Marvin slipped his phone out of his pocket, his hand was steady as he scrolled through his contacts. He stopped when he found the name: "Donovan Reeves". The airport manager, and someone Marvin had once done business with. This was his best shot.He pressed the call button and raised the phone to his ear, glancing one more time at Martha. She was still smirking, confident that she’d won. But Marvin knew better. This wasn’t over.The phone rang twice before Donovan’s deep voice answered.“Hello, who am I speaking with?""It Marvin, Marvin Richmond." He said the last name like he wasn't proud of it."Marvin! It’s been a while. How are you, my friend?” The voice at the background was overjoyed as he heard that lit was Marvin.Marvin didn’t have time for small talk. His voice was calm but firm. “Donovan, this isn’t the time for pleasantries. I need you to do something for me.”There was a pause on the other end. Donovan sounded surprised. “Alright… what do you need me to do for you?”Ma
Marvin slipped his phone back into his pocket, trying to maintain his composure. The air in the terminal felt thick, charged with tension and the hum of whispered mockery. He could feel eyes on him, he could hear the murmurs behind his back, but he refused to react. Mr Donovan's presence was the only thing cutting through the chaos, but even he seemed rattled. He placed a firm hand on Marvin’s shoulder, leaning in close enough so that only Marvin could hear him.“Marvin,” Donovan said, with a voice that was low and urgent. “Please, calm down. I need you to think this through. We can work something out. How about I put you and your mother in business class on the next flight to Neovalle? It leaves in a few hours. Just… be patient.”Marvin’s jaw tightened, but his expression remained unreadable. “Donovan, you don’t understand,” he muttered, just as quietly. “I can’t stay here. Westwood isn’t safe for me anymore. I need to leave this moment. My mother and I… we have no future here. M
Martha’s mocking grin was long gone. Her voice, which had cut through the air so sharply before, was now barely a whisper. "How… how is this even possible?"Marvin stood tall, his gaze turned distant, as if the chaos of the terminal no longer mattered. Just moments ago, he had felt like the center of a cruel joke, but now the air was electric with disbelief, and people began to murmur as they processed what had just happened.The murmurs from the crowd began softly at first, then grew louder as disbelief turned into confusion and frustration.“How did he pull this off?” someone whispered, shaking his head. “I thought he was broke—kicked out by his own father,” another voice said, with eyes that were wide in shock.“Wait, he just bought the whole plane? That's crazy!” someone muttered, their tone was a mix of awe and irritation.“This is ridiculous. We’re all supposed to wait because of him?” another passenger grumbled, crossing their arms.“I know Marvin Richmond, he has been nothin
Marvin and his mother stepped off the plane onto the tarmac at Neovalle’s sleek, modern airport. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the city skyline in the distance. It felt like stepping into another world—one that seemed light-years ahead of the life they had left behind.As they made their way through the terminal, Marvin pulled out his phone and opened a rideshare app. Within minutes, they were greeted by a dark blue Uber, its electric engine was humming softly as it pulled up to the curb.“Hello! Marvin and Sophia Richmond, right?” the driver asked with a friendly smile. He was a middle-aged man with a kind face and a name tag that read Elian.“Yes, that’s us,” Marvin confirmed. “Um, we are kinda new around and we would like to ask if you can recommend a good hotel around here? Something top-notch.”Elian’s eyes lit up. “Oh, definitely! You’ll want to check out The Aurora Grand. It’s one of the best hotels in Neovalle. Five-star service, stunning views, and all th
Marvin walked to the reception area, but as he got closer, he realized there was a long line. Four people were ahead of him, while three joined in behind him. They were all dressed in expensive suits and elegant dresses. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and tried to catch his breath. His shirt was sticking to his back, and he felt a bit embarrassed.As he stood in the queue, a couple of people in front of him started to turn their heads and sniff the air, their faces also began to scrunching up. Marvin felt a pang of anxiety when he realized they were reacting to his smell. He had been lugging heavy bags around, and now he was really sweaty.“Hey man, are you a plumber or something? You look all worked up,” one man in the line who was two steps behind him joked, he had been eyeing Marvin’s sweaty clothes.Another person, a younger guy with slicked-back hair, wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, and it smells like you’ve never had a shower. You smell like a fish!”A wave of laughter ripple
The young woman’s eyes widened in shock. “What the hell, you must be kidding me!” she shouted, drawing more attention.“Come on, run the card in the machine again,” the young lady demanded, with a voice that was tight with irritation.The receptionist took the card and swiped it again, but the screen displayed the same message: “PAYMENT DECLINED.”The young woman’s face turned red with frustration. “This is ridiculous!” she exclaimed. “Wait, sir, let me call my banker. I’m not having this.” She pulled out her phone, furiously tapping at the screen to make the call.“Please, madam, kindly step aside so I can attend to the next person,” the receptionist said politely but firmly.She turned to look at Marvin with a sneer, then huffed and stepped aside, holding her phone to her ear.The receptionist turned to Marvin. “Hello, sir, and welcome to Aurora Grand Hotel,” he greeted with a somewhat tired expression. “Are you here to book a reservation?”“Yeah, of course,” Marvin replied, still f
Marvin’s eyes locked onto that of receptionist’s, they were cold and unblinking eyes. The receptionist felt a shiver run down his spine, as if he were staring into the eyes of a predator.“You think I can’t afford it?” Marvin’s voice was low and calm, but it carried a dangerous edge.“No, sir, that’s not what I meant,” the receptionist stuttered, his hands were sweating so much now that he could barely grip the card. “I just—”“You just what?” Marvin interrupted, leaning in slightly. The receptionist could smell the faint scent of cologne mixed with sweat, and it made him even more nervous.“I just—” the receptionist began again, but his voice faltered. He felt like he was drowning under Marvin’s intense gaze. Everyone in the room was silent, watching, waiting to see what would happen next.Marvin straightened up and gave a small, cold smile. “Well I suppose how I choose to spend my money is non of your business is it?""No." The receptionist replied almost immediately."Okay then, r
Back in his lavish private spa room, Mr Richmond lay back on a comfortable lounge chair, his eyes were closed as soft music played in the background. The warm steam and the soothing scent of lavender filled the air of the private spa room. The events of the day felt distant now, almost like a bad dream he was finally waking up from.Beside him, Dana Orion, his wife, was scrolling through her phone, with a slight smile playing on her lips. Her Instagram page had exploded with new followers ever since they got married, and now, every post seemed to be filled with congratulations and admiration.“Look at this, honey,” Dana said, showing him her phone screen. “They’re all talking about us. Some are even saying that we’re the new power couple of Westwood.”Mr Richmond smiled faintly, not opening his eyes. “Good for them. I’m just glad I can finally relax.”Dana nodded, though she looked a bit worried. She knew today had been tough for him, overseeing some projects and attending to some