The Perspective

The Instigation

"Hey, John, your wounds seem to be completely healed!" said Jason with a smile.

"Huh, yes, sir, I guess I’m fine now," John chuckled.

"Well, you should thank me for it, you know..." said Isabella, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, yes, you really did help, but it's my willpower that made me recover, you know..." John teased, flashing a sly grin at Isabella.

"Huh! How dare you..." exclaimed Isabella as she playfully hit John with a file she was holding.

"Ouch! That hurt," groaned John, rubbing his arm.

Jason watched the interaction with amusement. He was impressed by the bond that had grown between the two.

"Well, you guys seem to be getting along well," he said with a knowing smirk.

"Wh-what? No, no, not like that, sir!" John and Isabella shouted at once, their faces turning crimson.

Jason laughed heartily. "Alright, alright, I’ll leave you two to it. Get back to work now," he said as he walked off.

What Jason had noticed was true—Isabella and John had become really close in the past few weeks.

Meanwhile, Jeremy was eavesdropping on their conversation, his expression darkening.

Jeremy’s Mind Voice: "Damn it. This John fellow is getting way too close to Isabella. I need to do something about this."

Later that day, John approached Isabella, hesitating before speaking. "Isabella, would you mind if I ask you something?"

"When did you start getting this polite? Huh, just ask," she replied, rolling her eyes.

John scratched the back of his head. "Well, you were really desperate to find your uncle, but because of my injuries, you stopped your search and took care of me for the past couple of weeks..."

"Hmm... yes, so?" she said, crossing her arms.

"I mean... your uncle’s whereabouts really matter to you, right?" he said, his heart racing.

"Hey, come to the point already," Isabella said, leaning closer.

"Why didn’t you just continue your pursuit instead of caring about a nobody like me?" John asked, his voice tinged with guilt.

Isabella blinked, surprised by the question. Then she smiled softly. "Oh! So that’s what’s been bugging you. Well, first of all, you’re my friend. Of course, the pursuit is important, but it can wait. And besides, I need your help to find him. How could I do that without you, huh?"

John felt a lump in his throat. No one had ever made him feel so needed or cared for.

"Well... I guess I hadn’t thought of it that way," he said, his voice shaky.

They both laughed, the tension melting away.

The DailyTimes HQ, TwinBroad Street

"Sir, two people are here to meet you," said an assistant.

"Send them to my office," Jason replied.

Moments later, two men in sleek suits entered. One of them stepped forward. "We’re from Helfort. Surely you’ve heard of us?"

Jason’s eyes lit up. "Oh, welcome! Of course, I know about Helfort. Your work has always been an inspiration to me."

The man smirked. "Well, a couple of weeks ago, one of your reporters was found at a crime scene without a permit. You know what happened to him, right?"

Jason straightened. "Yes, about that... we’re really sorry. We didn’t know about the rule, but I assure you it won’t happen again."

"It better not!" the man snapped. "And just so you know, we won’t be granting your organization a permit."

"What? But why?" Jason asked, his tone rising in concern.

"There are two reasons," the man said smugly. "First, we don’t give permits to small-time organizations like yours. Second, we’ve already issued enough permits."

Jason’s face darkened. "Small-time?" he repeated, his voice low.

"Yes. What else would you call an organization that barely has ten floors and operates in a remote area like this?" Both men chuckled.

Jason’s patience snapped. "Hey, you two. Get out."

"Watch your mouth, small-time man. Our boss can—"

"To hell with your boss! Get out!" Jason roared, his anger shaking the office.

The two men left, muttering under their breath, while the rest of the staff stared in stunned silence. Jason was usually calm and composed, but this time, something had changed.

"To hell with them and their so-called big-time organization," Jason muttered, his jaw clenched.

He stood by the window, staring at the city skyline. Determination burned in his eyes.

"Helfort will meet its end... and I’ll make sure of it."

Helfort Headquarters, City Center

The two men who had visited Jason stood in a spacious office before their boss, the CEO of Helfort, a middle-aged man with a sharp suit and an even sharper gaze.

"So, Jason from DailyTimes snapped at you and kicked you out?" the CEO asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, sir. He was furious," one of them replied, nervously shifting on his feet.

The CEO chuckled, a low, amused sound that filled the room. "Interesting... The small fry has some fire in him after all."

"But, sir, what if he tries to retaliate?"

The CEO waved a hand dismissively. "Let him try. A mouse can’t topple a mountain. Still, keep an eye on him. It’s always fun to watch someone burn themselves out."

The two men nodded and left the office, leaving the CEO staring out of his floor-to-ceiling window with a smirk.