Chapter 25: Glass, Shares, and Celebrations
Chapter 25: Glass, Shares, and Celebrations
"Some teams win a trophy. Others build an empire."
☀️ Scene 1: Breakfast, Business, and Banter
Morning settled gently over the Elvaris estate. Golden light filtered through the tall glass panels of the sunroom, stretching across polished marble floors and weaving between slender ferns and velvet armchairs. Outside, the koi pond shimmered, the lake beyond still as a held breath.
Velmir sat at the breakfast table like a bored prince waiting for court to assemble. One leg crossed over the other, he sipped Viara's signature caramel latte, its vanilla scent curling lazily through the air.
Viara materialized beside him in her upgraded humanoid form, crisp in a dark slate suit with minimalist silver trim. "Your guests will arrive in ten minutes," she said, tablet in hand. "Shall I set the boardroom playlist?"
Velmir arched a brow. "Something friendly this time. Not 'World Domination in D Minor,' please."
She tilted her head thoughtfully. "So… no Beethoven's Fifth?"
He gave her a flat look, sipping again. "I'll reassign your cooking privileges."
Before she could retort, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Julian arrived first, tugging the collar of his denim jacket into place. "Still looks like Tony Stark's vacation home had a baby with the Louvre," he muttered, squinting at the ceiling as if it offended him personally.
Mina followed behind him in a lemon-yellow top paired with faded jeans and combat boots, her curls pulled up high in a messy twist. She looked around and sighed. "Ugh. I forget this place makes me feel like I'm in a sponsored dream sequence."
Velmir stood, arms wide. "Welcome to corporate destiny. Coffee?"
"Please," they said in unison.
🧾 Scene 2: Shares on the Table
Viara handed out fresh mugs with mechanical grace and a slight smirk.
Velmir tapped the control node embedded in the center of the long black table. A sleek holographic projector flickered to life, illuminating a blue-toned financial layout in mid-air. The letters hovered sharp and elegant:
Elvaris Group – Equity Distribution Plan
Mina leaned forward cautiously. Julian stopped mid-sip.
Velmir placed his cup down and folded his hands like he was about to negotiate a peace treaty. "We're not stopping at the science fair," he said simply. "We built something real. I want to launch GlassReal publicly. Full scale. Design, production, marketing. And I'm doing it under Elvaris Group."
He glanced at them both. "But I'm not doing it alone."
The display flicked to a new page:
Elvaris Group Holdings
Elvaris Parents (Board Chairs): 51%
Velmir Elvaris (Founder): 29%
Tony Stark (Senior Advisor): 14%
Julian West: 3%
Mina Ortega: 3%
Julian nearly dropped his mug.
Mina blinked, her hand resting over her heart like it had stuttered.
Velmir's voice softened. "This isn't symbolic. This is legal. Binding. Yours."
"You're… giving us ownership?" Mina whispered.
"Not giving," he said. "You earned it. You helped build it. This isn't a solo empire. It's ours."
Julian slumped back in his chair, eyes wide. "I thought we'd maybe get a thank-you pizza. This is… whoa."
From the far side of the room, Viara spoke without looking up. "Would you like a pizza-shaped stock certificate?"
Julian laughed. "God, yes. I'm framing it. Right above the sink."
But Mina didn't laugh. She stared at the display a moment longer, then at Velmir.
"You know… people like us don't usually get seats at these tables."
Velmir met her gaze, voice low and clear. "Then let's build our own damn table."
🎉 Scene 3: Party Mode Activated
By late afternoon, the mansion transformed into a celebration fit for a teenage tech revolution.
Fairy lights wove through marble columns. Floating projectors displayed looping holograms of GlassReal's schematics. Music pulsed gently beneath the laughter — an alternating playlist of 90s hits and lo-fi jazz beats, courtesy of Viara's mixed taste.
Students from the science expo poured in. Teachers followed, hesitant at first, then wide-eyed at the indoor koi waterfall and ceiling that mimicked a dynamic sky.
Principal Hargrove arrived, looking both impressed and existentially confused.
One of the teachers leaned over to Viara, wine glass in hand. "Is the family… European royalty?"
Viara offered a tight smile. "No. Just aggressively tasteful."
🍕 Scene 4: Party Shenanigans
Velmir challenged his classmates to a VR racing match and was obliterated by Mina, who spun her victory into an ongoing speech about "top-speed feminism."
Julian hacked the speaker system halfway through and triggered an unexpected slow-motion dance party that involved too much finger-pointing and at least three teachers pretending not to enjoy it.
One drone waiter glitched, panicked mid-flight, and dropped an entire tray of tacos onto a media console. It sparked, sputtered, and rebooted — into Bach. Over Backstreet Boys.
Mina squinted at the speakers. "Velmir, your robot is playing classical disco."
Velmir shrugged. "She's evolving."
🌌 Scene 5: Quiet on the Balcony
Later, after most of the guests had left or sprawled on various plush beanbags, Velmir stood on the balcony with Mina and Julian.
The lake below glittered with the last of the sunset, the stars just starting to blink into view.
Velmir leaned on the railing, gaze distant. "You know," he murmured, "none of this existed twelve years ago. Not the company. Not the house. Not… me."
Mina stepped beside him, voice soft. "But you made it exist. That counts for everything."
Julian sipped a bottle of cider, eyes on the water. "I still can't believe your parents hold 51% of this thing and I've never met them."
Velmir's grin was quiet, private. "They're… mysterious. Think Batman. But with better hair."
All three laughed, the sound light and a little tired.
In his earpiece, Viara's voice whispered gently, "Would you like me to simulate fireworks?"
Velmir looked up at the stars.
"No," he murmured, smiling faintly. "The real ones are doing just fine."
And for that moment — on a balcony under real stars, with his best friends beside him and a company at his fingertips — Velmir Elvaris, reborn dragon and accidental boy genius, felt very, very human.
✅ End of Chapter 25: Glass, Shares, and Celebrations