A loud ringing on the bars of his cell woke Jace up from a troubled sleep, the grey concrete greeted him as he opened his eyes, purposefully designed to be featureless and boring. "Hey, you," a portly officer said from the other side of the bars. With a body that had gone from muscled to pleasantly plump and sunken eyes, it was hard not to form a dislike for the man. Jace sighed and glanced at the warden, who was rhythmically tapping the bars in a peculiar pattern. "What's up, Mike?" he mumbled, frustration evident in his voice. Since Michael had promised to secure his release, time had been crawling at a snail's pace, with little to break the monotony. The only notable change had been when they moved someone into a cell further down the block.Jace couldn't help but squirm in his itchy jumpsuit. The plastic-covered foam mattress he'd been trying to sleep on was like a cruel practical joke from the prison interior decorator. "About time I got released," Jace grumbled, irritation bub
CHAPTER TENPHOENIXJace sat alone in his prison cell, staring blankly at the gray concrete walls. He couldn’t believe how quickly his life had fallen apart. It all seemed like a nightmare that he couldn’t wake up from. He thought about his wife, and how he had let her down. He thought about his company, and how he had worked so hard to build it up, only to lose it all.He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of the cell door opening. A guard appeared, followed by Michael.Michael entered the cell, his face etched with concern. “Jace, I’m so sorry about all of this,” he said, placing a comforting hand on Jace’s shoulder.Jace looked up at his friend with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Do you think there’s any way we can turn this around?” he asked.Michael nodded. “Absolutely. We’ll hire the best lawyers, gather evidence to clear your name, and show the world that you’re innocent. We won’t let Frank get away with this.”Jace let out a sigh of relief. He had been feeling so h
CHAPTER NINEWRONG SIDE OF THE LAWAs they haggled over the terms of their deal, the wailing of sirens grew louder and louder, making Jace’s palms sweat. Frank’s face split into a wide grin, and Jace knew that something was about to go down.“What’s with all the noise outside?” Jace asked, trying to keep his voice steady.Frank chuckled. “Oh, just a little surprise I arranged for you. It’s the cops, Jace. And they’re here to arrest you for fraudulent practices.”Jace’s eyes widened in shock. “What? That’s ridiculous! I haven’t done anything illegal!”Frank leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. “Well, that’s not what our investigation shows,” he said smugly.Michael rushed to the window and peered outside. “Holy crap, there are at least ten cop cars out there,” he exclaimed.Jace could feel the panic rising in his chest. He couldn’t believe this was happening. “You set me up, Frank,” he spat out. “You planned this all along, didn’t you?”Frank just shrugged. “Hey,
CHAPTER EIGHTCOMING TO GRIPS Jace sat in his study at home, staring blankly at his computer screen. The room was silent except for the gentle hum of the air conditioning. He had been trying to reach Frank for days, but all of his calls and emails had gone unanswered.He couldn’t believe what was happening to his company. The leak, the suspicion surrounding Frank, and now the investors pulling out. He felt like he was in free fall, with no idea how to regain control.Rain, his usually bubbly wife, had been acting testy for a few days now. He knew she was just as worried as he was, but he wished she would at least pretend to be optimistic.Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. It was Michael, his old college buddy and business partner.“Hey man, I heard about the leak. I’m so sorry, is there anything I can do to help?” Michael said, his voice filled with concern.Jace sighed heavily, grateful for the offer of help. “Thanks, Mike. I appreciate it. Honestly, I don’t know
CHAPTER SEVENSPREADSHEETS AND VILLAINS Five years priorJace breathed a sigh of relief as he gathered his documents, happy with the way his presentation had gone. Just as he was about to step down from the podium, he noticed a man in the front row making his way towards him.The man who approached Jace was a towering figure with broad shoulders and a no nonsense attitude. His presence exuded confidence and power, making heads turn in his direction as he walked towards the podium. Jace couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the man’s aura, wondering how someone could command such authority in a room full of industry experts.As the man reached the podium, he extended a meaty hand towards Jace. “Frank Grant, nice to meet you,” he said in a voice that sounded like a chainsaw.Jace hesitantly shook his hand, wondering what this man could want from him. “Jason hall , pleasure to meet you too,” he replied.Frank leaned in close to Jace “You know, I really liked your presentation,” he said,
CHAPTER SIXFIERCE COMPETITION Jace leaned in closer to the computer screen, squinting his eyes to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, the plans for his company’s top-secret project still in development, now being unveiled by his biggest competitor.The conference room was packed with reporters, all clamoring to get a closer look at the schematics displayed on the screen. Jace watched from his office, his eyes glued to the livestream, a vein throbbing on his forehead.The host of the conference, a man in a suit that looked two sizes too small, grinned from ear to ear. “Well, we have a team of the most brilliant minds in the industry, working around the clock to create the next big thing. And let me tell you, this is no ordinary game-changer.”He could feel his blood pressure rising as he tried to figure out how this could have happened. He knew he had to act fast, but where to start?He looked around his o
CHAPTER FIVEWOLVES AND MANSIONSIf there was one thing he knew about Frank, it was that the man was all about time – if you were late, you were out of luck.Frank was the son of Louis Grant, a multi billionaire thanks to his success in the pharma industry. he had a bit of a fatherly obsession with Jace and wanted to be a part of his company so badly that he practically begged to be his partner. Jace, being the stubborn man he is, refused and went solo. But Frank wasn’t going to let go that easily and he decided to invest in the company instead, giving him some sort of control.And now in a surprising turn of events, Jace found himself driving to Frank’s family home on a Sunday evening after being summoned. Which did not bode well for the outcome of the meeting as frank took his weekends off so seriously that he practically worshipped them.The thought of frank getting control over his business in any way was faintly nauseating but Jace had to let Frank have his fun, since he needed
CHAPTER FOURFINE DININGThe Willow was one of those restaurants that screamed “we charge $100 for a salad.” Jace was pretty sure they could have slapped a fancy name on a fast-food joint and he’d still be happy. But he had to admit, the place was stylish and luxurious. With its soft lighting and expensive art, it looked like the kind of place where you could get kicked out for not using the right fork.He had passed by The Willow countless times on his way through the city, but he never thought he’d be fancy enough to step foot inside until now apparently.As Jace and his party made their way through the restaurant, he couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. The hostess, a stunning young woman with perfectly coiffed hair and a bright smile, greeted them with a practiced ease.“Good evening, welcome to The Willow. Do you have a reservation?”Jace smiled, suddenly feeling ecstatic. “ yes, under my name, Jason Hall.”The hostess tapped away on her computer before leading them thr
CHAPTER 3OLD FRIENDSFive years prior Jace scanned the crowded bus station, trying to locate his ride. He was supposed to be meeting a woman named Rain, whom he had only spoken to a few times on the phone. He wasn’t sure what she looked like, but he had a feeling that he would know her when he saw her.Suddenly, he heard a loud, cheerful voice calling out his name. “Jace! Over here!”He turned in the direction of the voice, and there she was – a tall, graceful woman with wild curly hair and a bright yellow raincoat. She was waving frantically, and Jace couldn’t help but grin at the sight.He made his way over to her, dodging other travelers and dragging his suitcase behind him. “Rain? Nice to finally meet you in person.”She beamed up at him. “Likewise! I’m so glad you could make it.”Jace couldn’t help but notice the strange looks they were getting from other travelers. He wondered if it was because of Rain’s bright raincoat or the fact that they seemed to be hitting it off so quic