Chapter 1 - The Weight of Gravity
Marcus’s jaw practically unhinged. The custom key fob he had dropped on the floor now looked like a worthless piece of plastic. He stared at the glowing dashboard, then back at Toby, the "vagrant" who was currently bathed in the ambient light of a multi-million-dollar hypercar.
"System error," Marcus stammered, his voice cracking, entirely stripped of its former bravado. "That’s a glitch. You hacked it. You street trash, you hacked my father’s car!"
"Your father’s car?" Toby replied, his voice a calm, chilling baritone. He stepped past Marcus, resting a hand on the matte-black hood. "Your father, Richard Vance, leases this vehicle through a shell corporation. A shell corporation owned by Vanguard Holdings. Vanguard Holdings is a subsidiary of Thorne Industries. My family's company."
The private security guards, who had been ready to toss Toby out by his collar, suddenly took two very deliberate steps back. They recognized the name Thorne. Everyone in the financial district did. It was old money, ruthless money, the kind of money that could erase a person's existence with a single phone call.
"Now," Toby said, his eyes locking onto Marcus. "We made a deal. On your knees."
Marcus’s face flushed a violent crimson. "Do you know who I am? I am a Vance! I don't kneel to anyone, let alone some cosplaying billionaire!" He lunged forward, throwing a wild, desperate punch aimed at Toby’s jaw.
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Toby didn't flinch. He simply sidestepped, grabbed Marcus by the collar of his designer shirt, and used the golden boy's momentum against him. With a sharp twist and a sweep of his leg, Toby sent Marcus crashing hard onto the oil-stained concrete.
"Security," Toby said casually, looking at the stunned guards. "Escort Mr. Vance off my property. He’s trespassing."
