CHAPTER ONEASLEEP YET AWAKEJACE firmly believed that life was give and take, take too much and it would eventually come back to bite you. However as he looked at his wife sleeping bathed under the soft glow of the lava lamp by the table he decided maybe life had a soft spot for him.The bed creaked under him as he rose up to meet the challenges of the day, He caught a reflection of himself from the bedside vanity, a tall, well-built man in his early 30s with short, dark hair and piercing blue eyes stared back at him giving off a confident demeanor. He touched the small scar above his left eyebrow, which he got in a fight during his teenage years. He had a small tattoo of a lion on his right bicep which represent strength and courage, He has a small mole just under the right side of his chin. Overall, he gave off an attractive and imposing figure, someone who commands attention and respect.With that in mind, he trudged towards the bathroom, dragging his feet like a man on his way t

CHAPTER 3OLD FRIENDSFive years prior Jace scanned the crowded bus station, trying to locate his ride. He was supposed to be meeting a woman named Rain, whom he had only spoken to a few times on the phone. He wasn’t sure what she looked like, but he had a feeling that he would know her when he saw her.Suddenly, he heard a loud, cheerful voice calling out his name. “Jace! Over here!”He turned in the direction of the voice, and there she was – a tall, graceful woman with wild curly hair and a bright yellow raincoat. She was waving frantically, and Jace couldn’t help but grin at the sight.He made his way over to her, dodging other travelers and dragging his suitcase behind him. “Rain? Nice to finally meet you in person.”She beamed up at him. “Likewise! I’m so glad you could make it.”Jace couldn’t help but notice the strange looks they were getting from other travelers. He wondered if it was because of Rain’s bright raincoat or the fact that they seemed to be hitting it off so quic

CHAPTER FIVEWOLVES AND MANSIONSIf there was one thing he knew about Frank, it was that the man was all about time – if you were late, you were out of luck.Frank was the son of Louis Grant, a multi billionaire thanks to his success in the pharma industry. he had a bit of a fatherly obsession with Jace and wanted to be a part of his company so badly that he practically begged to be his partner. Jace, being the stubborn man he is, refused and went solo. But Frank wasn’t going to let go that easily and he decided to invest in the company instead, giving him some sort of control.And now in a surprising turn of events, Jace found himself driving to Frank’s family home on a Sunday evening after being summoned. Which did not bode well for the outcome of the meeting as frank took his weekends off so seriously that he practically worshipped them.The thought of frank getting control over his business in any way was faintly nauseating but Jace had to let Frank have his fun, since he needed

CHAPTER SEVENSPREADSHEETS AND VILLAINS Five years priorJace breathed a sigh of relief as he gathered his documents, happy with the way his presentation had gone. Just as he was about to step down from the podium, he noticed a man in the front row making his way towards him.The man who approached Jace was a towering figure with broad shoulders and a no nonsense attitude. His presence exuded confidence and power, making heads turn in his direction as he walked towards the podium. Jace couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the man’s aura, wondering how someone could command such authority in a room full of industry experts.As the man reached the podium, he extended a meaty hand towards Jace. “Frank Grant, nice to meet you,” he said in a voice that sounded like a chainsaw.Jace hesitantly shook his hand, wondering what this man could want from him. “Jason hall , pleasure to meet you too,” he replied.Frank leaned in close to Jace “You know, I really liked your presentation,” he said,

CHAPTER NINEWRONG SIDE OF THE LAWAs they haggled over the terms of their deal, the wailing of sirens grew louder and louder, making Jace’s palms sweat. Frank’s face split into a wide grin, and Jace knew that something was about to go down.“What’s with all the noise outside?” Jace asked, trying to keep his voice steady.Frank chuckled. “Oh, just a little surprise I arranged for you. It’s the cops, Jace. And they’re here to arrest you for fraudulent practices.”Jace’s eyes widened in shock. “What? That’s ridiculous! I haven’t done anything illegal!”Frank leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. “Well, that’s not what our investigation shows,” he said smugly.Michael rushed to the window and peered outside. “Holy crap, there are at least ten cop cars out there,” he exclaimed.Jace could feel the panic rising in his chest. He couldn’t believe this was happening. “You set me up, Frank,” he spat out. “You planned this all along, didn’t you?”Frank just shrugged. “Hey,