Chapter 3

A week later, a message from the CEO appeared on Liam' s screen.

"Liam, you've been a rising star at this company. You haven't overseen a major launch before. This time, you'll supervise the whole process at the tech expo and learn the ropes."

The directive was clear. This wasn't just a task; it was a promotion. It was a test. Liam accepted immediately.

When he arrived at the tech expo, the scene was pure chaos. A massive crowd of thousands of attendees had formed a tight, angry circle around two figures. It was Sarah and Alex. They were shouting, their faces red, trying to push their way through the mob.

Liam was about to step in, to use his new authority to disperse the crowd, when his glasses lit up again.

Sarah is so fierce! No one should criticize Alex! Who cares if he uses special tech? Sarah's got his back!

Can't wait for Sarah and Alex to dominate the expo and shut everyone up!

The tickers showed a world of delusion, a fan-fiction future that ignored the reality in front of him. Sarah, without his support system, looked battered and overwhelmed, but her defiance was as strong as ever.

"Are you all blind?!" she screamed at the crowd. "I was a bigger name than Liam ever was! How dare you block me and Alex!"

Alex, standing just behind her, puffed out his chest, swaggering with borrowed confidence. "My mentor is a tech genius who came down from the big leagues to help me! If you annoy me, I'll make sure the CEO blacklists you all forever!"

Liam chuckled at their empty bravado. He walked toward them, his footsteps measured and calm.

"Ignoring the rules, are we?" he said, his voice cutting through the noise. "How bold."

Sarah's head snapped toward him. She instinctively tightened her grip on Alex's hand.

"You're here!" she demanded. "Help me teach these blind fools a lesson! They're blocking me and Alex from entering the main hall!"

The attendees saw the official supervisor ID badge clipped to Liam' s belt and a wave of relief and frustration washed over them. They surged toward him.

"Sir, this woman cut in line!" one man yelled passionately. "We've been waiting here for three days! Just when it was our turn, they used some kind of tech to force us out of the way!"

"Everyone knows the main hall is only open for three days!" another woman added, her voice cracking with anger. "Her cutting in line means she's taking someone else's spot! Someone who deserves to be here!"

Sarah ignored their accusations, scoffing loudly. "You're all wasting your time here anyway. You don't have the talent to succeed, so you have to blame me for your failures?"

She turned her glare back to Liam. "Liam, the hall's about to open. Get these rude people out of here! I'm taking Alex in. Don't blame me if anyone gets hurt in the process!"

Her sheer arrogance fueled the resentment of the crowd, who began to grumble and press forward again. Liam just held up a hand, a calm smile on his face.

"Ms. Sarah is so confident in her abilities," he announced to the crowd. "Let her show everyone what she can do."

The other attendees muttered their discontent but fell silent, respecting the authority of his badge. Alex, emboldened, followed Sarah and shot a challenging look at Liam.

"Once I'm successful, my mentor will kick you out of the company and keep only me!"

Alex had said things like that countless times in the past. It was his go-to threat. Back then, whenever Liam showed the slightest hint of anger, Alex would immediately crumble and beg for mercy. Sarah would then appear at the perfect moment, convinced Liam was bullying her precious protégé, and force Liam to apologize.

Now, the words just bounced off him. They had no power.

Liam smiled faintly. "Sure. I'll be waiting."