Aris's relationships with women always ended in scandal - some of which even made it into the tabloids. These relationships never lasted more than six months. Whenever the topic of a serious commitment came up and women started planning a future, misunderstandings would arise. Aris usually smoothed things over with lavish gifts, essentially buying his way out of conflict.
A year and a half ago, at a social reception in Copenhagen, he met Princess Sophia. She wasn't a cover girl beauty, but her manners, intelligence, and modesty gave her a special charm. Their relationship began unusually: first exchanging simple messages, then phone conversations. One day, during a call, she told him she would be coming to New York. They began dating and eventually moved in together.
At the wedding of Sophia's cousin, Princess Isabella, in London, everything changed. Surrounded by royals, politicians, and celebrities, after the bride and groom exchanged vows and rings, the formal ceremony smoothly turned into a celebration.
Impressed by all the beauty around her, Sophia clung to Aris, holding his arm. "What a beautiful wedding. Isabella looks so happy! Ours will be next, and it will be just as magnificent," she said with a joyful smile.
Aris turned his head and looked her straight in the eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Darling, we're getting married soon too," she replied with a wide smile.
Aris gently removed his arm from hers, took a step back, and said sharply: "Sophia, I have no intention of getting married."
Sophia froze for a moment, processing what Aris had just said. She turned pale and, not expecting such a blunt response, began to scream hysterically. All signs of her aristocratic poise vanished. Her screeching sounded more like a market vendor than a royal.
At that moment, a smiling waiter, floating along with a tray of exquisite canapés - mini cakes topped with a spoonful of beluga caviar and a thin slice of cucumber - was caught in the chaos. Aris, in a fit of rage, struck him with such force that the tray flew into the air. The expensive canapés scattered across the polished marble floor, leaving greasy, sticky trails. The waiter fell, blood trickling from his broken nose.
The guests froze. Some coughed awkwardly, others clicked their tongues, and some looked away, pretending nothing happened. The orchestra began to play loudly, trying to cover up the unpleasant scene.
Sophia continued to scream as Aris left the event. An elderly gentleman leaned over, picked up one of the fallen canapés, blew on it, and popped it into his mouth. Always follow protocol.
***
"How could you do this to Sophia? I have no words," said Tyra Thor-Ossa, standing in the living room of their Belgravia villa in London. "How are we supposed to face her?"
Aris was surprisingly calm, confident in his righteousness.
"What's there to face? Pay for her therapist, buy her some diamonds, and she'll calm down. How many times do we need to talk about this?"
"You're so selfish!" Tyra said bitterly.
"Me? Selfish? She should apologize to me! She pushed me to the edge! A therapist and a vacation on an island, and she'll be fine."
But Tyra wouldn't back down. "You apologized to the waiter but not to Sophia? She's your fiancée!"
With disgust, Aris replied: "Sophia is not my fiancée. She's just a hysterical woman. I can't stand hysterics. If she were a man, I'd have smashed her against the wall. But since she's Sophia, I choose to ignore her."
With that, he left, leaving Tyra and Stefan in stunned silence.
"Well, what do you say, Stefan?" Mrs. Thor-Ossa turned to her husband. Stefan, seated in an armchair, shrugged.
"Allen, son, forgive us," Mrs. Thor-Ossa said softly.
"I'll go talk to Aris," Allen replied, leaving the room.
When Allen stepped outside, Aris was on the phone.
"Jason, get the villa and the jet ready. I'm flying to Monaco."
"Where are you going?"
"Monaco."
***
A grand party was held at Aris's villa in Monaco. Guests in designer clothing, music - the night radiated luxury and indulgence.
As the night deepened, Max Wong appeared among the guests. He fit perfectly into this world of wild parties and flashy glamor, drawing attention with his ultra-stylish appearance. Aris noticed him as Max approached with a smile.
"Great party, Aris!" Max said, extending his hand.
"Thanks, glad you're enjoying it," Aris replied, shaking it, feeling slightly fatigued.
"I'm Max Wong," he introduced himself, as if saying; "I don't care what people think."
Aris nodded, slightly intrigued. Max was different from the usual attention-seeking crowd. There was confidence in his demeanor.
"Have you heard of Caspace?" Max asked, seizing the moment.
"What are you talking about?" Aris replied.
Max lit up. "It's a new virtual reality game. You get fully immersed, experience things you can't even describe. Aris, you need to try it."
Aris raised an eyebrow, piqued. "Sounds interesting. Let's talk about it later. My head's not clear right now."
Max didn't push it. He knew he had sparked interest. "Of course. When you're ready. Trust me, you won't regret it. I'll call you."
The next day, during a race track training session, Aris received a call from Max. "Are you ready to dive into 'Caspace'?" Max asked.
"Not now, Max. I'm at the track," Aris answered.
Max didn't press further. "Alright. I'll tell you more later. Trust me, it's worth it."
That evening, Aris signed the contract, giving in to curiosity.
"Starting Monday, I'm diving into Caspace," he told Allen.
"What? Diving into what?" Allen asked, confused.
"Here's the contract. Read it. Everything's in there. I'm off to race. Catch!"
Allen barely managed to grab the document.
"You seriously signed this?"
"Not only signed it. I already paid," Aris replied smugly. "So I'm going into virtual reality."
"How much did you pay?" Allen asked, clenching his fists.
Aris showed him the invoice on his phone.
"You're insane!" Allen exclaimed.
"Yeah, but it's worth it. I know what I'm doing," Aris said confidently.
"Do you realize what you've done? That was a ridiculous amount of money!"
"Relax. It'll be fine," Aris said, sure of his decision.
Afterward, Allen called Stefan, who replied calmly: "Let him do what he wants. He's an adult."
Allen flew to Zurich to renegotiate the contract, but by the time he returned to New York, Aris was already in the capsule, immersed in the game.
***
Allen was born into a family of Italian immigrants, Marco and Annetta. From childhood, they taught their children the value of hard work and integrity. They arrived in New York with a dream of a better life, believing that their children would achieve more in this country. Out of their five sons, only Allen, the youngest, reached heights they could hardly have imagined.
From an early age, Allen knew his parents had high expectations for all their sons. At the age of 13, he participated in the International Mathematics Olympiad in Oslo and placed fourth. He was dissatisfied with the result and believed he deserved at least second place. Convinced the jury had unfairly scored him, he boldly filed an appeal. Upon reviewing his work, Allen realized the jury was right - he had made two major mistakes in solving the problems. Naturally, he was upset but accepted the outcome and promised himself to be more careful and double-check his work in the future, avoiding overconfidence.
When Aris's father, Stefan Ossa, learned about this incident, he was deeply impressed. He found it rare for a child to not only challenge authority but also admit his mistakes and learn from them. This showed not just a desire to win at any cost but a confident self-awareness tempered with humility.
Allen received a certificate of honor for his participation in the Olympiad, and soon doors to the best universities began to open for him.
After a conversation with Aris's father, Stefan Ossa, Allen chose business over science. He entered law school and graduated with honors. Stefan offered him a job in his holding company. Working as a lawyer, Allen realized that to truly understand how money and investments worked, he needed to study finance as well.
Despite his young age, Allen became known among investors and businessmen as a promising young expert. He is now Stefan Ossa's personal advisor and heads the investment and finance department of the massive "Golden Stone" holding.