WebNovels

Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Rival Moves and Romantic Ties

The city lights of Chicago shimmered below Henry's suite window — glowing proof of his ambition.

Just a month after the first Fortune Brew branch opened in Chicago, lines stretched across entire blocks.

But tonight wasn't about profits or coffee. It was about what came next.

[System Alert]

Rival Movement Detected: Victor Graves — Initiating Market Undercut Strategy.]

Projected Impact: -15% Sales within 2 Weeks (Midwest Region).

Henry's eyes sharpened.

"So, the old man finally moves."

⚔️ Corporate Counterattack

In the conference room, tension was thick.

Sales charts flickered across the holographic display — red and green lines marking each region's battle.

Emily spoke first, her tone firm yet anxious.

"TitanCafé dropped their prices by 40%. They're running losses just to kill our brand momentum."

Lena leaned forward, tapping her tablet. "Their ads target us directly. 'Cheap doesn't mean bad,' seriously? They're going for image war."

Amelia crossed her arms, lips curling into a smirk. "Then let's make them choke on their own marketing."

Henry smiled. He liked that spark. "Exactly. If they want a war, we'll give them one — on our terms."

He looked at Amelia.

"Launch the Fortune For All campaign. Limited discount, but full PR coverage — highlight our quality, not price."

Then to Lena: "Influencers. I want TikTok, YouTube, Instagram — everything flooded with customers enjoying Fortune Brew moments."

Finally, to Emily: "Secure local suppliers and boost the loyalty program. They can't undercut us if our customers are loyal."

[System Activated: Countermeasure Plan - Media Overdrive]

Success Rate: 86%. Public Sentiment +25%.

☕ The Power of Image

Two days later, the internet was ablaze.

Videos of smiling customers flooded social media, with the tag #MyFortuneMoment trending nationwide.

One clip — a short of a barista handing coffee to a homeless veteran — went viral, gaining 12 million views.

"Fortune Brew supports the community," Amelia's PR message read.

TitanCafé's image?

Corporate, cold, and outdated.

[System Update: Rival Impact Reduced to 2%. Public Opinion Shifted: +48%.]

[Media Influence Tier Upgraded to Level 3.]

Henry watched the numbers climb with satisfaction — then turned to Amelia, who'd stayed late to finalize press coverage.

❤️ Romantic Tension

"Still here?" Henry asked, leaning against the glass wall.

Amelia chuckled softly. "Someone has to keep your empire from burning down."

He walked closer, his voice low but warm. "You've done more than that. You made them believe in Fortune Brew — in us."

She looked up, meeting his gaze.

For a moment, the city's glow reflected in her eyes.

"You talk like this is personal," she teased.

"Maybe it is."

Silence lingered — charged, unspoken. Then her phone buzzed, breaking the moment. She sighed and turned away, cheeks faintly red.

"I should go. We've got another PR storm coming tomorrow."

As she walked off, Henry smiled faintly. The line between business and something deeper was blurring — and he didn't mind.

[System Notification: Amelia Grant — Affection +8 | Loyalty +5]

📉 Sabotage in Motion

But the victory was short-lived.

At 3 AM, Henry's system alarm blared.

[System Warning: Financial Breach Detected — Chicago Branch Accounts Compromised.]

Source: External Corporate Entity (Untraceable Proxy).]

Henry shot up, eyes narrowing.

"Graves…"

He immediately called Marcus Langley, his investor and silent partner.

"Victor just breached our accounts," Henry said coldly.

Langley's tired voice replied, "Told you he'd play dirty. He's using shell companies — we can't trace it legally."

Henry smirked. "Then I won't play legally either."

[System Feature Unlocked: Covert Operations Mode.]

Access Granted: Digital Counter-Intelligence | Media Manipulation | Corporate Espionage.]

"So the system adapts too," he murmured.

"Let's see how TitanCafé handles a taste of its own chaos."

🌙 The Midnight Call

Before returning to work, Henry glanced at his phone — a message from Emily.

"Don't forget to rest, boss. You can't build an empire without sleep."

He chuckled, replying simply:

"Thanks. Keep the empire running while I deal with a snake."

He looked out the window once more.

The skyline shimmered with neon, the pulse of ambition alive in every light.

The war wasn't over. It had just evolved.

[System Objective Updated: Defeat TitanCafé Financially and Publicly.]

Reward: Expansion Permit — East Coast Market +1 Billion Credit Limit.]

Henry's grin widened.

"Victor Graves… you started this. Now I'll finish it."

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