CHAPTER TEN
PHOENIX
Jace 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 hopeless since his arrest, but hearing Michael’s words gave him a newfound sense of determination.
“But first things first,” Michael continued, “you need to call your wife. She’s been worried sick about you.”
Jace nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. He had been so caught up in his own problems that he had forgotten about the people who cared about him. He picked up the phone and dialed his wife’s number, hoping that she would answer.
As he listened to the ringing on the other end, Jace couldn’t help but wonder how he had ended up in this mess. He had always tried to do the right thing, but it seemed like fate was against him.
Finally, his wife’s voice came through the phone, filled with relief and concern. Jace explained what had happened, trying to sound strong and in control.
After the call, Jace felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He knew that he still had a long road ahead of him, but with Michael by his side and his wife’s support, he felt like he could face whatever came his way.
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 ONEASLEEP YET AWAKEJACE firmly believed that life was give and take, take too much and it would eventually come back to bite you. However as he looked at his wife sleeping bathed under the soft glow of the lava lamp by the table he decided maybe life had a soft spot for him.The bed creaked under him as he rose up to meet the challenges of the day, He caught a reflection of himself from the bedside vanity, a tall, well-built man in his early 30s with short, dark hair and piercing blue eyes stared back at him giving off a confident demeanor. He touched the small scar above his left eyebrow, which he got in a fight during his teenage years. He had a small tattoo of a lion on his right bicep which represent strength and courage, He has a small mole just under the right side of his chin. Overall, he gave off an attractive and imposing figure, someone who commands attention and respect.With that in mind, he trudged towards the bathroom, dragging his feet like a man on his way t
CHAPTER TWOIN A PINCHGetting through traffic in that part of Portia was all kinds of testing, mostly caused by preparations for the parade to be held in commemoration of new years but Jace having the patience and skill of a city dweller managed to get to the building his budding company used as their headquarters. As soon as he stepped into the lobby he was greeted by Lena who worked as a secretary for him.“Morning sir” Lena said, “I didn’t expect to see you so early.” She said as they strode briskly towards his office.“We have to be prepared to meet up with our prospective investors today.” Jace said while he did battle with the lock on his office door.His office had floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the bustling city below. The plush carpet underfoot is so thick, you could lose a small child in it. The desk is an imposing piece of furniture that seems to take up half the room, and the chair behind it could easily double as a throne.But that’s not all. The walls are
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
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 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 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 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,