2025-03-24 15:33:21The air reeked of stale whiskey and regret. Johnny Lance squirmed in discomfort, on an old couch with annoying springs looming against his back and that feeling almost lost in a haze of liquor. He was holding a bottle almost empty of cheap bourbon with one damp label hanging off. In contrast, the image of his daughter, Lily. Her bright, gap-toothed smile was an echo of his, a glaring reminder of the life he had destroyed.
He raised the bottle, gazing at the amber liquid inside.
"How did it come to this?" he murmured, his voice hoarse and shaky. "How did I let them take everything from me?"
The area remained quiet. It just never happened.
He lay on his back watching the soft light from the solitary bulb overhead dance. His eyelids very lightly closed, if only for a second, and the noises of the city outside receded. Contrastingly, the memory came on—strong, pervasive, and relentless.
Flashback
It was a Wednesday, merely another lengthy day at work. For once, he had departed early, the lilies grasped in his hand slightly wilted due to the humid atmosphere of New Veritas. He did not inform Elena that he was returning home early. He wished for it to be a surprise.
The front entrance creaked as he pushed it open. The house was quiet, with only soft voices coming from above
“Elena?” he called, setting the flowers down on the counter. No response.
With a scowl, he ascended the stairs, his steps cautious, his heart racing. The voices became more distinct. One belonged to her—joyful, untroubled. The other was a male, recognizable, and incredibly relaxed.
Johnny stopped in his tracks as he approached the bedroom door, which was left slightly open. He saw them through the gap. Elena’s hair was messy, her hands were placed on Marcus’s chest as he bent down to kiss her
“Elena?” His voice came out strangled, disbelieving.
She twirled around, her eyes large, her expression a blend of shame and resistance. Marcus didn't show any reaction. He turned gradually, fastening his shirt with a maddening tranquility.
“Johnny,” Marcus spoke, his tone laden with sympathy. “I didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”
Johnny's hands tightened into fists. "You bastard," he snarled. "Get out of my house right now."
Marcus moved ahead, unperturbed. “Well, to be honest, it’s no longer just your house. But don’t worry, I will be on my way soon. But before that Elena and I have a few matters to talk about."
Johnny's eyes quickly turned to Elena. “What is he referring to?”
She didn’t respond. Instead, she leaned over to the nightstand and picked up a pile of papers. She tossed them at him, the pages spreading across the ground.
"Divorce," she stated, her tone icy. "I can't continue with this, Johnny." You’ve been distant for years. Always working, always pursuing some foolish aspiration. Lily deserves more than a father who is always absent.”
“Are you joking with me?” His voice broke. "Are you seriously leaving me for this? For—" He waved his arms dramatically at Marcus, who was now grinning. “For him?”
“I’m not joking,” Elena remarked, folding her arms. "I'm simply pointing out the fact that this—is—it hasn't worked for quite some time now. And Marcus… he has supported me in ways that you have not.”
Johnny’s hands shook as he bent down to pick up the papers. His eyes scanned the words, but they blurred together. Divorce. Custody. Full custody.
“You want to take Lily?” His voice was barely a whisper.
“She’s better off with me,” Elena said flatly. “You don’t have the time or the stability to take care of her.”
“Stability?” Johnny’s voice rose, his anger bubbling over. “You think running off with my business partner is stable? Is that what you’re telling her?”
“Johnny,” Marcus interrupted, stepping between them. “This isn’t helping anyone. Why don’t you just sign the papers and move on?”
Johnny’s fist flew before he could stop himself. It connected with Marcus’s jaw, sending him stumbling back onto the bed. Elena screamed.
“Get the fuck out of my house!" Johnny bellowed, his voice trembling with rage. "Both of you, leave now!"
Marcus cleaned his mouth, a shadowy grin appearing on his face. "You're making a mistake, Johnny. Well, I guess you were always the hot-tempered one."
Johnny lunged, but before he could get to him, the noise of heavy boots on the stairs froze him in place. Two security officers showed up at the entrance—individuals he knew from his own firm, now seemingly employed by Marcus.
"Gentlemen, please escort Mr. Lance out," Marcus instructed, adjusting his tie.
Johnny fought against the guards as they seized him, pulling him down the stairs. Elena did not stop them. She didn't even glance at him as he was pushed out the door and into the street.
The door closed loudly behind him. He remained motionless, astonished, as the chilly night breeze nipped at his flesh. The lilies he had brought were flattened on the pavement.
---
In the present moment, Johnny's hold on the bottle grew stronger. He gazed at the picture once more, his sight becoming hazy.
“I am sorry, Lily,” he murmured. "I should have fought with more determination. I should have done better ..."
His phone vibrated on the coffee table. Initially, he paid no attention to it, but it buzzed once more. And once more. At last, he leaned in, grabbing it quickly.
Marcus's name illuminated the display.
Johnny tightened his jaw as he picked up the call. "What the fuck do you want?"
"Just seeing how you’re doing, pal," Marcus’s voice slurred, self-satisfied and patronizing.
“Don’t you fucking call your friend,” Johnny retorted. “We're not friends.”
“Relax,” Marcus said. “I just wanted to let you know—since I’m such a generous guy—that the board officially voted me in as CEO. Thought you’d want to hear it from me.”
“You already stole my company,” Johnny hissed. “What more do you want?”
Marcus chuckled. “Oh, Johnny. You really don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about what I want. It’s about what you lost. And believe me, you’ve lost everything.”
Just like that, the call ended. Johnny tossed the phone into the room, watching it shatter against the wall.
“Lily," he whispered gently, passing his fingers through his hair and he took a glance at his daughter’s picture.
The fury raged fiercely inside him, yet it couldn't remove the hurt. He stood, swaying a bit, and took his car keys from the counter.
"I can't... I can't continue this way," he murmured, swaying towards the door
The journey was a haze of lamplights and emotions. His hands shook on the wheel as the bourbon in his bloodstream blunted his reflexes. He got into his car and drove. His thoughts flew with images of Lily—her giggles, her small hand in his, the way she would plead for bedtime tales.
Just then on the highway, as attempted to drive drunk. A horn sounded, surprising him. He veered, just avoiding the car coming towards him. His breath grew rapid, anxiety blending with the liquor in his bloodstream.
"I’m on my way, Lily," he murmured, his knuckles pale against the wheel. “I promise you…”
Just then another truck hit him and sent his car tumbling—a tire screech, a metal crunch, the breaking of glass. Agony surged through his body as the car rolled over, coming to rest in a twisted mass on the roadside. Blood dripped from his face, his sight blurring intermittently
And then, in the silence, a voice. Or maybe it was a thought. Or something else entirely.
“The Seven Deadly Sins System of Wealth has chosen you. Do you accept?”
Johnny blinked, his head swimming. “What…?”
“Do you accept?” the voice repeated, cold and mechanical.
He thought of Marcus. Of Elena. Of Lily. The anger, the bitterness, the helplessness—it all surged within him, overwhelming the pain.
“Yes,” he rasped. “I accept.”
The world went dark.
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Chapter 2: The Awakening
The pieces came together for the world again. Glass shattered as Johnny moved in a different position, and a metallic taste of blood stung across his tongue. His head throbbed, and his vision was all misted around. He blinked rapidly in attempted focus, but all he could see was smoke and the twisted wreckage of his driven car."Oh man, am I... finished?" He croaked out the words; they got subjugated drowning in humming sounds to his ears.A cold, mechanical voice answered: "No, not yet." He couldn’t see who or where the voice was coming from. It was in his head. Keen, unemotional, and strangely calm."Do you agree to the system's sins—Yes.":"Welcome, Johnny Lance, to the Wealth System of the Seven Deadly Sins."Johnny remained still. "What's happening to me?" He managed to get out the words as he tried rising from the ground, hissing in pain through his ribs. He coughed blood onto the asphalt."The system has been consented to by you," said the voice devoid of any feelings. "Here, yo
Chapter 1: The Fall
The air reeked of stale whiskey and regret. Johnny Lance squirmed in discomfort, on an old couch with annoying springs looming against his back and that feeling almost lost in a haze of liquor. He was holding a bottle almost empty of cheap bourbon with one damp label hanging off. In contrast, the image of his daughter, Lily. Her bright, gap-toothed smile was an echo of his, a glaring reminder of the life he had destroyed.He raised the bottle, gazing at the amber liquid inside."How did it come to this?" he murmured, his voice hoarse and shaky. "How did I let them take everything from me?"The area remained quiet. It just never happened.He lay on his back watching the soft light from the solitary bulb overhead dance. His eyelids very lightly closed, if only for a second, and the noises of the city outside receded. Contrastingly, the memory came on—strong, pervasive, and relentless.FlashbackIt was a Wednesday, merely another lengthy day at work. For once, he had departed early, the
