Those eyes were watching and waiting…waiting like a vulture sizing up a dying thing in the desert. Sabito swallowed hard, his throat dry as sandpaper. His feet felt glued to the floor, his limbs tight with the awful push-and-pull of fight-or-flight. But Sabito knew that flight wasn't an option just like the other times. Not when their shadows stretched long before him, cutting off every possible escape. Moreover, he knew how his flight decisions ended. Injured and more punishment than they had intended. His fingers twitched as his sides. Stupid, useless things. His breath turned shallow and fast. His chest felt too tight, his ribs suddenly a cage locking him in his very own terror. Sabito's eyes widened when Jasper took a slow, lazy step forward, dragging out the moment and making it turn into an eternity. “Where ya going, Sabito?” His voice was sickly sweet, almost gentle. But Sabito knew better to let down his guard because his smile—his smile was sharp enough to cut him. Sabi

Mr Hampton exhaled sharply, raising his chin and concedensingly looking down at him. “Or maybe you're used to that shameful feeling, hmm? But then, you know that being used to that feeling is not the end, right, Sabito?” “Yes.” “Good. And what will happen if you continue failing?” Silence. Mr Hampton narrowed his eyes again, his voice cold. “I asked you a question, Sabito.” Sabito swallowed. “I'll be…I'll be expelled.” The words alone felt heavy and final, making his stomach twist in his own disgrace. Mr Hampton gave a slow, and deliberate nod, like he was allowing the weight of the statement to sink in. “That's right. Expelled. No second chances, no repeats. You'll be kicked out of Oakenshield High, just another failure no school wants to deal with.” Sabito's nails but into his palms. His breath came out in short, shallow bursts. Expulsion meant no future. No shot at college, and no escape. Just the streets, the cold brutal streets with nothing to write home about. Just t

Sabito took a step and the earth seemed to vibrate with each step he took. Finally, he was going to—His feet came to a pause, and then he frowned when…{Beep… beep…beep…}A sharp, mechanical chime echoed through his head. Sabito strained his ears to listen, paying more attention when another one sounded again.{Beep. Beep. Beep…}A cold, rhythmic and precise sound, like the countdown of a machine booting up. And then—{A new host, detected…}“What the…”Before sabito could process what it meant, {Taking over the host…}Sabito barely had time to register the words before it hit him! Agony! He doubled over, falling to the ground when a raw and unrelenting pain exploded in his veins, racing through every nerve like fire in dry grass. His body arched, spine bending unnaturally, as though some invisible force was searing its mark into him. His lungs forgot how to breathe. His heart stuttered—then stopped. Everything inside him was shutting down. System by system. Organ by organ.

Even though his family is well to do and he occasionally helps people to maintain the titles and the praises, all his allowance allocated to him wasn't even up to that amount. And he was going to pay it for a lowly actress who doesn't worth anything? Damn it! He thought of backing out, but he would be embarrassed to death and his family's reputation would be tarnished. He looked around, and the crowd had gathered even more because of his presence. No, he could not. He rummaged his brain, thinking of a way to salvage this situation he had just put himself through. He would just use his family's card then, even though the money in that account is already carved out for a project. Yes. Yes, that was what he would—His thoughts were interrupted when Lisa, whose tears were almost running down, winced and then he kowtowed to him. “Thank you. Thank you Master George. I'm forever grateful to you!” George's eyes raked Lisa's frame. She might have fallen down on her high horse, making her

“What?!” Came Jasper's angry voice. His face immediately turned into a deep frown, and then his eyebrows immediately shot up. “That's impossible! How can it be purchased when I'm this close to paying?” “I'm sorry, but—” “Don't be sorry and let me buy the car!” He yelled, cutting off the manager's words. “I'll have to apologize again, because someone already bought the car.” The manager's demeanor suddenly turned cold, his voice chillingly firm.. Jasper noticed the change and instinctively took a step back. His hands were clasped together in front of him, his lips pressed into a tight line. Dark, piercing eyes bored into Jasper, radiating the aura of a notorious bodyguard capable of snapping a person's head off with a single touch. The intensity of his gaze was so much that it sent a wave of goosebumps across Jasper's skin.He was shocked! Just a minute ago, the manager had been friendly. He was the one who called him about the new release, so why the sudden shift? Why did he