Victor stood speechless, his face drained of color. He stared at the camera replaying the recording of his damning conversation with Lee. His eyes darted around the courtroom, seeing the looks of shock and disdain on the faces of the judge, jury, and spectators. Stephen, with a confident smirk, locked eyes with the judge, who nodded solemnly. "Mr. Stephen," the judge said, his voice steady, "the evidence presented here is conclusive. You are cleared of all charges." Relief washed over Stephen, but he kept his focus sharp. The judge turned to Victor, whose expression had morphed from surprise to rage. "Victor King," the judge continued, his tone cold, "you are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and embezzlement, as evidenced by this recording. Your actions are reprehensible and will be met with the full force of the law. You are hereby sentenced to 25 years." The courtroom buzzed with murmurs. Victor's fists clenched at his sides, his mind racing for an escape, but there was
The next morning, Stephen was asleep on the couch, snoring softly, when a loud crash from the kitchen jolted him awake. He checked the time: 7:00 AM. Groggy and confused, he noticed the living room was immaculate, far cleaner than he'd left it."What's going on?" he muttered as he headed to the kitchen.There, he found Yuna throwing his whiskey bottles into the trash. He watched, stunned. "What are you doing?" he asked, struggling to keep his tone calm.Yuna looked at him with determination. "Drinking alcohol is bad for your health."Stephen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, but... those are expensive."She stood her ground, her small frame exuding surprising strength. "It's not good for you. My daddy said so."Stephen knelt down to her level. "Your daddy was a wise man. But sometimes adults need... a little help to relax."Yuna's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want you to be like my daddy. He got sick from drinking."Stephen's heart softened. He had promised Ju-won
Stephen sat in his car, stuck in traffic, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. The events of the day replayed in his mind, the miners' applause echoing in his ears. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard—8:45 PM. He had promised Yuna he'd be home early, but the unexpected tasks at the Empire had delayed him. The traffic finally started moving, and he maneuvered through the streets, his thoughts drifting to Yuna.By the time he parked in the hotel garage, it was 9:30 PM. Stephen sighed, thinking about Yuna probably waiting for him, or worse, already asleep after a long day of waiting. He entered the elevator, his mind heavy with guilt. The elevator dinged, and he stepped out, using his card to open the door to their suite.Darkness greeted him. The entire room was pitch black. Stephen's heart skipped a beat. "Yuna?" he called out, flicking the lights on. Silence answered him. He checked the bedroom—empty. The bathroom—empty. Panic began to set in as he searched every corner, ca
He looked at the phone screen, then back at Yuna, who was starting to stir in her bed.Yuna woke up, blinking at the sunlight filtering through the curtains. She called out, "Stephen?" There was no response. The entire suite was silent. She got up, rubbing her eyes, and walked to the living room. "Where did he go?" she sighed. This reminded her of her father, who was rarely around on her birthdays. Now, it seemed Stephen was doing the same thing.Yuna sighed again and took the elevator downstairs. She passed by the hotel staff easily; they were busy with customers or other tasks. Stepping outside, she looked at the morning sun and felt a pang of loneliness. She watched kids playing and making noise in a huge school bus. She had never been in one of those before. Back in her hometown, she used to walk to school. Since moving to the city with her father, things had changed. Her mother had left them for some rich man, leaving her and her father to fend for themselves.Lost in her though
They arrived at the hotel where Stephen had booked a suite. As he parked the car, he turned to Marianne, his expression unreadable. "Follow me," he said coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument. Marianne nodded silently, her heart pounding in her chest as she followed Stephen into the lobby and up to the elevator. The ascent felt like an eternity, each floor passing in suffocating silence until they finally arrived at the top floor. Stephen led her down the plush corridor to the penthouse suite. He stopped before the ornate double doors, his hand hesitating over the handle. "There are a few ground rules while you stay here," he began, his voice clipped and businesslike. "No touching or going through my personal belongings. And lastly, you shouldn't be harsh to Yuna." Confusion flickered across Marianne's face. "Who is Yuna?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion. Stephen ignored her question as he pushed open the door, his gaze immediately falling on the chaos that await
---Yuna stepped out of the building, clutching the money Marianne had given her. The city was overwhelming, its lights and sounds a stark contrast to the safety of the penthouse. She hesitated on the sidewalk, unsure of which direction to go. Her heart pounded as she tried to recall the way to the fries shop Marianne had mentioned, but everything seemed to blur together.Yuna wandered down the street, the noise of the city growing louder with each step. People brushed past her, barely noticing the small, anxious girl among the throngs of city dwellers. She looked around, searching for any sign that might point her in the right direction, but nothing seemed familiar.After what felt like an eternity, Yuna spotted a small shop that sold fries. Relief washed over her as she walked in and placed her order, using the money Marianne had given her. She clutched the warm bag of fries tightly, hoping that the smell of fried food would provide some comfort.But as she stepped out of the shop,
Stephen quietly exited Yuna's room and walked toward the balcony, needing a moment to clear his head. The morning air was cool, a welcome contrast to the tension that had filled the penthouse. He leaned against the railing, staring out at the city's glittering skyline. The view was breathtaking, but this morning, it felt like a backdrop to his worries.With a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and opened the system, his mind turning to the practical aspects of his life. His current stats appeared on the screen:- **Name:** Stephen- **Surname:** King- **Level:** Penicia One- **Net Worth:** $10.8 Billion- **Personal Health:** 80%- **Security Threat Level:** ModerateStephen's eyes lingered on the "Security Threat Level" metric. Was that recently added? He knew it was an area that needed his immediate attention. The events of last night had made it clear that despite his business acumen, he still had a lot to learn about balancing his responsibilities and ensuring Yuna's safety.J
Yuna stood frozen, staring at the intruder with wide eyes. Fear gripped her heart as the man's cold voice cut through the silence of the apartment."Where's your Stephen?" His words hung heavily in the air, filling the room with an ominous tension. Yuna's mind raced, trying to process the danger she was in.Marianne, still unaware of the unfolding crisis, remained seated in the kitchen, absorbed in her book. Yuna's thoughts darted to Stephen, hoping desperately that he would come to her rescue.Just as panic threatened to overwhelm her, the apartment door burst open with a sudden shout, "Surprise!"Yuna's confusion mingled with relief as the scene before her transformed in an instant. The intruder's menacing presence dissolved into a whirl of colors and joyful voices. Standing before her were familiar faces, friends, and family members she hadn't expected to see."Happy birthday, Yuna!" The chorus of voices erupted in unison, accompanied by the lively melody of "Happy Birthday." Confe