The next morning, Conor awoke to a frigid chill in the air. Winter had finally arrived, and the cold seemed to seep into his bones. He wrapped himself tightly in his blanket, grateful that Jessica hadn’t taken it away this time. From the kitchen, he heard the familiar clatter of dishes as Jessica prepared breakfast.“Hurry up, Conor. Don’t be late for Jackson’s! Remember, rent is due Friday!” Jessica’s voice carried a sense of urgency that sent a pang of guilt through him.Conor rolled out of bed, the cold air biting at his skin as he hurried to shower and dress. By the time he made it to the kitchen, Jessica had already left for work. He sighed, quickly scrambling an egg and eating it straight from the pan before jogging to work.When Conor arrived at Jackson Furniture, he was met with a stern-faced Mr. Matthews waiting for him at the entrance.“Care to explain why I have an irate client threatening to sue us after having an accident shortly after leaving our loading dock?” Mr. Matthe
Thursday “Are you ready yet?” called Cynthia. “Mother, remind me where we are going this time?” sighed an exacerbated Jessica as she struggled to put in an earring while checking the mirror. “It is an outing to the art district with the ladies of Princess Arisa’s personal house staff. These people serve in the Princess’s personal home and know the going ons of the kingdom. If you take the time to socialize with them, you can be best prepared to market our businesses and help attract new clients to our malls. It is very important.” “It sounds expensive,” huffed Jessica, attempting to slide on a high-heeled shoe while her mother draped a fine coat over her shoulders. “It necessary for ladies of our increasing standing in society to adhere to the expectation of the upper class. A simple outing such as this can secure the recommendation for new restaurants, and high-end shops to want storefronts in our malls if they see us in the good graces of the Princess and other nobil
Friday morning, Conor arrived early at Jackson’s Furniture. The familiar creak of the old wooden floors under his feet echoed his anxiety as he approached Mr. Matthews' office. The door was slightly ajar, and Conor hesitated for a moment before knocking gently."Mr. Matthews, do you have a minute?"Mr. Matthews looked up from his paperwork and offered a small smile. "Yes, Conor, come on in. What’s on your mind?"Conor swallowed his pride, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "This is a tough thing to ask, as I know I’ve only been here a short while. But is there any chance you could pay me for this week's work at the end of the shift? The end-of-month bills are due, and I’m still a bit short."Mr. Matthews leaned back in his chair, studying Conor’s face. "I see. Well, you’ve been working hard, Conor, and it’s money you’ve earned. You also made a decent sale on your first day. See me after your shift, and I’ll have your hours calculated."Relief washed over Conor, a
Conor cautiously made his way up to the apartment, his heart heavy with the knowledge that he didn’t have the full amount Jessica had asked for.As he opened the door, the tension in the room hit him like a physical force. His mother-in-law, Cynthia, was in the middle of a tirade, her voice sharp and biting as she berated Jessica.“Ask him then! Does he have the money to cover your rent? Can he pay the utility bills? What about the bill to repair your car? Does he have enough for a car for himself yet? ASK HIM, Jessica!”Jessica looked stunned, her eyes wide and fearful as she tried to absorb the barrage of accusations. Conor couldn’t even begin to guess what poison his mother-in-law had been feeding her while he was out.The silence stretched between them, heavy and oppressive, as Jessica hesitated, clearly building up the courage to confront him.“Conor,” she finally said, her voice trembling slightly, “I told you we needed 4,000 dragons to pay the bills this month. Were you able to
Sat As the sun crested the eastern mountain tops, the frozen dew lay across a smooth field of grass, coating it in tiny white crystals. Birds began their morning hunt for food in the chill early winter air. Thankfully for Conor, while it could get excessively cold at night in the winter months, a strong sea breeze had blown a hint of salty air into the area, keeping it just at freezing this night. The sun's rays would quickly begin to warm the world. He stiffly sat up from under a pile of leaves, and a blanket a kind stranger had left him. Through the mental fog that has become his reality, Conor heard a phone ringing. As he numbly answered, an over-excited voice yells at him over the noise of a crowd, “Conor! You are not going to believe this!!! Someone actually wants to pick up my game! Conor?! You there? Can you hear me?” The words seemed distant and inconsequential to Conor as he tried to process the confusing melodrama that had bec
Conor disappeared into the shower and was thrilled to have the hot water flow over him. The steam lifted the grime from the night in the park off him and his soul soothed as he leaned against the shower wall. The hot water slowly began to loosen tense muscles. He felt as if blood was finally flowing to his brain and his thoughts were able to align themselves. He would fix this, and he would make sure that Jessica was secure in the world and could provide his wife with a home, financial security, and social standing if it was the last thing he did. He was done letting Cynthia poison the world against him, and especially his own wife. “Mr. Brantley? Your suit is waiting for you,” came a soft feminine voice from the door. Conor was startled but heard the door slide shut as the lady left. he wondered if that might have been Anna who had picked him up. A brief fantasy played out in his mind but he opted to wait a minute longer, savoring the warm water before shutting off the s
Targu Province: Kerrigan Lokir's POV Kerrigan Lokir trudged along an onyx lined corridor, a step behind the slimy-haired Prima Zadok Sundeas. Prima Zadok’s leering gaze always gave her the creeps, so she did her best to keep him in front of her, where she could be the one keeping him in her sights. “I want you to go to Jinstain. It has been three years since the loss of the Pendent of Celia. See if you can find it. The Dragoons seem to have lost the scent again,” he was saying. “I have business to deal with here in Targu. Bayan Province is too far out of my way,” Kerrigan said tartly. She was in no mood to do his bidding. Prima Zadok stopped and turned to her. Gripping her chin with his long fingers he said, “Kerri dear, you will do as I say.” He g
Conor stepped into the apartment, the tension palpable as Jessica glared at him from across the room.“Where have you been? I’ve been calling for hours!” Jessica’s voice was sharp, her frustration evident.Conor instinctively reached for his phone, only to realize it was dead. He held it up as an explanation, “I’m sorry, the battery died.”Jessica’s eyes narrowed, skepticism clear in her expression. “That doesn’t answer the question. Where did you sleep last night?”Conor hesitated for a moment, knowing the truth would only worsen the situation. “I found a spot in the park.”Jessica’s expression shifted from anger to horror. “But it was freezing last night!” she said, covering her mouth in disbelief.“Well, you didn’t exactly give me much choice,” Conor replied, his tone carrying a hint of bitterness.Jessica’s eyes widened as she realized the gravity of what he had said. “I thought you would go to Yuri’s or something!”“Yuri is out of town this weekend at a convention,” Conor explaine