"I Do"

Chapter 1

Akira

The grand ballroom of the economic conference buzzed with activity, the air charged with the anticipation of unveiling groundbreaking innovations and forming critical alliances.

Akira stood poised at the center of it all, her presence commanding respect.

Clad in an elegant sari that spoke of understated power, she engaged effortlessly with CEOs, startup founders, and industry experts.

A young founder, nervous yet determined, approached her with a question that had clearly been on his mind.

"Why do you have a Japanese name?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly.With a warm smile that instantly put him at ease, Akira replied, "My father thought it was a suitable name, so I was given it.

It's actually quite advantageous. It often serves as an icebreaker with new acquaintances, just like now."The founder relaxed, realizing that the magnates of generational wealth were approachable, contrary to his initial expectations.

Akira's grace and openness were disarming, breaking down preconceived notions of arrogance often associated with immense wealth.

"People coming from generational wealth are indeed polite and graceful," he thought, a newfound respect blossoming within him.

Vasco

In a high-rise office across the city, Vasco was orchestrating a ruthless symphony of power and manipulation.

He stood by the vast windows that offered a sweeping view of the city below, his gaze unwavering, as though the entire skyline was merely a chessboard awaiting his next move.

His suit was crisp, tailored to perfection, and his expression steely, showing no trace of hesitation as he held the phone, issuing orders that would make or break the future of a startup that was not ready to come under ITS.

The call was tense, his words slicing through the silence in the room like a blade.

"If they're not ready to sell," he said, his voice smooth but edged with steel, "create a hoax in the market.
Sink their credibility, throw shadows on their business.

I want whispers circulating. Enough to shake the trust of their investors and have clients second-guessing their loyalty."

There was a pause, a crackle on the other end of the line.

The faint sound of someone stammering, a hesitation Vasco was quick to crush.

"And make sure their ex-employees don't land jobs in this industry for at least the next nine months.

We don't need anyone fueling sympathy or solidarity against us. No sympathy, no protest against them," he added, his tone growing sharper. "In fact, do the opposite.

Arrange some ‘concerned citizens’ to hold public demonstrations outside their headquarters. Stir the pot, escalate.

Let the media pick up on it. Once their reputation starts to crumble and their resilience fades, we’ll swoop in and take what’s ours."

He hung up, a faint smirk twisting his lips as he envisioned the dominoes falling exactly as he’d planned. Vasco’s methods were brutal, but they were meticulously effective.

Each step he took, every command he issued, was a calculated move to ensure ITS stayed miles ahead of any competition.

He wasn’t just the CEO; he was the enforcer, the unseen hand guiding and crushing obstacles as needed.

He glanced out the window, the city’s lights flickering like tiny beacons of lives he was ready to upend if they dared challenge him.

For Vasco, business was war—a game of calculated chaos, where every piece on the board was disposable.

He would make sure ITS reigned as an unchallenged behemoth, and if it meant breaking a few lives and dismantling reputations along the way, so be it.

This was his arena, his domain, and the only rules were his own.