His body was limp, and his face was ashen, eyes half-lidded and unfocused. His hands twitched faintly, his fingers scraping weakly against the air as he struggled to draw in a shallow, rasping breath."No!" Kelly screamed, dropping her crutches and stumbling forward, reaching desperately toward her father. "Papa! Papa, please!"Marvin grabbed her arm, his own heart was pounding wildly, trying to keep her back. "Kelly, wait—he’s still breathing! We can save him!"Kelly’s gaze snapped to him and her eyes were brimming with tears, hope was warring with terror on her face. Together, they lunged forward. Marvin climbed onto a nearby chair, his hands were shaking as he struggled to reach the knot around Mr. Craig’s neck. Kelly, gasping through her sobs, steadied the chair for him, gripping it as tightly as her trembling hands would allow.“Hurry, Marvin!” she cried, her voice was breaking. “Please—hurry!”The knot was tight and stubborn, digging cruelly into Mr. Craig’s neck. Marvin’s fi
Marvin knelt down beside Mrs. Martha, his face turned soft with understanding. He could see her hands shaking as she tried to hold back her tears.Her gaze was locked on her husband, who was now weak and barely able to meet her eyes.“Mrs. Martha,” Marvin said gently, reaching out to touch her shoulder. “Please don’t take this to heart. Mr. Craig… he’s struggling mentally we all know why. He needs help, not anger. This isn’t your fault, and it’s not a reflection of you. Right now, he needs understanding, not judgment.”Mrs. Martha’s lips trembled as fresh tears filled her eyes. Her voice was thick with pain as she spoke. “How could he… how could he try to leave us like this? How could he even think of leaving me and all these children behind?” Her eyes, filled with hurt, turned to her husband. “Do you know what that would have done to us?” she demanded, her voice was breaking.Mr. Craig lowered his head as guilt was written all over his face. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, as his voice w
The week had flown by, and the tension was thick in the air. Mr. Craig's deadline was today—he was to pay the thirty thousand dollars he owed Mr Charles, a debt that had loomed over the family like a dark cloud. Outside the orphanage home, the children played, their laughter was the only light in an otherwise heavy day.Then, the sound of engines rumbled up the street, shattering the peace. Mr. Charles drove up, with his car leading a small convoy. Two other cars pulled up behind him, each carrying four large, intimidating men.The teenage orphans who were kicking around a soccer ball stopped in their tracks, their eyes were wide with fear. The younger children who’d been playing tag froze, then scattered, their little feet was pounding the ground as they raced back toward the orphanage. They knew trouble when they saw it.One of the youngest girls, quicker than the others, dashed inside and ran straight to the kitchen, where Mrs. Martha was cooking.“Mama! Mama!” she cried, her v
The men spread out, moving through the house like shadows. They didn’t waste any time, opening doors and tossing furniture aside. One of them stormed into the bedroom where the youngest children slept. He grabbed a small wooden bed and, with little effort, flipped it over, sending blankets and stuffed animals scattering across the floor. One of the orphans, a small boy, barely five, tried to gather his things, clutching a tattered teddy bear. The man only sneered and kicked the bear out of his hands.Another child, a girl with wide, tearful eyes, tried to grab her shoes as one of the men dragged her by the arm. "Leave me alone!" She kicked and wriggled, desperate to hold on to the small things she called her own, but he only tightened his grip, ignoring her screams.Outside, Mr. Charles stood with his arms crossed, a cold smile was on his face as he watched his men work. He didn’t seem to care about the cries of the children or the pleas of Mrs. Martha, who followed them from roo
Marvin moved quickly, his focus was sharp as he spotted one of the men dragging a young orphan by the arm. Without hesitation, he strode over and shoved the hefty man away from the child. The man stumbled, and looked shocked, but before he could react, Marvin’s fist shot out in a powerful punch. The blow landed squarely on the man’s face, sending him sprawling to the floor.The hefty man scrambled to his feet, looking furious and ready to fight back. But when he saw the intense, unflinching look in Marvin’s eyes, he hesitated. Marvin’s stance was firm, his fists were clenched and ready to strike again if needed. The man’s anger faded into fear, and he took a nervous step backward, deciding not to test his luck.Meanwhile, the other men who had been tearing through the orphanage froze when they noticed the police. Their faces shifted from smugness to worry, and they dropped whatever they were holding, stopping their search and harassment."Shit!" one of the men muttered under his
Mr. Charles looked up, his face was pale and his hands were shaking as he held the documents.Marvin stepped forward, his voice was steady but full of satisfaction. "Well, it is possible now," he said firmly. "You no longer own this building. The government has taken it from you."Mr. Charles’s eyes widened in shock. "But... they don’t have any solid grounds to take this from me," he stammered.The inspector beside Marvin replied sharply, "Oh yes, they do." He pointed at the papers. "We found out you were extorting money from Mr. Craig here. His foundation was supported by the government. How dare you demand money from him just because he’s an immigrant?"Mr. Charles’s mouth dropped open, stunned by the accusation. He tried to defend himself, as his voice began to grow defensive. "Mr. Craig is an illegal immigrant. He’s not even supposed to be here in this country."Marvin’s face darkened with anger. "Is that why you decided to use his situation against him? To squeeze money from him?
The moderator of the Neovalle College science project examination stood on the stage, looking over the eager crowd. With a smile, he raised his microphone, and his voice was booming across the auditorium."And the winner of this practical exam, and the beneficiary of the Neovalle scholarship," he announced, pausing for effect."Miss Kelly Boston."The room erupted in applause. Mr. and Mrs. Craig, seated among the audience, couldn’t contain their joy. They clapped with all their might, and their eyes were brimming with pride as their daughter, Kelly, had just won the scholarship that would change her future.Not only was her victory going to win her a scholarship, but it was sure going to connect her with some top tech firms around Neovalle.Kelly, with a determined smile, stood up from her seat and began to make her way to the stage, balancing on her crutches. Her steps were slow but steady, and her face was glowing with happiness. The audience cheered even louder, watching her app
"So," Marvin asked, raising an eyebrow, "what brings you to Neovalle?"Jessica’s smile didn’t falter. "Business."Marvin hesitated, then nodded. He tried to keep his tone casual. "What about you, Marvin?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "What keeps you here? You are no longer in Westwood?"Marvin’s jaw tightened. "I don’t have much of a reason to be in Westwood anymore," he admitted. "Not since my father stripped me of my title and inheritance. That life is gone."Jessica’s expression softened, if only for a second. "I’m sorry to hear that again, Marvin. Truly, that must have been a hard experience for you."Marvin glanced down, uncomfortable with the sympathy. Jessica wasn’t usually one to offer kind words. But before she could speak further, Marvin looked her over, his eyes were lingering on a thin silver bracelet around her wrist. At the end of the chain hung a small, polished stone—her amulet."You still wear your amulet, I see," he said, with a hint of amusement in his vo