Stephen left the Empire building late that evening; the heft of decisions made throughout the day weighed upon his shoulders. The sky ahead was washed in shades of orange and purple, telling the tale of another day breathed out. Climbing in his car, the lights of the city turned on, one by one, shining bright to remind—this is, after all, the city that never sleeps.The drive back to his penthouse was a silent one, a total contrast to the hectic day he had gone through. His mind replayed the meetings, the conversation with Enoch, and over and over again, he mulled over the troubled call from Marianne. By the time he pulled into the underground garage, he was feeling the weight of the exhaustion deep in his bones.Stephen rode the private elevator up to the top of the hotel and hoped for just a moment of peace. The doors opened, and he walked into the darkened living room, taking in the eerie silence. The spacious room, normally cramped, created a disturbingly empty feeling, void of th
The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a pale light on the entirety of the city. The next morning, Stephen rested his back against the car and looked at his watch. Ariane and Yuna were still getting ready for their first day at the new school, somewhere upstairs. He sighed, minding the events of last night. Who had sprung Victor from prison? And why nuance Ju Won with the poison? He could not rid himself of the feeling of looming danger. He mustn't burden Yuna with knowledge of her father's status; she had enough on her plate already. He turned as the door of the building burst open, and he was confronted by Marianne fawning over Ariane. The girl was impatient, worming away from her mother's kisses. "Mom, I gotta go!" Ariane shouted into the underground garage. Marianne's face twisted with a short shot of anger, mixed in with her concern; it consisted of her tightening her grip on Ariane's shoulder before letting her go.
Stephen drove across the city, his mind racing with questions. Morning traffic was just starting to build up, but he was still on the puzzle of Victor's escape. Entering the towering building of an empire, as he approached, he saw Enoch, waiting at the entrance, leaning against the doorframe. Enoch's expression was as normal—flat—but Stephen knew very well the man had a dislike for him."Morning, Stephen," Enoch said. His tone was invariably courteous but cold."Morning, Enoch," Stephen replied, attempting a smile to force its way onto his face. There was always a tension between them that ratcheted the undercurrent a notch higher, one he couldn't quite stamp out.They walked inside together. The echo of footsteps resounded across the spacious lobby. His mind turned back to the breakout. Could Enoch have been a part of it? He couldn't discount it, not with Enoch's background and ambiguous loyalties.As they entered Stephen's office, Enoch followed closely behind him. The office was la
Yuna's name resounded in Stephen's scream, which was immediately answered by only the sterile silence of an empty schoolyard. Then came the thick sheets of rain, hitting his clothes and his vision. He ran wildly around the silent school—his heart pounding wildly in panic. "Yuna!" he called again, but the only answer turned out to be the sound of the raindrops on the pavement.Stephen fell onto a bench, exhausted, overcome with the guilt of knowing that it couldn't be her, but he'd failed her anyway, and for what? He was only kidding himself.Then, suddenly, his eyes fell onto the beam of light. Stephen turned to face an older gentleman in security attire. "Mr. King?" chuckled the guard, his voice carrying over against the rain.Stephen wasn't surprised that the security guard knew his name. His infamy was well known far and wide. "I'm looking for a little girl, Yuna. Have you seen her?" Stephen's voice was tight with desperation.The security guard shook his head as he wrinkled up his
Charles suddenly chuckled, the deep voice echoing off the walls of the opulent room. "I don't know what you're talking about, Stephen."Stephen's eyes taut, knowing Charles well enough to recognize the act of playing innocent. The man loved power, and control, further fueling his ego with some fear in the eyes of other men. "Why did you release Victor?" Stephen demanded.Charles raised an eyebrow, feigning bewilderment. "Release Victor? I hardly know that man. How would I do that? And if I were responsible for everything, remember you are sitting in my mansion now. I could kill you right now, and nobody would even know that."Stephen rose to his feet, determination etched into his face. "When I find out you're behind Victor's prison break, I'll make sure that you pay."He walked over to Yuna, still playing happily. "We're going home," he said, trying to make his voice firm.Yuna looked up, her eyes wide. "But Daddy, I like it here."Stephen forced a smile, himself shaking with fear. "
The next morning, Victor woke up groggily and dragged himself into the kitchen. He began to prepare coffee, but this seemed gigantic. His head throbbed, his body pained, the sunlight was far too bright through the window, and the usual hum in the house sounded like a roar in his ears.Ariane swept past him, her steps light, and carefree, and he fumbled with the coffee maker. She was already dressed for school, her hair neatly drawn back, and slung a backpack over her wiry shoulder. "Good morning, Dad," she replied with an air, hardly glancing at him as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.Absently, Stephen nodded as he turned on his phone. There, the mission notification flickered across the screen: *Protect your daughter.* From what? He wished he knew. Then, his train of thought was interrupted by Yuna's soft voice, overflowing with concern."Good morning, Mr. Stephen," she greeted him with a smile. "You're okay, aren't you? You look sick."Stephen smiled belligerently, his un
Stephen's heart raced as their eyes connected. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice both steady and urgent.The waiter's nervous glances sent shivers down his spine as the man shifted on his feet. "I was hired for this event," he muttered, "we need to chat someplace private."Before Stephen could say a word, the head of security walked up—a large man with a brutal face. "What has happened here?" he asked, observing them with a superstitiously condemnatory eye.Stephen turned around to face him, trying to keep his voice composed. "Does this guy work here?" he asked, gesturing at the server, who still held his arm.The security guard nodded, gazing at the server. "Yeah—they're on the list."Stephen connected the dots. If this server was legitimate, Stephen couldn't have poisoned the drink unless he was under threat or force. "Where did you get the drinks from?" Stephen pressed, letting go but not of suspicion.The server pointed to another area where drinks were being served, a kind of
Stephen presided at the dining table, nursing his cup of coffee, while morning sunlight filtering into the kitchen window blended with his thoughts. Well, they were all about Victor. It was too easy, too clean. Some part of Stephen felt that something in Victor's surrender did not fit—like a jigsaw puzzle piece. He leaned back, rubbing his temples. Persuasion wouldn't work on Victor; he knew the system. But Charles? Ah, Charles was an entirely different matter. If he could get Charles to talk, perhaps he could discover what was really going on.This reverie was broken by an impatient cry from Ariane. "Mom, I'm going to be late for school!"Marianne's voice drifted down the hallway. "I'm coming!" A moment later, the scent of her perfume preceded her as she squeezed past Stephen. "I'm dropping Ariane at school," she said, settling her purse onto her shoulder.Stephen's face darkened. "Just Ariane? What about Yuna?"Marianne, much fatigued by the display of emotions, sighed. "Yuna refuse