Dumped Then Claimed By A Billionaire (Nerissa and Owen) novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Lennox held Snowball close, almost unable to let go.

He loved that scent.

Just a whiff of it was enough to put him at ease somehow.

And.

He’d only ever caught that scent from Nerissa.

Snowball was nestled in Lennox’s arms, looking absolutely in heaven.

Meow!

He was a happy cat today!

Lennox spoke softly, “Snowball, how about sleeping with me tonight?”

As soon as Snowball heard that, he started squirming in Lennox’s arms.

Meow!

‘No, no!’ Snowball thought, panicking.

He was planning to sleep with Nerissa tonight.

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But since Lennox was being so affectionate, he would keep him company tonight, and Nerissa could have her turn tomorrow!

After all, I already snuggled with Nerissa last night.

As a cat, he thought he should spread his love around!

Lennox held Snowball in one arm, clicking away at Splendor Peak on his computer with the other.

Bang!

The door was pushed open from the outside.

Then Luke walked in.

“Just barging in again?” Lennox shot him a sideways glance.

“Knocking would make us look like strangers!” Luke said with a mischievous grin, sliding up next to Lennox. When he saw the game on the screen, he added, “Whoa, you’re playing Splendor Peak too? This game is straight-up addictive. I couldn’t put it down all night!”

“Ms. Jamison, that new shareholder at Kinsbeat Game, is seriously something else. She actually managed to

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Chapter 74

launch a full-blown AAA title. Gotta admit, she’s a total badass. I’m so impressed!”

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Luke paused, and then went on, “Uncle Lennox, your eye for people is unreal. I seriously admire you! How did you know Kinsbeat Game would pull off a comeback when everyone thought it was doomed?”

Back then, Kinsbeat Game was falling apart, and even Luke thought picking them was a terrible idea. After all, Owen was a once-in-a-decade dark horse.

When Lennox chose Kinsbeat Game, Lukehad even tried to talk him out of it.

Thinking about it now, Luke thought,

‘Damn, I was such a dumbass.'”

Luckily, Lennox had n’t listened to him. Otherwise, even the Stratford Group’s stock would’ve gotten dragged down too.

Gotta hand it to Lennox. His instincts and smarts were next-level.

Lennox glanced over at Luke. “That’s the difference between you and me.”

Luke was speechless.

‘Should’ve just kept my mouth shut,’ he thought.

Turned out, Lennox wasn’t just a cheapskate, he was savage with his words too.

Luke’s eyes flicked back to the computer screen, curiosity all over his face. “Uncle Lennox, why are you camped out in the Misty Forest?”

The Misty Forest was one of the maps in Splendor Peak.

“There should be a hidden level here,” Lennox said.

“A hidden level?” Luke asked, eyes wide. “Are you serious? I spent all night in there and didn’t find anything hidden.”

Besides, the Misty Forest was downright terrifying, one of the scariest levels in Splendor Peak.

Inside that thick fog lurked not just man-eating monsters, but all sorts of nightmare creatures. If players slipped up even a little, they’d get wiped out and have to start all over again.

So almost nobody ever bothered hanging around in the Misty Forest.

Lennox tapped his mouse, sending his character weaving through the Misty Forest. His fingers danced across the keyboard fast.

The very next second, he suddenly discovered a hidden passage in the Misty Forest. A burst of light flashed across the screen.

A huge message popped up on the screen:

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[Welcome to the Adventure Manor!]

Luke was standing right there. When he saw it, he was totally floored. “Holy crap! There really is a hidden level! Uncle Lennox, you’re a legend! How did you even know it was in the Misty Forest?”

Lennox replied, “If you really pay attention to the game’s design and vibe, you can tell the dev is crazy attentive to detail, maybe even a bit sensitive. Looks all badass and untouchable, but inside, she’s got a soft heart. That’s why she’d hide something like Adventure Manor in a horror-themed game.”

Luke gave Lennox a thumbs-up. “Uncle Lennox, you’re the real deal!”

Damn, that was sick!

Lennox kept wandering around Adventure Manor with his character.

The whole look of Adventure Manor was a total 180 from the rest of the game. It was all country vibes, mountains, rivers, and forests, so realistic you could go pick mushrooms or even build yourself a cozy cabin.

Just then, another message popped up on the screen. [Congratulations, Mr. S! You’re the second guest to arrive at Adventure Manor. Here’s your deluxe gift package!]

“Second?” Luke asked, looking genuinely puzzled. “Wait, so someone actually got to Adventure Manor before you?”

“Seems so,” Lennox replied, clicking open the player info.

Sure enough.

The first player to make it to Adventure Manor was someone named Phyllis.

Luke scratched his head. “Wow, so there really is someone out there on your level!”

That was like finding a unicorn!

No joke, people like that were crazy rare.

Luke had never met anyone who was truly on the same wavelength as Lennox.

Lennox was honestly a bit surprised too. It was super rare for anyone to actually think the same way he did.

Well, except for Nerissa.

This was only the second time it had ever happened.

After a bit, Lennox set down his mouse and looked over at Luke. “Got anything else?”

“Oh, right!” Luke remembered the real reason he came by. “Hey, Uncle Lennox, I heard you’re flying abroad tomorrow. When are you back?”

“The day after tomorrow,” Lennox replied.

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Luke jumped in, “Hey, can you grab me a designer bag when you were there? I’m planning to give it to

someone.”

“Shoot the info to David. I’ll have him handle it,” Lennox replied.

David was Lennox’s personal assistant.

Luke shook his head. “No. That bag’s a limited edition at the flagship, and you need a premium black card from the top bank to even buy it.” That was why he’d come to Lennox himself.

“How much?” Lennox asked right away.

“It’s at least six figures, and you have to buy a bunch of other stuff just to get it. It’s a total pain, but you really need to go in person,” Luke pleaded, clasping his hands together. “Please, please!”

He just didn’t have the time to fly abroad lately.

If he did, he would’ve gone himself.

Lennox asked, “Is it for someone special?”

“Yeah,” Luke nodded.

Lennox frowned slightly. “So, are you two official yet?”

“Nope,” Luke said with a grin. “Still trying to win her over.”

Lennox shot him a look. “Pathetic!”

He honestly couldn’t understand why Luke would blow that much money on a girl he wasn’t even with yet.

Luke shrugged, rolling his eyes. “Uncle Lennox, you’re such a cheapskate! Seriously, what’s the point of hoarding all that cash?”

“Just to admire it myself, I guess. Anyway, I’d never spend that kind of money on someone who’s not blood,” Lennox replied flatly.

“Come on, when you’re into someone, you just wanna give her the best of everything!” Luke protested. “Forget it, you wouldn’t understand anyway. I already sent you the pic. Just don’t forget to pick it up for me!”

With that, Luke turned and headed downstairs.

Lennox settled back at his computer, diving into the game again. His attention was instantly snagged by a Go board set on a stone table beneath a blooming peach tree.

Both black and white pieces were totally stuck. No matter what, neither side could win, and both were about to go down.

Move forward or back, and it would be instant death.

No doubt about it.

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This was a classic endgame puzzle.

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Whoever set this up had to be seriously meticulous, a real strategist.

Other than him, only Phyllis had made it to Adventure Manor.

It was obvious.

This endgame had to be Phyllis’s handiwork.

‘Interesting,’ Lennox thought to himself.

Phyllis not only got to Adventure Manor before him, but he also set up a seriously high-level endgame puzzle.

Lennox was a hardcore Go enthusiast, and he’d even snagged first place in a pro tournament before. But even for him, he’d never come across an endgame this insanely difficult.

This was a first.

No matter which move he tried, there was absolutely no way to break free.

Every path was a dead end, no hope at all.

He sat there at his computer, racking his brain for over an hour.

But he was still totally stumped.

But Lennox was the kind of man who just couldn’t stand losing.

If he couldn’t crack this endgame, he probably wouldn’t get a wink of sleep all night.

Another hour slipped by. Lennox played out match after match in his mind, and then, the answer finally dawned on him..

‘So that’s the trick!’ Lennox realized, a spark of understanding hitting him.

Lennox made his avatar reach for a single Go stone.

Just one stone.

And just like that, the whole game flipped on its head.

He finally broke the endgame.

Three hours.

Spending a full three hours to crack a single puzzle, Lennox had never experienced anything like this before.

‘Just who is this Phyllis, anyway?’ Lennox wondered.

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For a moment, he just sat there,

curiosity burning inside him about this mysterious player.

Ten more minutes passed before he finally logged out of the game.

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Meanwhile,

at Jamison Manor,

Nerissa just logged into the game when a system message popped up.

[Congratulations, Ms. Phyllis! You’ve got a new neighbor! Adventure Manor just welcomed its second player today, Mr. S!]

Phyllis was what Nerissa went by in the

game.

Phyllis was from Greek.

It meant “leaf.”

It represented green, hope, and even new beginnings.

‘Mr. S?’ Nerissa thought, her brows arching in surprise.

She honestly hadn’t expected anyone to actually track down the entrance she’d hidden in the Misty Forest and make their way into Adventure Manor, her own private hideout. Someone really managed to find it.

Rather than just being a hidden level, Adventure Manor was something else entirely.

It was Nerissa’s inner world.

But now,

Someone else had actually managed to find their way in.

That surprised Nerissa.

‘Guess… Nerissa thought, a spark of curiosity lighting up in her eyes.

‘This S guy…

‘He’s not bad at all!’

After Nerissa entered Adventure Manor, she watered her flowers and plants, and went for a round of mushroom picking in the mountains. Only then did she realize that the Go puzzle she’d set up under the tree had actually been solved.

Nerissa was totally floored.

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Kinsbeat Game didn’t just crush Calloway Group’s game,

they pulled off a stunning victory.

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Tom turned to Grant, his face pale as paper. “Damn, Kinsbeat Game really is the real deal! We’re finished! Mr. Locke, we’re totally screwed!”

They’d poured every last cent they had into Calloway Group.

And now, with Calloway Group’s new game totally bombing on launch,

it meant they were about to go bankrupt right along with it.

‘What do we do?’ Tom thought, anxiety gnawing at him.

‘Seriously, what now?’ The panic was really starting to set in.

“Pull out! Get our money out of Calloway Group, right now!” Grant said, trying to keep it together. “Then we go to Kinsbeat Game and see if Clive will give us another chance.”

If they could buy into Kinsbeat Game at this moment, they’d still walk away winners.

After all, Kinsbeat Game had made a killing overnight with their new release, pulling in billions.

Now, Kinsbeat Game was sitting pretty as the undisputed number one in the gaming world, and even international players were losing their minds over it.

Tom hesitated. “Mr. Locke, did you forget how we treated Clive last night? You really think he’ll give us another chance?”

After all, they had humiliated Clive so badly.

Tom had never imagined in his wildest dreams things would flip like this.

Grant took a deep breath. “He will, I know he will! Three years back, when my company hit rock bottom, he was the one who bailed us out. His biggest flaw is he’s just way too soft-hearted. If we just go and ask, he’ll totally give us another chance and take us back for sure!”

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21:09 Wed, Jan 21