a hand.
"Come."
Roxy hesitated for only a second.
Then she followed.
Ten Minutes Later – Black Mercedes
The leather interior was warm. Roxy sat silently as the city passed outside, wrapped in confusion.
Arthur said nothing. Not yet.
It wasn't until they reached the river and the car slowed beside a quiet dock that he turned toward her.
"You got fired. That was a trigger."
Roxy blinked. "A what?"
"For change," he explained. "You're meant for more than low-wage counters and bad bosses. You see numbers differently, don't you?"
She stared at him.
"I watched you once. You ran three registers while mentally adjusting discount brackets during a tech failure."
"You remember that?"
"I remember patterns."
She shook her head. "Why me?"
"Because you're real. You didn't sell out. You didn't chase titles. You survived."
She looked away, ashamed. "That's not impressive. That's… desperation."
"No," he said firmly. "That's value."
He handed her a tablet. It flickered to life.
Financial Oversight Division – Candidate: Roxy DaltonPosition: Chief Manager – Liquidity FlowStarting Control: $3.5M across 12 portfolio assetsProjected ROI: 188% over 6 months
Roxy stared at the numbers.
"I'm offering you a division of my empire," Arthur said. "All I need is a word."
She glanced up. "What's the catch?"
He leaned closer.
"You'll be bound by your word. You leave, betray, or defraud me — your soul will want to crawl out of your skin."
She blinked. "You're joking—"
"I'm not."
And then he waited.
One second.
Two.
"I accept," she said.
Verbal Agreement RegisteredTriggering: Unbreakable VowLoyalty: 100% (Bound)Assigned Domain: Financial Management – High Liquidity Holdings
Roxy Dalton – Rank: DameHost Net Worth: $29.4M
🔓 Skill Unlocked: Cash Rebate
Every dollar spent returns double in secret funds (undetectable)
Arthur's system flashed brightly. The dashboard updated.
Bella → BaronessArthur → Viscount
Rank Up Achieved:Title: ViscountNet Worth: $100M+At least one Baroness partner present
Passive Perk: Business Efficiency +25% Empire-wideAdditional Slot: +2 Concubines
That night, Arthur watched as Roxy took over a financial portfolio.
He gave her 12 auto-managed accounts seeded with start-up capital. She rebalanced all 12 within 4 hours, optimized two into split-tier revenue plans, and flagged a margin gap in a Malaysian export index before anyone in his team noticed.
She was fire.
But different from Bella.
Where Bella was composed elegance, Roxy was raw talent and hidden volatility.
She didn't need molding. She needed purpose.
And now she had it.
Later, Arthur stood at his massive glass wall, looking out over the city again.
Bella was already asleep.
Roxy sat near the fire pit on the balcony, legs curled, scrolling through a market analysis tablet, lips muttering numbers like a prayer.
He watched her for a moment.
The Empire was forming.
Two down.
Thirteen to go.
And soon, Nora would enter the stage — the dangerous former ninja-bodyguard now blacklisted for violence. The wildcard.
Arthur smiled.
He was ready.