Chapter 2

That coveted Global Elite Black Card, a symbol of six hundred million dollars in untapped wealth, lay discarded at the bottom of a trash can, as if cowering in bitter, humiliating defeat.

The system erupted into a frantic tirade inside my mind.

"Host! This is six hundred million dollars in unlimited credit! Six hundred million! How could you throw it away and stomp on it without a single hesitation?"

I paid the raging system no mind at all.

It was the old Evan who'd been blinded by rage and obsession—not me.

I wanted nothing more than a peaceful, low-profile life, and I had zero interest in getting tangled up in the male lead's petty rivalry.

I brushed the dust off my hands and walked away without a single backward glance.

The entire crowd remained frozen in place, stunned speechless.

My assistant filled me in on the aftermath later that night.

The janitor had fished the card out of the trash, and her son took it straight to the bank. He walked out moments later with full access to the six-hundred-million-dollar line of credit, no questions asked.

The entire family quit their jobs overnight, liquidated all their assets, and fled overseas that very day, ready to spend the rest of their lives in extravagant luxury.

Gossip spread like wildfire throughout the company and high-society circles alike.

Whispers and rumors ran wild: the Sterling heir had either lost his mind, or he was so impossibly laid-back that he'd tossed aside six hundred million dollars without a shred of regret.

Only I knew the hidden truth.

I hadn't thrown away money that day.

I'd thrown away the first deadly bait meant to lure me to an early grave.

I'd thought I'd successfully dodged a major plot disaster and could finally enjoy a few days of peace.

Yet the system's urgent alert popped up far sooner than I'd anticipated, sharp and insistent.

"Ding! Hidden Exclusive Plot Opportunity Detected!

"Deep inside the secured vault in your ancestral manor's private study lies the Sterling Family Business Codex, left behind by your late grandfather.

"This ancient manuscript outlines Riverton's economic forecasts for the next decade, plus the critical vulnerabilities of every top-tier corporate rival. Claim this relic, and you will monopolize half the region's commerce, cementing yourself as Lucas Carter's permanent, unrivaled archrival."

A cold shiver ran straight down my spine.

That book immediately set off alarm bells in my head.

The original Evan had been able to go toe-to-toe with Lucas Carter—blessed with plot armor and all—precisely because of that so-called Business Bible.

And it was that very book that pushed Lucas to deploy his most ruthless, underhanded schemes, bent on destroying Evan for good.

This was no business bible. It was a bound collection of death traps, wrapped in fine leather and gilded detailing.

That afternoon, I drove out to the Sterling ancestral estate.

It was a timeless luxury residence with classic high-class elegance—quietly opulent, exquisitely refined, and to outsiders, an undeniable symbol of immense wealth and social prestige.

But to me? Every corner hid a hidden snare, waiting to snap shut the second I let my guard down.

The study was tucked away in the deepest wing of the mansion, with the safe concealed behind a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf and protected by both fingerprint scanners and a passcode lock.

I stood in front of it, took a slow, steady breath, feeling tension coiled tight in my chest.

The safe emitted a soft, electronic beep, and its door swung open silently.

Inside rested a small leather-bound book, its cover embossed with gold foil and carved with intricate wildlife engravings.

No guesswork needed—this was the infamous Business Bible.

I flipped casually through its pages, my fingers brushing over the crisp, thick paper.

After just a few lines, another cold shiver slithered down my spine.

It laid everything out in plain black and white: which industries would boom the following year, which neighborhoods would skyrocket in property value, which corporations would collapse into bankruptcy—all dated to the exact month.

This relic was nothing but unfiltered trouble. Holding it felt like clutching a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate at any second.

Whoever possessed it was essentially signing their own death warrant.

I snapped the book shut, strode out to the stone patio table in the backyard, and pulled a lighter from my pocket.

A sharp click cut through the quiet garden air.

A tiny flame flickered to life, dancing gently in the breeze.

I held the Business Bible—the priceless treasure countless tycoons would kill to obtain—over the flame.

The pages sizzled and curled as they burned, gilded lettering charring and melting away into smoke, leaving only gray ash in its wake.

The system screamed inside my head, nearly short-circuiting from sheer panic and rage.

"Host! That is the holy grail of the business world! A once-in-a-lifetime chance to seize ultimate power! And you just burned it to ashes?!"

"Burning it's the simplest way to keep my life easy," I muttered, watching the flames consume the last remaining pages.

I exhaled slowly, feeling a heavy weight lift from my shoulders as the so-called Business Bible turned to cinders. For the first time in days, I felt truly relaxed and at peace.

Nothing—not wealth, not power, not status—mattered more than staying alive.