Chapter Thirteen; The TranceJohn's hands trembled as he held the parchment with the strange symbols. He had only 48 hours to uncover the truth.His eyes scanned the parchment, trying to check for any hidden meaning within the cryptic symbols. As he examined more closely, he noticed a faint mark in the corner.It looked like a small arrow, pointing towards a specific symbol.His heart raced with the realization that this might be a secret message and guide.He followed the arrow to a symbol resembling a cross with two curved horns on either side.A memory suddenly stirred within him. He was trying to figure it out when he suddenly remembered that he had seen this symbol before in an ancient text, one associated with a long-forgotten cult.His mind flashed to the dusty pages of the book he had studied months ago."Could it be?" John whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the silence of his study.Suddenly, the symbol began to glow, filling the room with a soft, strange a
Chapter Fourteen; Above and Beyond“Dr. Lee, it’s John. I need your help. Something’s happening to Emily, Please respond,” John pleaded, his voice laced with desperation.John waited anxiously for Dr. Lee’s response, his eyes fixed on Emily’s peaceful face. His mind was racing with dark thoughts. What if Ravius had already taken Emily? What if she was lost forever, trapped in some dark realm?The minutes dragged on until finally, the phone rang. John snatched it up before the second ring.“John, I’ll be there in an hour,” Dr. Lee’s voice was calm but grave. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”When Dr. Lee arrived with his nurse, and the tension in the house was palpable. John and Sarah stood near Emily’s bedside as the doctor approached her, his expression inscrutable.The nurse performed a series of checks, taking Emily’s pulse and vitals while Dr. Lee observed with an intense focus. Minutes later, the nurse turned to Dr. Lee, shaking her head slightly.“Medically, she’s stable
chapter one; The shattered strength In the dimly lit hospital room, the sterile scent mingled with fear as John lay motionless on the hospital bed, his once strong body now frail and fragile. A few days ago, John was driving home from work when his car skidded off the road and hit a tree. He suffered serious injuries, including a broken spine, and was rushed to hospital. The accident left him crippled, confined to a hospital bed, and struggling to accept his new reality. Sarah, his wife, sat beside him with a worried look on her face, her hand holding his limp fingers. She glanced anxiously at the door, waiting for her father to arrive. Anthony, a tall man with a stern face, entered the room, his eyes narrowing as he took in John’s broken form. He had once loved John like a son, but now his expression showed only disappointment. “Father, welcome,” Sarah acknowledged, her voice tense with apprehension. “How is he?” he asked, his tone sharp. “He’s stable,” Sarah r
Chapter Two; Finding Strength. As the days passed and John's physical wounds began to heal, he knew deep down that he had reached a turning point. He was soon discharged from the hospital, and a discharge plan was drawn up for him, with weekly visits from a physiotherapist to help with his recovery. However, he remained confined to his wheelchair, unable to move without the help of his wife Sarah. It was a sunny day, and he was home alone when he heard a knock on the door. It was his personal assistant Ted. Ted had been working closely with John since Anthony, his wife's father, handed over their small business to him, which had grown massively over time to compete with some of the larger companies in the city. John looked at Ted, "You don't look like you've got any good news for me yet!" Ted looked very sad and unsure of how to communicate with his boss. He handed him a letter, which John glanced through and realized that his father-in-law had replaced him with his dista
Chapter Three; Things Heat Up John started a virtual business helping people solve their business problems, recovering hacked funds, and soon his business was growing. He kept this new business away from his wife Sarah and daughter Emily. He wanted to surprise them, but his PA, Ted, was secretly working for him. His business, Jays Tech, became the talk of the town, and companies were calling to ask for a partnership. His father-in-law Anthony called a meeting about a challenge in the business, and the whole family was summoned. John was wheeled into the meeting room by his wife, his heart pounding with anticipation. Anthony, his father-in-law, sat at the head of the table with a stern expression on his face. Sarah, John's wife, stood beside him, her eyes filled with worry. Joy, her step-sister, and Alex, her fiancé, smiled in the corner, their presence a ticking time bomb. "John, we need to discuss your... condition," Anthony began, his voice dripping with contempt
Chapter Four; The Hidden Talent Ted’s voice was laced with worry. “Boss, we have a problem. Our website has been down for the past 24 hours, and we’re losing customers by the minute.” John’s expression turned serious. “What’s going on, Ted? We can’t afford to lose any more business.” Ted shook his head. “I don’t know, boss. Our team has been working on it, but so far, all to no avail. We’re trying to troubleshoot the issue, but it’s like nothing we’ve seen before.” John nodded. “Let’s get to work, Ted. We can’t let our customers down.” Together, John and Ted worked tirelessly to resolve the issue. They poured over lines of code, tested servers, and consulted with experts. Finally, after hours of work, the website flickered back to life. They screamed in excitement and felt a sense of relieve. Suddenly his phone beeped, incoming call from Rachel his physiotherapist. He picked up. Hi John, this is to remind you of your evening session for today. Oh yes, I have t
Chapter Five; The Mysterious ThreatJohn’s success with the brochure design led to more projects and recognition within Jays Tech. He was thrilled to be making a name for himself in the industry, despite his lack of public exposure as CEO and his physical limitations. However, with growth comes challenges, and John was soon faced with a mysterious threat that tested his resolve. It started with strange emails and messages that hinted at a hidden agenda against Jays Tech. John dismissed them as spam or jealousy, but the warnings continued.One evening, during a meeting with Ted, Ted received a call from a private number, which he picked up only to hear the other end of the phone… “Hello, Jay Tech… The voice was strange and angry. “You’re playing with fire. Back off before it’s too late.” You’re stealing our clients and putting us out of business. If this continues, we will go after everyone in the organization and their families, including your sick mother and your crippled boss
Chapter Six; Finding a Savior Anthony called a family meeting with Emily, John's daughter, Sarah, John's wife, Joy, and Alex, Sarah's sister and fiancé, to discuss the bankruptcy of Dragon Digitals, their key partner. The mood was tense as they gathered in Anthony's living room, the weight of their financial struggles palpable. "We need to work with Jay Tech to secure our position," Anthony said, his voice grave and full of urgency. "We can't afford to lose any more ground." John spoke up, determined to prove himself. "I can help you secure a treaty. I have connections, and I'm confident I can make it happen." The room erupted in laughter, mocking John's offer. "You? Help us? You're useless, John!" Alex sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "What could you possibly do to help us?" Sarah and Emily exchanged looks of disbelief, adding to John's frustration. Even his own family didn't believe in him. "I can do it!" John insisted, his face flushing with determinatio
Chapter Fourteen; Above and Beyond“Dr. Lee, it’s John. I need your help. Something’s happening to Emily, Please respond,” John pleaded, his voice laced with desperation.John waited anxiously for Dr. Lee’s response, his eyes fixed on Emily’s peaceful face. His mind was racing with dark thoughts. What if Ravius had already taken Emily? What if she was lost forever, trapped in some dark realm?The minutes dragged on until finally, the phone rang. John snatched it up before the second ring.“John, I’ll be there in an hour,” Dr. Lee’s voice was calm but grave. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”When Dr. Lee arrived with his nurse, and the tension in the house was palpable. John and Sarah stood near Emily’s bedside as the doctor approached her, his expression inscrutable.The nurse performed a series of checks, taking Emily’s pulse and vitals while Dr. Lee observed with an intense focus. Minutes later, the nurse turned to Dr. Lee, shaking her head slightly.“Medically, she’s stable
Chapter Thirteen; The TranceJohn's hands trembled as he held the parchment with the strange symbols. He had only 48 hours to uncover the truth.His eyes scanned the parchment, trying to check for any hidden meaning within the cryptic symbols. As he examined more closely, he noticed a faint mark in the corner.It looked like a small arrow, pointing towards a specific symbol.His heart raced with the realization that this might be a secret message and guide.He followed the arrow to a symbol resembling a cross with two curved horns on either side.A memory suddenly stirred within him. He was trying to figure it out when he suddenly remembered that he had seen this symbol before in an ancient text, one associated with a long-forgotten cult.His mind flashed to the dusty pages of the book he had studied months ago."Could it be?" John whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the silence of his study.Suddenly, the symbol began to glow, filling the room with a soft, strange a
Chapter Twelve; The WarningJohn's eyes snapped wide open, his chest heaving as he gasped for air.He was drenched in sweat, and his heart racing, he looked scared and terrified.For a moment, he lay there, disoriented, unsure of what had awakened him. Then, the memories came flooding back, the dark figure, the sinister laughter, the feeling of impending doom.He suddenly had a weird headache.He became more worried. He threw off the covers and sat up, his mind racing. The room was very dark, and he could barely see around him.He rubbed his face, trying to shake off the vivid nightmare. But the fear lingered, and the memories came flooding.He swung his legs over the side of the bed and planted his feet firmly on the ground as if anchoring himself to reality. His breath slowly steadied, but his thoughts remained a mix of anxiety and unease.Without hesitation, John quickly threw off his pajamas and slipped into his robe. He didn't bother with slippers; the chill of the night ai
Chapter Eleven; A New Chapter.John’s days passed in a blur as he delved deeper into the mystery of the walking stick. He spent every spare moment researching, experimenting, and practicing with the stick, hoping to unravel the mystery. Sometimes, he feels overwhelmed and wants to avoid the situation, but he just finds himself drawn towards the stick as if it was a part of him.Emily and Sarah watched with a mix of fascination and concern as John’s obsession grew but they knew they had to keep the secret and stand by him.John walk about the neighborhood with the stick, like he was still dependent on it to prevent suspicions from anyone.The once lively atmosphere of their home had shifted, the air heavy with the tension of unspoken fears and uncertainty. One afternoon, Emily, bored and restless, full of inquisitiveness, snuck into John’s room, seeking adventure. Her eyes landed on the walking stick, leaning against the wall, and she couldn’t resist the urge to hold it, she felt d
Chapter Ten; The Mysterious Walking Stick.John’s journey to recovery began with a long-awaited trip overseas for his spinal cord and orthopedic surgery. The cost were fully covered by the Coopers Family.Sarah, his devoted wife, accompanied him, providing emotional support every step of the way. The flight was extremely tiring and demanding, but John’s determination to regain his mobility kept him going.The surgery lasted for about twelve hours and was a success. Soon, John began his rehabilitation journey. The initial days were challenging, but with each passing day, he grew stronger and more determined. Sarah was always by his side, encouraging him through the tough times and celebrating his small victories.After several weeks of intensive therapy, John was finally cleared to return home for follow up. He was excited to see his daughter, Emily, and hopes to start his new life with his newfound mobility. As they arrived back home, Emily eagerly welcomed her father, she miss
Chapter Nine; A Surprise Honor As John gave his speech, a sudden announcement echoed through the hall, sending a wave of surprise through the audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, The Coopers family is here!John was surprised, The Coopers family was the least he had expected to show up today.While he looked towards the entrance, he saw a familiar figure, his dad in the company of other relatives. Mr. Michael, John’s father, walked onto the stage, accompanied by several family members.They approached John, their faces beaming with pride.His dad suddenly started speaking “Ladies and gentlemen,” He began, his voice trembling. “Today, we are here to right a past wrong. A wrong that has caused a lot of havoc to our family John, our son, was disowned by us many years ago due to a misunderstanding. We thought his association with Emily, his wife, would tarnish our family’s reputation. We decided to let him go, hoping he would come back to his senses.But we were wrong, and we’ve com
Chapter Eight; The Unveiling The day of the Jay Tech launch event had finally arrived, and the anticipation was palpable. The company was unveiling its latest innovation, the ‘EmpowerD’ – a revolutionary device designed to help people with physical disabilities, this was inspired by John’s impairment. He realized he was able to achieve a lot to include building his brand from scratch despite his physical limitations using the virtual world. Today, a lot of questions will be answered, John thought to himself. The city’s top families had received exclusive invitations to witness the unveiling, and Anthony saw this as the perfect opportunity to network and secure a contract with Jay Tech. As the guests began to arrive, Anthony’s eyes scanned the room, looking for the high-profile families he was trying to impress. In order to ensure their family business does not crash. He spotted the prestigious Smiths, the influential Watsons, and the wealthy Taylors, all mingling and
Chapter Seven; The Refusal Joy and her fiancé Alex left the meeting with Anthony determined to secure the contract with Jay Tech. They were convinced that their charm and business savvy would win the company over. But when they arrived at Jay Tech's headquarters, they were in for a surprise. "I'm sorry, Joy and Alex, but we're not interested in working with you," said Mr. Mark, Jay Tech's managing director, bluntly. "We've done our research, and we don't think your company is a good fit for us." Joy and Alex were stunned. They'd never been turned down before and didn't know how to handle it. "But...but we have the perfect proposal for you," Joy stammered. "We also have better prospects than the other companies you've accepted to work with. We can offer you..." "I'm afraid it's not about the proposal, Joy," Mr. Mark interrupted. "It's about the company's reputation. And let's just say your company's reputation precedes you." Alex's face flushed with anger. "What ar
Chapter Six; Finding a Savior Anthony called a family meeting with Emily, John's daughter, Sarah, John's wife, Joy, and Alex, Sarah's sister and fiancé, to discuss the bankruptcy of Dragon Digitals, their key partner. The mood was tense as they gathered in Anthony's living room, the weight of their financial struggles palpable. "We need to work with Jay Tech to secure our position," Anthony said, his voice grave and full of urgency. "We can't afford to lose any more ground." John spoke up, determined to prove himself. "I can help you secure a treaty. I have connections, and I'm confident I can make it happen." The room erupted in laughter, mocking John's offer. "You? Help us? You're useless, John!" Alex sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "What could you possibly do to help us?" Sarah and Emily exchanged looks of disbelief, adding to John's frustration. Even his own family didn't believe in him. "I can do it!" John insisted, his face flushing with determinatio