The moment Morty heard his father’s voice downstairs, his blood ran cold.No!No!No!No! He wasn’t supposed to be home yet.Morty had planned for everything, he had altered the maid schedules, ensured his mother was out of the house, even bribed a stubborn maid to get access to the room.But he hadn’t planned for thisLarry was supposed to be gone until evening, but now he was here.This was the one unexpected event that Morty couldn't plan forMorty’s heartbeat pounded against his ribs as he froze in place, his mind racing through his options.Should he take the key and risk getting caught, infact... Was he even sure that what he was looking at was the keyHis fingers twitched toward the wooden box he had found the key Do I keep searching? Do I run?How would he even escape?, Jumping through the window would mean certain death, as it was four stories high.Maybe he'd survive, but Morty didn't like the idea of breaking his legs Then he heard it, the unmistakable sound of his father’s

Lloyd woke up to the soft sound of Lisa’s steady breathing beside him. His eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the curtains, casting faint patterns on the walls of their room in the Francis house.For a moment, he didn’t move, he simply watched her. Lisa was curled up slightly, her face relaxed in peaceful sleep. It was a rare sight, lately, she had been tense, worried about their future, about Edgar Numa, about her family. But right now, she looked at peace, and it made Lloyd feel something he hadn't in a long time... content.A small, genuine smile played on his lips as he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face.Then his phone buzzed, and it's content was about to take his smile away once again.Lloyd’s body tensed instantly, his instincts kicking in before he even glanced at the screen. Years of living on edge made him hyper-aware of everything around him, and an early morning message was never good news. Carefully, he slipped out of bed, m

Lloyd sat in the back of the limousine, staring out at the sprawling skyline of Budville as it came into view. The towering skyscrapers gleamed under the evening sky, their neon lights flickering like distant stars.It had been nearly a year since he’d left this city, nearly a year since he’d returned to Hilburg to begin his revenge, and now he was back...not for leisure, not for nostalgia, but because Eric Weissman, the man who had saved his life and shaped him into who he was today, had summoned him.His fingers drummed lightly against the armrest. Though Lloyd rarely let emotions cloud his judgment, there was a distinct sense of anticipation within him. Budville was a place of ghosts, memories of survival, of struggle, of ascension.He always asked himself what place he thought more of as home, Hilburg or Budville, many months ago he would have said Budville, as all Hilburg had left him were memories of pain and suffering.But now he had formed and reformed many bonds in Hilburg,

Morty stood frozen on the doorstep, his breath caught in his throat. The weight of Annie Carter’s words pressed down on him like an iron vice.Kyle had jumped...And while he had survived, the doctors said he’d never wake up.The realization hit him like a sledgehammer, his stomach twisted painfully, his hands clenched at his sides. He had known that framing Kyle would ruin his career, humiliate him, maybe even send him into a downward spiral... but this?This was so much worse, everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.Kyle hadn’t just lost his job, he had lost everything... his dignity, his hope, hiis future...and Morty knew it was all his fault.He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Annie’s eyes were red and puffy, fresh tears threatening to spill down her cheeks."You…you said he’s at St. Mary’s Hospital?" Morty finally managed to say, his voice hoarse.Annie sniffled and nodded "Yes, but… it doesn’t matter"Morty felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest "What d

Lloyd’s return to Hilburg was quiet, no fanfare, no unnecessary attention... just the way he liked it.The black limousine cruised through the city streets, its tinted windows shielding him from the outside world. As he looked out at the familiar skyline, he noted how little had changed in the past three days.Hilburg was still Hilburg, rotten to its core.He rolled his shoulders, exhaling slowly, his meeting with Eric Weissman had left him with more problems than solutions, and now time was slipping away faster than he would have liked.He needed to act.And the first thing he needed to do was see Lisa...The car pulled up to the Francis Steel building, towering and imposing as ever, Lloyd stepped out, his usual sharp suit perfectly in place. as he walked inside, employees shot him brief glances, some out of curiosity, others out of quiet unease...They'd seen this mysterious man come in an out of their building over the months, they had no idea who he was but the way he moved and