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From Humiliation to Godhood 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
From Humiliation to Godhood 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
From Humiliation to Godhood 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
From Humiliation to Godhood 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
From Humiliation to Godhood 65:
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.
From Humiliation to Godhood 66
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
From Humiliation to Godhood 1: The Forsaken Son-in-law
A sharp slap rang through the dining room, sending Leon Ashford stumbling backward, his cheek burning from the impact.“You useless bastard!” Gerald Hartwell, his father-in-law, spat, his face twisted in disgust. “How dare you talk back to me? You’re living under my roof, eating my food, and you think you have the right to speak?”Leon stood there with a lowered gaze, his breath heavy. He had learned long ago that resistance only led to more pain. The last time he tried, Gerald used a knife on him, and til now, the scar still remained on his right arm.His dull green eyes flickered toward his wife, Isabella Hartwell, who sat quietly with her head bowed.“Dad, please…” she murmured.“Stay out of this, Isabella!” Miranda Hartwell, Isabella’s mother, snapped. “You should be ashamed! You married this pathetic man, and look what he has done to our family name! It’s time that we let go of this burden you call a husband! Victor Marston is the perfect match for you, and you will divorce this
From Humiliation to Godhood 2: The Trap
Leon woke to the taste of blood and the rhythmic pounding of rain against the ceiling. His entire body throbbed, pain radiating from every limb like he’d been shattered and pieced back together wrong. He was tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse, dimly lit by flickering lights.Victor stood in front of him, rolling up the sleeves of his expensive suit.“You know, I wasn’t planning to kill you,” Victor mused, stepping closer. “But then I thought… why not? It’s not like anyone will miss you. Your wife? She’ll move on. Your in-laws? They’ll celebrate. And me? Well, I’ll finally take what’s mine.”Leon looked at Victor, his gaze tired. “Why are you doing this? Please, let me go,” he begged, struggling weakly against the restraints.“Let you go?” Victor let out a sharp chuckle, shaking his head. “So you can go back to playing house with a family that despises you?! If I were in your shoes, I’d have put a bullet in my own head.”Leon spat blood onto the floor, his breath ragged. His exp
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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
