Alton University – Hotel Bar, Later That Night
The hotel bar glowed in soft amber light, tucked away in the corner of the alumni wing. Ryan sat alone at the end of the bar, drink untouched, lost in thought. The high from the speech had faded into a lingering static. He knew something was coming—he just hadn't expected it to arrive so soon.
As he lifted his glass, a red blinking alert suddenly flashed in his peripheral vision. Not on a screen. Not from a device.
[WARNING: YOUR ORIGINAL TIMELINE IS TRYING TO DRAW YOU BACK IN. YOUR NEXT ACTIONS WILL HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WILL FALL BACK ONTO THAT PATH.]
The words hovered in his vision like a glitch in the fabric of reality, pulsing for a full five seconds before vanishing.
Ryan froze.
Ryan (thinking): What the hell? I've had feelings... dreams... that sense of unraveling. But this? It's like the timeline is aware. It's choosing. Or worse, it's warning me that I'm about to choose.
Then he heard the voice.
"Is this seat taken?"
Liz Rush slid onto the barstool beside him with the confidence of someone who believed the world owed her attention. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity and something far more calculated.
Vince Patel followed with a slouched posture that tried to look relaxed, but came off dismissive. He gave Ryan a nod like he was greeting an underling, not someone leagues ahead.
Liz: "So you're the man of the hour. The speech was... interesting. Bit heavy-handed, but you delivered it well."
Vince: "Yeah. Good energy, I guess. But I've seen guys like you flame out before. Success doesn't mean relevance unless you keep making moves."
Ryan set his glass down slowly and turned to face them.
They didn't know him. Not really. Not in this timeline. And yet everything about them felt too familiar.
Ryan: "You two always introduce yourselves by critiquing strangers?"
Liz (smirking): "Oh, come on. Don't be so touchy. I'm Liz Rush. Business and behavioral psych. This is Vince. We're not just students—we're building something real. Disruptive. We wanted to see if someone like you—"
Vince: "Someone with leverage. Capital. Reach."
Liz: "—might be open to mentoring, or maybe even a little collaboration."
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.
Liz: "We could use someone with your... confidence. And I'd love to get a closer look at what makes you tick."
Her fingers grazed the bar top near his hand.
Ryan didn't pull away. But the look he gave her was one of absolute clarity.
Ryan (coldly): "You don't want a mentor. You want a shortcut. And I've already seen what people like you do when they find one."
Vince raised his eyebrows.
Vince: "We thought you'd be smart enough to recognize mutual benefit. But maybe all this press got to your head."
Before Ryan could respond, soft footsteps approached, and a gentle hand slid around his waist.
Leah: "There you are. The dean just asked me to bring you up. There's a private dinner waiting—a few alumni, couple of venture leaders."
She pressed a kiss just behind his ear before looking at the pair beside him with polite curiosity. Then she leaned her head briefly on Ryan's shoulder in an intimate gesture that wasn't just affectionate—it was grounding.
Ryan (placing his hand on Leah's back): "This is Leah Montgomery. My partner and girlfriend."
Liz's smirk faded, replaced by something icier. Still, she recovered quickly.
Liz: "Of course. Beautiful and brilliant. You don't waste time, do you?"
She winked. Again.
Ryan (voice flat): "Let me ask you both something. What makes you think you're in any position to stand in front of me and talk partnership? Because you showed up at the same school? Because you liked a speech?"
Vince: "We thought we were being generous. Thought maybe you'd be open to new ideas."
Ryan: "You're standing at the starting line, puffing your chests like you're halfway around the track. Meanwhile, I'm pacing to set the world record."
He rose, slowly.
Ryan: "This isn't a negotiation. It's a reminder: proximity to success isn't the same as achievement. Learn that before you ask someone like me to look twice."
With Leah close against his side, he walked away without another word.
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Hallway to the Dining Room
They walked together in silence for a moment, the hum of the hotel bar fading behind them. The hallway to the private dining room was quiet and softly lit.
Leah: "What was that? They looked like they wanted something but didn't know how to ask."
Ryan (quietly): "They were some students that were there for my speech. They acted like we were long lost friends that used to take advantage of me. I had a really bad premonition that I would be walking into a trap if I had given them anymore of my time."
She squeezed his hand gently.
Leah: "They don't know who you are. Not really. But I do. You don't owe them anything. Not time. Not explanation."
Ryan (internally): That warning... It wasn't just about them. It was about what they represent. The chance to relapse into an old path. One I already fought to escape.
Ryan: "I think I just avoided something I couldn't afford to repeat."
Leah (softly): "You chose us. The life we're building. And that makes all the difference."
They stepped through the doors into the private dining room where the dean and several respected alumni were waiting. But Ryan took one last look behind him—not with regret, but with certainty.
The past had come to test him.
And for once, he hadn't blinked.
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