Ethan Cole - The Unlimited System

Ethan straightened his posture, the weight in his voice shifting from tired to assured. There was still exhaustion in his eyes, but the fire behind them had returned.

"I mean that everything we've built—and everything we will build—is secured. Layered. Reinforced beyond standard protocols."

David raised an eyebrow, voice cautious. "Including Quick?"

Ethan nodded, calm and certain. "Quick is just the beginning."

That line alone drew everyone's attention. The room leaned forward—literally and figuratively.

Ethan paused, letting the moment settle before he continued. "I've implemented protocols that would make even top-level tech firms sweat. Not just code-level defenses, but system-bound contingencies. Traps. Signals. Reactive chains."

Jessica crossed her arms, her voice firm but not confrontational. "You can't be that sure, Ethan. No system is unbreakable. Not forever."

Ethan turned to face her directly. His tone didn't rise. It didn't need to.

"I'm not claiming invincibility," he said. "I'm saying I've prepared for everything I could think of—and then some. There's always a risk. But if someone tries to breach what we've made... they're going to wish they hadn't."

Jessica's eyes narrowed slightly, weighing his words. Not dismissing them, but trying to see where confidence ended and recklessness began.

"I believe in this," Ethan said, more softly now. "Not just because I coded it. But because I've lived through what happens when you don't take things seriously. And I won't let that happen here."

Then he smiled.

It wasn't forced. It wasn't theatrical. But thanks to his unnaturally high Charisma score, the impact was immediate. Like a wave of warmth cutting through fog, it hit them in the gut.

"You don't have to understand everything I've done behind the scenes. Just know—I didn't build this to break. I built it to last."

There was a long pause.

Nobody spoke. Nobody blinked.

Even Jessica, arms still folded, looked like she forgot what she was about to say.

"…Err," Ethan broke the silence, blinking. "Are you guys okay?"

They all shook their heads slightly, like waking from a trance.

David cleared his throat and leaned in, fingers laced. "So… what you're saying is, we trust your safeguards. That if something does happen—"

"I'll know," Ethan finished for him. "And we'll deal with it together."

Everyone was quiet for a moment. They were processing everything that Ethan had said.

Jessica finally broke the silence. "That's it, then," she said softly. "A creator should be confident in his creation. Sorry for doubting you."

Ethan nodded and smiled. He did not wish to add anything to those remarks.

Jordan sighed. "Yeah. Since we can't trust others, we should at least trust Ethan."

Ethan smiled faintly, his exhaustion briefly giving way to gratitude. "Don't worry. We'll face everything together."

The mood lightened. David grabbed the remote and turned off the projection on the wall screen while muttering, "Let's at least wrap this meeting with some sense of hope."

Jordan chuckled. "Hope, huh? I'll take it."

Ethan stood straighter and walked around the table, stretching his shoulders a bit. "We'll need a strategy to manage public perception soon. Not just about Quick, but Nova Tech's image. The moment we grow too fast, people will dig."

Jessica's eyes met his. "Do you think someone already is?"

"I know someone is," Ethan replied without hesitation. "I just don't know who."

They all went quiet again. But it wasn't the heavy kind of silence anymore. It was the kind that came with acceptance—and preparation.

A kind of silent oath.

After a few more minutes of discussion, fleshing out recruitment safety, contingency plans, and a few other things, David glanced toward Jessica.

He offered a warm, genuine smile. "Jessica, you've been really helpful to us. Thank you for everything."

Jordan, ever the playful one, grinned and leaned back in his chair. "You know, Jessica, you should just officially join our team."

Jessica blinked in surprise. "What?"

However, just before she could say anything, Ethan said, "I've planned to discuss that, too," looking at all three of them. "I'd like to hear what you think."

Ethan paused for a moment, as if weighing his words before speaking. His gaze drifted briefly to the window before returning to the group. Both David and Jordan turn to look at him, too.

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"Jessica's being targeted by Lucien," he said quietly. "If she continues working as a property agent, it's going to be harder to protect her."

Jessica blinked. "Wait. What does that have to do with me being a property agent?"

Her voice cracked slightly, caught between confusion and disbelief. It wasn't that she didn't understand the danger—she just couldn't see why her job made things worse.

Ethan turned to her, his tone steady but gentle. "Jess… your work puts you in unpredictable situations. You're always out. Meeting new people. At different locations. There's no real control over who you're with or where you are."

He hesitated, then added, "You're already on their radar. That makes you vulnerable. I can't protect you properly if you keep doing that kind of work."

Jessica's eyes softened, but her brows remained drawn. "I didn't realize it was that serious."

"It is," Ethan said, voice low. "That's why I want to bring you in. Give you a role here at Nova Tech. Somewhere I can keep you safe… and where you'd actually matter."

David chimed in with a nod. "Honestly, that makes a lot of sense. You're exposed every day out there. Alone, no backup, no protection."

Jordan leaned forward, frowning slightly. "Yeah. All it takes is one guy pretending to be a client. One wrong meeting. You won't even see it coming."

Jessica didn't say anything at first. She was processing it all, her fingers curling slightly on her lap.

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish look on his face. "But, uh… that brings me to a small problem."

Jordan tilted his head. "What kind of problem? She's clearly qualified. Probably more than some of the people we are going to hire."

David nodded. He was curious too, watching Ethan with calm interest.

Ethan let out a soft chuckle and scratched the back of his head, clearly searching for the right words. "It's not about qualifications. That's not even a question."

Jordan leaned in, his grin growing. "Then what? You worried she'll outshine you or something?" he teased.

"Of course not that." Ethan chuckled. "It's more like… I don't know what role fits her. She's got a lot of strengths. I thought about assigning her something, but then I realized, maybe I should just ask."

He turned to Jessica and met her eyes. His voice softened.

"Jessica. What kind of role would you want here? Not just for safety, but something you'd actually enjoy doing."

Jessica stared at him, caught completely off guard. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond.

"Are you serious?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before Ethan could answer, David laughed and leaned back in his chair. "Jessica, trust me, he's serious. Even though I just known Ethan, I don't think I've ever seen him make a more sincere offer."

"I second that," Jordan chimed in.

Ethan gave her a quiet nod. "You've proven your value time and time again. But more than that, I trust you. And right now, trust is rare."

Jessica looked away, her expression conflicted. "I appreciate that. Really. But… I don't want to be given a place just because I'm in danger. That feels like charity, not a real hire."

"What are you talking about? You've already done more for Nova Tech than half the people we haven't even hired yet," he said, propping one foot lazily on the leg of his chair.

He gave her a wink. "Besides, Ethan's already offering. Just name a job. Okay, maybe not CEO or my position, and we'll get your nameplate printed."

Jessica rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the small smile that crept onto her lips. Jordan's teasing, as always, helped lighten the moment.

Ethan folded his arms, nodding toward her. "Seriously though, I'm not trying to force anything. But I'd feel a lot better if you were working here. With us."

Jessica hesitated, glancing between all three of them. "I just don't want to feel like I was brought in out of pity," she said softly.

"No one here does pity hires," David replied, his voice calm but firm. "We're building this company from the ground up. Every person we bring in has to matter."

"Exactly," Jordan added. "And you matter. We just need to figure out where you fit best."

Ethan rubbed his chin. "You've got great people skills, you're organized, you're calm under pressure… but I don't know if you'd enjoy operation or admin work."

"What about outreach?" Jordan suggested. "Public face of Nova Tech. She's definitely got the presence for it."

Jessica blinked. "Outreach?"

"Yeah," Jordan said. "Community side. Events. Media if we ever go there. But I guess that might still put you too much in the open…"

"Not ideal if someone like Lucien is still looking," Ethan murmured.

David leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "Okay. So we need something that keeps her inside the building. But also close to the core team. Something important."

A silence settled in the room as everyone thought it over.

Then David looked at Jessica, then at Ethan. Slowly, he spoke.

"Actually… if we're being practical, there's a role that would serve both purposes."

He paused just a second. It was long enough that even Jordan noticed.

Ethan squinted. "What is it?"

David glanced at Jessica again, as if making sure she was ready to hear it. Then he looked back at Ethan.

"She could become Ethan's personal assistant."

The room went still.

Ethan blinked. "Personal assistant?"

Jessica turned to him sharply, just as surprised. "Wait—what?"

David raised both palms slightly. "Think about it. She's already looped into our meetings, our plans. She knows the stakes. And if you want to keep her close and informed, that's the most efficient way."

Ethan looked stunned for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the idea. "That's… I mean, I didn't think of that."

Jessica, still processing, shook her head slowly. "That's a little sudden, don't you think?"

David held up a hand, his tone calm but firm. "Hear me out. With everything happening, Ethan needs someone he can trust implicitly. Someone who can handle responsibilities and be by his side, especially with Lucien in the picture."

Jordan nodded, his playful demeanor giving way to agreement. "It's a solid idea. Plus, Ethan, don't forget, you're heading back to university in a few weeks. Balancing studies and running Nova Tech is going to be insane."

"Talking about that. Actually..." Ethan frowned slightly. "I am thinking about leaving university or switching to a long-distance program. With everything happening, I don't see the benefit of staying enrolled full-time."

David and Jordan exchanged a knowing glance.

"I won't interfere with your decision, Ethan. Just do what you think is best for you," said David.

"Yeah, exactly. If you choose to continue, we're here to handle Nova Tech," added Jordan.

They understood what Ethan meant. His current path didn't align with the typical trajectory of a university student.

"Thank you, everyone. But I think I have made up my mind," said Ethan.

Jordan shrugged. "Even if you do that, it wouldn't hurt to have Jessica as your assistant. You'd have someone to help ease the burden, especially with development and management. You know as well as we do that your focus is going to shift more toward the other things."

Ethan fell silent, deep in thought. He glanced at Jessica, his mind racing through the possibilities.

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

"You know… that's actually a nice idea." He looked at her softly and said, "What do you think about this, Jessica?"

Jessica paused her hands on the table.

"I guess I don't have much to lose. And, honestly…" She glanced down, her voice quiet. "I'm terrified of what Lucien might do if he comes after me again. At least, being with you guys... I feel more at ease."

She looked back up, her expression a mix of uncertainty and resolve.

"Is it really okay?" she asked, her voice tentative.

Ethan, Jordan, and David all nodded together.

Jessica took a deep breath to understand the situation. "Alright," she said softly. "I'll accept."

A grin spread across Jordan's face. "Welcome onboard, Jessica."

Ethan smiled as well, nodding in agreement. "Yes, welcome to the team."

Jessica smiled slightly. She felt some relief from their support, even though she was still overwhelmed with emotions.