Alexander Chase smirked as he scrolled through his social media feed, reading aloud, “Money has never made man happy, nor will it; there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness.” He chuckled to himself. "Whoever wrote that must've been either filthy rich or completely delusional." Rising to his feet, he took a moment to admire the breathtaking cityscape from the top balcony of the Lockwood Family Mansion. The lights below glowed against the fading twilight, a reminder of the wealth and power surrounding him—but none of them were his. "Money does make a man happy. Crazy money, that is. The real question is, do men, by their very nature, deserve such happiness?" Alexander mused, his voice barely a whisper as he looked out into the night. After a lingering moment, he turned back toward the mansion, his attention still fixed on his phone. He didn’t notice someone approaching until he bumped into them, almost spilling his drink. It wasn’t just anyone. Standing before him was

“I’m sorry, but you seem to have made a mistake. I’m not who you’re looking for,” Alexander said firmly, his voice cold and unwavering. The elderly man with the white beard took a step closer, his gaze filled with something between relief and disbelief. “Master Caspian, even after ten years, I would never forget your face,” he said, his tone reverent, as if addressing royalty. Alexander clenched his jaw. “My name is Alexander! Now get lost.” The old man’s eyes softened with a mix of sadness and understanding. His name was Geoffrey, and he had once served as Caspian’s butler. Time had added lines to his face, but his loyalty seemed unshakable. Geoffrey studied Alexander carefully, noting how different he looked from the young master he had once known—thinner, his hair slightly disheveled, and his demeanor hardened. But the eyes, Geoffrey thought, those eyes told the true story. “Master Caspian,” Geoffrey said with a small, hopeful smile, bowing his head slightly. “I know

The crowd at the Diamond Banquet stood frozen, their collective breath caught in disbelief. Every gaze was locked on the scene unfolding at the bar. Jacob Harrington, the King of Diamonds himself, was shaking hands with Alexander Chase, the live-in son-in-law of the Lockwood family. Whispers rippled through the banquet like wildfire. "Why would Jacob Harrington know him?" "Is he someone important we don’t know about?" "Impossible. That man is just a leech living off the Lockwoods. There’s no way Jacob Harrington would associate with someone like that." Julian Monroe, still sitting at the bar, watched with a mix of shock and fury as Jacob Harrington ignored him entirely. For a man like Julian, used to being the center of attention, it was nothing short of humiliating. “Alexander Chase, I wasn’t sure you’d make it,” Jacob greeted him warmly, shaking Alexander’s hand firmly. His voice carried across the room, silencing the whispers for a brief moment. Alexander returned

“Maybe they are not all the same after all”, Alexander thought to himself about his meeting with Jacob Harrington as he walked down the dimly lit streets of Billiard Maze Avenue. It was aptly named for its labyrinthine intersections and dead ends. The sky above was pitch black, a perfect backdrop for the unsettling silence that crept along the deserted road. Alexander’s footsteps echoed faintly, but the sound wasn’t solitary. Someone was following him—he could feel it. His instincts had been honed through years of hardship, and every fiber of his being screamed that he was being watched. He paused and glanced over his shoulder, catching a fleeting glimpse of a shadow slipping into the darkness. Alexander’s jaw tightened. Persistent. He took the next left turn, quickening his pace, but the shadow reappeared at the next intersection. Another turn, then another—each corner only revealed more pursuers, silently closing in like wolves circling their prey. Finally, his path ended

The next day, Alexander woke up a bit later than usual. His wife, Seraphina, had already left for work, and Caroline, his mother-in-law, must not have slept in at the house. If she had, Alexander would surely have been woken up with a rain of curses and beatings for sleeping a second longer than four hours. Starting his daily chores, Alexander, being a live-in house husband, embarked on his routine: cleaning, sweeping, arranging the house, and cooking. Amidst his tasks, he found a note on the table with folded cash beside it. "We are out of milk, go to the store and get some," it read. It had to be from Seraphina. Alexander swiftly cleaned up and dashed to the nearest supermarket. The sky was cloudy, and as he walked, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being followed yet again. This time, he halted abruptly. "Exactly how long do you plan on stalking me?" he said. Suddenly, two men merged from the shadows behind him, and in a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by seven of