Ethan Cole - The Unlimited System

The energy inside Nova Tech's headquarters was alive, like static before a storm. Today wasn't just another day on the calendar, it was the beginning of something far bigger.

The grand launch was approaching fast, and it would be the moment Nova Tech officially stepped onto the world stage.

Even though the sun had barely settled over the skyline of Novan City, the lobby was already full. More than a hundred and fifty newly hired employees stood in clusters across the polished marble floor, all of them freshly recruited from different industries.

Their name tags were still crisp, and their faces carried a mixture of nerves, awe, and excitement.

Some were whispering about the tech Nova Tech had promised. Others, about the rumors surrounding its elusive founder.

"Hey, did you hear anything about Ethan Cole showing up today?" a guy near the back asked, pushing up his glasses.

"Who, the Chairman?" another replied, sipping nervously from a paper cup of coffee. "I don't even know what he looks like. They say he's in his twenties."

A woman with a sleek ponytail leaned in. "I heard he bought this entire building, our HQ, with cash. You don't do that unless you've got serious backing."

"Or serious secrets," someone murmured from the side, earning a few laughs.

"I just hope the salary is real," one of the girls from customer service whispered to her friend. "And not one of those startup scams where they pay you with potential."

"Oh, it's real," the friend grinned. "My friend, who had been offered the permanent position, his bank account nearly cried when the signing bonus came in."

"Damn. That's sick. I'm just hoping to pass the probation quickly," chimed another.

"Yeah. Even with our 70% of the expected salary was many times higher than my previous job."

"Don't worry about that. We got the contract, right?"

A buzz of light laughter rippled through the crowd.

At the front of the room, David Turner stood tall, adjusting his collar subtly as he glanced over the assembled group. The pressure was real, but he held it well. After all, he had spoken in larger halls and more ruthless rooms, but somehow, today felt different.

'I can't believe everything is working well so far. I just need to become the leader that I'm supposed to be now.'

He felt a bit nervous. Maybe because this wasn't just about business. This was about building something from the ground up.

Beside him stood Jessica. Immaculate as always, she was reviewing the agenda on her tablet without missing a beat. Her eyes didn't just read—they scanned, calculated, predicted. She wore a look of precise control, the kind that said we're not here to play.

Behind them, the murmur of the room continued.

"Is that David Turner?"

"Yeah, it's him. The David Turner. He's the reason I even applied."

"And the woman beside him... that's Jessica, right? Ethan's PA."

"She's more than just a PA. I heard she runs half the company."

As the quiet chatter continued, the topic began to drift again.

"So, the rumors about the Chairman, are they true?"

"Depends on which rumor you mean," someone chuckled. "The property agency said he was a spoiled brat with inherited money. The truth was, they mistreated our chairman and tried to get on him back."

"Figured. But Jessica's old workplace claimed he built a predictive AI that cracked market forecasting."

"Wasn't there one article that said he used to sell snacks in high school and became a millionaire before twenty?"

"That was Suzanne's blog," another chimed in dryly. "She's probably still hoping he reads it and hires her as head of marketing."

"More like head of gossip and fake stories," someone muttered, and a few shoulders shook with quiet laughter.

But even behind the jokes, the mystery remained. Ethan Cole had never made a public appearance.

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No interviews, no press photos, not even a verified social media account.

He was a ghost behind a billion-dollar dream.

Then, at the front, David cleared his throat.

The room quieted almost instantly.

"Good morning, everyone," he said. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried enough weight to hush even the whisperers at the back. "I'm David, and this is Jessica. We'll be leading you through the orientation."

Jessica looked up briefly and gave a small nod. Some of the new staff straightened their backs.

"Welcome to Nova Tech," David continued, letting the moment settle. "I know many of you are eager to get started. And you will. But today isn't just about tasks and departments. It's about vision. It's about where we're going, and what we're about to do together."

He paused, scanning the crowd.

It had been some time since he'd addressed this many people at once. Strangely, the nerves crept in for a split second. Not that anyone would've noticed. His posture was straight, his tone confident.

"We've gathered you all here to help you understand what we're building," he said. "And to prepare you for this Friday's launch."

As if on cue, a wave of excitement spread across the room. Whispers broke out again. There was applause. A few exchanged looks as if finally realizing, we're really part of something big.

And the best part, they still hadn't seen Ethan yet.

David smiled as he looked at the crowd. The excitement in the room was infectious.

"Nova Tech is not just a job," he began, his voice steady and warm. "This company was built on the belief that true innovation grows when creativity is given room to breathe."

His eyes scanned the faces before him—some eager, some unsure, but all paying close attention.

"Today, you'll tour the building, meet your teams, and learn how we want to work together. This Friday…" He paused for effect, letting the anticipation build. "We'll be introducing Nova Tech to the world."

A quiet wave of murmurs swept across the room. One of the engineers nudged her friend. "They've already started working on the launch setup, haven't they?"

"I saw crates being unloaded near the event hall," someone whispered back. "Feels like it's really happening."

David gave Jessica a small nod. She stepped forward, tablet in hand, switching seamlessly into her role.

Her tone was precise yet personable. "You're part of something important," she said. "Something with real potential to make an impact. But before we get into details, let's make sure you know where you are."

The group followed as David and Jessica led them into the heart of the building.

At first, many of them expected the usual: cubicles, corner offices, a few potted plants.

But what they walked into looked more like a collaborative art space than a tech company.

Clean lines, open-air layouts, sunlight pouring through tall windows. Standing desks arranged like islands, lounge pods by the glass walls, and even a few indoor trees reaching toward the skylights.

David turned and walked backward for a moment as he spoke. "We don't believe in cubicles or traditional offices here."

People began looking around with raised eyebrows.

"Everything is designed to be flexible. You're free to pick your space. Sit by a window. Work from a couch. Team up at a standing station. Even take your laptop to the rooftop garden. We want you to feel comfortable enough to do your best work."

A hand shot up. It was Kara, a young software engineer with a curious gleam in her eye. "So… we don't have assigned desks?"

Jessica smiled, clearly expecting that one. "Nope. No fixed desks. No rigid seating plans. You're free to move, collaborate with different teams and departments, or even work remotely if needed. We trust you to manage your time."

A few heads turned in surprise. Someone near the back whispered, "Wait, we can work from anywhere?"

"Yes, from anywhere you want as long as you deliver the job," Jessica added, with a small laugh. "We're here to build something bold. That takes freedom, not control."

The excitement grew more visible now. People were walking slower, taking it all in. Every corner they passed held something unexpected.

Jessica stopped near a glass-walled room with soft lighting. "This," she said, opening the door with a gesture, "is the Recharge Zone."

The group leaned in.

Inside were nap pods, bean bags, quiet reading corners, and even a wall of indie games loaded onto consoles. A few jaws dropped. One of the younger hires mouthed, "No way," as he stared at a mini-library tucked beside a calm, plant-lined nook.

"We believe rest is part of productivity," Jessica explained. "This is your space to pause. Rest your mind, take a breather, or just reset your mood."

A marketing assistant blinked and whispered to the woman beside her, "I've never seen anything like this… not even in corporate videos."

David smiled, clearly enjoying their reactions. "And it gets better," he said. "Let's head to the cafeteria."

He wasn't faking his enthusiasm either. This setup—the open space, the freedom, the vision—it had all started with Ethan's ideas. David still remembered how Ethan described the headquarters of Yezza, one of the top-tier tech companies on the global stage. Ethan had wanted something similar for Nova Tech.

But not just to match it.

To beat it.

David had been sold on the dream from day one. His wife, who had heard every detail, every idea over dinner, had encouraged him with every step. She liked Ethan, even if she hadn't met him yet. She'd been telling David for weeks to invite the young Chairman for a home-cooked meal.

But Ethan had been busy.

Too busy, if David was honest. The kind of busy that made you wonder if the man ever slept.

Still, work got done. That was enough.

When the group reached the cafeteria, several of them stopped in their tracks.

The space was sleek and welcoming, more cafe than canteen. Wooden tables, pendant lighting, a long espresso bar, and food stations that looked like something out of a boutique food court.

Fresh coffee, warm pastries, and rows of neatly arranged snacks gave the whole place a comforting aroma.

"All of this is free," David said, pointing around the room. "Breakfast. Lunch. Snacks. Drinks. Take whatever you need, whenever you need it."

Someone gave a low whistle.

"And if you want to bring some home," he added with a wink, "go ahead."

Mike, a newly appointed customer service lead, turned to his colleague with wide eyes. "I think I've walked into paradise by mistake."

Laughter erupted around them, but the wonder in everyone's expressions remained.

It wasn't just the food or the furniture.

It was the feeling.

Nova Tech wasn't just changing the game in tech.

It was rewriting what it meant to work.