Barry had been enjoying the quietest chapter of his life since his secret retirement began. After vanishing from the public eye, he retreated to a metropolis island—an urban paradise surrounded by turquoise waters and dotted with skyscrapers that shimmered like glass towers by day and neon dreams by night.During the few weeks Barry started living on the island, he easily blended in with the locals. He was just a regular guy in a hoodie and jeans, walking the streets like any other resident.It was a life with no more suits, no more flashing cameras or board meetings. Snow had taken over his business empire and she was doing a good job at it. He rented a modest lodge cabin on the outskirts of the island, nestled on a cliffside that offered an uninterrupted view of the ocean. Each evening, he’d sit on the balcony, sipping herbal tea as the sun melted into the horizon. It was a peaceful life. He kept in touch with his sister and his wife, Veronica, every single day. Everything was p

Homer Cole adjusted the gold cufflinks on his tailored suit as he paced his penthouse balcony, phone pressed to his ear. "Meet me at the private dock near the old lighthouse," he hissed into the phone. "No delays. I want the chopper ready in twenty minutes." His pilot confirmed, and Homer hung up, exhaling sharply. He felt almost free. Once he leaves the island, he begin his life afresh. Just as he turned to grab his briefcase, his phone rang again. Police Commissioner Riggs. Homer’s stomach tightened. He swiped to answer. "Cole," Riggs’ voice was strained. "We have a problem. The prisoner is gone." Homer froze. "What do you mean, gone?" "He literally vanished. No broken locks, no alarms, no guards knocked out. He was just... gone." "That’s impossible!" Homer snarled. "You had him in a maximum-security cell!" "I know what we had!" Riggs snapped back. "But he’s not there anymore. We’re searching the city, but—" "FIND HIM!" Homer roared, his face cracking. "He can

Barry managed to sputter, "Excuse me?" The woman standing before him was breathless, her chest rising and falling rapidly as if she had sprinted to reach him. Her dark hair was slightly disheveled. Her sharp, almond-shaped eyes were lined with fatigue, and her fingers clutched the fabric of her skirt nervously. She wore an expensive but slightly wrinkled dress, as though she had dressed in a hurry. Barry barely had time to process her appearance before she blurted out, "I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, but I need to marry someone. Immediately." Sebastian’s eyebrows shot up, but Barry remained still, studying her. "My name is Tiffany," She swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she continued. "My father… he was the head of the Tiger clan. He’s dead now.""When word about my father's death got out, our rivals started making moves to destroy us. I’m supposed to take over, but—"Barry regarded her. "But what?"She shook her head, her eyes flashing with frustration. "I’m yo

Outside the towering gates of the Tiger Clan estate, the night was torn apart by the roar of powerful engines.A convoy of blacked-out SUVs, pickup trucks, and armored jeeps rolled to a stop, their headlights flooding the courtyard with searing white light.Dozens of men leapt out of the vehicles, armed to the teeth—AKs, shotguns, modified pistols, even rocket launchers. They wore red jackets and fox insignias across their shoulders.Their boots stomped like a war drum as they assembled before the gates. Using all their weight, they rammed against the front gate inorder to tear it down. “Put your back into it men!” one of the lieutenants barked. “Break it down and raze the place to the ground!”Just then, a shadow stirred behind the gate.From the darkness, a lone figure stepped forward.It was Barry.He didn’t rush. He didn’t shout. He walked casually, like he was taking a midnight stroll—his coat flapping gently with the breeze, his hands in his pockets.From behind a custom Humvee

Barry didn’t have many memories of high school—at least, none that stood out.He had been the quiet transfer student, the one who slipped through the years like a shadow. Nobody had ever paid much attention to him, and he’d learned to live with it. Friendships? He had none. So it came as a complete surprise when Snow handed him that envelope—an invitation to the high school reunion party.At first, he thought it was a mistake. But after some thought, Barry decided to honor the invitation. He had nothing better to do for some time, and perhaps, deep down, he was curious. Maybe seeing those familiar strangers again would be a way to kill his boredom.On the night of the reunion, Barry arrived in a simple black taxi, the kind that didn’t draw attention. As he stepped out, he paused. The parking lot in front of the venue was filled with sleek, glistening sports cars—some of them custom-made from his own company. Lamborghinis in chrome, modded Porsches, a few experimental electric pr