Nicholas moved with haste.

’I should’ve known they’d make a move eventually. People like them never know when to stop.’

He’d initially set up several safeguards to ensure Katie’s safety and asked Sam to keep an eye out while he went on the mission with Selena.

He didn’t expect that the mission would take so much time, ’...And judging from the fact that Sam didn’t answer the phone, they got to him too.’ Nicholas thought his frown deepening, over the past few weeks when he didn’t go for any mission he was simply looking out for Katie while also looking into the Raystar association.

Of course, he’d faced several business oligarchs like Ronald in his previous life.

He knew people like that all too well. People who only cared about their own gains and never thought about the suffering others had to endure.

To be honest, he’d been like that too.

And now it seemed as though karma had come upon him in this new life, having people whom he considered to be family.

He didn’t have such in his previous life, he didn’t have anyone whom he could call family and even friends were only for business convenience.

But karma could only affect the weak. And Nicholas was anything but weak.

He walked with hastened steps and Selena tried to keep up with him, but even before she could say another word.

Nicholas disappeared, reappearing right in front of the Raystar headquarters.

The people moving on the streets instantly jolted, surprised to see someone suddenly appear out of thin air.

Nicholas’s eyes scanned the entire skyscraper and without a second thought he walked inside his expression cold and detached.

Ronald had made a mistake.

He had mistaken Nicholas’s patience for restraint.

The two were not the same thing.

-----

In the same building, somewhere around the last floor, two girls who seemed to be asleep were placed on the large sofa that was in the room.

Sitting on a swivel chair behind his polished work table, Ronald had his back facing the two people he’d kidnapped looking out through the floor-to-ceiling window that showed the other high skyscrapers around him.

And standing quietly in front of his office table was Vixen, her hands curled tightly into fists, she paid no attention to the two ladies on the couch as cold sweat ran down her face.

"Vixen, the company hasn’t been doing well lately. Our charts are dropping your popularity is declining rapidly. Tell me, what use are you to the company as it stands?" Ronald asked in a casual voice.

"Councillor I—"

"You were at Denvi Town and yet, the news reaching me is that you were outperformed by the other heroes. Is that what I pay you for Vixen? Will a weak hero bring fans that will buy our merchandise and items? How are we supposed to grow the company if you can’t even handle a mission like this?" Ronald cut her off right before she could finish, his tongue sharp with words.

Vixen gritted her teeth, not knowing what to say. ’This bastard! He only thinks about the gains of the company and nothing could ever satisfy him! I hate him so much, if it wasn’t because of mother’s health, I would’ve stopped working for him a long time ago’ She thought, her eyes burning with rage as she stared at Ronald’s back.

She felt the urge to just rip his head off with her spatial manipulation, but she knew that wasn’t a wise choice.

The moment he died, she’d have to face the thousands of heroes that were tied to the company and would also become a great enemy of the Hero association, she’d become a fugitive and she was certain that she’d end up being caught. Those were the only things that kept these leech members of the council alive.

With how greedy they were, they were sure to do everything in their power to protect themselves.

Ronald waited for Vixen’s reply but it never came, he slowly let out a sigh, "Well, it won’t matter much. Soon enough, someone else taking your spot and I’ll finally give you the retirement you’ve been hoping for"

The anger in Vixens eyes vanished immediately, her gaze widened and a cold shiver ran down her spine, ’If I lose my position, Mom’s health will worsen... There won’t be any money to keep the machine running anymore...’

"Council Ronald! Please reconsider, I promise I’ll do much better!"

A wicked grin cut across Ronald’s face as he turned the swivel chair to meet Vixens shaky gaze filled with fear.

"If you—"

BOOM!

The door slammed open, Ronald’s gaze shifted with irritation as he was about to lash out on the person who had just banged into his office, his brows lifted in surprise as he saw his secretary standing by the door.

Her usually calm demeanor was replaced by rapid breaths and eyes shaking with terror as she looked at him.

"Gina? What’s wrong, why did you barge into the office that way? Have you called Phantom yet?" Ronald asked in a slight panic, wondering what could possibly make the calm Gina look so flustered.

Gina slowly calmed her breath, taking in a long deep breath, "I didn’t call him, he’s already here"

A smile cut across Ronald’s face, "Isn’t that a suprise, I was thinking I’d have to—"

"He barged straight into the building and has taken down twenty guards and is making his way up here" Gina said in rapid succession fear filled in her eyes.

Ronald swallowed back his words, his smile shifting into a deep frown.

"So that’s how he wants to do it? Have all the heroes in the building to stop him. I’ll also charge him to court. The Hero association shouldn’t have mad heroes running around" Ronald said with a sharp stern gaze.

’What? Phantom? What could he possibly be doing here? I thought he went to the association?’ Vixen thought slightly confused with what was going on, Ronald’s words snapped her out of her daze.

"You too, I’ll give you a second chance, go stop that mad hero from coming in here, if you do I’ll reconsider having you keep your position" Ronald said, turning his swivel chair back the glass.

Vixen heard his words and her eyes lit up for a second before dimming, ’I should stop Phantom?’ she thought for a moment, she’d seen firsthand what he was capable of, she wasn’t confident in her abilities to stop someone like that.

But....

’I have to try, if I lose this contract mom will die, I have to try’ Vixen’s hands curled into a fist, "I’ll get to that now" she said firmly as she turned to the door, leaving the room.

Ronald glanced towards the two girls that were still sleeping, "Take the two of them out of here and keep them in a different room. He will have to learn how to behave when he’s called for a meeting" Ronald said with visible disdain on his face.

"Understood" Gina replied as she quickly went to call some guards to take the two of them out.

Ronald stared out through the window, a cold smile cutting across his face, "If he thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he’s become famous— I’ll show him the difference between a rat and a cat" he muttered with a dark chuckle.

It was unfortunate that most people hadn’t witnessed the battle with the dragon.

Because if they had...

Ronald might have realized earlier, that the man currently walking toward his office wasn’t someone he could threaten.

He was simply courting his own death.