The city buzzed with its typical turmoil—a symphony of honking horns, distant sirens, and the soft murmur of people carrying on with their daily routines. For Lucas Kane, the sound merely served as a backdrop to the gradual disintegration of his own reality. His hand clenched the steering wheel of his worn delivery van, his knuckles white against the torn vinyl.“Come on, come on,” Lucas murmured, looking at his phone on the dashboard. The GPS blinked with the message Recalculating route. This was the third occurrence this evening, and his patience was dwindling.A voice distorted over his low-cost Bluetooth earpiece. "Lucas, you're behind schedule." Once more.“I’m five minutes out,” Lucas replied sharply, his tone edged with frustration. He could hear **Tony**, his boss, exhale heavily on the other end.“Five minutes is too late,” Tony snapped. “These people don’t wait. You screw this up again, and I’m docking your pay. You got that?”Lucas bit back the urge to argue. What was the p
The café was alive with activity—pairs engaged in conversation over hot cups of coffee, students focused on their laptops, and the soft clattering of dishes resonating in the background. A cozy table by the window was set aside for Lucas and Isabella. Strategically placed in sight of passersby, it was evident that this was more than a mere outing. It was an act.Lucas fiddled with the hem of his sleeve, looking around anxiously. “This is… comfortable,” he mumbled, his tone laced with irony.Isabella, positioned opposite him, didn’t even take the effort to glance up from her phone. "Simply remain seated and be quiet." Grin occasionally when you are able to do so. "That's all you need to do."“Whoa,” Lucas exclaimed, reclining in his seat. "You’re doing an excellent job promoting this loving fiancée concept." "Perhaps you should temper your excitement before others assume you genuinely care for me."She finally looked up, her expression as sharp as a knife. “I don’t have to ‘sell’ anyth
Lucas positioned himself uncomfortably in the entrance, alternating his weight from one foot to the next.His most earnest effort to dress appropriately for the event—a borrowed button-up shirt and trousers—did little to help him feel any more comfortable. He looked around, uncertain of what to do or where to sit, until Silas Moretti's voice pierced the silence.“Ah, Kane,” Silas remarked, walking into the room through a side entrance. He walked with the assurance of a man who possessed not just the home but all its inhabitants. On time. "That’s a solid beginning."Lucas forced a tight smile. “Yeah, well, I figured being late wouldn’t exactly go over well.”“You figured correctly,” Silas replied, his tone carrying a faint edge. He gestured to the table. “Sit.”Lucas hesitated, eyeing the table. “Uh… where?”Silas raised an eyebrow, as if the question itself was offensive. “Anywhere but the head of the table. That’s my seat.”“Right,” Lucas muttered, sliding into a chair about halfway
The space was tranquil, interrupted solely by the soft ticking of a timepiece on the distant wall. Lucas sat rigidly in the leather armchair, his hands placed on his thighs. His thoughts were speeding, his nerves frayed. The immaculate, refined office—probably one of Silas Moretti's numerous belongings—felt constricting, the burden of uncertainty bearing down on him.The door opened wide, and Silas stepped in, his presence enveloping the room like a tempest. A young woman followed him, walking with determination, her expression showing a calm apathy. She didn't glance at Lucas immediately, her attention set on something far off. Her lengthy dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she donned a fitted black dress that exuded affluence and authority.“Lucas Kane,” Silas spoke, breaking the silence with his voice, “I’d like you to meet my daughter, Isabella.”Lucas stood uncomfortably, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Um… hello there.”Isabella's gaze finally zeroed in on him, keen
Silas leaned forward in his chair, the dim light casting sharp shadows on his face. He scrutinized Lucas with the calmness of a hunter, his fingers softly tapping on the sleek surface of his desk. The area was hauntingly quiet, aside from the gentle ticking of a clock affixed to the wall. Lucas sat stiffly in the chair opposite him, his mind racing, his hands tightened against his thighs."Are you listening to me, Mr. Kane?" Silas spoke, his tone silky yet infused with command. "I’m presenting you an escape route."Lucas blinked, jolting himself back to reality. "Sure, I listened to you." However… wed your daughter? "Are you for real?"Silas tilted his head, smiling faintly. “I don’t waste time with jokes.”Lucas let out a disbelieving laugh, leaning back in his chair. “This is insane. You’re telling me you want *me*—a broke delivery guy drowning in debt—to marry your daughter? What kind of game are you playing here?”Silas’ smile faded, and his voice dropped a note. “This is no game,
Lucas snatched the paper and slammed the door shut, locking it. He leaned against it, his breathing heavy, the weight of their threat sinking in.“Lucas?” Evelyn’s voice came from the kitchen, shaky and full of fear.“It’s fine, Mom,” Lucas called back, forcing his tone to stay calm. “Just some delivery guys looking for the wrong address.”---Back in the kitchen, Lucas dropped into the chair and stared at the paper the men had left. It wasn’t the usual bill or warning notice. This was something else. A formal invitation.“What’s that?” Evelyn asked, her eyes darting to the paper.Lucas hesitated, then slid it across the table. “It’s from Moretti.”Evelyn’s face paled as she read the letter. “He… wants to meet with you?”“ Yeah,” Lucas replied evenly, his tone laden with apprehension. “Apparently, I’ve been ‘invited’ to his office to talk about the debt.”“You can't leave,” Evelyn responded instantly, shaking her head. “Lucas, you are aware of the type of man Silas Moretti is.” “If yo
The kitchen table shook a bit as Lucas rested on it, gazing at the pile of bills spread out before him. The gentle buzz of the aged refrigerator broke the stillness in the small apartment. His mother's tea cup, only partially filled and cold, remained undisturbed next to his elbow. His fingers tapped on the table while he once more mentally computed the impossible figures."Lucas?" Evelyn's voice softly echoed from the hallway, filled with uncertainty."Sure, Mom?" he answered, still not glancing up."Did you settle the electricity bill?" she inquired, entering the room. She had on one of her old sweaters, loose on her delicate figure, her hands quivering a bit as she sat down opposite him."It’s included in the list," Lucas grumbled, pushing one of the envelopes aside. "I'm focusing on the rent and the healthcare expenses.""They're about to turn off the power again," she murmured, her voice quiet as a whisper. "It occurred last month, do you recall?"“I know,” Lucas said sharply, th
The world around me warped, similar to a camera lens refining its focus. For a short time, he was lying in the hospital bed. He then discovered that he was positioned in the middle of a poorly lit alley. The rain was gone, creating a disconcerting stillness. The air felt thick and heavy, as though it were pressing down on him."What the...?""Luca."He swiftly turned when he heard his name. A shadowy figure stood at the alley's entrance, enveloped in gloom. It was the same person as before—the one donned in the trench coat and wide-brimmed hat. Even with his face hidden, Lucas felt the coldness and intensity of his gaze.“Who might you be?” Lucas insisted, his voice resonating in the deserted alley.The man did not reply. Rather, he lifted his hand, indicating straight at Lucas."What is your desire?" Lucas yelled, stepping back. "What on earth is this?"The man's voice eventually emerged, deep and rough, as if it were crawling over rock. "You have been selected.""Selected?" Lucas sa
The sharp beep of the heart monitor was the first sound Lucas heard as he started to regain consciousness. His eyelids appeared extremely heavy, and his body pulsed as if it had gone through a meat grinder. The odor of antiseptic filled his nostrils. A healthcare establishment. He groaned, trying to shift, but each muscle protested in opposition."Is that you, Lucas?" Oh, what a relief.His mother's voice cut through the fog, soft and quivering. He blinked, trying to force his eyes open. Evelyn Kane sat beside his bed, donning a worn cardigan that fell gently over her slim frame. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were rimmed in red, suggesting she hadn't slept for days."Mom?" His voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper. "What... what happened?""You were in an accident," she said hastily, leaning in closer. "An automobile accident." They claimed… they claimed it was unfortunate, Lucas. "They were uncertain if you would..." Her voice wavered, and she held his hand firmly, as if sh
Darkness swallowed everything.Then appeared the sound—initially faint, resembling a whisper beneath water. It intensified, became more piercing, until it transformed into a voice."Hello!" Are you able to hear me? "Don't leave me, dude!"Lucas moaned, his head throbbing. He opened one eye slightly, but everything around him was a hazy mix of rain and blinking streetlights. A face loomed over him, outlined by the broken pieces of the windshield—a young man in a hoodie, his look desperate.“Oh, thank goodness,” the man exclaimed, relief pouring into his tone. "You exist." I was thinking—uh, forget it. "Simply stay still, alright?"“What… what happened?” Lucas croaked. His throat felt raw, and every word burned.“Dude, you got T-boned. Like, bad. Some psycho just plowed into you and took off. I called 911. They’ll be here in a sec.”Lucas blinked, trying to focus. Pain radiated through his body in sharp, jagged waves. His hands trembled as he tried to push himself up, but the guy in the