[...][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
Everyone winced in pain upon hearing Bash's screams, and then silence ensued. Although curious, the inmates could only imagine the type of punishment Bash was currently enduring. One by one, they returned to their beds and resumed their previously interrupted sleep.Late at night, the kitchen door creaked open, and the sound of two pairs of feet was audible, with one of them sounding like it was being dragged and stumbling. Lyan, who had not been sleeping, peeked to see what had become of Bash.As the two figures passed, Lyan caught a glimpse of Bash's face, which appeared red, and his hair and clothes were wet. He remained silent, but his eyes were filled with pent-up anger. Lyan was convinced that Bash was now harbouring a deep sense of revenge.Lyan realised that Bash had finally come to understand where he was. This was Erwin and Ralph's small kingdom. It was no longer under Merrick's control. Lyan knew this the hard way, too.He had been just like Bash when he first arrived here,
"Elliot! What are you doing to Bash?!" Margareth yelled over the phone.[Hush! Before you regret it, think again about the words that will come out of your mouth. Your actions terrorising Sonia yesterday were not wise. I will settle the score with you about that later,] threatened Elliot with a cold voice.*GULP*Margareth, who had been about to unleash a torrent of curses on Elliot, was forced to stay silent. "B-but you don't have to punish Bash like that."[You can't dictate to me what I can do to your son, who has been so bold in threatening me with my problems. You two have crossed the line, and I don't like your insolent behaviour.]*Click*Elliot unilaterally hung up the phone. Margareth stared at Dexter's cell phone and then screamed as if possessed. Several guards at the Prosecutor's Office rushed to Margareth, asking about her condition.But Dexter dismissed them, patting Margareth's back to try and calm her down."Maybe he has lost his mind..." one of the guards whispered to
"Elliot, I need assurance. That my return to Dustown is not just as a pawn; I'm tired of being played; let me play too," Alex's voice echoed in the mayor's office.He had just returned to Dustown after an exhausting 22-hour flight and went straight to meet Elliot. He didn't want to wait any longer to express the concerns that had kept him up at night after Elliot called and persuaded him to come back to this city.Of course, getting the offer to return to Dustown and take a higher position than the one he held in Singapore was a tempting offer. But deep in his heart, he was still conflicted.He had no reason to return to this city because, unlike the bustling and vibrant Singapore, Dustown was too quiet for his equally lonely heart. The only reason he used to visit this city was Anne. But he knew he had lost Anne when he witnessed her gaze at Rupert. That was not the look Anne had ever given him.Could Anne return to him if he became a man Anne could rely on financially? That's what h
"Darling, we received an invitation from Elliot," Anne reported while kissing the top of my head. My arms were wrapped around her slender waist. I had just finished an online meeting with the managers who were assisting me with my collaboration project with Elliot. Even though if this project succeeded, it would boost Elliot's electability and enhance his reputation, I couldn't sabotage my own project. I unknowingly realised I had become entangled in Elliot's web. That was before I knew that Elliot was the mastermind behind all of Merrick's crimes."What's the event?" I replied, pulling Anne onto my lap, planting a kiss on her neck, which smelled as sweet as spring breeze."Sweetie! Aren't you working right now?" Anne's eyes widened in embarrassment as she tried to break free from my grasp, but I held her."I'm done," I croaked."Ahem, in that case, we'll take our leave, boss," a voice came from my laptop screen. It suddenly dawned on my sluggish brain that I hadn't officially dismiss
"It's mine!" a voice yelled from behind as Anne picked up a blouse displayed on the rack. Her hand stopped mid-air, and she turned to see Camilla.Camilla forcefully snatched the blouse from Anne's hand, "It's not good to take what someone else has set their eyes on," she sneered arrogantly, summoning the store attendant to bring her selection and instructing the attendant to follow her.The seemingly inexperienced intern attendant obediently followed Camilla's command. Anne, not wanting to bother, chose from another aisle to avoid confrontation with Camilla.But as soon as she spotted a cute outfit, Camilla almost magically desired the same outfit Anne was holding, refusing any alternatives offered. Realising that Camilla didn't actually need the outfit she chose but was doing it to annoy Anne, especially since their body sizes were vastly different—Anne was a size 6, and Camilla was a size 10—Anne intentionally browsed around the boutique, pretending to choose clothes she didn't eve
"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