Ansel’s father’s mocking words echoed in his mind, pulling him into old wounds, but the sharp sound of heels hitting the cold marble floor snapped him out of it. He didn’t need to look up to know who was approaching—his stepmother’s presence was always announced by the clinking of her flashy jewelry.She strode into the room with her head held high, diamonds glinting at her neck, wrists, and ears. Ansel didn’t move. His face hardened as she came closer.“Well, well,” she said with a voice laced with false sweetness. “Look who’s back. Here to ask for money again, Ansel?”Ansel slowly looked her over, a cold sneer twisting his lips. His eyes locked on the woman who had torn his family apart so many years ago, the woman who had driven a wedge between his parents, ultimately destroying the family. He felt that familiar surge of anger rising, but he kept his voice level.“Keep. My. Name. Out. Of. Your. Mouth,” he said sharply, his words cutting through the air.His stepmother didn’t flinch
★★★On their way back, they passed by the MPK building, its towering structure silhouetted against the darkening sky.The government rewards were secured in his bag. Most notably, the key to the advanced medical equipment he had been given. Ansel leaned back in the car seat, his eyes distant as he recalled his stepmother’s chilling words about his sister.He clenched his fists. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. There were more pressing matters at hand.“Anthony,” Ansel said, his voice breaking the silence, “Take me to Grove Street. I need to check on something at the warehouse.”Anthony glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “Are you sure? It’s pretty late.”Ansel nodded, his gaze still fixed out the window. “I won’t be long. Just need to make sure everything’s in place.”It was already late at night, and the streets were quiet. The city’s usual noise had died down, and the dim street lights cast long shadows on the empty roads. They made their way through the dark streets
The group of men rounded the corner, dragging a bulky, heavy-looking bag between them.Ansel’s instincts kicked in the moment he caught sight of them. The stench of powder still lingered in the air from earlier, and it wasn’t hard to piece it all together. This wasn’t cleaning equipment…it was something far more sinister.The men faltered when they saw him and the guy he’d pinned just moments ago, still on his knees and visibly rattled. Their steps slowed, unsure of what they’d just walked into.Ansel loosened his grip on the man he was holding and pushed him aside, stepping forward toward the group. His eyes flicked to the bag they were carrying.“What’s in the bag?” His voice was steady, calm, but his gaze locked onto their faces, looking for any hint of a lie.The man on the floor stammered again, “It’s… it’s just cleaning stuff, I swear.”Ansel sneered, his patience wearing thin. He wasn’t in the mood for more nonsense. He moved closer, his presence alone enough to make them twitc
In front of the bar, two bulky bodyguards stood with arms crossed, their eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of trouble. The KKK(Kool kat Klub) Bar had a reputation, and they were there to make sure the wrong kind of people didn’t get in without paying for access.Ansel walked up to the door, handed one of the guards a few bills, and received a curt nod in return. They stepped aside, letting him through without a word. He pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside.The place was exactly as it was rumoured to be. The lights were dim, casting a reddish glow over the room.Music pumped through the speakers, loud enough to make his chest vibrate. Girls in skimpy outfits danced on platforms, their movements drawing the attention of the men partying below with drinks in hand and their laughter filling the air.Ansel wasn’t here for the party. He was here for Kael.He scanned the room, his eyes moving quickly from face to face. Kael had a habit of showing up in his bar.Ansel came pre
The morning sun passed through the tall windows of the courthouse, casting long shadows across the polished floor.Ansel stepped through the door, his polished shoes clicking softly as he walked down the aisle toward the front of the courtroom. He had chosen his outfit carefully, a tailored suit, crisp white shirt, and a dark tie that made him look every bit the man he had grown to become.As soon as he entered, heads turned, including those of his father and stepmother, who were seated across the room.His stepmother's brows furrowed when she saw him, her lips pursing in disapproval. Ansel didn’t acknowledge them. Instead, he walked toward the plaintiff’s seat with a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. The kind of smirk that said he had been waiting for this moment. His father, seated a few rows behind the defense table, leaned over to whisper something to his wife. He noticed how his stepmother hissed under her breath, clearly displeased.‘They think I spent my last
Ansel stepped out of the courthouse, the cool breeze of early morning ruffling his hair. The property that rightfully belonged to his mother was finally his again.He could still hear the judge’s voice echoing in his head in a calm but authoritative tone, “The court rules in favor of Ansel Luther, granting him full ownership of the property.”His lawyer had done exactly what Ansel had hired him for. No surprises there. With a lawyer of his caliber, victories like this were highly expected.But the image that stuck with Ansel the most was his stepmother’s face as the verdict was announced. She had fought hard to keep what didn’t belong to her, using every underhanded trick in the book, but now it was over.Another thing that was satisfying, though, was watching his father and stepmother's faces as reality hit them.As Ansel approached the garage, a sly grin tugged at the corner of his lips. He could still see the look of shock and outrage on his father’s face, too. His father's su
"Father-in-law Luther," the older man’s voice cracked. He stood a few feet away with his shoulders slouched, looking smaller than anyone had ever seen him. "I wish... I wish I could bring her back, I really do. But I can’t. I know that now. It's all my fault and i apologize for my past mistakes." His eyes darted from grandfather Luther to Ansel. "Please, just let me prove I’m sorry. I want to be part of this family again. We need to live together as one. I want to be with my children again."The memories came flooding back for him. He remembered the day he had pushed his family out, standing there with his new wife and acting like he had won. He had believed he had everything under control, that with Ansel’s mother’s wealth, he could live a life of luxury. It was only now that he realized how much he had truly lost.If he had been patient enough, he would have gotten to find out that grandfather was a rich man. Even the car behind grandfather cost almost a hundred million dollars.M
Ansel gripped the box like it was a prized possession, a wide grin plastered across his face and he hummed a cheerful tone.He was over the moon knowing that his gorgeous wife, Clara, was finally coming home from her business trip. Ansel had put in a lot of hard work to achieve his goal of saving enough money for a gift that would show her just how much he loved her.Working as a delivery man didn't put food to the table, so he had to take on extra jobs that he could find.And that explained why he was an hour late, the old grumpy man wouldn't attend to him on time, even after working so hard to wash all the dirty plates that were scattered all over the sink and explaining his current situation to him.After all that hard work and hassle, the only thing Ansel had to show for it was a measly ten-dollar bill.With a huge grin on his face, he walked toward his house while taking occasional glances at the box."Home sweet home" Ansel muttered under his breath as he stared at the magnific