"What are we going to do now, sir? Is it really possible that another company came up with the same theories? That seems a bit too coincidental," Aleson and Ryder were standing outside the building in front of their car. 

They had just come outside after going through a meeting that went nothing like they planned. 

Instead of getting good news from the meeting, they got bad news. 

"It can't be a coincidence. I don't think it should be possible. Someone cheated us. As those people said, there has been theft. Someone stole our research and gave them," Ryder muttered, frowning. 

"Go back and investigate who did it. Check all video footage and write down the people you have suspicions on. Whoever did this, I'll sue their a*s."

" As for me, I'll go to that company directly. Let's see what they know about this," Ryder told Aleson as he walked over to the other side and sat inside the car. 

"Step inside the car. I'll drop you to the office before leaving," he called out to Aleson, who was still standing outside in a daze, trying to guess who it could be. 

Hearing Ryder's call again, he stepped inside the car. 

....

Dropping Aleson to the office, Ryder went to the company which was the potential thief to their research. 

Parking the car outside, he entered the building and walked up to the reception. 

"Who is incharge here? I need to meet him," he told the receptionist. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but do you have an appointment with her? Can you tell me the name of yours?" the receptionist asked Ryder. 

"I'm Ryder Flynn. The Divine Corporation belongs to me. You might not understand, but the higher-ups will. This is the company they stole their upcoming research from. Tell him I'm here to meet him," Ryder explained. 

"Ah." Hearing his Words, the receptionist was in a daze. She couldn't understand what was happening here, but it seemed terrible. Someone was here accusing them of theft. In any case, this matter was too big for her to handle. She could only inform the Higher-ups. 

"Wait a minute. I'll inform them," she told Ryder before she called a number. She told everything Ryder had told her to say. 

....

"Alright. I talked to our madam. She says you can meet her. Wait a minute; I'll tell someone to escort you there," after a short conversation, the receptionist informed Ryder. 

....

"This is our Madam's room."

A person escorted Ryder to a higher flood and stopped right before a room.

There was a name written on the door which the man knocked. 

"Aaliya Ashlen," Ryder muttered the name as he remembered it. It probably belonged to the woman who was inside. There was a tag in front of that name which was, MD. 

'Come on it."

Hearing the permission from the inside, the man opened the door as he gazed inside. 

"Madam, I brought Mr. Ryder."

"Alright. Send him in and bring two coffees."

"Yes, Mam."

The man had a short conversation with the woman inside before he turned back to Ryder and said, "You can go inside."

....

Ryder stepped inside the room and noticed that there were already a few people inside. He noticed a young lady sitting on the main chair. The lady seemed to be in her late twenties. 

She was in professional attire, including a black coat. But what surprised Ryder even more, were the five men that were standing beside her. 

They seemed to be her special security guards since their guns were clearly exposed. 

It was apparent that the lady was trying to intimidate him to stay within his limits. She just didn't know how useless such things were to him. Now that the Lord of Time was gone, death was the last thing he was worried about since he could die and go back in time any number of times without attracting much attention. 

The one who watched over the Time was already gone, thanks to Chaos. 

Without seeming intimidated, Ryder stepped forward and sat on the chair before the lady without even asking for any permission. 

The woman frowned, seeing Ryder's arrogance, but she didn't say anything. 

"You're much younger than I assumed, Ryder. So, what are you here for?" The woman asked Ryder lazily as she gazed into his eyes.

"Are you really going to pretend that you don't know? I already sent a message to you through that receptionist. I'm here regarding your theft of our research. I know you aren't going to accept what you did. This is about reputation, after all. I don't even expect you to do anything," Ryder told the lady. 

"Since you don't expect us to do anything even if what you said is true, then why did you come here?" the lady asked Ryder, amused. 

"I came here to ask you about the name of that person who betrayed us. Also, I came here to warn you. You might think Divine Corporation is a small company that can't do anything, but you don't know me. Correct your course, or you'll regret crossing my path," Ryder told the lady. 

Hearing the words, Aaliya gazed at him blankly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. After some time, she burst into laughter. 

"Hahaha! You're funny. You dare to come here and threaten me? Do you think I don't know about myself? I know everything, little boy," she told Ryder as she laughed. 

"Ryder Flynn, born dirt poor. Orphan for most of his life with no wealth. Only suddenly started rising. There are stories that you achieved everything through your own effort, but I know the truth. You're nothing but the dog of that Shu Maxwell who funds you and handles everything. You think I don't know you? I know you as well as your boss," she added. 

"But if you think I'll be intimidated because of that Shu Maxwell, then you're wrong. You don't know me either. You better don't cross my path. Or let alone that Shu Maxwell, even his dead father, won't be able to save you. Don't jump so much just because you have the backing of Dream Corporation," she further said. 

Her words surprised Ryder. It wasn't because she was entirely wrong. Shu wasn't his boss, and no, he wasn't funding him. But what really surprised Ryder wasn't her assumption about Shu being involved but her arrogance. 

Even when she was talking about Shu, she talked as if she was in an equal position or had the backing of someone who was in an equal position. 

No matter what, her company wasn't big enough to take on Dream Corporation. It wasn't even in the top ten global companies like Dream Corporation. Why was she so arrogant then?

"You think I'm talking about Shu Maxwell? No. First of all, he isn't helping me in running my company. And even if he wanted to help me, I wouldn't need his help in dealing with your company. As I said, don't cross my path. You won't even know how the world went upside down for you," Ryder told the woman calmly. 

He didn't let his stupidity make him angry. 

"What are you going to do? See my men behind me? I can have you shot dead here, and you can do nothing. I can even have you be blamed for your own death, and no one will call me out. Your life and death are in my hands. You're in my domain right now. So leave and forget about that research," the woman warned Ryder as she smiled. 

"I allowed this meeting only so I could tell you this. Otherwise, you don't even deserve a second of my time here," she continued arrogantly. 

"Now get out before I change my mind," she told Ryder. 

"What men are you talking about?" Ryder asked, smiling. 

"What men? Are you blind? Can't you see my me-"

The woman turned back to point towards her men, but as soon as she turned back, she saw all five of her men bring out their guns, but they were too late. A bullet entered each of their hearts, killing them before they could even pull their gun out. 

"Haa!"

The woman turned back to look towards Ryder, her mouth opened wide. Her face was already pale as she realized what had happened. Ryder had shot her men in her office itself. 

"I repeat my question. What men are you talking about?" Ryder asked the woman again, who gazed at the gun in Ryder's hand, which he lazily placed back on the table. 

"Miss Aaliya, having a few men with you as guards might give you a sense of security, but as I said, don't cross my path. You don't know what I'm capable of. I've already killed too many people to be bothered with such little things anymore," Ryder told the woman who seemed pale. 

"W-what do you want?" the woman asked Ryder. 

"Give me the name of the person that betrayed us by giving you that research first," Ryder told the woman as he gazed into her deep eyes.