Ethan stared at the bottom of the empty bottle in his hand, the bitter taste of cheap whiskey still burning the back of his throat. The rain poured down in sheets, soaking through his thin jacket as he stumbled along the deserted street. The world around him blurred, the harsh glow of streetlights smeared like watercolor in the night.‘What’s the point anymore?’ he thought, his steps unsteady as his mind spiraled.He’d spent the last week working double shifts, barely sleeping, eating scraps when he could afford them. Every dollar went to paying off the mountain of debt Chloe and her family had left him with. Months ago, he’d emptied his savings to help them, believing their lies about needing money for medical bills, car repairs, and rent. Now, he was drowning in it, with no end in sight.‘I always knew love is a scam. All of my efforts to make Chloe and her ungrateful family happy. And for what?’The thought nagged at him. He was too tired to be angry anymore. All that was left was

Ethan dragged the overflowing trash bag out the back door of the supermarket, the stench of rotting produce hitting him like a slap. He gagged, holding his breath as he hauled it toward the dumpster in the alley. It was a thankless part of the job, but then again, so was everything else.The jade necklace was still heavy around his neck, a constant, nagging presence that he couldn’t ignore no matter how hard he tried. Every time it brushed against his skin, he was reminded of the strange visions from that morning—shadows, fire, and whispers in a language he couldn’t understand.He shook his head, tossing the bag into the dumpster with a grunt. ‘Don’t think about it,’ he told himself for the hundredth time.The sound of tires screeching to a stop made him pause. Turning toward the street, Ethan squinted as a sleek black car rolled to a halt in front of the alley. The windows were tinted so dark he couldn’t see inside, but the polished exterior gleamed under the flickering streetlights.

Ethan’s throat tightened as he stared at the woman. Her words hung in the air, heavy and surreal. The Jade Society? The necklace? Him—a leader? It felt impossible, like some twisted dream he couldn’t wake from.“This has to be a joke,” he said finally, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe any of this.”The woman’s expression didn’t waver. “I don’t expect you to believe. I expect you to see.”She gestured toward the smooth wall to her left, and as if responding to her command, the surface shifted. Ethan flinched as the white walls dissolved into glowing panels, displaying an intricate web of information.His eyes widened.Dozens of financial statements appeared, their numbers so staggering they didn’t seem real. Untraceable accounts with balances that had more zeroes than he could keep up with flowed through companies he’d vaguely heard of—energy conglomerates, tech empires, pharmaceutical giants. Beneath those were lists of i

Ethan stepped into the gleaming conference room, his nerves buzzing as the doors slid shut behind him. The walls were lined with sleek, interactive displays showing stock market updates, industry analytics, and lists of global assets under the Jade Society’s control. It was all so overwhelming, so surreal, yet somehow, the necklace resting against his chest made him feel . . . ready.Marcus stood at the head of the long glass table, his cane resting against the chair beside him. His ever-present no-nonsense expression softened slightly as he gestured toward the three women seated nearby.“Wilder,” Marcus began, “meet your personal team. They’ll report directly to you and assist with your day-to-day responsibilities as the leader of the Jade Society.”Ethan blinked, glancing at the three women who turned their sharp, intelligent gazes toward him. Each of them radiated confidence and poise, though their styles and demeanors couldn’t have been more different.“This is Anna,” Marcus said,

The gleaming black SUV rolled to a smooth stop in front of the small supermarket, its polished exterior catching the sunlight and reflecting it like a mirror. The vehicle looked completely out of place in the rundown neighborhood, its presence alone turning heads.Inside the shop, Mr. Harris, the store manager, sat behind the counter, sorting through receipts. He glanced up at the security feed and froze. His wrinkled hands trembled as he rewound the footage to get a closer look at the SUV.“Who . . .?” he muttered, his chest tightening with unease. The last time strangers in fancy cars had come looking for someone here, they’d taken Ethan.The driver’s door opened, and a tall, broad-shouldered man stepped out. Dressed in a tailored gray suit, his shoes gleaming as brightly as the car, the man exuded an air of authority that filled the street like a ripple of power.Mr. Harris squinted at the screen, his stomach flipping when two other men in dark suits emerged from the SUV and stood