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From Humiliation to Godhood 20: Echelon [1]
Leon was satisfied to see Jarvis bow to his will. “This is good,” he mused. “Now that you kneel to me, that means I stand above everyone, doesn’t it?” Jarvis hesitated, brow furrowing. “Not exactly,” he admitted. “This city still has its laws. And there are powerful figures, both in the underground and within the system itself.” Leon bobbed his head, understanding him. “Then they should learn who true power belongs to.” His gaze sharpened. “And that’s where you come in. I have a task for you, and you will do it well.” Jarvis sighed, and replied, “What do you need me to do?” “First,” Leon said, glancing around at the watchful guards, “do you have an office? I’d prefer privacy.” Jarvis led Leon to his huge office, and Edward followed, happy to see that he was included in whatever discussion they were about to have. The door closed shut. Then Jarvis said, “I’m all ears now.” “I’d like to stay anonymous,” he made known, taking off his face cap. “Since you serve me now, it’s only r
From Humiliation to Godhood 21: Echelon [2]
Leon cast an indifferent glance at the towering building before turning his sharp gaze back to Diane. “Are you implying that this place is beyond me?” Diane hesitated, clearly trying to avoid sounding rude. “I mean… I can’t afford to eat here, and, no offense, but you don’t really look like someone who can either.” Leon glanced down at his casual shirt and jeans, then let out a low chuckle. “I see. All the more reason for me to walk through those doors.” According to Jarvis, he owned the building and since Jarvis served him now, then Echelon itself would bow to his presence. Diane, however, grew visibly anxious. “Wait, please, we’re just going to get into trouble. I only need to talk to you. We can find somewhere simple to sit and discuss.” She grabbed his wrist and attempted to pull him away. Before she could take another step, a sleek black Accord pulled up in front of them. Diane stopped in her tracks, her grip on Leon’s wrist loosening as she saw the man stepping out of
From Humiliation to Godhood 22: Echelon [3]
Leon and Diane settled into their private booth, and the moment they did, a holographic menu projected upward from the table, displaying an extravagant selection of high-end cuisine.Diane’s eyes widened in disbelief. She blinked, then blinked again, as if her vision was playing tricks on her. Every dish started at thirty thousand dollars and only climbed higher from there.“This… this is robbery,” she whispered under her breath, barely able to process it. Her hands clenched into fists in her lap as she tried to suppress her reaction, but her stiff posture betrayed her discomfort.Her gaze darted toward Julian and Brianna, silently questioning whether they were actually prepared to cover such a ridiculous bill.Meanwhile, Leon? He was unfazed. No, more than that—he was amused. A slow smirk curved his lips as he leaned back, his fingers tapping lazily through the menu as if he were picking from street food vendors rather than dishes worth more than most people’s yearly salary.Diane sw
From Humiliation to Godhood 23: Echelon [4]
“Aren’t you being a little too rude?” Leon asked Brianna. Julian scoffed, his smirk widening. “Rude? What’s so rude about what Brianna said? She only spoke the truth.” He turned to the onlookers, eager to humiliate Leon further. “Everyone, allow me to introduce this man… Leon Ashford. A professional freeloader with an unmatched talent for being a burden to those around him. The audacity of him walking in here, knowing he can’t afford a single thing. Truly remarkable.” The waiter sighed, clearly frustrated as he glanced between them. The commotion was drawing attention, the murmur of the patrons growing louder. Julian smirked, wanting to stir things further. “Tell me, Diane, how did you even meet this guy? What could have possibly led you to associate with someone like him? Look at where it’s gotten you, embarrassed in public, stuck with a man who can’t even pay for his own meal.” He shook his head dramatically. “Even his wife finally came to her senses and dumped him. But he?
From Humiliation to Godhood 24: Echelon [5]
“Kane Valon?” Leon asked over the phone. “I’m Leon Ashford. I’m on the second floor of Echelon, and I expect you here immediately. My patience is wearing thin.” The moment his name was spoken, the tone on the other end shifted entirely. “Leon Ashford? You’re the one Mr. Grave told me about?” Kane’s voice was mixed with urgency and disbelief. “You’ve been here this whole time? I had my men stationed outside waiting for your arrival. I wasn’t informed you had already entered! Are you really inside the Prestige Lounge?” “As I said, I'm losing my patience, so you better start running.” A hint of panic laced Kane Valon’s response: "Just hold on a moment, I'm on my way!" Julian let out a short, mocking laugh, shaking his head. “Leon, you must be truly desperate to resort to this level of bluffing. Do you even understand who Kane Valon is? Everyone here flinches at the sound of his name, and no one dares to act recklessly in front of him, especially given his ties to Jarvis Grave. A
From Humiliation to Godhood 25: Echelon [6]
“Ah… wh… what’s going on here?” Julian chuckled awkwardly and faced Kane. “Mr. Valon, I am Julian Hayes, and my dad is the director of St. Pete’s Hospital. I'm a VIP here at the Prestige Lounge, And that guy…” he jabbed a furious finger at Leon, “… that guy walked in here to eat even though he knew that he couldn't afford it.” Brianna quickly nodded. “Yes. We all know him. He's poor and wretched. He's a loser tainting your grounds with his filthy legs!” “Do yourself a favor and shut your mouth, Brianna,” Diane snapped and turned to confused Kane. “Mr. Valon, they‘re the ones who invited us here. We were about to leave, but they insisted on bringing us inside, promising to treat us.” Kane’s expression darkened, his gaze flicking between the parties before settling once more on Leon. “So, you came in to eat… and they insulted you?” Leon gave a slow nod. “They did. I couldn't even eat in peace.” His voice sounded too casual. Then, his lips curved into something that could almo
From Humiliation to Godhood 26: The Lancasters [1]
It was late when Leon returned to the Hartwell Estate. As usual, Isabella and Miranda were in the living room, as if waiting for him, or perhaps this was simply their routine.The moment he stepped inside, their glares locked onto him, sharp and accusatory. Unbothered, Leon made his way toward the staircase, unwilling to entertain their presence.“And where do you think you're going?” Isabella stopped him, standing on her feet. “You’ve been gone all day, and now you think you can just walk away like nothing is wrong?”Leon turned to look at her, his silver eyes narrowed as if staring through her soul.“Where were you?” she pressed, closing the distance between them. “You better tell me, or else—”“I was out looking for work,” Leon cut in, deciding to indulge her. If he truly wished to leave this house, he could. But not yet.“Work?” Isabella frowned, scrutinizing him. “What kind of work?”“Just work.” He offered no further explanation.Miranda scoffed and stood up as well, rolling her
From Humiliation to Godhood 27: The Lancasters [2]
The next day, a shocking announcement rippled through Brookdale, leaving the entire city in shock.The news was almost too surreal to believe.The broadcast played on every major network, and even the anchor’s voice carried an air of disbelief and intrigue:“An event unlike any in medical history is set to take place in Brookdale, an event being called ‘A New Dawn in Medicine.’ Experts are already calling it the most mysterious medical phenomenon of our time. A man, known only as ‘Azrael,’ has declared that he will perform a healing unlike anything the world has ever seen.”“Details are scarce, but billionaire Jarvis Grave, the most powerful man in Brookdale, has personally backed this event, vouching for its legitimacy. Sources say one person will be chosen, a famous sick or disabled individual, and in front of the world, Azrael will attempt to heal them.”“Who is Azrael? A doctor? A miracle worker? Or something else entirely? No one seems to know, but in just a few days, the world w
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He took a step closer, towering over her as he continued, “Now think about this, if I decided to report this little stunt to the police, I could easily make these men back me up. Imagine the headlines: daughter of a known criminal caught committing a felony. Your father’s reputation is already in the gutter. Add yours to it, and you’ll be finished. You’ll be lucky if you can ever show your face in public again.”Tears welled up in Diane’s eyes, and she shook her head desperately, her entire body trembling. “Please… I just wanted to know the truth about Dana’s death!” she cried out, her voice breaking under the weight of her fear.Ethan smirked cruelly, folding his arms again. “Dana’s death? That was over a year ago. Why are you digging up something that should stay buried and rotten?” he said, his tone dripping with condescension. “Face it, Diane. You set a trap and ended up falling into it yourself. That’s so stupid.”Diane’s face crumpled as her fear turned into full-blown sobs. Her
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Ethan laughed bitterly, shaking his head like he found her pathetic.Diane wiped her eyes quickly, her voice low and cold. “I’m not letting you walk out of here until you tell me everything. I’ll keep you here as long as it takes. And if you think this is bad, just wait, I’ll drag Brianna here too if I have to.”Ethan chuckled under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.“You always looked so bright, so innocent,” he muttered darkly. “But look at you now. Who would’ve thought, you’re just another bitch. Doing this to your own cousin… your own family?!”Then Ethan chuckled darkly, the sound low and mocking.“Ahh, now I see what’s happening here,” he said, a cruel grin curling on his lips. “That poor bastard you’ve been clinging to… he’s been feeding you just enough courage to make you believe you can stand tall in a hurricane. Like a paper boat floating on a raging river, causing you to think you're moving forward, but you’re really just seconds from sinking straight to the bottom.
64: Unexpected abduction 2
Ethan’s eyes widened in pure disbelief at the figure that stepped through the entrance.Diane.She walked in slowly, calmly, her heels echoing against the metal floor. There was a faint smile on her lips, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.“Well,” she said smoothly, “surprise to see me, Ethan?”Ethan’s expression twisted into rage. Even with the gag still in place, the hatred in his eyes was unmistakable.Diane tilted her head and sighed dramatically, clearly unimpressed by the fury in his stare. She walked over to him, crouched slightly, and began to untie the cloth from around his mouth.The second it dropped, Ethan spat out his words like venom. “You bitch!” he barked, eyes blazing with fury.Diane didn’t flinch. In fact, she just scoffed.“Relax, Ethan,” she said coolly. “I brought you here for a reason.”Ethan yanked against the ropes binding him, his face flushed with fury. “And what kind of stupid reason involves kidnapping me and tying me up?!” he shouted. “I swear, when I
63: Unexpected abduction
Ethan walked into the garage of Lancaster Enterprises, making his way to his car while talking on the phone with Brianna, who had called to remind him about their scheme against Diane.Ethan let out a tired sigh, glancing around the garage before responding. “We’re trying to be careful here, Brianna. We have to be strategic about this. Our plans didn't work the first time, and it’s imperative that Diane closes this deal with Mr. Grave before we make another move. She’s our only access to that contract.”“Well, I still don't like that she's getting such an opportunity,” Brianna replied, clearly irritated. “You know this isn't just about getting the contract, it’s the prestige, the access, the spotlight. Why should she get that kind of privilege before me? It’s insulting.”Ethan slowed his pace as he approached his car, pausing beside it with a furrowed brow. “Well, she won’t be flaunting anything if she’s no longer breathing. I mean, think about Dana. She scored that massive deal a few
62: Apex Clinic 5
Leon stood still, eyes fixed on Johnathan’s body lying lifeless on the floor of the clinic ward. His mind was spinning. His brain tried to piece together what just happened, but it was like grasping smoke. ‘Something killed him…’ the thought echoed through Leon’s mind like a slow tolling bell. He watched as Johnathan’s skin lost every bit of color, his features hollowing unnaturally fast. His body stiffened, rigor mortis setting in much too quickly. It looked like he’d been dead for months, not minutes. Just then, the door slammed open and Jarvis and Dante stepped in, both stopping short at the sight in front of them. “Oh my God!” Dante gasped, his voice laced with disbelief and horror. “He’s dead! He’s…” His words stumbled as his eyes locked onto the body. “Damn, he’s…” he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Whatever he was about to say got caught in his throat. “He was a dead man walking,” Leon said flatly, his eyes still locked on the corpse. His mind was elsewhere, tu
61: Apex Clinic 4
At Apex Clinic, Leon sat behind his desk, eyes narrowed in deep thought. Something wasn’t right, and he could feel it in his bones. There was a disturbance he couldn’t ignore, something festering just beneath the surface. If he didn’t get to the bottom of it soon, it would keep gnawing at him.The dark energy surrounding Johnathan Kells had been undeniable. It was the same one he’d seen before, specifically in Daniel Mercer’s leg. That couldn’t be a coincidence.Letting out a deep sigh, Leon muttered to himself, “Whatever this is… I don’t recognize the signature, but I know one thing—it’s not good.”His phone began to ring, pulling him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen. Itwas Diane.He answered.“I can’t believe it, Leon!” Diane’s voice rang through the speaker, filled with excitement.“What?” Leon asked, his expression still shadowed with confusion.“I thought I was done for,” Diane said quickly. “My grandpa said I had to hand over the opportunity you gave me to my cousin
60: Apex Clinic 3
Johnathan Kells shifted restlessly, growing more irritated by the second. He felt like he was being interrogated, and it was quickly wearing on his nerves. With clenched teeth, he yanked the machines from his body and stood up, his voice laced with frustration. “Where’s Jarvis Grave? I need to speak to him, because I’m not going to sit here and be harassed by… someone like you. A self-proclaimed healer who thinks waving needles makes him God.” Unfazed, Leon let out a low chuckle. “Those words are coming from a place of fear, and that’s why you can't admit it. Jarvis isn't gonna help you here, so I suggest you to tell me the source of why you've been a dead man walking.” Johnathan shook his head violently. “I’m not telling you anything because there’s nothing to tell! I’m not some ‘dead man walking.’ Whatever you saw after examining me… maybe the equipment you used is just malfunctioning. Maybe it’s a fluke.” Leon couldn’t suppress another chuckle, clearly amused. “I don’t need
59: Apex Clinic 2
At Leon’s new office in Apex Clinic, Leon sat behind his desk, calm and focused, while Jarvis relaxed on the sofa nearby. Dante remained standing, holding a set of patient files in his hand, which he passed to both men.Leon flipped open the clinical note in front of him, scanning the content as Dante began to speak.“Our first patient is a city council member in Brookdale, Mr. Johnathan Kells,” Dante said. “He wants to run for Mayor, but it’s gonna be difficult, because, well, as a stage four pancreatic cancer patient, he's living on borrowed time.”Jarvis’s brow furrowed as he flipped through the pages. Something didn’t add up.“Wait,” he said, pointing at the note. “Did you examine him recently or is this accurate? Because it’s written here that the patient has exceeded the expected survival window by approximately three months.”Dante sighed, and replied, “Yeah, I examined him myself. It’s strange. I’ve reviewed everything… labs, scans, the tumor progression. According to all our
58: Apex Clinic 1
At the Lancaster Villa, inside Gregory’s study room, the family was having a meeting. It was a situation that was frustrating for them. The air was stiff with tension, the kind that pressed down on everyone’s shoulders.Jarvis Grave demanded to see just Diane before they could sign a contract with him, and it put them in a very tight spot“D-dad…” Brianna said with a frown, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “Do we really have to let Diane take all the glory?” There was a bite in her voice, the kind that masked insecurity. She hated how Diane always seemed to find her way into the spotlight, even when she wasn’t around.David shook his head, lost in deep thought. “Are you saying that poor guy… what was his name again? Was involved?” he asked Ethan, clearly trying to piece things together.Ethan nodded, and explained to them what Leon had said about Jarvis owing him, and which was why Jarvis gave Diane such a birthday celebration and made Diane the one to have the business meet
