Joe tried to steady the plates in his hands, but as he took a step forward, everything came crashing down. This was the third time he had broken the plates this week, but it wasn’t his fault. The slippery tiles in the kitchen area and his shoes, which were slowly falling apart, were to blame.“Joe!” The sound of his name being called made him turn back sharply. His eyes landed on his boss, Mr. Smith.“You fucking bastard!” Mr smith yelled as his hands moved towards Joe’s cheeks, hitting him across the face. “How many times have I told you to be careful, huh?”Joe tried to defend himself, but at that moment, he felt another slap on his face, harder than the last.His face stung, but not as much as the pain he felt as he took a step forward. He had stepped on a piece of the broken plate, and it penetrated his shoes.Joe swallowed the pain, turning to look at his boss. “I…I will clean it!” He said.“You better hurry up. People are waiting for their orders.” Joe nodded his head, watchi

Joe sat on the edge of his worn-out couch, staring at his phone, still stunned by the unexpected money in his bank account. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. How could there suddenly be a huge sum of money in his account?His hand shook as he dialed his bank’s customer service number. The automated voice guided him through the menu, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, a representative picked up.“Good evening. This is Sarah from Bank Services. How can I assist you today?” a voice said.Joe swallowed hard, trying to find the words. “Yeah, um, I—I have a question about my account. I just checked my balance, and there’s more money in there than there should be. I don’t know where it came from.”The line went silent for a moment as the representative likely pulled up his account details.“Okay, Mr. Turner,” Sarah said after a moment. “I see what you’re referring to. It looks like a deposit was made into your account earlier today.”“But who made the dep

Joe’s head throbbed as he was tossed around like a ragdoll by the men who dragged him across the floor.His body ached from the punches and kicks, but he forced himself to stay conscious. His vision blurred for a moment before a rough hand grabbed him by the collar, shoving him across the room with brutal force. He stumbled and crashed into another door, falling into what seemed like a smaller room.“Place him in that corner,” the man in white ordered from the doorway.The men who had been handling Joe hesitated for a second, looking at each other before obeying. They roughly yanked the ropes from his wrists, leaving red, angry marks where the bonds had cut into his skin. Joe slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.“Leave us,” the same voice ordered. Joe glanced up, his vision clearing enough to see the man speaking.The other men left without a word, closing the door behind them.Joe tried to sit up, wincing as pain shot through his side. “What’s your name, young man?” The m

Joe sat in the back of the police car, his hands cuffed tightly behind his back. As the car made its way to the police station, he kept replaying the moment Jack had slapped him and called him a thief. “This is a misunderstanding!” Joe shouted. “You have to listen to me! My friend’s in danger!”The officers in the front didn’t even glance back at him. One of them, the driver, just let out a small chuckle. “Yeah, sure, buddy. That’s what they all say.”“I’m serious! There’s someone out there who’s going to kill my friend if I don’t help him! You have to believe me!” Joe’s voice cracked. The officer in the passenger seat finally turned to look at him. “Save it for the judge.”Joe slumped back in his seat, feeling utterly helpless.When they arrived, the officers dragged Joe out of the car, and he stumbled as his legs gave out beneath him. They didn’t care. They shoved him through the doors and down the cold hallways of the station. “You can’t just lock me up! I didn’t do anything

Joe walked behind Mr. Atlas, his footsteps echoing off the polished stone courtyard, each step feeling heavier than the last.“I know you may be wondering why you’re here,” Mr. Atlas said, his back still to Joe as they walked.Joe didn’t respond immediately. His throat was dry, and his mind too clouded to form any words. He simply nodded, though he doubted Mr. Atlas could see the gesture.Mr. Atlas stopped suddenly, turning to face Joe. He extended his arm, gesturing toward the sprawling landscape ahead of them. The estate stretched out as far as Joe could see, a vast expanse of grand buildings, meticulously kept gardens, and ornate stone structures. It looked like something out of a movie.“All of this,” Mr. Atlas said. “was owned by your grandfather. And my late uncle.”Joe’s head snapped up. “My grandfather?” he repeated.Mr. Atlas nodded. “Yes, your grandfather. I doubt you remember him, and that’s not surprising. You were just a baby when everything fell apart.”Joe furrowed