10x Cashback: Your Wealth Is Mine

153  The Game Changer

We could hear the faint sounds of the private jet's engine as it cut through the sky, cruising toward the West Coast. Matt lounged in his seat across from me, flipping through the event guide for Tech Horizon 2024. @@novelbin@@

The summit was the biggest technology gathering of the year, where industry titans, venture capitalists, and disruptors came together to define the future.

Or at least, that's what they tell themselves to feel better about allowing the giants to make all the innovations and buy them out.

I'd already received a lot of offers for Imperium Holdings but I had no intention of letting go.

"You ever think about how we went from barely passing high school calculus to sitting at the top of this food chain?" Matt mused, sipping his drink.

I smirked. "Survival of the fittest. Besides, I always knew we'd be running with the elites someday."

"Well, I actually thought it would come in one of two ways." I raised two fingers with a nostalgic smile. "Either my dad accepts me back or you create a company that'll take the both of us to the top."

Matt blinked. "I'd thought it'd be through a Ponzi scheme or something. Not, you know, an actual empire."

I chuckled as the flight attendant informed us we were about to land. Adjusting my cufflinks, I glanced out the window, enjoying the view of california. At least it wasn't New York and that was a plus in my book. "This is where the future is made, Matt." I grinned. "We just need to make sure we're the ones shaping it."

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When we got to the summit, I had to admit that it was exactly what I expected.

Polished, opulent, and drowning in self-importance. The entrance alone was a spectacle, with media crews capturing every arrival like we were celebrities. In truth, we kinda were. Almost everyone there was from billion dollar companies and probably had more money in their bank account than the average human sees in their lifetime.

Cameras flashed as the high-profile executives shook hands. In every direction, the latest cutting-edge tech was on display.

Matt and I strolled through the venue, strolling through the crowd of elites. Dressed in tailored suits that screamed influence and made us look like everyone else, we moved through the sea of tech moguls, angel investors, and hungry startup founders looking for their big break.

Birds of the same feather flocks together and all that.

"You think they know we're eventually going to flip the board on them?" Matt asked, scanning the room with an amused smirk. "Or maybe everybody is thinking the same way we are."

"Well, everyone does have big dreams." I replied.

Before coming, we'd already heard the buzz of this year's summit. There'd been talk of self-driving systems, a few new patents, and backroom deals that could change entire industries. But one name kept popping up in conversations.

MicroTek.

The AI company had become the center of attention, and for good reason. Their recently unveiled all-purpose AI was already shaking up the market, making established giants scramble to keep up. Everybody had already come to a conclusion. MicroTek's tech was ahead of its time, but the company itself was still small. Too small to dominate on its own.

I had studied the reports. I had analyzed the financials. But now, I was here to see it for myself.

"Let's make our rounds." I told Matt. "I want to get a feel for how deep MicroTek's influence runs before we make any moves."

We spent the next hour moving through the event, shaking hands with executives, trading pleasantries with industry leaders, and extracting information from every conversation. The more I learned, the more I realized something.

MicroTek wasn't just a competitor. It was an opportunity.

Then I saw her.

Celeste Theodore.

The mastermind behind MicroTek. The CEO who had built a company on innovation, pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence. She was across the room, engaged in a conversation with two venture capitalists who looked desperate for her attention.

She stood with confidence as she spoke, commanding their respect and attracting their lust at the same time.

Midnight-black hair cascaded over one shoulder, her white pantsuit making her stand out in a sea of dark suits. She was the kind of woman who owned whatever room she entered.

Then, the next second, it happened.

[Ding! Stamp Holder Detected!]

I kept my expression neutral, but inside, my mind raced.

I had just found my next target.

From the report I'd gone through, Celeste personally owned 30% of MicroTek of the $7 billion outfit, making her stake worth $2.1 billion. If I stamped her, I'd receive $21 billion, an amount that could change the entire trajectory of my plans.

In that moment, I saw a new path. A far more cost-effective move than acquiring Eidolon Interactive. If I played my cards right, I could seduce her and orchestrate a merger between Walk Shop and MicroTek. This way, I'd receive an AI and remove a rival from the board, making Walk Shop the best in its field.

It was bold. Risky.

And exactly the kind of move that made me who I was.

I turned to Matt, who was already watching me with that knowing look. "You've got that face again."

"What face?"

"The 'I just found a way to win without spending a dime' face."

"Wait." I paused. "Do I really have an 'I just found a way to win without spending a dime' face?"

"Dude." Matt chuckled. "You have a face for all occasions."

I smirked. "Alright. I did find a way to win with little money. Come on, let's introduce ourselves."

We crossed the room and as we approached, Celeste finished her conversation, turning just as we arrived. Her eyes flicked over us, assessing.

"Celeste Theodore." I said with a smile, extending a hand. "Nico Voss. Imperium Holdings."

She shook my hand, her grip firm. "I know who you are, Mr. Voss."

"Then I'm already off to a good start."

She smiled, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "That depends on why you're here."