Tyler shook his head in frustration and turned to leave. "I must go back and rescue Yara first," he said urgently.Britta caught up to the young man, grabbed his shoulder, and turned him around. "You're not leaving until we have a proper talk!"Tyler rudely slapped her hand off his body. "You saved me once, and I rescued you back! Now, we are even and don't need to see each other's faces again!"He was really pissed at Britta for dragging Natalie, Gina, and Yara into the El Abyssium mess. They wouldn't have to go through the Goliath trauma if it weren't for her. Thousands of innocent lives would have been saved as well.Moreover, Yara was still missing, but Britta insisted on talking. Did the Salvatore girl really possess a human heart? Did she think the world revolved around her?"Is this about the other girls and the armies of Sapphire City?" she retorted. "I didn't invite them to come to the battlefield! Your friends did!""So, is it my fault?" Tyler demanded impatiently. Was the h
The gates of Montserrat Prison clanged open to release a prisoner. A tall man in ordinary clothes walked out, having served his three-year conviction term."I can finally be with my family again," Tyler said aloud, shielding his eyes with his hand from the bright noon sun. He didn't turn back to look at the prison facade. Montserrat was a maximum-security prison, home to the most heinous and dangerous criminals in the world. But Tyler never belonged to this living hell. He eyed the uncharacteristic tattoo on his own right bicep, the six-wings, called the Seraphim sigil. It was not a prison souvenir but one given to him by Butch Salvatore, one of the other inmates serving a life sentence.Butch was an eccentric old man who claimed to be the leader of a mysterious group. Most other inmates considered Butch a deluded old psychopath and avoided him, but Tyler befriended the man and showed him kindness.One day Butch invited him to his practice sessions."I suffered a near-fatal attack
Ruth grabbed her son's arm with her trembling hands. "Come in, son. The house felt vacant without you."Tyler nodded and pushed her wheelchair inside. The house's interior was in a worse condition. The paint was chipping off the walls, and most furniture was missing. Did his parents sell everything to meet the expenses? Was their financial ruin so devastating?Ruth took some time to rein in her emotions before she began speaking again."Things fell apart when you were convicted, son. The Coopers were not content with just throwing you into prison. They vented their anger on our family. They usurped your dad's business and ensured he wouldn't be hired elsewhere.""That's not the end of it. The Coopers demanded compensation of two million dollars from us. We gave away all our savings, but it was not enough. We sold our jewelry and furniture. Yet, we could pay back only a small fraction of what we owed them."Tyler clenched his fist as anger bubbled in him. The Coopers had gone too far fo
As Ruth struggled in vain, one of the henchmen spoke up. "Boss, the bitch hasn't paid the installment for six months. She owes ten grand every month to compensate the Coopers. But every time, she sent us off with old furniture instead. I just checked the house and found only thirty-two dollars in her stash."The leader spat with disdain. "You filthy scum of a woman! Where are you hiding our money?"Ruth wailed in pain and tried to explain herself. "I'm sorry, mister. But my husband's wages are quite low. We don't have enough for three meals a day. Please forgive us...""Do you think this is a joke, wench? Is the Cooper family going to be fooled by your lies?"Ruth joined her hands, crying profusely. "Please, I am telling you the truth… Wait! I'll sell some cutlery to neighbors and try to arrange five hundred dollars. I promise! Please give me fifteen minutes."The leader's eyes were bloodshot in anger. "Five hundred? Have we come here to collect spare change, bitch? Maybe you aren't ta
The words made Tyler stop in his tracks. "What did you say?"Huxley guffawed loudly and pointed a derogatory finger at the young man. "Didn't you know? Your girlfriend Erica is marrying Trent Cooper in the Marian Hotel today. What a joke you are! You should kill yourself!"Tyler furrowed his brows. Was Erica really getting hitched to Trent? That didn't make any sense! Trent tried to rape her, and he sent Tyler to prison under false charges. Why would she agree to marry him? Perhaps Huxley was lying?Tyler could read the gang leader's expressions. He was downright evil, but he wasn't a liar.Huxley saw Tyler was distracted and figured it was his chance to land a successful attack. He lunged at the young man, aiming a punch at his face. However, his fate was already sealed.Pow! Tyler caught Huxley's fist in his right hand without even looking in his direction. Then he turned to stare into the gangster's shocked eyes.Huxley broke into a nervous sweat. Tyler's hand on his fist felt like
"Do you know who I am?" the beauty snapped. "I'm Natalie Anderson! How dare you try to scam me? Are you aware of my family's influence? The Mayor, the Chief of Police, and the Chief City Attorney are our family friends! Get lost, or you'll end up in prison for the rest of your life!"The Anderson family was the wealthiest in Sapphire City and owned many businesses, hotels, and shopping malls. They practically bathed in money and, no wonder, had contacts in high places.Tyler narrowed his eyes. The cinematic bubble of running into an angelic beauty had popped for him. Natalie was just a spoiled heiress, and he hated such women with a vengeance.Billionaires who didn't raise their kids right created brats who thought they owned the world. Such ingrates believed their acts had no consequences; they trampled and abused everyone in their paths without mercy or sympathy.A tragic example of such a horrible brat was Trent Cooper, who destroyed his life and tortured his family over a petty inc
Silas' face darkened while Natalie looked like she would explode."What nonsense are you blabbering?" she said in exasperation. "Are you drunk or on drugs? My dad is going to be okay once we get to the hospital in ten minutes! A world-class cardiac surgeon is waiting for us there! Get out of our way before I punch you!"However, her father reacted differently. Silas realized that every word Tyler spoke was accurate. Moreover, the old man had lived a long, disciplined life and could tell when someone was lying. His experience told him Tyler's insights were miraculously genuine. It was a near-death leap of faith to trust the stranger."Young man, what is your name?""Tyler Grant.""How did you know I have two holes in my heart? It is medically classified information."Tyler stood silent and offered no response to the question. He believed there was no cause to reveal details of his abilities to a random billionaire.Realizing the young man wasn't inclined to answer his query, Silas conti
Tyler took a step back in surprise. He had been focused on healing and had not expected the heiress to assault him physically."I'll sue you into oblivion!" She screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You monster!""It's okay, Nat…" Silas said, stepping down from the car and getting to his feet. His skin looked more youthful, and his breathing had become normal.Natalie watched her recovered father with widened eyes. Did the homeless man really heal him? Were such miracles actually possible? She began to have an existential panic."Thank you, young man," Silas said, patting Tyler's shoulder. "You possess a special gift, and I am blessed to have met you. I owe you my life."Tyler, still annoyed by Natalie's slap, shook his head at the billionaire. "The healing is temporary. I merely extended your lifespan by a week. You can spend it in the hospital if you must. But even the most talented doctors can't help you."Silas laughed a hearty laugh. "I must thank you, regardless. It gives m