Marvin's eyes filled with a dangerous fire as he looked at Jessica, and every word of his, carried the weight of his fury. "If anything happens to my mother," he warned, his voice low and trembling with rage, "I promise you will regret it."Jessica only smirked, unfazed by his threat. "Oh, I’m terrified," she said, with sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Really, Marvin. Your mother’s about to get stabbed, and the best you can do is throw empty threats at me?"Marvin’s glare turned cold, and it was filled with a malevolent intensity. "Leave my mother out of this," he growled, his voice was like steel. "She has nothing to do with Project Helios."But Jessica's mocking smile didn’t waver. She held the tablet up again, forcing Marvin to watch the screen.In the elegant lounge of the Aurora Grand Hotel, Marvin's mother, Sophia, stood up and walked to the door after hearing a knock. She opened it, expecting to see a server with refreshments. But, to her surprise, the hallway outside was emp
Marvin forced Jessica's guard into the driver’s seat, keeping his grip tight on the man’s shoulder as he slid into the car beside him. “Drive,” Marvin commanded, his voice was cold and steady.The guard, who was still dazed from the beating, gripped the steering wheel and started the car. As they pulled away from the building where Marvin had been held, he kept his gaze focused, watching for any signs of more guards or followers. Jessica’s men weren’t known to give up easily, and Marvin knew they could be ambushed at any moment.“I have to turn left here,” the guard muttered, his voice was shaky as he guided them through the dark, winding streets of Neovalle. Marvin didn’t recognize much of his surroundings; he was new in this city, and Jessica had purposely kept him in the most hidden areas.After a few more turns, the streets began to look more familiar, dotted with shops and the occasional streetlight. Marvin’s grip on the guard loosened slightly as they neared the main road le
Marvin sat in the emergency waiting area, his hands were clenched into tight fists as his mind burned with hatred toward Jessica Zypher. He could feel his anger like a fire in his chest, each thought was sharper and darker than the last.Why would she go after my mother? he thought bitterly. His mother was innocent, a gentle woman who had already been through so much. She had been trying to heal, just like he was, after everything that happened in Westwood. That nightmare had nearly destroyed them both—his own father had disowned them, and, as if that wasn’t enough, had even tried to have Marvin killed. And now, Jessica had dragged his mother into this dangerous game.Marvin’s mind swirled with violent thoughts, each one more ruthless than the last. If he ever got the chance, he would make Jessica pay. He would make her feel the pain she had caused him, make her regret every step she took that led to this. He could almost imagine his hands closing around her throat…A noise broke
Marvin’s heart raced as his mother started coughing, with her whole body shaking on the bed. He held her hand tightly, feeling a surge of fear.“Mom! Are you okay?” he asked, as his voice was trembling.The coughing stopped after a few moments, and her eyes slowly opened. She looked weak and tired, but she recognized him. Her lips parted, and with a shaky voice, she whispered, “Marvin…”“Yes… yes, Mom. I’m right here,” he said quickly, leaning closer.“Marvin!” she repeated, as if she couldn’t believe he was really there.“I’m here with you, Mom. I won’t leave you all alone.” he assured her, with his hand gently squeezing hers.A tear rolled down her cheek, and she whispered, “They… they stabbed me. A ghost… he just appeared out of nowhere…”Marvin’s face tightened with anger, but he forced himself to stay calm. “Mom, I know the people responsible for this. I promise you, they will pay for what they’ve done.”He didn’t want to explain too much, he didn't want to go into details of who
Inside, Dr. Felix’s office was meticulously organized, with shelves lined by thick medical volumes, a wall of diplomas and accolades, and a large, dark mahogany desk. The faint smell of antiseptic lingered in the air.Dr. Felix, a tall man with sharp features and weary eyes, looked up from his notes and gave Marvin a polite nod. “Hello, Mr. Richmond,” he said, gesturing to the chair opposite his desk. “Please, have a seat.”Marvin sank into the chair, his body was tense, and his mind was already racing with questions he wanted to ask about the surgery needed to cure his mother’s condition. But just as he was about to speak, his attention was caught by a TV screen mounted on the wall behind Dr. Felix. The screen displayed the muted broadcast of a local news station, but the headline running across the bottom was impossible to ignore."JESSICA ZYPHER MEETS NEOVALLE'S GOVERNOR SENATOR WEBSTER CONCERNING PROJECT HELIOS."The name "Jessica Zypher" was enough to send a surge of anger thro
Two days later, Marvin stepped out of an Uber in front of Astris Bank. He was sweating, his shirt was clinging to his back as he moved toward the bank's entrance. The heat outside wasn’t helping, but it wasn’t just the weather making him sweat. Dr. Felix had told him the amount needed for his mother’s surgery—and it was a large sum. They demanded cash, and Marvin had no choice but to withdraw it.Inside, Marvin approached one of the cashiers, a woman with a stern face and tired eyes. She looked up briefly as he stepped forward, her expression was irritated, as if she didn’t want to be bothered."Hello, miss. I wish to withdraw some money with this card," Marvin said, holding out his Diamond Royale card.The cashier's eyebrows raised slightly when she saw the card. Such card was rare, usually held by only the wealthiest clients. Her expression softened, and her irritation was replaced with a hint of respect, though she still seemed unsure if the card would even work."How much do y
As Marvin stood in the doorway, his eyes locked onto Daniel’s. He could see the shock on Daniel’s face—the flash of fear, quickly replaced by defensiveness. A faint glow appeared on Daniel’s forehead, right on the synapticore mark—a small, pulsing mark that made it clear to Marvin that Daniel was tensed and afraid. Daniel's reaction was a detail that Marvin knew all too well, a sign that his stepbrother was unsettled.For a moment, memories came flooding back to Marvin. He remembered what had happened in Westwood, the times Daniel had humiliated him, looked down on him, treated him as less than family. The anger that had simmered for so long began to rise, hot and sharp. He felt the urge to storm across the room, to finally confront Daniel face-to-face after a long time and beat him up. He wanted to show him what it felt like to be afraid.Daniel could see it in Marvin’s eyes. The anger, the long-held resentment. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his mouth was opening slightl
As Marvin held Daniel by the collar, he could feel Daniel's breath quickening, coming in short, panicked gasps. Daniel tried to summon the synapticore force on his forehead—the small, glowing mark that pulsed with power—but before he could activate it, Marvin struck him hard right on that very spot.Daniel’s head snapped back, and his face twisted in pain, and the faint glow on his forehead flickered and died. He was too stunned to react, momentarily helpless in Marvin’s grip.The office secretary, who had been watching the scene unfold from her desk, let out a shocked gasp. Her hand flew to her mouth as she turned and hurried out of the office, with her footsteps echoing down the hall.Marvin leaned in close, his voice calm but cold. “And make sure you’re paying attention to what I’m about to say,” he said, his tone was dangerous. “Because I’m not going to repeat myself.”Daniel’s face was pale, his eyes turned wide with terror and pain. He gritted his teeth, but the fear was cle