Chapter 15 – Fleeting Fable

Ethan lounged on his worn-out couch, the dim glow of his laptop screen casting faint shadows on the shabby walls. His apartment was barely furnished—just a bed, a desk, a couch, and the laptop sitting in front of him. It was a far cry from the wealth he had at his fingertips, but he liked it that way. Low profile. Untraceable. Unremarkable.

After setting up his new Pixel 8 Pro, he began downloading a few essential apps—encrypted messaging, a secure banking app, and a few security tools. He worked in silence, fingers moving swiftly as he optimized his new device.

Then, as he scrolled through the app store, a random ad popped up.

"Join the world of live streaming! Watch, chat, and gift your favorite streamers!"

Ethan had no interest in social media, but something about the ad made him pause. He tapped the install button on impulse, watching as the app downloaded in seconds.

Username: Fleeting Fable.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he typed it in. A name that meant nothing to anyone, yet everything to him. A fleeting existence—untouchable, unstoppable, and unseen.

With a casual flick, he entered a random live stream.

The Girl Next Door

The first stream that appeared on his screen caught his attention instantly.

[MiaRay – Live Now]

Ethan's brows lifted slightly. Mia.

He recognized her instantly. His neighbor, the girl next door, the one who had tried to cover his rent without asking. The same girl who, without knowing, had actually paid for it multiple times thanks to his landlord's misplaced generosity.

He tapped into the stream, watching as she interacted with her audience. She was seated in front of her camera, wearing an oversized sweater, her hair tied up in a loose ponytail. She looked comfortable, casual, and completely unaware of what was about to happen.

Then, Ethan noticed something odd—her viewer count was dropping rapidly.

And the reason became clear.

[Young Master Carlo – $5,000]

"Mia, do a sexy dance for me. I'll send 10 luxury cars."

Ethan's expression remained unreadable.

He had seen this kind of power play before. A spoiled brat using money and influence to control people. He wasn't impressed.

Mia's reaction was calm but firm.

"Sorry, but I don't do that."

Ethan could tell she had been polite, yet Carlo wasn't the type to handle rejection well.

A second donation appeared.

[Young Master Carlo – $10,000]

"How about 5 spaceships? $1,000 each. Just one little dance."

The chat exploded with pressure and persuasion.

— Come on, Mia, just one dance.

— That's $5,000! Why refuse?

— Young Master Carlo is so generous!

— I wouldn't say no…

Mia let out a soft sigh. "I appreciate your support, but I'm not interested."

And that's when Carlo played his final card.

[Young Master Carlo]

"If you don't do it, I'll leave. And trust me, everyone else will too."

As if on cue, people began leaving the stream.

Ethan exhaled slowly.

So this is how the world worked, huh?

People bowing to power that wasn't even real. They were afraid to offend a name, a person who held nothing but illusionary control.

Ethan had real power.

The kind that didn't need validation or recognition.

And today, Young Master Carlo was about to learn the difference.

A Lesson in Power

Ethan's fingers moved without hesitation.

[Fleeting Fable – $10,000]

— 5 Super Spaceships Sent!

The chat froze.

A Super Spaceship was worth $2,000 each. In one move, Ethan had dropped $10,000.

And he wasn't done.

[Fleeting Fable – $10,000]

— 5 More Super Spaceships Sent!

Mia gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Her eyes flickered toward the donation message, her entire expression disbelieving.

"Uh—whoever Fleeting Fable is… thank you? That's insane!"

The chat was in chaos.

— WTF?!

— Who is Fleeting Fable?!

— That's $20,000!!!

— Bro just bodied Young Master Carlo!

— Mia just hit the jackpot!

Ethan leaned back, watching.

And then—Carlo snapped.

[Young Master Carlo]

"Who the hell are you?!"

Ethan smirked, tilting his head slightly.

His fingers hovered over the keyboard before he typed.

[Fleeting Fable]

"Someone your entire existence cannot afford to offend."

The chat erupted.

— HOLY SHIT!!!

— Fleeting Fable just SHUT HIM DOWN!!!

— Bro is built DIFFERENT!

— Carlo got humbled in 4K!

— WE STAN FLEETING FABLE!!!

Mia, still trying to process what just happened, let out a small laugh.

"Well, I guess that settles it. Thank you, Fleeting Fable… and, uh, let's all just have a good ti

me, alright?"

Ethan watched as Young Master Carlo left the stream in shame.

And just like that, the balance of power had shifted.