Chapter 0019

While Leviene was going through her torture, an unusual conversation occurred at a dark corner.

“I am not my father.” Syphie understood the trauma Erica faced at the hands of her father. Even though Eric was justified in his action, it was William and Janet he should lash out on, not a 13 year old girl.

“You have his gaze.” An interesting point to note, Sylphie takes after her father personality wise, but she inherit her dark beauty from her mother.

“We are two different people.”

“Two people with the same leadership abilities and the same possessive instinct.” Eric and Sylphie had the same traits, the aptitude to inspire loyalty in their followers and a deep seated possessiveness of those who they considered ‘theirs’.

The two traits mention have a deep rooted history in the Deveraux family. Over a thousand years ago, the Elliot Deveraux, Jessica’s ancestor, possessing the two traits, wage a massive war spanning several countries because one of theirs were taken hostage. During the retrieval process, he kill thousands and laid waste to half of France. Years later, another Deveraux ancestor tortured his enemies over a slight given to one of his ward. Some years later, another ancestor single handedly infiltrate his enemies fortress, slaughter everyone inside because their leader dare insult one of his ward. And then another ancestor made a name for himself by literally making a river of blood for a slight to their ward. And another ancestor…

Suffice to say, the Deveraux history is littered with amazing leaders and despotic tyrant endowed with the two traits. The traits were later called the Deveraux curse.

The curse manifest itself in almost every generation of the Deveraux family. Whisper of sorcery, pacts with the devils and other nefarious rumors plagued the cursed Deveraux but no one dare to eliminate them because the curse inspire both awe and fear.

An attempt within the family was made to kill the curse children before they grew up. Somehow they succeeded. Then the family declined. It wasn’t until they reverse the policy did a reversal in fortune happen. Therefore the prosperity of the family is linked to the presence of the curse.

In the current time frame, Eric and Jessica were the only two known individuals to be cursed. Sylphie knew there was another cursed Deveraux. Since the opponent never made a move against Sylphie, Sylphie did not attempt to interfere with the other’s affair.

“Different times, different people, different methods.” Syphie point out her circumstances were different from her father. Eric’s ‘wards’ so to speak did not want anything to do with him, so he had to make his move stealthily. Sylphie, on the other hand, had an amicable relationship with hers. She did not need the underhanded methods her father employed.

“The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.”

“Can the same be applied to you? The Burkett are thieves, con artist or fraudster. Which profession did you chose?”

“I am not my parents.” Erica attack Sylphie. Sylphie dodge the attack. The Tajin Nost did not retaliate. In real life, Jessica was a fit 5 foot 8 inches, 155 pounds woman with chestnut hair and soulful dark brown eyes. Erica was 5 foot 4 inches tall, 120 pounds woman with a big bust and plain features. Jessica was taller, stronger and out weigh Erica. In a fight between the two, Erica will lose all the time. In Arashia, a Tajin Nost had strength and precision to their advantage while Ruse Marren had agility and dexterity. In a fight between the two players, Sylphie’s attack is slow but does high damage when it hits, whereas Erica advantage lies in weak quick strikes.

Griefing, defined as players harassing another player, isn’t a problem in a new MMO. Everyone’s damage output sucks. Erica attacking Sylphie is no worse than a bee sting. Bees attack in swarms. Erica haven’t realize the her most effective attack method yet.

In Erica hate filled rage, she lost the advantage her race gave her. Five minutes later, Erica was still trying to attack Sylphie. She hated when someone compared her to her parents. It makes her go crazy. She’s like a sailor seeing land after a year out on the seas, drunk the minute she set off on land and her action get even wilder when her parents are compared to her.

“Are you done yet?” Sylphie’s bland tone irritated Erica further.

“I am not my parents.” Erica yelled as she tried to attack Sylphie, but her opponent is quite nimble and dodge all of her attacks. Erica doesn’t know how to fight, or more precisely, she fights like a girl she is, all slaps and clawed nails. Sylphie fight like a train martial artist with well time attacks followed by a smooth evasion if she was taking it seriously. Sylphie never considered Erica her opponent.

“No you are not,” Sylphie acknowledge Erica’s point and made one of her own, “as I am not my father.”

“You scheming rich b*tches are all the same.” Erica wanted to vent her frustration. She tried to drive a wedge between Sylphie and Leviene, but she went too far and aggravated Leviene instead. Her actions shamed her. At the time, she felt she had no choice.

Her anxiety didn’t help either.

“Oh. Then should I say you poor bastards are nothing but white trailer trash running around scamming innocent folks of their hard earn money?”

“B*tch!” Erica increase her attack speed, but Sylphies is as nimble as a monkey.

“How many people have you scammed?” Sylphie taunted the enrage Ruse Marren.

“You talk like you haven’t done it before. Deveraux corporation isn’t clean as you think.” Erica’s retort failed to anger Sylphie.

“So?”

“So you admitted it.”

“Yes, I admitted it. Deveraux Corp. is a business. As with all business, they lie, cheat, steal, produce a product or services the client needs and offer it a high price. But so what? All big corporation are like that. It has become the norm of the business world. I don’t need to deny the darker side of doing business. Once Erica, Landsling and Park gets big enough, you’d become what you hate most.”

“I’ll never become like you!”

“You already are.” Sylphie said in all seriousness.

“Never!”

“You are making six figure a year aren’t you? Your employees are loyal to you and in return you treat them well. You don’t cut corners, stick to your guns when the customer pressure you to lie when you audits their books.”

Erica stop attacking Sylphie. Everything she said is Erica’s achievement. She is proud of her accomplishment.

She started her own accounting firm from scratch with Jared Landsling and Hyatt Park when they were fresh out of college. Erica bust her butt working 80 hours a week, crunching numbers, reviewing her work, looking for errors and working all the little details of a business.

Four years later, Erica, Landsling and Park is a reputable company, employing over 60 accountants, and have branches in the East and West Coast.

“I work hard for my achievements.” Pride. Pride is in Erica’s voice. She created an honest company from scratch. She became successful in her endeavors and no one can take it away from her.

“What if there was a take over? What would you do then?” Sylphie asked honestly. Because of her relationship with the Calbot, Sylphie kept a close watch on the Burkett. Erica’s success story owed a major part to Jessica’s silent interference.

Her partners, Jared Landsling and Hyatt Park are her subordinates. They were like the bodyguards sent to protect the Leviene’s family. Due to the Burkett’s crafty nature, it was hard to monitor them from afar. Jared Landsling and Hyatt Park were tasked to monitor Erica. Their approach was different from the other bodyguards. They approach and befriend the suspicious girl. Surprisingly, they send a report about Erica’s accounting abilities and her offer of partnership.

Jessica ordered them to accept the partnership and silently funded the new start up company. Given the Burkett history, Jessica wonder how they were able to raise an honest child like Erica. She sent more spies over posing as clients to the new company.

Like they said, Erica’s accounting abilities is top notch, combined with an ingenious mind able to find loopholes within the current tax system and a willingness to live in the shades of gray, the company grew under the three’s leadership.

However, Sylphie will never tell Erica about her interference. It will take away her pride. Even though they do not like each other, they share common people. Sylphie was willing to keep silent as long as it doesn’t harm those who considered hers.

“I’ll fight them off.”

“Against an enemy you can’t win?” Sylphie scoff at the righteous indignation Erica displayed. Takeover happens all the time in the business world. Most are clean bought. One company decides to go into a market, instead of starting from scratch, they purchase an existing company and build it up. However, not all takeovers are clear cut. Underhanded means are often employed to pressure the seller, be it vandalism, threats to do bodily harm or outright stealing.

Jessica had to fight off her share, though not from an outside takeover, but an internal struggle. There is always someone in the family who feel entitled to more. They will use whatever and whomever to reach the top. A dagger in the dark is harder to guard against than a direct attack.

“Who says I can’t win?”

“They will lie, cheat and steal. They will do whatever it takes to crush you. What will you do then when the bribe your subordinates? When they hack into your files? When they slander you through the news? When they drug you and accuse you of unfit to lead? When they threaten your important person? Will you still insist on your honor will you dengerate to their level?”

Erica considered Sylphie carefully. The questions was personal. Erica got the feeling Sylphie had to face those choices after her parents died. Especially the drugs and the unfit accusation. As Sylphie kept an eye out on Erica, Erica kept an eye on Sylphie, though through a more financial aspect. She knew Jessica face a slew of false accusation including insanity, misconduct, fraud, and suspicion of murder.

It took two years for the dust to settle, and Jessica came out the winner, having stabilize her position has the major shareholder of Deveraux Corp. and establishing a new CEO loyal to her. Erica couldn’t have done it. She isn’t far sighted enough to prepare for every contingency. Just how much of Jessica’s moral integrity did she sacrifice?

Deflated, Erica answered honestly, “I don’t know.”

“I was like you before the accident.” Sylphie express a sad face laced with regret and longing. “You are more like me than you think.”

Sylphie admired her acting ability just now. She was never like Erica. She had alway been the most dangerous business person second to Eric Deveraux.

Erica gritted her teeth in anger. What more could she say?

“Now quit the moping, buck up and become the scheming b*tch you meant to be.” For words of encouragement, it needs works, but it was the slap Erica needed to regain her footing in this new world.

“It’s rich b*tch. You are the scheming b*tch.”

“Hahaha. Had an epiphany did you?”

“F*ck off wh*re.”

“That’s the Erica I know.”