Just as I expected, my life at the new school was nothing short of amazing. The whispers and stares faded, replaced by laughter and genuine camaraderie. During school days, my lunch table was always full, a vibrant hub of conversation and shared jokes, with plenty of people eager to sit beside me. On weekends, my new friends and I explored London, hitting up arcades, catching movies, and simply enjoying the boundless energy of youth. Soon, the news reached me: Cedric had been sent to Paris to complete his studies. The word was he might not be back until after college. A strange mix of relief and a tiny, lingering ache settled in my chest. Our paths had truly diverged. Apart from Elizabeth, the other person I quickly grew incredibly close to was David. He was the one who had taken my number on that very first day, the one who effortlessly started involving me in group activities, bridging the gap between my past solitude and this new, vibrant social life. David was more than just a fr

The last byte of data vanished from my screen as I killed the power to my workstation. Six o'clock. The digital clock mocked me, a stark reminder of the hours I’d just lost in the labyrinth of spreadsheets and reports, all to outrun the phantom of Cedric that still lingered in my thoughts. “Siri, call David.” My voice was flat, devoid of the usual evening cheer. Five seconds. An eternity. Then, David’s familiar drawl cut through the silence. “Hey, man.” “Sup, David. Free tonight?” I was already wrestling my laptop into my bag, with a desperate need to escape the confines of the office building. “Yeah, sure, what’s up?” “Drinks? My treat.” It was an offering, a plea for distraction. “You know I can’t pass up a free drink.” His chuckle was a welcome sound, a flicker of normalcy. “Good. Usual bar. I’ll hit up Liz.” “Alright, man, see you later.” “Yeah, yeah!” I disconnected the call, the click echoing in the suddenly too-quiet office. The elevator doors hissed open, and

The phone buzzed in my hand, a welcome interruption to the monotonous hum of my office. "Hello, Mr. Edward, we are pleased to tell you that we have gotten everything prepared for your proposal as you requested," the restaurant owner chirped, his voice a little too enthusiastic for my liking. Still, a wave of relief washed over me. Good. At least one thing was going according to plan.I leaned back into the plush leather of my office couch, a slow smile spreading across my face. "Very good," I said, a relaxed chuckle escaping my lips. "My girlfriend and I will be there tomorrow evening. Just… make sure nothing goes wrong.""Yes, sir!" he practically saluted through the phone before the line went dead.The venue was sorted. Now for the main event: getting Liz to the venue without her suspecting a thing. I picked up my phone, my thumb hovering over her contact. Just thinking about her made my chest tighten with a mix of anticipation and… well, pure terror. This was it. The big one.I di

The clock on my dashboard read 7:55 a.m. I pulled into the company's parking garage, the screech of my tires on concrete a jarring echo of the chaos in my mind. The entire building was a hive of frantic energy. I could feel the panic radiating from the glass and steel structure even before I stepped inside. The air was thick with it—a palpable, heavy dread that clung to the polished floors and marble walls.On my way to the conference hall, I saw Cedric, my so-called business partner, cornering two junior employees. His face, usually a mask of detached arrogance, was grim and etched with a severity I’d never seen before. "I need you two to find some high-ranking forensic analysts," he said, his voice a low, urgent hiss. "We need to get to the bottom of this and find out how our prototype got leaked.""Yes, sir," they stammered, their eyes wide with fear, before they scattered like startled birds.Our eyes met for a fleeting second. His were hard, calculating, and devoid of their usual

"Edward, what's going on? Why did Aetherix release a new prototype so similar to ours?"The questions began the moment my chair scraped against the polished floor. A board member, his face a mask of fury, launched the first volley. I hadn't even had a moment to settle in. Before I could formulate a response, another voice, dripping with disdain, cut in."Well, Edward, are you really so careless that you allowed such a thing to happen?"The conference room descended into a chaotic storm of accusations. Each board member, a powerful and unforgiving figure, seemed to be competing to see who could land the most damaging blow. My attempts to speak were swallowed by the noise. They complained about their wasted investments, their voices a chorus of greed and contempt. This was nothing new. They had never liked me, the adopted son who had been given a position they believed I didn't deserve."Everyone, please calm down." My father's voice, a deep and steady command, cut through the din. The