2024-08-21 02:28:54Marvin pulled his sedan into a parking spot just outside the Mayor’s Bite restaurant.
The neon lights flickered in the evening gloom, casting a pale glow on the sidewalk. He killed the engine and stepped out, stretching his back, wincing slightly as his hand brushed against the bandage on his head. Circling around to the back, he opened the door for his kids. “Easy, Bryan. Don’t hurt yourself,” he said, just in time to catch his son as the boy tumbled out, nearly tripping on the curb. Bryan grinned, as fearless as ever. “I’m fine, Dad.” Marvin chuckled despite himself, then turned his attention to his daughter. “Hey, sweetie, ready to come out?” His voice softened as he gently lifted her from the car seat, with her tiny hands clutching his shirt. She giggled, pressing her chubby cheek against his, and his heart melted just like it always did. But before he could fully savor the moment, Bryan’s voice broke through. “Dad, is your head still hurting?” Marvin adjusted his daughter on his hip and glanced at his son, whose wide eyes were locked on the bandage. “It’s not too bad, buddy. It is better than yesterday.” Bryan frowned. “Are the floors at your workplace that slippery?” “A little, yeah.” Marvin admitted, his lips curved into a reassuring smile. “But I promise, I’ll be more careful from now on.” Bryan nodded, satisfied for now, while his little sister cooed. “Papa,” and nuzzled into his neck. Marvin kissed the top of her head, and warmth spread through his chest. Inside the restaurant, the familiar scent of freshly baked bread and garlic greeted them. Marvin waved at a man behind the counter—Mr. Fredrick, the owner, his apron was dusted with flour. “Hey there, Marvin,” Mr. Fredrick called, his well-groomed mustache twitched as he spoke. “How’s the day treating you?” “Pretty good,” Marvin replied, walking up to the counter, with Bryan trailing behind. Mr. Fredrick’s eyes narrowed on the bandage. “Yikes. What happened?” “Ah, just took a nasty fall at work,” Marvin said with a shrug. “Sorry to hear that.” Fredrick’s brow furrowed in sympathy. “Anyway, I see you’re all ready for Martha’s birthday celebration.” He smiled warmly at the children, who waved back shyly. “That’s right,” Marvin said, grinning. “We’ve been looking forward to it.” “And the cake?” Fredrick asked. Marvin’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, the cake! How’s it coming along?” Mr. Fredrick’s chest puffed out with pride. “Oh, it’s done, and trust me, you’re gonna love it. It’s one of my best yet. But... I’ve got to ask...” Marvin’s smile faltered slightly. “What is it?” Fredrick lowered his voice, leaning in. “Marvin, I know it’s not my place, but twenty-five thousand dollars for a cake? For just you, your wife, and the kids? That’s a fortune, man. Are you sure Martha’s worth all that?” For a moment, Marvin stood frozen. Then, a slow smile crept across his face, a smile that reached his eyes, eyes that were glowing with devotion. “Mr. Fredrick, Martha is worth every penny. She’s been my rock, my happiness, and look at these kids,” he gestured to his son and daughter, “she gave me the best gifts I could ever ask for.” Fredrick held up his hands, backing off. “Alright, alright. I get it. It’s just that with the economy, and with the way those corporate gladiators are running wild with their—what do they call it—elemental powers or whatever, the world’s changing, Westwood especially is changing Marvin. People are struggling.” Marvin shook his head, smiling with quiet resolve. “Even if the world falls apart, I’ll do whatever it takes to make Martha happy.” Fredrick studied him for a moment, there was a strange mix of admiration and wariness in his eyes. “Well, you’re a better man than most, I’ll give you that.” Marvin nodded, gathering the kids and heading to a table near the window. The evening crowd began to fill the restaurant, and Marvin ordered drinks for himself and cookies for the kids, but his mind wandered. Martha was late. Twenty minutes late. He fished his phone from his pocket and dialed her number. It rang, then went to voicemail. His heart sank. What’s keeping her? His daughter, oblivious to his growing unease, broke a cookie in half and giggled as crumbs scattered across the table. Bryan, on the other hand, was quiet, with his eyes darting to the door every few seconds, clearly missing his mom. Just as Marvin started to dial again, the door swung open. There she was. Martha stepped inside, with her heels clicking against the tiled floor. She looked radiant, her fitted dress highlighted her curves, and her long hair framed her flawless face. Marvin’s breath caught in his throat. She was always beautiful, but tonight—tonight she looked stunning. A broad grin spread across his face, and relief and pride washed over him. But just as he was about to stand and greet her, the door swung wider, and another figure stepped through. Marvin’s smile faltered, and his heart stuttered in his chest. It was Daniel Richmond. His stepbrother. The man he had come to despise more than anyone else in the world. Martha’s hand was on Daniel’s arm, her expression was warm, too warm. She leaned in close to say something to him, and Daniel laughed, with his eyes glittering with something Marvin couldn’t quite place. The sound sent a chill crawling up Marvin’s spine. His mind reeled, unable to make sense of what he was seeing. Why was she with him? And why did she look so comfortable? The blood drained from Marvin’s face as a thousand possibilities raced through his mind, each one was worse than the last. His heart pounded, his throat turned dry. Everything in the room blurred except for the two figures standing in the doorway—the woman he loved, and the man he hated.
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Marvin shot up from his seat, his legs turned shaky beneath him, but his heart raced with burning anger. His breath hitched, and his thoughts tumbled over each other like a dam ready to burst. He forced a strained smile, trying to make sense of the situation. "Honey, welcome... how—" "Hey, my little angels!" Martha’s voice cut through his greeting like a knife, her tone was unnervingly sweet, but it wasn’t for him. She breezed past Marvin as though he didn’t exist, swooping down to embrace their children. “Mommy, you’re late!” Bryan said, as his arms were wrapped tightly around her. His voice carried that mix of worry and joy, clearly happy to see her after what felt like an eternity. Martha tousled his hair. “I know, baby. I’m here now.” Marvin’s pulse quickened. He couldn’t believe it. Martha had never ignored him before—not once in their years together. She was always affectionate, always pulling him into her world. And now? Now, it was as if he was invisible. What was
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Like a lightning bolt, Marvin’s fist clenched tight, his knuckles turned white as fury overtook him. His eyes were locked on the glowing Synapticore mark etched into Daniel’s forehead, it was the symbol of the man who had stolen his life, his future—his family. In a burst of adrenaline, Marvin lunged forward with a force he didn’t even know he had. His vision tunneled, and the world shrank down to the single goal of his fist smashing into Daniel’s skull. The crack of impact echoed through the restaurant as Marvin’s fist connected with Daniel’s head, right over that cursed Synapticore mark. Daniel staggered under the blow, and his body jolted from the sheer force. “You took everything from me!” Marvin roared, his voice was thick with years of suppressed rage. His next punch came hard and fast, the power of it was fueled by a cocktail of heartbreak and betrayal. “I’m going to destroy you!” But Daniel, whose blood was now trickling from the corner of his mouth, simply smirke
THE UNDERESTIMATED HEIR STRIPPED OF EVERYTHING
Two days after Marvin’s discharge from the hospital, he was driven home. The shock of his wife’s revelation still clung to him like a shadow, leaving him sober and hollow. It wasn’t just that he had wasted years loving the wrong person—the truth was worse: He had no children. As the car rolled to a stop in front of his house, Marvin barely noticed the towering structure before him. His mind was a battlefield, as the words of his wife replayed in a torturous loop. Therapy had been prescribed for his injured head, but how could twenty-four hours of counseling ever soothe the wreckage of a man who had lost everything? "Hey, I know you're dealing with a lot," said Mr. Fredrick from the driver’s seat, breaking the silence. "But don't be too hard on yourself, okay?" Marvin nodded absently. "Okay," he muttered, already opening the door. "If you need anything, just call me, alright?" Mr. Fredrick added before driving off, his voice was full of concern. Marvin stood at the entrance
THE UNDERESTIMATED HEIR THE COST OF DEFIANCE
Daniel’s fingers hovered over the edges of the papers, with a mocking smile playing on his lips as he skimmed through Marvin’s meticulously detailed calculations, theories and notes. “Marvin, Marvin…” Daniel mused, with a voice that was dripping with false admiration. “You’ve really put a lot of effort into all this, haven’t you?” His eyes darted across the pages, but the cold glint in them betrayed his true intentions. He picked up one sheet, holding it between his hands, as if savoring its fragility. “I wonder how it would feel to tear it in half,” he said, his tone was mocking, and lips curled into a twisted grin. “Daniel, don’t,” Marvin warned, his voice was firm but it was tinged with desperation. “Those papers... they’re my life's work. You don’t understand what you’re about to destroy.” Daniel’s gaze flicked up, his expression shifted from fake curiosity to a cold, brutal indifference. “Oh, I understand perfectly.” He sneered, his grip tightened on the paper. “What you see
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DARK HORIZONS
Four hours later…Marvin's office was dark, except for the faint glow of the city lights bleeding through the large windows. The clock on the wall ticked softly, marking each passing second with a cruel, steady rhythm.It was 7:00 PM.Marvin sat in his black leather chair, slouched back, with a glass of beer in one hand and a half-smoked cigarette in the other. Smoke curled lazily around him, filling the room with a bitter haze.His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, his tie loosened, and his hair was a mess. His eyes were bloodshot, heavy with exhaustion and grief. He looked like a man who had just lost everything—because he had.Ethan Voss was dead.His only chance to expose Mr. Crowe. Gone.The wild beeping of the heart monitor still echoed in Marvin’s head, sharp and haunting. The image of Ethan convulsing, his body jerking violently, his face twisted in pain, was burned into his mind.Marvin took a long drag from the cigarette, the tip glowing red in the dim light. He exhal
THE EDGE OF DESPERATION
Marvin stopped beside Ethan, staring down at him, with his heart pounding.The man’s face was pale, too pale, almost like a ghost. His chest rose and fell steadily, but he looked lifeless—like someone lost in a deep, unreachable dream. The steady beep of the heart monitor was the only proof that Ethan was still alive.Marvin swallowed hard. He clenched his fists, and his mind was racing."Wake up, man. Please, wake up."The words screamed silently in his head, over and over again, growing louder with every second.The doctors had warned him. Ethan needed rest. His body and mind were fragile, barely hanging on the edge between recovery and relapse. Waking him too soon could cause serious damage.But Marvin didn’t have time.Forty-eight hours. That was all he had.If Ethan didn’t wake up soon, Helios Enterprise would be finished. The audit would fail. The Prime Minister would shut everything down. His accounts would be frozen. His enemies would celebrate.He clenched his jaw. He could
RACING AGAINST SHADOWS
The governor’s confused voice hung in the air."What… what do you mean, Mr. Marvin?"Marvin took a slow breath, steadying himself. He knew this was his only chance to shift the tides — to save his company, his reputation, and his life’s work."Your Excellency," he began, his tone was firm but respectful. "I am a businessman who only just made it into the commercial scene not too long ago. Why would anyone think I would risk everything — the trust of the public, my company’s future — by not just failing to do my job well, but causing a great disaster? A disaster that led to casualties?"He let the question linger, heavy with unspoken truth."The Lunebrook incident was not my doing," Marvin continued, with the heat of conviction rising in his voice. "In fact, I have been quietly gathering evidence, and from everything I’ve found, Darius Crowe stands out as a suspect. There are traces of interference… patterns too calculated to be mere coincidence."A tense silence followed. Marvin coul
A DANGEROUS PROPOSITION
The governor sighed, it was a long and tired sound, the kind that carried the weight of unpleasant truths."Yes, Mr. Marvin, I am aware," he replied, a bit reluctantly, as though he had been dreading this conversation.Marvin’s grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles were whitening as cold fury simmered beneath his skin. His voice grew sharper, cutting through the tension like a blade."But I thought you said that your government would protect my company despite the scandal I’m in at the moment?" Marvin’s words came out slow and deliberate, each syllable was edged with restrained anger.The line went silent for a moment, the weight of the governor’s hesitation started thickening the air. Marvin could almost hear the gears turning on the other end as the governor sounded like he was choosing his words carefully."It is Mr. Darius Crowe…" the governor began, his voice was low, almost conspiratorial. "He’s been working hard to see you and your company suffer. Information reached me
HELIOS ON THE BRINK
Inside Marvin Richmond’s private lab, the lights were dim. The air smelled of antiseptic, cold and clean.Ethan Voss lay on a white hospital bed, his body was covered with bandages. A thin blanket was pulled up to his chest. The heart monitor beside him beeped softly, showing a slow but steady rhythm.A tall man in a white coat stood beside the bed, checking Ethan’s pulse. His name was Dr. Lewis, a trusted doctor sent by Dr. Hayes to treat Ethan’s injuries upon Marvin's request.Marvin Richmond stood a few feet away, his arms were crossed tightly. His sharp eyes never left Ethan’s pale face.“How bad is he?” Marvin asked, his voice was cold, but there was a hint of worry.Dr. Lewis sighed, removing his gloves. His expression was serious.“He’s stable now, but the injuries are severe,” the doctor said quietly. “He has two broken ribs, a concussion, and a deep cut on his right thigh. He also inhaled a lot of smoke from the fire… If we hadn’t treated him quickly, he might not have made
