Ludwig Heart was a young man born into wealth beyond imagination, raised in the glittering heart of New York City. His lineage was impeccable—his father, Yuri Heart, had carved out a fortune on the brutal battlefield of Wall Street, where cunning and intellect were the only weapons. His mother, the sole heir of the global motor empire known as Stonechild Industries, controlled a vast industrial network that stretched across continents. Together, they formed a powerhouse family, where success was not just expected but inevitable.

Ludwig's life, from an outsider's view, seemed perfect. He was surrounded by luxury—an army of maids catered to his every whim, and the mansion he called home was more akin to a palace. His education was entrusted to the best minds in the world. Renowned mathematicians, physicists, and artists—all were summoned to mold Ludwig into the perfect heir, ensuring he mastered everything from the most complex equations to the subtlest nuances of classical music.

Yet, with all these privileges came isolation. His friends, if he could call them that, were few and far between—mostly sycophants eager to bask in his family's influence. His life was scheduled to the minute, leaving him little time to experience the world beyond his studies. And while he excelled in every subject, his life felt scripted, leaving little room for personal desires or passions. The only spark of rebellion in his otherwise disciplined existence came when he discovered the world of online gaming and the escapism offered by light novels.

His father, who had always dismissed such pastimes as trivial, eventually relented. Ludwig's only request for all his hard work? Just one more hour of free time each day. It was a modest wish, considering he had everything else. But for Ludwig, that extra hour of freedom was more valuable than all the billions in his future inheritance.

Now, at twenty, Ludwig had grown into a striking figure. His tall, lean frame, honed by stolen moments in the gym, towered at six feet three. His sharp features, slicked-back black hair, and a carefully groomed goatee gave him an air of refinement, though his pale skin hinted at a life spent mostly indoors. Despite his parents' disapproval, his choice to grow facial hair was one of the few personal decisions he had made, symbolizing his quiet rebellion against the expectations set upon him.

However, despite his physical transformation and academic prowess, Ludwig still felt like a boy lost in a world he didn't fully belong to. The only thing missing from his charmed life was the one thing money couldn't easily buy: genuine connection. A spark of romance, a story of his own, something that wasn't dictated by his family's legacy or corporate strategies.

His twentieth birthday, however, was about to mark a turning point in his life.

Unlike the previous years, where his father threw extravagant, exclusive parties attended by high-profile figures far older than Ludwig, this year was different. His father had arranged for the celebration to be held in Boston, hosted by one of his mother's relatives, and this time, the guest list included people his age. For the first time, Ludwig was going to mingle with peers—other children of wealth and influence—people who might just see the world the way he did, or perhaps challenge it.

The thought of it terrified him. He wasn't sure if his online gaming buddies could prepare him for the real-life challenge of interacting with his social equals. His palms grew clammy as the private jet cut through the sky, carrying him to what felt like an entirely new world. His heart raced, not with the excitement of the celebration to come, but with anxiety over how he would manage to hold a conversation, to navigate the social battlefield of his peers.

Would he be able to blend in? Or would they see through him, the boy who had been kept away from the world, shielded by his family's vast fortune?

As the jet hummed along, the world beneath him shrinking into nothingness, Ludwig couldn't help

but wish the flight would never end. The uncertainty gnawed at him, louder than the drone of the engines. For someone who had mastered every challenge thrown at him—academic or physical—the simple prospect of talking freely with others his age felt like scaling an impossible mountain.

Yet what Ludwig didn't know was that this very trip would be more than just another birthday party. His future, so carefully planned and polished by his parents, was about to take a drastic, unexpected turn. His small, innocent wish for more time to be himself was about to come true—but in ways he never could have imagined.

Mainly because… the Jet was now in free fall.