Two days after confirming the board meeting, Leo kept his routine simple. Go to class. Hang out with his circle. Keep his wealth—and his identity—hidden.
It was strange, the way people's perception began to shift without him saying a word.
He hadn't bought a flashy car. He didn't wear designer brands. He wasn't out throwing money around.
But the way he carried himself… his quiet confidence, the way others respected him without knowing why—it was starting to unsettle the wrong people.
Inside the student council lounge, Miggy sat with a scowl on his face, tapping furiously on his phone. Belle stood by the window, pretending not to watch Leo across the courtyard as he talked casually with Aria and Martin.
"Why is everyone acting like that guy's special all of a sudden?" Miggy grumbled. "He was a nobody last week."
One of Miggy's lackeys spoke up. "Maybe it's the way he talks now. Dude sounds like he owns the place."
"He doesn't," Miggy snapped.
Belle finally turned around. "Maybe people just respect him."
Miggy looked at her, frowning. "You still into him or something?"
"No," Belle lied too quickly. "I'm just saying… you don't have to always act like you're competing with him."
Miggy glared. "I'm not competing. He's nothing."
But in his chest, something stung.
Because even he could tell—Leo was becoming someone.
And no one knew how.
Later that day, Leo walked through the IT building to attend a software entrepreneurship seminar. He wasn't particularly interested in the topic, but he had read that a guest speaker was coming—a former dropout who built a mobile app empire from scratch.
Leo respected stories like that.
He slipped into the back row of the hall and quietly listened. The speaker was passionate, direct, and full of insight. But it wasn't the speech that caught Leo's full attention.
It was the tall girl in front of him, asking questions with the kind of confidence that came from pure skill.
"Hi, I'm Zari Gomez," she said to the guest. "If your app flopped early on, how did you recover? Did you pivot or find new investors?"
Zari.
He had heard of her. Computer Science major. Reclusive, but brilliant. The kind who could build a prototype in a weekend and code circles around senior devs.
The speaker chuckled. "Great question. I pivoted, for sure. Sometimes failure is just data for your next version."
Leo felt the buzz in his system again.
[Potential Candidate Detected]
Name: Zari Gomez
Profile: Developer / Innovator / Crypto-Native
Recommendation: Add to circle – Tech Expansion Tier
Bonus Synergy: Dreigh + Zari = Breakthrough Product Path (Unicorn Potential)
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly.
This wasn't just a random skill pairing. The system was telling him something big.
But he wouldn't rush it.
He never did.
After the talk, Leo approached Zari near the vending machines.
"Hey. That was a solid question you asked earlier."
Zari glanced at him with polite disinterest. "Thanks."
"I'm Leo. Business Admin. I work with a small team of student developers and creatives. We're building something—something different. If you're ever curious, I'd love to hear your thoughts."
Zari raised an eyebrow. "What kind of different?"
He grinned. "That's the fun part. I can't explain it in one sentence. But if you ever feel like the university isn't enough for your ideas, drop by the old café building on 9th Street."
She studied him carefully. "You look like a scammer. But a clean one."
Leo laughed. "That's fair."
He handed her a simple card. No logo. Just the words:
Ground Zero Initiative
For those who build what others can't see yet.
She didn't respond. Just took the card and walked away.
But Leo knew the seed had been planted.
That night, Leo's system updated.
[New Potential Member: Zari Gomez – Status: Observing]
Triggered Future Task: Tech Breakthrough Prototype
Requirement: Leo's circle must acquire or build one original app or platform
Reward: "Visionary Influence Tier 2" and First Public Recognition Event
Leo smiled.
Everything was falling into place.
Quietly. Silently.
And yet, people were beginning to take notice.
Across the city, the CEO of Ramirez Global Holdings, an elderly man with sharp eyes and a silver tie, stared at the latest internal memo on his tablet.
"Inheritance confirmed. The heir has accepted.
Identity: Still concealed.
Initial investments observed. Projected growth: Unprecedented."
He looked at his assistant.
"Tell the board to prepare for the transition. Whoever this kid is… he moves like a ghost."
The assistant nodded. "And if the others resist the change?"
The CEO smiled faintly.
"Then the ghost will haunt them into retirement."