The Ultimate Blackcard Revenge

chapter 1

It was a bustling Friday evening, and Charles Grey, exhausted from a long day of deliveries, wove his scooter through Los Angeles' packed streets. His destination was the famous Diamond Hotel. Known for hosting the city's elite, delivery here frequently resulted in big tips—a rare bright spot in an otherwise dreary existence.

Charles' life had devolved into an endless cycle of guilt and work. His wife, Sophia, was always berating him, her anger more piercing than the darts she threw every day. It was never enough, no matter how hard he worked. He clung to the hope that his drive would eventually win her over, even though her disdain weighed heavily on him every day.

With its imposing façade shining in the city lights, the hotel towered over the horizon. In an attempt to dodge critical looks, Charles placed his battered scooter in the farthest part of the lot.

In the glass entryway, his rumpled clothes, unkempt hair, and tired demeanor revealed his exhaustion. The lobby's concrete floors, massive chandeliers, and elegantly dressed personnel created a spectacular display of luxury. On his way to the front desk, Charles felt the weight of every stare he received.

With a sneer curving her lips, the receptionist hardly glanced at him before pointing him in the direction of room 506 on the seventeenth floor.

Charles entered the elevator and watched the numbers rise, ignoring the contempt. He couldn't get rid of the anxious excitement—this delivery might earn him additional money to pay off a few past-due bills.

He entered the soft, carpeted hallway as the elevator doors opened. Holding the delivery bag, he located the door to room 506 and knocked twice.

The scene before him was like a kick to the belly when the door flew wide. Sophia was standing in the doorway, wearing a beautiful silk robe. His spouse. Charles was momentarily paralyzed, his mind unable to comprehend what he was witnessing.

“Sophia?” he finally managed, his voice trembling.

Her eyes narrowed with annoyance after widening momentarily in surprise. With an annoyed tone, she said, "What are you doing here?"

Charles looked over her shoulder, his heart racing. When a tall, well-dressed man emerged behind her, his worst nightmares came true. Harper, Richard. Charles was aware of his identity even without an introduction: he was the CEO of Harper Industries and Automobiles, a company known for its wealth and influence.

Exuding confidence and power, Richard casually put his arm around Sophia's shoulders.

"What's going on here?" Charles stammered, his voice breaking.

Richard grinned, his piercing blue eyes skimming over Charles with contempt. "Ah, you must be the delivery guy."

Sophia did not even flinch when she corrected him. “No, Richard. This is my useless husband."

The phrase "useless husband" was laced with scorn, as if it were a burden she was obliged to accept. Charles felt the air leaving his lungs. The betrayal was horrible enough, but the cold, detached way she spoke about him hurt more than any wound.

“Why, Sophia? Why would you do this?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Sophia crossed her arms, her expression unrepentant. “Why? Because I’m tired of living with someone like you. Look at yourself, Charles. You’re pathetic. A delivery man with no ambition and no prospects. Do you think I would wait for you to change into someone you're not for the rest of my life?”

Each of her poisonous comments pierced the last of his pride. However, Charles became enraged when she continued, "Richard gives me everything you can't."

“I've done everything for you," he continued, his voice trembling.

Richard chuckled, which only fueled Charles' rage. "Let's not waste any more time with him, Sophia. He does not belong here."

Sophia nodded in agreement, her indifference like a slap to Charles’s face. “He’s right. You should leave, Charles. This is no place for someone like you.”

The humiliation was unbearable, but what truly broke him was Sophia’s next move. She leaned into Richard, allowing him to plant a kiss on her forehead right in front of Charles.

“Don’t you dare touch her again,” Charles growled, stepping forward.

Richard's smile grew. "And what are you planning to do about it? You’re nothing but a delivery boy.”

Before Charles could respond, Sophia’s words delivered the final blow. “Don’t embarrass yourself, Charles. You’re a failure, just like your mother. It’s no wonder your family abandoned you.”

Mentioning his mother, his only source of love and strength was the last straw. Rage boiled over, and Charles lunged forward, his fists clenched. But before he could reach them, Richard pressed a button on his phone, summoning hotel security.

Two towering bodyguards appeared within moments, their expressions cold and unyielding. “Escort this man out of the building,” Richard ordered.

As they pulled him in the direction of the elevator, Charles fought against their iron clutches. “Sophia, you'll be sorry you did this! You two will pay for what you've done!” he yelled, his voice reverberating down the corridor.

Richard and Sophia looked on smugly as he was dragged off.

He was pushed outside by the guards in the foyer, his body slamming into the concrete. Charles felt the weight of his hopelessness bearing down on him as he sat on the chilly ground, broken and beaten. However, something else started to emerge beneath the pain: a strong, uncompromising rage.

His voice was shaking with emotion as he said, "I'll make them pay. Every single person who denigrated me, deserted me, and betrayed me. All of them will pay."

His determination was strengthened by the resurfacing recollection of his mother's hardships. After giving up everything for him, she was treated like trash by the Grey family. Charles promised himself that he would do whatever it took to get revenge on her.

Then a burning agony pierced his skull as though in answer to his vow.

A weird voice reverberated in his ears as he gripped his head, his vision becoming blurry: “[Detection of host... Setting the Black Card System Up.]”

Charles's body began to quiver violently as the pain increased. As he fell to the earth, his surroundings dimmed into the night.

Everything would be different when he opened his eyes at last. The man who had been humiliated and discarded was no more. Someone even more dangerous, someone no one would dare underestimate, would take his place.