The morning sun blazed over Miami Beach, golden and harsh.
It was a Saturday, and the entire coastline hummed with energy — volleyball games, beach yoga, paddleboarders, influencers filming reels. But Arthur Ashford wasn't here for the sea.
He was here for Candy Novak.
She was the kind of woman who turned heads not just because of her athleticism, but because she moved with the confidence of someone born to win. A former Olympic gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics, now a freelance fitness coach with a rabid online following.
But none of that mattered.
Because Candy was broke.
And the world had no idea.
Ocean Drive – 11:14 AM
Arthur leaned on the rail of a beachside café, sipping a coconut water he didn't ask for. His system interface glowed just behind his eyes, filtering bio-data from every athlete on the sand.
Target Acquired: Candy Novak
Age: 24
Net Worth: $4,200
Medical Debt: $67,000
Monthly Income: ~$3,000
Potential Domains:
Sports Management
Fitness Brand Licensing
Athlete Representation
Streaming Health Networks
Recommended Strategy:
Challenge > Rescue > Long-Term Vision > Sexual Chemistry
Predicted ROI: 360% over 6 months
Loyalty Probability (Post-Vow): 100%
He watched as Candy flipped effortlessly over a gym mat in a makeshift bootcamp zone. Sweat gleamed across her shoulders like starlight. Tight braids whipped behind her. Every muscle moved with harmony.
Men stared.
Women whispered.
Arthur didn't.
He stepped forward as the class ended.
Candy was already toweling off, muttering about "sponsors who ghost" and "rent inflating again."
He approached with practiced calm.
"Excuse me," he said. "You're training the wrong people."
She turned, slightly winded.
"Excuse me?"
Arthur met her eyes. "You should be managing this coast, not sweating on it."
Candy blinked. "Are you selling something? I swear, if this is a crypto pitch—"
"Arthur Ashford," he said, handing her a sleek black card.
She took it, still cautious.
"No number?"
"I don't chase."
That made her smirk. "Arrogant."
"Accurate."
She sized him up again. Arthur wore casual black joggers, designer shoes, a matte black tank beneath an unzipped hoodie — elite, but humble. Controlled wealth. Quiet dominance.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"To make you the most powerful woman in global sports," he said.
Pause.
Candy laughed. "Alright, Wall Street Ken. Let's say I believe you — what's step one?"
Arthur smiled.
"We run."
20 Minutes Later – The Challenge
They sprinted barefoot along the shoreline.
Waves crashed. Sand exploded underfoot. Candy was faster than him — but only just. Her eyes sparkled with challenge. Arthur, despite not being a natural athlete, kept pace by sheer force of will and training.
She pushed harder.
He followed.
At the pier, she finally stopped, panting.
Arthur wasn't winded.
She noticed.
"Are you military?"
"No."
"Then what are you?"
He looked her dead in the eye.
"An emperor in construction."
She laughed again — a true, belly-deep one this time.
"Okay. I'm curious. Talk."
Rooftop Bar – That Evening
They met again after sundown. She wore a white open-back crop top, gym shorts, and sandals. Simple. Strong. Sun-kissed.
Arthur laid out the proposal over mocktails and sunset wind:
Global Sports Division
Role: High-Performance Infrastructure & Athlete MonetizationBudget: $12MAuthority: Independent – Reports to no one but Arthur
Bonuses: Full athletic brand rights, future investments in Candy's name, opportunity to train elite concubines of empire for fitness and image (if desired).
She blinked. "Concubines?"
Arthur didn't flinch. "Polygamous empire. You'd be one of fifteen. Trained. Respected. Never discarded."
Candy looked at him long and hard.
"You're serious."
He nodded. "This is real. I don't do shallow offers. You want power, autonomy, legacy—this is it."
Another long pause.
Then: "Okay. But I want my brand. Novak Athletics. And I want equity in every sponsorship deal we build."
"You'll have it."
"And I want to punch a sports agent in the face."
Arthur slid a document across the table. "Already blacklisted him."
Candy burst into laughter.
Then leaned forward.
"Alright, kingmaker. I'm in."
Verbal Agreement Registered
Initiating Unbreakable VowLoyalty: 100% (Bound)Rank: DameDomain Assigned: Global Sports Authority
Candy Novak – Loyalty: 100%Control Over: Sponsorships, Olympic Circles, Media Fitness Content, Endorsements
All previous concubines rise in rank.
Arthur → EarlBella → MarchionessRoxy → MarchionessNora → BaronessCandy → Dame
Later that night, Candy sat on Arthur's penthouse balcony in South Beach. The ocean sang below. She sipped coconut water from a fresh shell, wearing nothing but an oversized hoodie bearing the Novak Athletics logo, newly printed.
She leaned against him, warm and steady.
"Ever think we're moving too fast?" she asked.
Arthur's voice was quiet. "Time bends for men who build nations."
She grinned, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I'll make your empire sweat."
"I expect nothing less."