Chapter 167

The light in Alex’s makeshift slum room was dim, the rough concrete walls seemed to close in around him, a stark reminder of his fallen state.

His bed was nothing more than a thin, tattered mattress on the cold floor, and his pillow was a large, jagged rock.

Despite the uncomfortable setting, Alex lay wide awake, his mind churning with thoughts of his past and the man who had driven him to this wretched existence: Ethan.

The memories of his once-promising life played out in his mind like a cruel movie. He had been successful, respected, and full of potential.

But Ethan had taken it all away. Every opportunity, every achievement, every ounce of happiness had been stripped from him by Ethan’s action.

Just as he was about to sink deeper into his thoughts, the sharp buzz of his cellphone broke the silence. Alex’s heart skipped a beat as he reached for the device.

The screen lit up with a single, cryptic message: “Jackson won’t trouble you anymore.”

A satisfactory smile slowly crept a