Fired. It felt like the floor had dropped out from under him. $500. Gone. His thoughts spiraled. He’d promised her—he’d promised.The wig, he thought, the birthday gift I promised her. She’s been so patient with me, always supporting me when no one else would. How can I face her now? How can I keep disappointing her?He thought about his girlfriend, Mia. Few years together, and not once had she ever made him feel like he wasn’t enough. Despite all the snide remarks, the people who looked down on him, and the humiliating jobs he’d taken just to get by, she never once turned her back on him. She really loves me. I know it. Even when he had nothing—when he was scraping the bottom, she was there, cheering him on, reminding him that one day things would get better..What am I going to say to her?He pictured her face—the way she always smiled at him, even when he had nothing to offer. “I’ll make it right,” he’d promised. But how could he?He stopped in front of her door. He stood there for

Lucas stood over Dante, a smug grin plastered on his face as he watched him struggle to move after being discarded like a piece of trash. The moment was bitterly satisfying, and he savored it. "Look at you," Lucas sneered, bending down just enough to whisper in Dante's ear. "You're nothing. Just like your father, in the end. I poisoned him, Dante. Did you ever wonder why he died the way he did? It was me. Your old man thought he was dying of some illness. Too bad, right? He never saw the real enemy." Dante’s vision blurred, not just from the pain, but from the shock of hearing Lucas’s confession. His chest tightened, the betrayal weighing heavier than his physical injuries. His father... poisoned by Lucas? The world felt like it was spinning out of control. "What... what do you mean?" Dante gasped, his breath coming in short, painful bursts. He couldn’t grasp the depth of what Lucas was saying. It made no sense. It couldn’t be true. Lucas chuckled, his voice dark and mocking. "He

Dante’s hands trembled slightly as he balanced the tray. He wanted to avoid trouble—Lucas wasn’t worth it. If he could just quietly drop off the champagne and leave, maybe he could get through this shift without incident.“Where’s the damn champagne I ordered?” Lucas’s voice boomed across the dining hall, sharp and demanding.Dante flinched. Of course, it had to be him.His grip on the tray tightened as he glanced around. There were no other servers in sight. Just his luck. He exhaled slowly, trying to steady his nerves, and reluctantly made his way to Lucas’s table.As he approached, Lucas looked up—and froze for a moment. Then his lips curled into a smirk.“Well, well, well,” Lucas drawled, leaning back in his chair. “If it isn’t Dante. What are the odds?”Dante bit the inside of his cheek, ignoring the heat creeping up his neck. He placed the tray on the table carefully, trying to avoid eye contact.“Didn’t know you've started working here,” Lucas said, his tone dripping with mocke

Marley returned from the balcony, his phone call finished, and looked at Dante with a forced, almost tired smile."Look, kid," Marley began, pulling a chair closer and sitting down in front of Dante. "I know things have been tough. I know losing your parents, losing your mom-" He paused, his voice softening. "I know it hurts. I've been there too. It's never easy losing someone you love." Dante's chest tightened, but he said nothing, still staring at the phone on the table as if the answers he needed would come from it."I know how you feel, Dante," Marley continued, his voice laced with an almost sympathetic tone. "You think I don't? Losing your mother.. my sister..." His voice cracked slightly as he let out a slow breath, his gaze dropping to the floor. "It was the hardest thing I ever had to deal with. You know how it is, losing someone that close to you."Dante finally looked up, his eyes narrowing. "Youknow how it is, huh?" His voice was low, but thewords were sharp. "How exac

Three Days Later Lucas slammed the empty bottle on the table, his fourth for the day, and it wasn’t even noon. He muttered under his breath, his face red with frustration. “Dante kills my father, and the authorities just let him walk. This is bullshit. Absolute bullshit!” Mia entered the room quietly, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “Lucas,” she said softly, trying to sound calm, “you need to take it easy. Drinking like this isn’t going to solve anything.” He shot her a glare, his voice sharp. “Take it easy? Take it easy? My father’s dead, and Dante—Dante!—is out there celebrating like nothing happened! And you want me to take it easy?” Mia hesitated, her voice faltering. “I’m not saying it’s fair, but…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “Because of all this, the wedding… it’s been postponed until further notice.” Lucas froze, then slowly stood, his eyes narrowing. “Postponed?” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “You’re postponing our wedding because o