Chapter 1: Pick 4000?!
"Hey, Lucy, before you leave for the day, turn in that report," an old man in a pristine black suit said, his voice carrying the easy authority of long habit. Despite the late hour, not a single crease marred his jacket.
Sitting at his desk and diligently typing away, Lucy glanced up with a practiced smile that never reached his eyes. "Yes, sir. I'm almost finished with it."
The older man—Lucy's boss—nodded once and disappeared back into his office, the door clicking shut behind him with a sound of finality.
As soon as he was out of sight, the smile slipped from Lucy's face, leaving a look of quiet resentment. His jaw tightened.
'Damn, I hate this stupid job... and these stupid reports,' he thought bitterly, raking his fingers through his long black hair in frustration. The strands fell back across his forehead, obscuring his pale eyes momentarily.
But no matter how much he hated it, none of that anger mattered. The simple truth was this: he got paid too well to care. Golden handcuffs, they called it.
He was learning why.
The office around him was mostly empty now, and the other cubicles were abandoned for the day.
He had always been quick to learn, whether riding a bike, fixing cars, or even teaching himself to code. It didn't matter what it was—he could figure it out if it needed doing. Given enough practice, there wasn't much that stayed out of reach.
A natural talent that had carried him far.
Although he was only nineteen, companies had practically broken down his door to recruit him.