Time, Wealth, and a Little Fun

The high-rise boardroom of Aether Dynamics exuded power. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the city skyline, the golden hues of the setting sun reflecting off the glass like a throne above the world. Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with anticipation. Seated around the enormous conference table were some of the wealthiest investors, each one prepared for a battle of money and influence over the acquisition of VisionAI, the world's most promising AI startup.

At the head of the table, Kai Nakamura sat with an easy smirk, tapping his fingers lightly against the polished wood as the first bids rolled in.

"Five hundred million," one man declared confidently.

"Seven hundred," countered another.

"Eight hundred fifty."

Kai listened, unimpressed. He knew exactly how this was going to play out.

A few moments later, he subtly activated his ability.

The world around him froze in absolute stillness.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he stood, walking through the frozen room. The billionaires and tech giants sat like statues, unaware that, in this moment, time belonged to him alone.

Kai strolled behind the lead investor and glanced down at his open laptop screen. Everything was right there—bidding strategies, secret partnerships, hidden financial reports. He took his time absorbing every detail before moving to the others, scanning their emails, texts, and stock analysis.

He even took a moment to casually rearrange a few documents, subtly flipping the script on a few competitors so that when time resumed, confusion would spread like wildfire.

Returning to his seat, he let time flow once more.

Immediately, chaos erupted.

"Wait… my numbers don't match up?"

"This isn't what we agreed on!"

"What the hell is going on here?"

Kai leaned back, expression unreadable, before he lazily spoke:

"I'll take VisionAI. Name your price."

No one could understand how he had predicted their every move, but the result was the same. Minutes later, the deal was his.

That evening, Kai sat at a rooftop lounge, sipping a whiskey as he checked his growing financial empire. His stock investments had nearly doubled overnight, thanks to his time-freeze manipulation, and his crypto plays—knowing which currencies would explode in value—had netted him a clean $5 billion in profit.

His net worth had officially hit twelve digits.

Yet, despite owning more money than most countries, he was more entertained by something else entirely—his latest act of generosity.

His phone buzzed.

📲 Emma: Kai… my rent… it's paid off?? And there's an extra $200,000 in my account?!

He smirked. That was just the beginning.

Emma arrived at the café minutes later, her expression a mix of excitement and disbelief. She had thrown on a simple summer dress, her golden-blonde hair in loose waves, effortlessly beautiful in a way that made heads turn.

Kai leaned back, pulling out a small luxury box and handing it to her.

She hesitated. "What's this?"

"Open it."

Inside was a key.

Her breath hitched. "Wait… is this…?"

"A penthouse. Yours."

Emma's eyes widened in shock. "Kai, this is too much—"

"You deserve it." He slid another keycard across the table. "And that's for the car parked outside."

She turned bright red, hands trembling as she covered her mouth. "I… I don't even know what to say…"

"Then don't say anything." His tone was teasing, but there was something undeniably possessive in the way he looked at her.

Emma wasn't the only one watching, though.

A few tables away, Lily had seen everything.

Her grip on her drink tightened.

The next day, Kai found himself in the Aether Dynamics supply room with Lily.

The space was cramped, forcing them uncomfortably close.

"This is ridiculous," Lily huffed, crossing her arms. "There's barely any room in here."

Kai smirked. "You don't like being close to me?"

Lily scoffed. "Obviously not—"

Kai froze time.

Grinning to himself, he subtly moved a few objects around before stepping back into position.

Time resumed.

Lily took a step forward—only to trip over nothing and fall straight into his arms.

Her soft body pressed against his chest, her breath caught in her throat as she realized how close they were.

Kai's eyes flickered with amusement. "You really can't keep your hands off me, huh?"

Lily's entire face turned red. "S-SHUT UP! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

Kai chuckled. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."

Lily stormed out of the room, but Kai didn't miss the way she stole one last glance at him before leaving.

That night, Kai sat in his private office, watching the numbers climb on his screen.

By morning, his bank balance had increased by another $5 billion.

His power. His wealth. His influence.

All of it was growing at an unstoppable rate.

And no one in the world even knew what was coming next.