Chapter 119: One step too late

Tom stared at the drop and bit the corner of his lower lip... He hated to know that one unanswered moment had already started costing him.

He dialed Stella’s number immediately, already forming how to apologize but the line rang through and ended without an answer.

He called again. Same result. No rejection tone, no short text, just unanswered space. That silence sat heavier than an argument. She was angry enough not to give him her voice.

He wouldn’t blame her though, he accepted he was wrong in every sense.

Tom heaved a sigh and lowered the phone and looked at the road ahead. He was already moving in the direction of the club property. Turning around now would only leave that task hanging, and the day was gradually going.

Stella mattered. But the task too mattered. And standing still in the middle of the road would help neither problem.

So he kept going.

After a few minutes, he arrived at the location.

The club property looked larger in person than what Tom had imagined in his head. From the outside, it carried the quiet weight of a place meant for riches. Inside, it was still raw. No finished interior. No arranged lighting. No furniture claiming the rooms. Just broad floors, high ceilings, open lounge space, and the kind of structural promise that would either become elite or remain wasted depending on what was done next.

Tom walked through slowly.

There was an empty main hall, side rooms that could become private suites. A rear section with enough depth for restricted access. He could already see where men like Adrian’s circle would want to sit if the place was finished properly. The emptiness did not discourage him. If anything, it pleased him. A blank foundation was better than a poorly imagined one.

The agent met him near the entrance with the relief of someone who had been waiting too long for the new holder of the lease to appear.

"We expected you earlier," the man said, offering a folder. "Since the purchase was made through phone, we’ve only been waiting for you to take formal possession documents and walk the property."

Tom smiled and took the file and flipped through it. Everything was it; Lease confirmation, access details, preliminary transfer notes... Everything needed to make the place operationally his to develop.

His eyes twinkled with unspoken excitement.

"I’ll handle the next stage from here. Thank you." Tom said to the man.

"Of course."

He returned to the car with the documents on the passenger seat and in his head now, the shape of the club was clearer.

For a moment he considered driving straight to Stella’s penthouse. The urge was there. So was the risk. If Adrian was with her, or arriving, or using the afternoon to smooth over his own damage, Tom walking in unannounced would create the wrong kind of scene. He needed to repair the bond, not set it on fire in someone else’s presence.

With that conclusion, he headed home instead.

~~~~~~~~~~

By the time he reached his room, the unanswered calls were still turning in his head.

He stripped off his clothes, dropped them aside, and sat on the edge of the bed with his phone in his hand. He was wondering if he should call again or send messages.

He was still turning over how to approach her when the System opened.

[Daily tasks completed.]

The reward followed at once.

A bronze chest settled into his vision. He clicked on the open option without wasting time.

```

[BRONZE CHEST OPENED]

1. Elite Legal Counsel Contract

A professional entertainment and business lawyer assigned to Host.

Duration: 1 Year

Benefits:

• Reviews Host’s contracts before signing

• Identifies unfavorable clauses and hidden risks

• Negotiates reasonable terms on Host’s behalf

• Provides ongoing legal consultation

• Available for business and personal legal matters

2. Personal Assistant Contract

A highly competent PA assigned to Host.

Duration: 6 Months

Benefits:

• Manages Host’s schedule and appointments

• Handles calls, messages, emails, and correspondence

• Coordinates meetings and business engagements

• Organizes travel, transportation, and accommodations

• Tracks contracts, documents, and important deadlines

• Handles approved errands and administrative tasks

• Coordinates with Host’s lawyer, business partners, and other professionals

• Provides reminders and updates on commitments

• Maintains strict confidentiality

```

Tom’s lips parted in surprise, his eyes widening;

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing; A lawyer and a personal assistant for him. And they weren’t just paper titles, actual professional support.

"Am I dreaming?" he muttered and blinked again and again. He couldn’t just believe that he had gotten to this stage of getting employees.

[No, Host, you are not dreaming]the system replied and Tom chuckled. Then the chuckle grew into a bigger laugh.

[Both were legitimately recruited. They believe Host employed them through phone interaction] the System said. [They have no knowledge of the System. However, they will serve Host with professional loyalty.]

Tom dragged a hand over his mouth, stunned and pleased in equal measure. The timing alone was almost suspicious in how cleanly it fitted the next day. L×L Boxers in the morning, he was going to sign and now the system had made sure he would not walk into that room alone in the ways that mattered.

"When do I meet them?" he asked.

[Tomorrow.]

Tom let out a short breath, then his lips curved into a big smile. "I can’t wait."

"Can you tell me-" Before Tom could complete his sentence, a knock sounded against his door.

Tom frowned at the interruption but rose, anyway. He thought it could be the staff, probably coming to ask for what he would have for the dinner. He pulled on enough to be decent before going to open the door.

He opened the door to find that it wasn’t who he was expecting that knocked.

Sienna stood in the hallway. She cleared her throat once before speaking, the formality already sitting awkwardly on her face.

"I didn’t mean to disturb you," she said.

"Okay," Tom replied.

The plainness of the answer landed harder than a sharper dismissal would have. Sienna’s expression tightened with embarrassment, as if she had hoped he would soften the fact instead of simply confirming it.

She cleared her throat again. "I came for something important."

"Okay." Tom said again.

"I thought about the signing tomorrow," she said, steadier now that she had reached the point. "You’ll need a lawyer present to handle the contract side properly, so I arranged-"

"Thank you," Tom cut in, not unkindly, but without leaving her room to finish the favor. "I already have a lawyer now. And a personal assistant."

Sienna’s words stopped in her throat.

For a second she only looked at him, as if waiting for the statement to correct itself. It did not. The usefulness she had brought to his door had arrived one step too late, and both of them could feel it.

Tom held the door without opening it wider. "If that was all, I need to get back to what I was doing."

Then he closed it.

Sienna remained rooted to the same spot, still facing the door with shock written all across her face.