New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

The next week was spent in the hospital, much to Alexander's displeasure. He made his week as productive as he could, though, calling a house-hunting agency, and setting his demands for a new home.

He also told them what budget he was willing to put in, and the type of security minimum he wanted. After all, he didn't want just any Tom, Dick, and Harry to barge into his home like this time.

After setting that into motion, he called his financial advisor, and had a large sum of money withdrawn from all his investments almost equally, to not hurt any of them too much.

His financial advisor did his job and advised against that move, as it would hurt his investment wallet in the long term. But Alex cared little about the long term, since there wouldn't be any long term.

His financial advisor eventually gave up and did as ordered, transferring the money into Alexander's account. He soon got the notification of a transfer of almost two million dollars.

His money had multiplied by a lot over the course of one month, since he had followed the list David sent him. Respecting the timetables and reinvesting the money when he pulled one out, he made millions in a few weeks.

His first advisor had complained a lot about these moves, until Alex was tired of it, and fired him.

The new one he got after that asked fewer questions about the abrupt transfers, since they bore fruit, but was more stringent on pulling money out for personal use.

But he was only an advisor, and ultimately, the money wasn't his. He was just sad that his commission would lower in the next few months.

Over the span of the week, he received many messages from players he had on his friend list, asking why he hadn't been online in so long. All of which he answered the same thing. 'I've been busy.'

Most of them stopped pestering after that answer, but some only became more insistent. One, in particular, asked many more questions than the others.

Phoenix had kept pestering Alexander every day, asking for the truth, and spouting theories that became increasingly nonsensical.

That was, until she asked a question that was spot on, and Alex hesitated too long to answer, queuing her in. When she grasped she had hit the bullseye, she insisted on him telling her where he was hospitalized.

She refused to take no for an answer, and he eventually gave up trying. He gave her the hospital name and room number, saying that he could take visits at any time.

He had upgraded his hospital stay when the money hit his account, being transferred to one of the VIP rooms. Since he had the money, might as well use it, and make his stay more comfortable.

The very next day, Phoenix came to visit. Alexander knew she lived in the same province, and in a city not so far from Montreal, but he was still surprised.

She took a day out of the game, losing some of her level advantages to visit him, even though he insisted he was fine. She insisted that's what friends do.

He didn't remember being so friendly with her, but he didn't mind. He had been lonely the last few days, since he had no one who visited, aside from the detective on his case.

Phoenix had given him her real name and contact information when she visited, saying that friends don't call each other by their gamer tag. So he did the same with her.

It felt good to have someone treat him like a friend after so long of being alone. So he went along with her whims for the time she was there.

She had brought him flowers and a get-well-soon card that brought a sincere smile to his lips. And when lunchtime came knocking, she ordered food from a nearby restaurant, insisting that he shouldn't eat the hospital food.

He had laughed at that comment, since his VIP status gave him a better menu than the rest of the patients. But she refused to listen to his complaints.

She paid for the order, even after he said he wanted to chip in, saying he had the money. To which she gave him a death stare, asking him if he was saying she didn't.

After backpedalling as hard as his brain could, and apologizing a few times, she showed a smile again, saying it was fine.

'This woman is terrifying!' He had thought.

Over the few hours she stayed, they talked about what they had been doing since the tournament, and Kary gave him some updates on the important events that had happened in-game.

A few hours after lunch, she got a call and had to leave. She insisted on visiting him again in a few days, but he refused her, since he would be out by then.

He instead told her he would give her the address to his new place when he was settled in, and that she could visit him there. That had placated her, and she left, wishing him to get better.

A smile hung on his lips for the rest of the day, his good mood also infecting the nurses that regularly checked up on him. Gossip was already spreading among the nurses about who the young woman might be.

Alexander didn't mind, since he wouldn't be there much longer, and gossip couldn't hurt anyone.

The next day, he called the detective, asking for updates on the case, and he got good news. Since they had started the investigation, they had found eyewitnesses to the incident, and a video circulating on the internet.

The video showed him getting shot at and chased in an alley, confirming his side of the story, and absolving him. He was now completely out of the suspect list, and the two deaths were going to be ruled as self-defence in court.

He thanked the man before hanging up. His heart felt a few ounces lighter, with that weight off his shoulders.

The next few days went by peacefully, before he was finally discharged and sent back home. The next couple of days were going to be busy yet again, before he could finally relax in his new home.