Chapter 376The adjacent room was dimly lit, with a faint hum from the overhead lights casting a sterile glow over the sparse furniture. Ben sat slouched in a wooden bed, his wrists bound in worn metal cuffs that had clearly seen better days, his wrists tight from the handcuffs. His face, still bruised from past scuffles, showed little emotion as Gregor strode in, holding a fresh set of cuffs in one hand and a neutral expression on his face. James followed close behind, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto a nearby table, where he had already placed Ben’s phone and his own.Gregor approached Ben without a word. The air in the room was heavy, tension palpable. “Alright,” Gregor said gruffly, his voice cutting through the silence, “don’t act funny. I’m just here to change your cuffs.”Ben didn’t resist. Instead, he raised his hands in surrender, his movements deliberate and slow. “Go ahead,” he said, his voice hoarse but steady.Gregor leaned down, fumbling with the old cuffs a
Chapter 377Ben’s heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted down Montgomery Street, the dim city lights flashing past him in a blur.The cold night air bit at his face, but the rush of adrenaline kept him warm as he ran faster, dodging potholes and uneven sidewalks. His legs burned, and his breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, but he didn’t dare stop. He couldn’t afford to. He didn’t know how much time he had before James or Gregor realized he was gone—before they started chasing him down.The street was quiet, almost unnervingly so. It was nearing midnight, and the usual buzz of the city had given way to a deep, almost suffocating silence. The only sound that echoed in the stillness was the rhythmic thud of Ben’s feet pounding against the pavement.The street lamps overhead flickered intermittently, casting long shadows across the cracked sidewalks, as though the city itself was holding its breath. The world around him felt both foreign and unfamiliar, and the realization that he had
Chapter 378Up ahead, he saw a dimly lit bar on the corner. The neon sign flickered in the night, casting an eerie glow on the sidewalk. Ben hesitated for a moment. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself, but the bar could offer him some answers. He could ask around, get directions—maybe even find someone who’d help him.As he approached, he kept his head low, making sure to avoid any lingering eyes. He didn’t want to attract any suspicion, not tonight. The bar’s door creaked as he pushed it open, and the familiar smell of alcohol and stale smoke hit him as soon as he entered.The dim interior was bathed in amber light, the kind of place that felt stuck in time—dark wood paneling, worn leather stools, and a long, polished bar. The chatter of a few patrons in the back corner mixed with the soft sound of a jukebox playing an old song from the ’80s.The bartender, a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, glanced up from wiping down the bar and gave Ben a once-over. Ben met his gaze b
It was a late winter night and cold outside. The street was decorated with Christmas lights of various shapes, sizes, and colors.James Wane had just returned home from work with a bouquet of flowers in his hand to surprise his wife, Alisha.It is their third wedding anniversary. He was tired but happy, looking forward to having an intimate night with her tonight just like a few days back.He didn't buy her any gift but he had prepared her favorite dish in the morning before he left for work. He quickly parked his electric bike outside and headed to the door to surprise her with the flowers.As he walked in, he was surprised to see two people seated in the sitting room watching TV. One was a middle-aged woman who looked about 40 years old. She was dressed in an expensive Dior gown and had an expensive Dior bag with the same color as the gown.The other was a young man in his late twenties. He was wearing casual wear. It was the kind of clothing you wear when you're relaxing. A T-shi
James was still in shock. He had always believed that Alisha loved him as much as he loved her. But It seems that's not the case. The idea of a divorce was unimaginable to him. It was just a few days ago that they had shared an incredibly passionate night together, and he could tell how addicted she was to their lovemaking.He silently wished that this surprise visit from his in-laws was some sort of cruel joke, but as he looked at the divorce papers again and again and recognized Alisha's handwriting, reality hit him. He has been jilted. "Do you believe it now? You simp!" Kate mocked. "You have only but tonight to pack your things and get going. Idiot." Henry added. Alisha had told him that she had been working late at the office recently, using that as an excuse for her continuous absence.Now, it all made sense to him. The truth was hitting him hard. His wife, whom he loved deeply, had signed those divorce papers without his knowledge or consent.To make matters worse, it was
The man on the other end was Ryan Wane, James' uncle, and the younger brother of his mother. Ryan Wane is currently the richest man in the whole of Emerald Falls.He is in charge of all the major companies in the state. He is what you can call the man of the people and everyone loves him because of his philanthropic nature.James's mom was supposed to be the heir of the rich Wanes family, but she died together with her husband when James was a kid. So, James's uncle, Ryan Wanes, had to take charge until James got older.When he knew it was James calling him, he was so excited. He had been looking for James for the past three years after he left home."Oh! James! How are you, son? Where have you been all these years?""I'm good," James replied."Where are you now, James?" His uncle asked him excitedly."I'm safe. I want to tell you two things." James declared."Go on, James. What's this you want to tell me? I will do whatever you ask.""The first is I want to let you know that I'm di
When Alisha and James got back home, Alisha's mother, Kate, and her brother, Henry, were still in the house. They didn't waste any time and directly inquired about the Divorce Agreement Paper. "Has he finally signed those papers?"Alisha ignored them. They didn't hold back their disapproval, even going so far as to insult James, despite him being right there with them."This useless loser doesn't realize how serious this is.""He's treating our family like a joke.""I can't believe we ever allowed him into our lives.""He's nothing but a burden, and he's taking advantage of our kindness.""We should have never trusted him with Alisha."The hurtful and boastful way her family spoke about James made Alisha feel uneasy. James didn't pay much attention to their behavior. Instead, he went to the room to start packing his things to leave.He was still packing when Alisha entered the room."James you gotta understand…" "Understand what??? After all, I've done for you, Alisha, this is how
The next morning, inside the court, James and his wife, Alisha were about to get divorced officially.Kate was at the court, too. In fact, she was the first person to come to the court that morning. She wanted to make sure that Alisha divorced James once and for all and for good.She had invited her friends and all the people in the family who despised James so much. Alisha wasn't in support of it."Is this your disgusting son-in-law?" Her friends asked her. "Oh, point of correction, he's not my son-in-law anymore." Kate snapped. "HAHAHAHA!" They all laughed maliciously. "I can't believe you put up with him for so long.""He's nothing but filthy." "Filthy? That's an understatement. He's a disgrace."James overheard their insult, but he kept a straight face which pissed them off the more. When the judge finally arrived, they all kept mute and waited for the proceedings. The judge was a quiet woman who did the proceedings without delay. She asked them. "Why do you two beautiful c