Marvin’s mind was still spinning from the officer’s words when suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind. “Hello, give way, I have to check in.” It was Martha Arceneaux. She stood just a few feet away, holding her son Bryan’s hand, her eyes scanned the scene with a smug look on her face.Marvin’s heart sank further. How could she be here? How did she get involved in this? And how did she manage to take their slots and thwart their escape plan?Sophia Richmond turned, her expression instantly hardened with pure hatred. She stepped in front of Martha, blocking her path.Martha smirked, not even trying to hide her contempt. “Hey, old madam, please get out of the way. I’ve got a flight to catch.” Her tone was sharp, almost mocking.Sophia’s eyes narrowed, as her anger began to rise quickly. “I’m not moving,” she said coldly. “How did you get our visa slots? How did you even manage this?” Martha crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, pretending to be innocent. “What are you talking a

Marvin slipped his phone back into his pocket, trying to maintain his composure. The air in the terminal felt thick, charged with tension and the hum of whispered mockery. He could feel eyes on him, he could hear the murmurs behind his back, but he refused to react. Mr Donovan's presence was the only thing cutting through the chaos, but even he seemed rattled. He placed a firm hand on Marvin’s shoulder, leaning in close enough so that only Marvin could hear him.“Marvin,” Donovan said, with a voice that was low and urgent. “Please, calm down. I need you to think this through. We can work something out. How about I put you and your mother in business class on the next flight to Neovalle? It leaves in a few hours. Just… be patient.”Marvin’s jaw tightened, but his expression remained unreadable. “Donovan, you don’t understand,” he muttered, just as quietly. “I can’t stay here. Westwood isn’t safe for me anymore. I need to leave this moment. My mother and I… we have no future here. M

Marvin and his mother stepped off the plane onto the tarmac at Neovalle’s sleek, modern airport. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the city skyline in the distance. It felt like stepping into another world—one that seemed light-years ahead of the life they had left behind.As they made their way through the terminal, Marvin pulled out his phone and opened a rideshare app. Within minutes, they were greeted by a dark blue Uber, its electric engine was humming softly as it pulled up to the curb.“Hello! Marvin and Sophia Richmond, right?” the driver asked with a friendly smile. He was a middle-aged man with a kind face and a name tag that read Elian.“Yes, that’s us,” Marvin confirmed. “Um, we are kinda new around and we would like to ask if you can recommend a good hotel around here? Something top-notch.”Elian’s eyes lit up. “Oh, definitely! You’ll want to check out The Aurora Grand. It’s one of the best hotels in Neovalle. Five-star service, stunning views, and all th

The young woman’s eyes widened in shock. “What the hell, you must be kidding me!” she shouted, drawing more attention.“Come on, run the card in the machine again,” the young lady demanded, with a voice that was tight with irritation.The receptionist took the card and swiped it again, but the screen displayed the same message: “PAYMENT DECLINED.”The young woman’s face turned red with frustration. “This is ridiculous!” she exclaimed. “Wait, sir, let me call my banker. I’m not having this.” She pulled out her phone, furiously tapping at the screen to make the call.“Please, madam, kindly step aside so I can attend to the next person,” the receptionist said politely but firmly.She turned to look at Marvin with a sneer, then huffed and stepped aside, holding her phone to her ear.The receptionist turned to Marvin. “Hello, sir, and welcome to Aurora Grand Hotel,” he greeted with a somewhat tired expression. “Are you here to book a reservation?”“Yeah, of course,” Marvin replied, still f

Back in his lavish private spa room, Mr Richmond lay back on a comfortable lounge chair, his eyes were closed as soft music played in the background. The warm steam and the soothing scent of lavender filled the air of the private spa room. The events of the day felt distant now, almost like a bad dream he was finally waking up from.Beside him, Dana Orion, his wife, was scrolling through her phone, with a slight smile playing on her lips. Her Instagram page had exploded with new followers ever since they got married, and now, every post seemed to be filled with congratulations and admiration.“Look at this, honey,” Dana said, showing him her phone screen. “They’re all talking about us. Some are even saying that we’re the new power couple of Westwood.”Mr Richmond smiled faintly, not opening his eyes. “Good for them. I’m just glad I can finally relax.”Dana nodded, though she looked a bit worried. She knew today had been tough for him, overseeing some projects and attending to some