The world does not end with fire and destruction, nor with a zombie apocalypse or a massive tsunami.
The world ends in solitude, buried beneath manipulated contracts and betrayal from the one he once considered his whole world.
At least, that was what Vincent Rothvale thought. He never imagined his downfall would come this fast.
With a tense expression, he walked down the cold marble corridor of the Imperial Hotel, the place where, just yesterday, he was on the verge of securing a monopoly deal, a multi-billion acquisition that was supposed to make Rothvale Enterprises one of the major players in the technology industry.
And just yesterday, his name was everywhere, on online news and television.
Vincent Rothvale, the New Market King - A Monopoly Deal in AI and Agriculture That Will Reshape the Country's Economy.
But today, every news platform tells a different story.
The Fall of Rothvale Enterprises - A Failed Deal, A Bankrupt Company.
When he arrived at the grand hall where his rival company's celebration was taking place, he hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to step inside or turn away.
The guests, dressed in expensive suits and gowns worth thousands of dollars, turned toward the entrance, watching him as he stood there.
He was already wearing his black suit, the one he had bought weeks ago—not for this event, but for his own victory celebration.
And the person who helped him choose it was the one he loved most in this world, his partner, the only person he truly trusted.
The murmurs from the guests, who had noticed his presence, pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Poor Vincent."
"All his efforts to win the contract ended in complete failure."
"Haha, he should've known that contract was never meant for a small company like his."
Vincent clenched his teeth at their whispers.
'You're all wrong. I didn't lose that contract because my company is small...' he thought, his gaze fixed on the stage at the end of the hall.
Standing there was a beautiful woman with long black hair and dark eyes, dressed in an elegant black gown. She was laughing, covering her mouth with one gloved hand, the black silk stretching all the way up to her elbow.
She was not wearing the dress he had bought for her. The gown and jewelry she wore now looked far more expensive, and he remembered the moment she had stopped in front of the boutique mannequin displaying that very dress.
The man standing beside her was undoubtedly the one who had purchased it for her—a young man with sharp features and a strong jawline, dressed in an impeccable suit, speaking with a group of businessmen while standing next to the woman Vincent once knew so well.
Seeing her, he ignored the murmurs around him and stepped forward, walking directly into the grand hall toward her.
Guests who noticed his arrival instinctively made way, some whispering to each other, others watching with expressions of anticipation, eager to witness the inevitable confrontation.
Selena Hilton, her name echoed in his mind over and over with every step he took toward the stage.
His lover. His manager. The one person he trusted most in this world.
And also a traitor.
For years, Selena had been his savior, his source of motivation. He had always worked hard to give her everything she wanted.
She had been by his side through sleepless nights while he built the AI-driven agriculture program. She had helped him shape business strategies, forging connections with influential figures in government and technology.
She had even helped him secure the tender that was supposed to change his company's fate forever.
But in the end, she sold what he had spent months creating, what had cost him endless nights of exhaustion—to his competitor. And worse, his competitor had greater funding and resources, allowing him to develop supporting programs for AI and agriculture.
And that damned contract slipped right into his hands, leaving Vincent with nothing.
She was the cause of it all. The woman who had once been his lover was now standing beside his rival, Pearson Voss, heir to Universe Enterprises.
And she smiled as he approached.
Seeing her smile sent a wave of fury through his mind, tangled with the burning question—why had she betrayed him?
As Vincent neared her, she took a small step away from the men she had been conversing with, and tilting her head slightly while holding a champagne glass close to her chest.
"You!" Vincent called out with a hoarse voice. "You stole my hard work and sold it to Universe Enterprises!"
Selena let out a soft, crisp laugh at his words.
"Oh, darling. I only helped others gain broader access to this program. But what can I say? You were destined to lose," she said then taking a slow sip of her champagne.
Vincent felt his blood boil.
"Why did you do this? I thought you were sincere!" he shouted, causing the entire room to fall silent and all eyes now fixed on the commotion unfolding at the edge of the stage.
Selena sighed and took a small step forward, moving closer to Vincent as he stood beneath the stage. She leaned in, her voice a whisper against his ear, "You will never understand the meaning of power and money, will you?"
Then she straightened, her gaze steady, and said, "You were never meant to have it all."
With those final words, she turned toward Pearson, who grinned and wrapped an arm around her waist, raising his champagne glass toward Vincent in a silent toast.
Moments later, Vincent felt strong hands gripping his arms. Security, having received Pearson's signal, seized him and dragged him away.
Even they, mere security staff, treated him like garbage. He was shoved out of the hotel, forced into the cold street where snow blanketed the ground, with no chance to grab his coat.
He tried to go back inside, claiming he just needed to retrieve his coat, but one of the reception guards tossed his old coat at him instead, sending it flying toward where he stood, shivering on the sidewalk.