"Rupert Anderson? A rising young entrepreneur? Yet I've never heard his name even once," Meha thought while reading the file sent by Danzel.Then she remembered that she shouldn't question the existence of Rupert because she was the turtle in her shell. Perhaps even during an apocalypse, she wouldn't notice, as she was comfortable hiding in her stuffy office. She was the one who had no idea about the political world and power struggles. She only focused on helping the ordinary people who needed her support to hold those in power accountable. Now, she had to stand on the opposite side of the bridge and defend the very people who had been her rivals all this time."Hmm... Danzel knows I won't take the dishonest side, no matter our previous relationship or how much I owe him. I won't compromise my principles. So... does this Rupert guy really have a clean business? Hm, interesting...""Oh, and it gets even more interesting... He's challenging to bring Merrick Corp down? Tsk tsk tsk... a
*Gulp*Geoffrey clutched his pocket, concealing the evidence."You're not polite, Meha, snooping around other people's rooms. Well, if you're handling this case, fine. Besides, unlike you, I have a busy schedule," Geoffrey hastily left the room."Don't forget to return what you received from Merrick, Geoffrey..." Meha taunted casually. Geoffrey looked around, hoping no one else heard Meha's voice."Shut your mouth, Meha, if you don't want to get into trouble.""Can't you come up with a more creative threat? I'm bored of hearing the same words over and over..." Meha pretended to yawn. "If your IQ were the size of your shoe, then please close the door on your way out," Meha's parting remark left Geoffrey speechless."Okay! Where were we? Oh yes, the evidence from the plaintiff?" Meha asked Eric.Eric gazed at his subordinate, who then handed over the results of the forensic investigation. "Here it is, Your Honor."[I've removed Danzel's fingerprints from the database and replaced them w
"Is there any pizza left for me?" I popped my head into the kitchen, surprising Anne and Mr. Rocky."Danzel! You're out! Thank God!" Mr. Rocky exclaimed."But... you said you wouldn't be home anytime soon," Anne replied, still in disbelief. I noticed the pizza in front of them remained untouched as if they had lost their appetite. I grabbed a slice and devoured it in a single bite, genuinely hungry from missing lunch. With my mouth full, I answered Anne."I got some help at the prosecutor's office. An old acquaintance.""Well, you're really lucky. You never cease to amaze me.""Sorry for making you worry, but I'm here now. If you guys don't eat your share, I'll devour it all," I joked, which made Mr. Rocky take a big bite of his pizza, and Anne followed suit. The mood in the room lightened a bit with my presence."So, what happened earlier? What were they accusing you of?""Zhar, they found my fingerprints on his body, but it's okay. I have evidence for my defence, so I got released."
"Who's Meha?" Anne suddenly asked. We were lying in bed, reluctant to get up after the passionate night we'd just shared."She was my lawyer before," I replied."Ah... Yes, her name does sound familiar. Since last night, I've wondered if I've read her name somewhere...""Why? Did you read my messages from last night?" I teasingly pinched her nose. Anne just grinned and mumbled an apology."Would you accompany me to meet her this afternoon?" I asked."But she wanted to meet Danzel," Anne responded."Yes..." I was still contemplating how to handle this situation. Should she know everything, or is it enough for her to know that Danzel and I are on good terms?"What do you think of her?" Anne was lying on my chest, her long, fragrant hair wafting into my olfactory senses. Her chest pressed against mine, awakening my desires."Dan, I need an explanation, not this again!" She pointed at my aroused member."That comes later; I'll answer it then," I teased, leading us to a desire-filled activ
*Cling*The sound of the doorbell ringing indicated someone entering, and the waiter approached Meha and led her to where Anne and I had been waiting."Oh, hi, we meet again, Mr Anderson. I usually don't meet my clients. Or am I in the wrong place?" Meha looked confused and glanced at the table number."No, I have been waiting for you.""Oh, but I had an appointment with someone else.""How about you have a seat first? Please let me introduce my wife, Anneke."Anne extended her hand, and Meha shook it, exchanging smiles and then feeling awkward."I know you are waiting for Danzel. Unfortunately, he can't make it today and asked me to represent him instead."Meha finally took a seat after I mentioned Danzel's name, her eyebrows furrowing in displeasure. "I didn't expect him to be a person who likes to break his promise. Well, perhaps this way, we are even."Meha then called the waiter, ordered wine, and waited awkwardly. The atmosphere had suddenly become tense."Don't you want to know
[...][A’ oh...][I've told you; you don't have to tell everyone about your true identity.]'Too late. Can you turn back time to two hours ago?'[You wish, now fix this.]'Any suggestions?'[You might not like it.]After considering the system's suggestion, although it was logical, I wouldn't say I liked it and wouldn't do it."Oh... You are Elliot's child?" Anne asked with a surprised expression."Yes... And that old man had the audacity to act like a parent after hiding behind Sonia for so long. I'd be better off without parents like I've used to all this time. Knowing my background isn't as great as I thought," Meha complained and returned to the café.Anne and I exchanged a quick glance, both feeling uneasy. If she was uneasy about Camilla being Meha's sister, I was uneasy because I had just given my ace card to my longtime enemy's child.After we both sat down, the atmosphere became awkward again."Why so silent? Did I say something wrong?" Meha looked at the two of us."How long
At a private dining venue in the Westhill Hotel:"Hey... Isn't that Margareth?" one of Sonia's friends whispered."Hm? Are you hallucinating? You know she's supposed to be in exi—" Sonia's words were cut off when she saw her other friends also looking in the same direction behind her. She turned to see Margareth standing there, hands on her hips and a smug grin."Good evening, ladies," she greeted shamelessly, walking confidently and taking a seat next to Sonia, even displacing one of the women who happened to be the wife of a regional bank's financial manager.Sonia stood up from her chair, "You were not invited," she pointed out."I don't need an invitation to an event I co-founded, do I, Sonia?" Margareth placed her glasses on the table, sipping her tea slowly, deliberately savouring the moment.She knew she would be the hot topic of conversation today at this ladies' tea event, mainly because of her embarrassing arrest yesterday. She couldn't resist and wanted to make Sonia feel t
"Eric! You traitor!" Bash cursed as Eric forcibly dragged his body towards the detention cell. Curious faces peered through the bars of the inmate cells, wanting to know what was causing the commotion. The noise immediately filled the room as they discovered the source of the commotion."Hey, isn't that Bash Merrick? Are we going to share a cell with him?""Well, finally, I get a chance to give him a beating after that one-sided firing Merrick did to me last year! That situation forced me to steal just to make ends meet! God is good to me!" praised another inmate, acknowledged by his fellow prisoners. Apparently, Merrick's policies had victimised many people."What kind of God would be good by letting you seek revenge? Fool! Hahaha," responded another inmate.Bash stared in disbelief, unable to imagine his life in the midst of people who despised and wanted his head. He shuddered, as he never anticipated that his plan to get back at Elliot would backfire on him, making his situation w
"Nobody move unless you want this bullet to pierce through this old man's skull!" Gatsby ordered, aiming the barrel of his pistol at the president's temple. The head of state instructed his men to comply with Gatsby's command."The four of you, follow me," Gatsby pointed at me, Elliot, Helen, and Kellan.Gatsby entered the City Hall and proceeded upstairs to Elliot's office, dragging the defenseless president along. Elliot grinned with satisfaction at the chaos caused by Gatsby. He knew he had been branded as a terrorist, especially since the one he was holding hostage was the president.He wouldn't live long after this, but he didn't want to fall alone. There had to be someone dragged along with him, someone responsible for his downfall, something he had fought for for years.That someone was Rupert, aka Danzel, and Helen Harrington, the siblings.Upon arriving at Elliot's room, Gatsby forced the president to sit in Elliot's desk chair, while Elliot gestured for me, Helen, and Kellan
Elliot never received any news about Alex's attack on Dustown Prison, nor did he want to inquire. His attention was occupied by the preparations for the President's visit, just a day away.As long as he didn't receive any notice from his aides regarding Dustown Prison, he would assume everything was fine. If there were even a hint of news about Dustown Prison, he'd be sure to know. But since Alex's request back then, there hadn't been any further requests. The atmosphere was completely calm without any issues. Elliot figured Alex might have backed off from attacking Dustown Prison knowing he was preoccupied with many matters."Kellan, have you found out who that mysterious donor is?" Elliot asked his secretary, having replaced his previous one because Sonia didn't approve.Kellan, his current secretary, shook his head. "No, Sir. He's truly mysterious. What should we do? He specifically requested to sit next to you. Should we still accommodate that request? Especially now that there's
Elliot's eyes widened as he discovered Rupert's hiding place. He chuckled dismissively, 'No wonder the police never found him all this time,' he thought. Then he recalled Erwin's presence, the young man who remained closed off and impenetrable to him. The only employee under his command whom he couldn't control. Yet, due to his good performance, he couldn't just dismiss him. 'Besides, he's not in a critical sector,' he reasoned, choosing to overlook Erwin, but his judgment back then was wrong. Unbeknownst to him, Erwin had been forging alliances there, a fact that escaped his notice. *** "[Elliot has discovered your connection with Erwin; he and Alex plan to attack Dustown Prison tonight,]" reported the system. "Anne is still in critical condition. Do something to prevent them from coming here tonight," I pleaded with the system. The doctors finished observing Anne, and she was moved to a treatment room, almost her entire body wrapped in bandages. The doctor also mentioned the res
Erwin drove us straight to Dustown Prison. Anne was still unconscious, and I supported her head in the back seat. Her condition was truly alarming, I couldn't bear to hold her body, afraid she'd feel more pain. Erwin called Ralph and ordered him to prepare competent doctors at the prison. Every second felt like a crossroads for me, constantly monitoring Anne's chest to ensure she was still breathing. I held my breath with every long inhale she took, trying to manage her pain. "Hurry, Er!" I urged Erwin. "Quiet! Don't command me!" Erwin snapped. I knew he was trying to navigate through the traffic in the Dustown city center; for this one, the system couldn't help because the streets were crowded with people, not because of traffic. Erwin repeatedly honked his horn to clear the pedestrians from the road. Several times, he had to brake suddenly as they crossed unexpectedly, truly testing his patience. After being stuck in the traffic jam for a long 30 minutes, our car finally gained s
About fifty people gathered in front of Jackie's Bar, arriving individually with their preferred modes of transportation from various corners of the city—some on motorcycles, skateboards, scooters, bicycles, cars, or by foot.There was no communication among them; they simply glanced at each other to determine if they shared the same purpose, exchanging a code by raising their left palm upwards, a symbol representing their Dandelion Organization, signifying a dandelion stem always seeking the sun.Without the need for lengthy discussions, they collectively entered Jackie's bar. Two formidable guards who had stood at the front door couldn't stop them and were pushed inside.A ceasefire ensued inside between the Dandelion Operation faction and Jackie's henchmen. Witnessing the chaos, Jackie stealthily retreated through the back door, leaving it all to his men. He valued his life too much.He cursed under his breath before calling someone, "You convinced me that he works alone! You said
Hearing the information from the system, I immediately headed to Jackie's place. Night was falling, the streets were getting crowded, and the city was brightened by decorative lights along the roads. Visitors from out of town, eager to witness the carnival in Dustown, flooded the pubs, hotels, and eateries.The city seemed to come alive again with stalls and food trucks lining the streets, creating long queues. It overwhelmed me to drive quickly through the chaos. While people were enjoying themselves, I was lost in thoughts about Anne's fate.*Honk* *Honk*My horn sounded at the drivers who parked recklessly along the street. I was truly impatient, especially with the drunken revelers who were barely conscious as night approached.I almost collided with a group of teenagers crossing the road without looking. I honked loudly, causing them to bang and hit the hood of my car. But I had no time to deal with them.Luckily, after passing the town square, the crowd lessened. I accelerated,
"I paced back and forth in Erwin's office, anxious as I hadn't received any recent updates about Anne. Not from Erwin's informants, nor from the system or Helen. I disliked this feeling, my intuition restless, sensing that Anne wasn't okay.Erwin, engrossed in his book, glanced at me from the corner of his eye, growing irritated as I disrupted his concentration."Tsk! Take one more step, and I'll kick you out," Erwin declared, unable to contain his frustration. His book remained untouched, the pages unturned due to my actions."Do you really have no information?" I asked again, wearing a pleading expression as I approached him."No, if I had any, you'd be the first to know. Now, get out of my space, or I'll have to force you out," Erwin commanded firmly. He was actually waiting for information that hadn't arrived yet. However, he masked it by focusing on more productive matters, unlike me.Right after that, Ralph arrived, carrying a vial bottle filled with thick white liquid. He was s
Alex was furious, howling like a possessed person, ordering his men to search once again, this time more meticulously. Meanwhile, he returned to the room to interrogate Camilla.The woman was far too relaxed about Anne's disappearance, even seeming pleased. Camilla must know something! That's what Alex thought. This time, he was determined to interrogate Camilla until she spoke. He wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she didn't talk."You!" Alex barked, striding quickly across the room toward the startled Camilla, who was taken aback by Alex's sudden rage. She dropped the magazine she was reading and stood up. Alex approached her and immediately grabbed Camilla by the throat, her eyes bulging from the intense pressure on her neck."Tell me where Anne is! I'm not joking around. Your death is in my hands right now," threatened Alex, his eyes bloodshot, his hand muscles bulging as he tightened his grip around Camilla's throat.Camilla knew her chance to play around had ended. She also figur
“You’re delusional. I don't want anything,” answered Camilla, her lips curved into a sweet smile for Anne. Of course, Anne didn't immediately believe her, convincing herself to remain cautious around Camilla.Throughout her life, Camilla had always treated her badly, harboring negative thoughts about her. Initially, Anne had always wanted to understand the reasons behind Camilla's behavior, until she realized it was futile—Camilla's judgment of her was already formed, no matter how hard she tried to show kindness. Camilla remained steadfast and eventually deemed Anne as a mere attention-seeker.Since then, Anne realized she didn't need to waste energy on people who hated her because they would continue to do so. She had to focus on those who loved her, not many in number but sufficient for her.Thinking about it made her heart ache once again; now those people were gone, Pops and Dr. Bertha, whom she considered as her own father figures. Meha, who had been like the elder sister she ne