Chapter 431: Teens and dreams!!
Evening.
Miles’ phone vibrated just as he was leaving his office.
He glanced at the screen.
Chloe.
A small smile appeared before he answered.
"Yes?"
Her voice came immediately.
"Are you going home?"
"Yes."
Miles stepped into the elevator.
"Why?"
"Can you pick me up?"
"Sure."
Then he paused.
"What happened to your car?"
Chloe hesitated for half a second.
"Sister Monica has a date."
Miles’ smile widened.
"Ah."
"I told her I’ll manage."
Miles pressed the button for the parking level.
"I’m on the way."
"Thank you, dear husband."
The call ended.
Miles chuckled.
"Date..."
Monica would probably kill him if he teased her too much.
Probably.
...
Instead of heading directly toward Pearl Villa, Miles turned the car toward the business district.
Soul Tower appeared ahead soon after.
Even among Star Harbor’s rapidly growing skyline, the building stood out.
Its enormous digital facade was currently cycling through advertisements.
Reaper Entertainment.
Technology campaigns.
Upcoming shows.
Business promotions.
And, occasionally, announcements from companies within the Reaper network.
Miles parked near the entrance.
His phone rang again.
He answered.
"You downstairs?"
Chloe asked.
"Yes."
"Coming."
"Take your time."
Miles ended the call and stepped out.
Employees were leaving for the day.
The entrance plaza was full of people in formal clothes, carrying laptops, office bags and coffee cups.
Miles looked up at Soul Tower.
For a moment, an idea crossed his mind.
"Should I move my office here?"
He stared at the building.
Then immediately shook his head.
"No."
"That would be too much."
Miles casually looked around.
Most people nearby were corporate employees.
Business suits.
ID cards.
Formal shoes.
But one group stood out.
Teenagers.
Five of them.
They wore casual clothes, backpacks and sneakers.
They were taking pictures of themselves with Soul Tower behind them.
One boy moved back repeatedly, trying to fit the entire building into the frame.
Miles smiled faintly.
"Dreaming big?"
He watched them for a moment.
"I wonder what they want to become."
A finger tapped his back.
Miles turned.
Chloe stood behind him.
"Let’s go, dear husband."
Miles smiled immediately.
"Done?"
"Finally."
"Long day?"
"Very."
He opened the passenger door for her.
"Then let’s go home."
Before Chloe could enter...
"Miss Chloe!"
A girl’s voice came from behind.
Both turned.
The teenagers Miles had just been watching were running toward them.
The girl in front looked especially excited.
"Miss Chloe, please wait!"
Chloe stared at her.
Then recognition slowly appeared.
"Wait..."
The girl stopped before them, slightly out of breath.
Chloe smiled.
"I remember you."
The girl’s eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Anna, right?"
Anna’s entire face brightened.
"Yes!"
She looked genuinely relieved.
"Thank God you remember me."
Miles looked between them.
"Your friend?"
Chloe shook her head slightly.
"We met in New York."
Then she looked proudly toward Anna.
"She’s a good designer."
Miles raised an eyebrow.
"A designer?"
Anna smiled awkwardly.
"I’m still learning."
Chloe turned toward the rest of the teenagers.
"Tell me, what are all of you doing here?"
Anna adjusted the strap of her backpack.
"My parents transferred to Citadel a few months ago."
"Oh."
Chloe nodded.
Anna gestured toward the others.
"These are my school friends."
Then she smiled.
"And my teammates."
Chloe immediately greeted them.
"Hello, everyone."
Several voices answered together.
"Hello, Miss Chloe."
"Good evening."
"Hello."
Miles looked amused.
He leaned slightly toward Chloe.
"They’re very well behaved for teenagers."
The group laughed nervously.
Miles continued,
"Let me guess."
"You all are the studious type."
Anna immediately placed one hand against her forehead.
"Are we that obvious?"
Miles laughed.
"Maybe."
He offered a friendly smile.
"I’m Miles."
Before he could say anything else, Chloe casually added,
"My husband."
Anna froze.
Her teammates did too.
For a second...
No one spoke.
Then Anna’s eyes widened.
"Really?"
Chloe started laughing.
Anna immediately became embarrassed.
"Sorry."
"I mean..."
"Congratulations!"
"I didn’t know you got married."
Chloe smiled.
"It’s alright."
Anna looked between them.
Then seemed to remember why they had come.
"Also, I’m sorry for disturbing you."
"We didn’t really have a proper way to get an appointment with you."
"So..."
She looked toward Soul Tower.
"We thought we’d wait here."
Chloe blinked.
"For me?"
Anna nodded.
Miles looked toward their backpacks.
Then toward the group.
Interesting.
Chloe asked,
"You said you’re teammates."
"Yes."
Her expression changed.
"Wait."
"You’re here for Sterling Launchpad?"
All five nodded.
Miles smiled.
Chloe immediately asked,
"Where is your escort?"
Anna became suspiciously quiet.
"So..."
"Anna."
"Our teacher came with us."
Chloe crossed her arms.
"And where is your teacher?"
Anna looked toward her teammates.
One boy coughed.
Another looked away.
Anna finally admitted,
"We kind of ditched him."
Miles burst out laughing.
Chloe looked toward him.
"They sound like teenagers now."
Miles nodded.
"Definitely."
Anna smiled awkwardly.
"He wouldn’t have let us come."
"Why?"
"Because we have preparation sessions."
Chloe stared.
Anna immediately added,
"We finished most of today’s work."
"Mostly."
One teammate whispered,
"We’re dead when we return."
Miles heard it.
His smile widened.
Chloe sighed, but she was clearly amused.
"Alright."
"Why were you looking for me?"
Anna became serious.
"We need some help."
"What kind?"
Anna looked toward one of her teammates.
The boy stepped forward.
"We’re developing something for gamers."
𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
Miles became interested.
"For gamers?"
The teenager nodded.
He opened a tablet from his bag.
Their explanation was brief, but clear.
Chloe leaned toward the screen.
"This is cool."
Miles was watching too.
"Very cool."
He looked toward them.
"Why hasn’t someone done this properly already?"
Anna smiled.
"The idea itself isn’t completely unique."
"The problem is optimization."
Another teammate added,
"It becomes too resource-heavy if you build it the obvious way."
Miles looked toward the demonstration.
"But you found a way around it?"
Anna nodded proudly.
"Yes."
"And..."
She hesitated.
"We have IP protection for our method."
Miles’ eyebrows rose.
"Woah."
He looked toward Chloe.
"These kids came prepared."
Chloe smiled.
"Very prepared."
Anna took a breath.
"That’s why we wanted to meet you, Miss Chloe."
Chloe listened.
"We were wondering..."
"If your company could try our prototype."
Anna looked nervous now.
"And if you genuinely like it..."
"Maybe endorse it."
One teammate added,
"We thought having support from a gaming company would strengthen our position at Launchpad."
Anna nodded.
"We don’t want fake support."
"Just someone established who actually tried it."
Miles looked at the group.
"So..."
He smiled.
"You ditched your teacher."
The teenagers became awkward again.
"Traveled all the way into the business district."
Anna lowered her head.
"And waited outside this building."
He laughed softly.
"I like your passion."
Chloe looked toward Anna.
"I would love to try it."
Every face brightened.
"And if it’s good..."
"I wouldn’t mind endorsing it."
Their expressions became excited.
Then Chloe sighed.
"But..."
Every smile disappeared immediately.
Anna looked worried.
"But?"
Chloe slowly looked toward Miles.
He understood.
Miles stepped forward.
"Actually..."
"She’s not allowed to."
Anna frowned.
"Not allowed?"
One of the teenagers immediately opened something on the tablet.
"But..."
"We read the Launchpad rules carefully."
Another nodded.
"It says the project cannot already be supported by entities directly connected with Sterling Enterprises."
Anna looked toward Chloe.
Miles smiled.
"You’re right."
The teenagers looked confused.
"That’s exactly why she’s not allowed."
Anna stared.
Miles continued,
"Chloe is one of the chairs of the Sterling Foundation."
Silence.
Then several expressions changed at once.
"What?"
Anna looked toward Chloe.
"You’re on the Sterling Foundation trust?"
Chloe nodded apologetically.
"Yes."
Miles added,
"And she’ll likely be involved with the final pitching panel."
Anna’s face fell.
Chloe continued,
"Sterling Enterprises is also one of Tulip Corp’s major investors."
The teenagers looked at each other.
Their disappointment was obvious.
Anna slowly lowered the tablet.
"It’s our fault."
Chloe immediately replied,
"No."
"We should’ve researched more."
Anna sighed.
"We spent so much time checking the rules that we didn’t properly check you."
Chloe looked genuinely unhappy too.
She wanted to help them.
But Launchpad was a national competition.
Hundreds of teams were participating.
If she personally endorsed one before judging began...
Even with honest intentions, it could look biased.
Miles watched their faces for a moment.
Then asked,
"Why are you all getting disappointed?"
Everyone looked toward him.
Miles smiled.
"How about I help?"
Anna’s expression brightened slightly.
"You can?"
Then she cautiously asked,
"Sir, do you work with a gaming company too?"
Chloe immediately covered her smile.
Miles looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Miles returned his attention to Anna.
"No."
Then he sighed.
"Unfortunately, just like her..."
"I’m also bound by Launchpad rules."
The teenagers looked even more confused now.
"But..."
Miles continued,
"You don’t need us."
Anna blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"You want someone established to test your concept."
"Right?"
"Yes."
"Someone who understands gaming."
"Yes."
"Someone whose opinion carries weight with players."
Anna nodded eagerly.
Miles smiled.
"I know someone."
Every teenager leaned closer.
"He’d probably love this concept."
Anna’s eyes widened.
"Really?"
Even Chloe turned toward him.
"Really?"
Miles looked at her.
"Why do you sound more surprised than them?"
"Because I want to know too."
Miles laughed.
Then he looked toward the teenagers.
"But listen carefully."
They immediately became serious.
"An endorsement won’t give you extra marks at Sterling Launchpad."
Miles’ tone changed.
Less playful now.
More like the businessman they didn’t yet realize they were speaking to.
"If you walk onto that stage and say some famous person supports you..."
"Do you know what the panel will do?"
Anna thought.
"Ask questions?"
"They’ll tear the idea apart."
The teenagers became quiet.
Miles continued,
"That’s their job."
"They’ll ask why anyone needs your product."
"How big the market is."
"How much it costs."
"How you’ll make money."
"How competitors can copy you."
"Why your IP actually matters."
"What happens if a larger company builds something similar."
"How you scale."
"How you support users."
"Whether your entire business survives once the novelty disappears."
He looked toward them.
"And if your only defense is..."
"’A famous gamer likes us...’"
Miles shook his head.
"You’ll lose."
Anna slowly looked toward her teammates.
The excitement on their faces was changing into thoughtfulness.
She finally nodded.
"I understand."
Miles waited.
Anna continued,
"Instead of relying on someone’s support..."
"We should build something that deserves support."
Miles smiled.
"Exactly."
"And if we get an endorsement..."
Anna looked toward the prototype.
"It should validate the product."
"Not carry the pitch."
Miles nodded.
"Good."
Chloe smiled proudly at the group.
Miles suddenly asked,
"Do you know Seven Tailed Fox?"
One teenager immediately looked up.
"The gamer?"
Another almost shouted,
"That Seven Tailed Fox?"
Miles smiled.
"The famous one."
The teenagers stared.
"The one nobody has seen?"
"Yes."
"The tournament player?"
"Yes."
Miles laughed.
"The same."
Anna looked shocked.
"You know him?"
"Personally."
The reactions were immediate.
"No way."
"Seriously?"
"How?"
Miles ignored the last question.
"Give me your contact details."
Anna quickly opened the tablet again.
Miles continued,
"I’ll send your information to him."
"But..."
He lifted one finger.
"I’m not asking him to endorse you."
The teenagers listened carefully.
"I’ll only ask him to look at what you’ve built."
"If he contacts you..."
"Pitch it."
"Let him test it."
"If he likes it, ask him yourself."
Miles smiled.
"I can show you the road."
"You have to walk it."
Anna nodded.
"We understand."
"There are four days before Launchpad begins."
Miles continued,
"You have four days."
"But don’t sit around waiting for him."
One of the teens nodded.
"Keep preparing."
"Exactly."
Miles smiled.
"Always have another plan."
"Plan B?"
Miles shook his head.
"Plan C too."
Anna laughed.
"Understood."
Chloe looked toward them.
"Happy now?"
The teenagers nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes!"
"Thank you, Miss Chloe."
"Thank you, sir."
Anna smiled brightly.
"Your husband is amazing."
Chloe immediately looked proud.
"I know."
Miles stared at her.
"You agreed very quickly."
"Of course."
The teenagers laughed.
Anna looked at the time.
"We should leave."
One teammate’s face suddenly changed.
"Our teacher."
Another whispered,
"We’re definitely dead."
Miles chuckled.
"Wait."
Anna stopped.
"I’ll arrange a car."
"No, sir, it’s alright."
"It’s getting late."
Miles looked toward the roads around the corporate district.
"Office hours just ended."
"Public transport is going to be packed."
Chloe nodded.
"I agree."
Anna looked toward her teammates.
Then smiled.
"Thank you."
Miles checked something on his phone.
"But before that..."
The teenagers looked toward him.
He smiled.
"Who is hungry?"
Every teenager suddenly became very quiet.
Miles pointed toward the next building.
"There’s a good cheeseburger place next door."
Then looked toward Chloe.
"Miss Chloe’s treat."
The group immediately cheered.
Chloe laughed.
"Of course."
Miles smiled.
"You wanted to help them."
Chloe shook her head.
"Come on."
"Let’s eat."
...
Twenty minutes later...
The teenagers who had approached Chloe nervously outside Soul Tower were sitting around two tables with burgers, fries and drinks.
The seriousness of patents, prototypes and Launchpad had temporarily disappeared.
They were just school students again.
Arguing about fries.
Comparing drinks.
Trying to decide whether their teacher would forgive them.
Miles and Chloe sat nearby.
Chloe watched them laugh.
Then looked toward Miles.
He had always been like this.
Finding small chances to make someone smile.
Making difficult moments lighter without making a big deal out of it.
Eventually, the Sterling Security car arrived.
...
Outside Soul Tower.
The group gathered near the vehicle.
Miles pointed toward the driver.
"This is Luke."
Luke smiled from beside the car.
"Hello."
Miles continued,
"He’ll drop you wherever you’re staying."
Anna nodded.
"Thank you."
Miles looked at all of them.
"And next time..."
Their expressions became guilty already.
"...don’t wander around the business district without your escort."
Anna smiled awkwardly.
"Understood."
One teammate whispered,
"Our teacher is going to say exactly the same thing."
Miles laughed.
"Then listen to him."
Chloe waved.
"Bye, everyone."
"Good luck."
"Bye, Miss Chloe!"
"Thank you!"
The teenagers entered the car.
Anna lowered the window.
"We’ll do our best."
Chloe smiled.
"I’ll see you at Launchpad."
That immediately reminded them who they had to impress.
Anna nodded seriously.
"Yes."
The car drove away.
Miles looked toward Chloe.
"Ready to finally go home?"
Chloe took his hand.
"Yes."
...
Inside the moving Sterling Security vehicle...
For the first few minutes, everyone was silent.
Then one teammate turned toward Anna.
"Anna."
"Hmm?"
"How do you know someone from the Sterling Foundation?"
Anna looked out the window.
"I didn’t know she was part of it."
"What?"
Anna shook her head.
"Last time I met Miss Chloe..."
"She was a startup founder."
The others looked surprised.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
Anna smiled.
"She was amazing even then."
"Now she’s part of Sterling Foundation..."
Another teammate leaned back.
"She achieved so much in such a short time."
Anna nodded.
"She’s an inspiration."
One girl smiled.
"I think Mr. Miles is cool too."
Another nodded quickly.
"Very cool."
"Miss Chloe is lucky."
Anna smiled.
"Yeah."
Then she noticed one boy sitting strangely quiet near the window.
"Why are you so silent?"
He didn’t answer.
Anna leaned closer.
"Where are you lost?"
The boy slowly looked at everyone.
"Didn’t you notice something weird?"
The conversation stopped.
"What?"
He frowned.
"Mr. Miles said he’s bound by the Launchpad rules too."
Anna blinked.
"So?"
"He arrived there to pick up Miss Chloe."
Another teammate nodded.
"Yeah."
"So he probably doesn’t work for Tulip."
Anna thought.
"Maybe he’s part of Sterling Foundation too."
The boy looked at her.
"Maybe."
Then he slowly opened his phone.
"But..."
Everyone leaned closer.
"Do you know the Chairman of Sterling Enterprises is also named Miles?"
Silence.
Anna stared.
"No."
"Yes."
He turned the screen toward them.
The others looked.
Then at each other.
Then back at the screen.
Anna’s mouth slowly opened.
"You think..."
The boy continued,
"Same first name."
"Bound by Launchpad rules."
"And Miss Chloe is married to him."
All five slowly looked toward the driver.
Luke saw them through the rearview mirror.
He already knew what was coming.
Anna leaned forward.
"Mr. Luke?"
"Yes?"
"If you don’t mind..."
"Can we ask you something?"
Luke smiled.
"Sure."
"Who do you work for?"
"Sterling Private Security Services."
The teenagers froze.
Anna’s eyes widened.
"No way."
Luke almost laughed.
One teammate whispered,
"It’s true."
Another leaned forward.
"So..."
"The person we just met..."
"The man Miss Chloe married..."
Luke looked at them through the mirror.
Then smiled.
"Yes."
He returned his eyes to the road.
"He’s my boss."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then one girl whispered,
"We just asked the Chairman of Sterling Enterprises if he works for a gaming company."
Luke laughed.
Another covered his face.
"And he bought us burgers."
Anna stared out the window in disbelief.
Luke smiled.
"He’s cool, right?"
This time...
Every teenager answered together.
"Very."