Atlas was lying on the floor, his eyes closed. When Aurora lost its hold on his nervous system, he took a breath. He sat and looked at his forearm as an interface appeared.
Atlas used his finger to look through it. After he was sure that he oversaw everything, including Stellargate he stood up. He was standing on a round platform in the middle of a starry place.
Around him were millions of closed doors, all leading to different worlds. He stepped out of the platform, but instead of falling, a small platform big enough for his feet materialized underneath him.
He walked, his eyes never leaving one door until he reached it. He turned the handle, and the door opened, but there was nothing behind it. He could only see stars. He smiled and took a step over the threshold, then disappeared.
When Atlas opened his eyes, he was lying on a king-sized bed. He stood up and looked around. After looking at the beautiful bedroom, he went to his walk-in closet.
He caressed the expensive name-brand shirts with a smile. From the decorations of the room and the clothing, it was clear that the original had a lavish taste. He sat on the bed again and used Aurora to receive the world's information.
The original was 16 years old, known as Yunchen. Yunchen was born out of wedlock into a wealthy family. His father and mother had twins when they were only 16.
His father named him the heir of Liu Tech. He wrote in his will that if anything were to happen, Yunchen would inherit the company once he turns 20. A year after that, he died in a car crash.
Every member of the family schemed to get the company. After receiving an offer from Ji Shengli, the leader in the technology industry, Liu Jing his mother accepted.
She married him and let him run the company until Yunchen turns 20. After the wedding, they all moved to Shengli's home. Yunchen's life there was difficult because of A-Xue his twin brother.
Yunchen had always been close to his father, while A-Xue was close to his mother. Thereupon his death he felt lonely, he only got along with him. His father was the only one who didn't think he was conceited and condescending.
With his twin antagonizing him, he became colder. He always threw in his mother's and brother's faces the fact that he was the heir. Because he knew that it was their sore spot.
His mother thought that the company should have been A-Xue's, and he was well aware of it. His brother wanted the company, so he did everything in his power, to have him thrown out of the family.
He created tension between Yunchen and his mother. When he saw that Yunchen was indifferent, he made his life at school unbearable. Yunchen would often get into fights and arguments because of that.
The school the twins were enrolled in, was owned by Shengli. Jing was worried that he might divorce her because of that.
She wouldn't listen to Yunchen's explanation and would regularly threaten him and say that he wouldn't run the company once he turns 20. Those threats wouldn't work on him, since his father's will was legally binding.
Seeing that she couldn't get to him like that, she schemed with A-Xue and tarnished his reputation once and for all.
She knew that the board of directors wouldn't accept having a president with a poor reputation. She would have a reason to toss him out of the house, without people saying she was a negligent mother.
One day when Yunchen was leaving school, instead of being driven home, the driver stopped in front of a hotel. He drugged him and gave him to a man waiting.
Their multiple men abused him, and the next day, the pictures spread throughout the entire school. His mother immediately threw him out, using that as an excuse, and he ended up in the street.
A-Xue went to see him to take pleasure in his suffering. When Yunchen found out that they were responsible for everything, he tried to hit him, but before he could, A-Xue stabbed him. A-Xue watched his collapsed body in happiness and left.
The next day, they put a homeless man in jail for the crime. A-Xue solidified his relationship with Shengli and took over Liu Tech when he turned 20. Thanks to his stepfather, Liu Tech became a force to be reckoned with.
Atlas opened his eyes, and ridicule passed through them. The original was far too nice in his opinion. I'm not. He won't stop until A-Xue dies, but first, he'll make sure he suffers.
A knock was heard at the door.
"First young master, dinner is ready. Are you coming down?"
"I'll be right there."
The maid was surprised by his response. Usually, he would eat in his room like the others weren't good enough to be around him. Atlas got down from the bed and left for the bathroom.
He glanced at his reflection. He had wavy dark hair and a round face. With his almond-shaped green eyes, and his well-set straight nose, paired with full red lips, he looked handsome.
Except that his face was covered in red bruises. He stared at his forearm and smiled. An interface appeared with multiple options. With that, he's like a god, the opposite of what he's always been.
Thinking of all those years of pain, he sneered. He tapped on the interface of Aurora and put his body in its most optimal condition. All the bruises disappeared.
Aurora has been his boss for the past thousands of lives. But now he has full control of it and Stellargate. All the power is his. He peered at his reflection one last time and left downstairs.
He entered the dining room and sat at the end of the table facing Shengli.
"Hello."
Atlas's hello was only destined for Shengli, and his mother and A-Xue were painfully aware of it. Atlas looked at Shengli, his skin was fair and glowy. He had curly dark hair, and a chiseled jawline.
He had an aquiline nose and gold eyes. He looked very handsome, but he couldn't understand why a rich 27 years old man would marry Jing, who had two children in tow. It's not like he needs the company, the man is the richest in the country.
Liu Tech is a speck of dust next to his company, Nexus. He doesn't believe he loves her. He saw the way he looked at her when he entered. Plus, out of this marriage, the one advantaged is his dear mother.
Shengli looked at Atlas and said:
"Hello Atlas, I'm glad you've joined us for dinner."
Multiple maids came in putting plates in front of everybody, when they were gone Atlas asked:
"Do you mean that?"
Everyone looked at Atlas, surprised when they saw he meant his question. Shengli looked into his eyes. He could tell that he was trying to decide something based on his answer.
If he can help him he will, so he answered honestly.
"I do."
Atlas looked at him for a few seconds, then nodded, looking down. He grabbed his chopsticks and started eating. A-Xue looked at him, not understanding what is wrong with him.
A-Xue thought that he would be angry after the day he had. He had paid multiple kids from school to fight with him again. At the end of the day, he fought with four different people.
When they left school, his face was filled with bruises, and he had a hard time walking. But right now, he doesn't look like he's been in any fight or pain. If anything, Atlas looks even more handsome than before. A-Xuan frowned.
His mother yelled at Atlas a few days ago for fighting, so he knows she's close to giving up on him. This is the sixth time he paid for this. He intended to talk about it during dinner, but Atlas came to eat with them.
He would usually lock himself in his room. How would puny humans like them be good enough to eat with a president? A-Xue thought for a few seconds, maybe it's a good thing he's here.
He smiled and looked up when he heard his mother ask:
"A-Xue sweetie, how was school?"
"It was great mother, at least for me."
He looked toward Atlas, then at his plate again. Jing immediately understood and looked at Atlas angrily.
"Did you get into a fight again?"
Atlas met her eyes and revealed:
"Mother, I've always believed that you were more attached to A-Xue than you were to me. Even when my father was alive, I was aware of it, but I had him. It was only when he died that I realized that I was wrong. You only love him, which is okay, I've accepted it. Why would I want your poisonous love?"
He sneered:
"But can you at least pretend to care for me?"
Jing has genuinely no feelings for Atlas. She always told her husband that A-Xue should inherit the company. But his husband always said that he thought that A-Xue was too scheming, and only cared about power.
While Atlas had a genuine love for the tech world. When the original died, she just had his body cremated and tossed the urn in the trash.
Jing looked at Atlas wide-eyed, then looked at Shengli worried. She can't have that selfish son of hers ruin her new life. Shengli has to think that I'm a good mother, he can't know how much I loathe that bastard.
Besides, now that she's married to him, she's become the leader of her group of friends. Everyone worships her for landing Shengli. Before her, he never dated anyone seriously and only cared about making money.
If people knew that it was just a deal, they wouldn't be jealous, but she has no plan of telling anyone.
Shengli and hers relationship is a contract, nothing else. She thought that once they were married, she could seduce him. But that man is like a wall of ice, and he would never let her in his room.
But she'll never give up, if she becomes pregnant with his child, her life will be set. She has less than four years before the end of their agreement.
He said that they would stay married until Atlas turns 20 and take over Liu Tech. However, she has no intention of letting him go, ever.
Shengli looked at Atlas, he looked like he's been going through a lot since the passing of his father.
He knows that he's been getting into fights and arguments, but it doesn't seem to be his type, despite his condescending attitude and cutthroat remarks.
Shengli can see that Jing doesn't love him either, even a blind man could see that. He doubted that Atlas could though, since he's often in his world.
Jing coughed and scolded:
"Stop playing the victim to get away with fighting. I'm sick of this, this is the sixth time Atlas. Sixth! I won't tolerate it anymore."
Atlas ignored her and looked at Shengli.
"Can you talk to someone there to find out what's going on? This is the sixth time that multiple students came to me to start a fight out of nowhere."
Jing scoffed:
"Are you trying to blame someone else for your fighting with people? You can't even take responsibility for that? If you make a mistake, you admit it and be better. But you've only become worst since your father's passing."
Atlas threatened with cold eyes:
"Mention father one more time, and you'll see how difficult I can be."
Jing looked at him stunned. Even if Atlas always has a bad attitude, he never threatened her before.
Atlas' eyes became dull again as he said:
"I won't take accountability for something that I'm not responsible for. I'm only liable for hitting back. Clearly, someone has been paying them to make my life at school difficult."
A-Xue sneered:
"Yes, of course, there's a big conspiracy and someone is pulling the strings."
At that, Jing laughed, as she looked at Atlas mockingly.
Atlas looked at both of them and sneered:
"I wouldn't expect someone as idiotic as you two to see beneath the surface."
He ignored the infuriated look directed at him and asked Shengli:
"Can you help me, please?"
Shengli looked into his eyes, from the beginning he was sure he was telling the truth.
"I will."
When Jing and A-Xue heard his answer, they both looked at him surprised.
Atlas finished eating in silence and left for his room. After taking a shower, he sat at his desk and looked online. He linked Aurora to it and searched for the best school in B country.
He doesn't intend to stay in A Country, he'll come back once he finishes school. He already has more than enough knowledge to run any company, but the original doesn't.
He only asked Shengli for help to see what kind of person he was and see if he could be helpful. After he saw a glimpse of his personality, he decided to investigate him. Thirty minutes later Atlas leaned back on his chair thinking.
No wonder he rescued her. When the original's father died, everyone started to fight to get their hands on the company. Even if he were to inherit it once he turns 20, it meant nothing.
By the time he comes of age, the person running it, could've easily turned the entire board of directors against him or have him killed.
The hardest part is to get your hand on the president's seat, everything after that is a piece of cake. Shengli married Jing, so he would run the company until Atlas turns 20, and become the president.
He married her so no one would complain about a stranger running it. Plus he's Shengli, everyone knows him. The shareholders were over the moon when they found out. But why would Shengli help a perfect stranger?
Turns out, Jing's father tried to save Shengli's father, and he promised him that he would always look out for his daughter. Their marriage is just a front. Shengli has no intention of ever getting married, or having children, so he didn't mind marrying her for a few years.
As everyone says, he truly only cares about his company. After signing up for the school and packing his suitcases, he left for Shengli's room.