Novel Full Chapter 1801: Large Egos And No Power
Chapter 1801: Large Egos And No Power
Villain Ch 1801. Large Egos And No Power
Emma tilted her head slightly, thoughtful. “It’s not nothing. But it is business. You’ll understand eventually—sometimes, business has to be cruel. Especially when someone deliberately tries to ruin everything you’ve built just for the hell of it.”
Allen frowned. “But he was just one guy.”
“One guy who infiltrated a world-class immersive system,” she said calmly. “One guy who copied your avatar, mimicked your moves, corrupted your party. If the timing was off, or if Kafra didn’t catch it—he could’ve caused a system collapse. Exposed you. Exposed the entire foundation of what this game is.”
Allen exhaled, fingers tapping slowly against the side of his glass. “I know. I know all that. But still…” He didn’t mind the jail part, but that death thing… It was frightening.
“You’re not a killer, Allen,” she said softly.
He looked at her.
“But Dad is.”
He didn’t argue. Because he couldn’t.
Jordan Goldborne wasn’t known for mercy. Not in business. Not in life. The man had made an empire out of ruthless efficiency and brilliant control. If someone so much as threatened the integrity of his legacy, the response wouldn’t be legal.
It would be final.
“…What if I asked him not to?” Allen muttered, just wondering.
Emma raised a brow. “Would you?”
Allen went quiet again.
Because truthfully? He wouldn’t.
Maybe that was the scariest part.
“It’s just weird… To see someone has to die over a game,” he said finally.
Emma watched him, eyes softer now. “Then don’t call it a game.”
He blinked.
She stood, smoothing her shirt and brushing imaginary lint from her sleeve. “To Dad? To the board? To investors? To players? Hell’s Gate isn’t just a game.”
She looked at him directly.
“It’s a world. And you… You’re its goddamn Emperor.”
Allen didn’t answer her since she was right.
Then the dining room doors opened, and Kai stepped in like he always did, dressed in his dark, immaculately pressed uniform with the Goldborne crest subtly embroidered at his collar. The faint scent of bergamot trailed behind him, followed by the soft clatter of porcelain as a serving cart rolled after.
He paused at the threshold and raised a perfectly trimmed brow. “You both are here early. A rare sight.”
Emma lifted her teacup and grinned. “We decided to pretend to be well-adjusted for once.”
Allen waved his grape stem like a sad little white flag. “I skipped lunch, so I’ve been surviving off grapes and tea.”
Kai sighed in that way only Kai could—deeply disappointed but too refined to say it aloud. “I knocked on your door around midday. You didn’t answer. I assumed you were either unconscious or gaming.”
Allen chuckled awkwardly. “I was… dealing with some things.”
Kai rolled the cart to the edge of the table and began arranging small appetizers. Paper-thin smoked salmon on crispbread, some truffle-oil brushed crostini, and delicate skewers of melon and prosciutto that looked too fancy to eat without bowing first.
“Actually,” Kai added, uncapping the teapot and refilling both their cups, “I received a message from the company.”
Allen froze for half a second. “A message?”
Kai nodded. “From the company server, marked high-priority. It said you were engaged in urgent internal security matters and to reschedule your meals as needed.”
Emma’s brows shot up. She turned slowly toward Allen, who met her eyes, and—
Yep.
They both immediately knew.
That wasn’t a cover story. That was real.
The system—probably Kafra—flagged the hacker incident and sent out a message to keep everyone out of Allen’s hair. It made sense. It was smart.
Allen cleared his throat, playing it cool. “Yeah… it was important.”
Kai didn’t pry. Of course he didn’t. He simply inclined his head like a seasoned war general who understood the battlefield just from the silence.
Just then, the sound of the front door opening echoed faintly through the hallway. Footsteps followed. Confident. Unhurried.
And then—
Jordan Goldborne entered.
He looked exactly how he always did. Black turtleneck under a dark steel-gray blazer, sleek slacks, polished shoes, and that aura of collected menace that only billionaires and world-class manipulators could pull off without raising their voice.
His hair was neat. His expression calm. Not angry. Not tired.
Just himself.
His eyes swept the room and landed first on Emma, then on Allen.
Emma straightened slightly and offered her practiced, gentle smile. “Welcome home, Dad.”
Allen gave a casual nod. “How’s your day?”
Jordan set his sleek leather briefcase onto the side console and adjusted his sleeves as he moved toward the head of the table. “Good.”
That was all he said before sitting down with that perfect posture that screamed power even when he wasn’t trying.
Kai approached. “Shall I bring the main course now, sir?”
Jordan nodded once. “Please.”
Kai left without another word, his stride quiet but purposeful.
Allen studied his father’s face.
Still no signs of tension.
Still no indication that anything was wrong.
But that was Jordan. The man could be deciding whether to execute someone or increase their bonus and look exactly the same.
Jordan turned to Allen.
“You look good,” he said simply. “For someone who only came back this morning.”
Allen let out a breath, keeping his tone even. “I didn’t expect her to go that far. Stalk me to my house? That was… new.”
Jordan reached for his water glass. “There are many types of crazy in this world. Most are harmless. But a few?”
He took a sip. Set it down. “A few have large egos. And no power. The combination turns them into walking time bombs.”
Emma frowned slightly. “Like… Sophia?”
“Like Sophia,” Jordan confirmed. “Or what happened this noon.”
Allen’s hand twitched slightly on the table.
Jordan looked at him. “You did well.”
Allen blinked. “You mean… the hacker thing?”
Jordan nodded. “Yes. We reviewed the logs. You responded quickly. Contained the damage.”
Allen exhaled, then asked carefully, “So… he’s in jail?”
There was a pause.
Jordan glanced toward the kitchen briefly, then back at Allen.
“We’re still investigating the motive,” he said. “But as it stands… no. Not jail.”
Allen’s jaw tightened. “So… the later.”