The sunny afternoon was shining on the Days Corp. private airport, which was littered with heavily armed elite security officers and military-grade equipment. The private airport hummed with muted activity as jet engines receded into the distance. Twenty rare and exotic cars lined up, each of them a gift to Blake Dayton from those whose lives he had transformed from behind bars. The very air was thick with anticipation as the door of the perfectly streamlined jet opened. The twenty-seven-year-old stepped out in a tailor-made charcoal suit in tow, calm and commanding at the same time. His black hair was longer and a little wild now, while burgeoning lines drew their crude symphony across the road on his forehead, the aftermath of the trials of the last seven years. Yet his weathered appearance was hardly capable of wooing those wandering eyes, which burned with a quiet intensity."Welcome back, Mr. Dayton," Gerald Noah greeted with respect. He was a salt-and-pepper-aged gentleman, his

"How could you forget? Everything I did!" Blake's voice cut through the polite murmur of the restaurant, sharp with disbelief. He gestured wildly, the motion encompassing Rose and the impeccably dressed Elizabeth beside her. "Before... and even when I was in prison."Rose crossed her arms in a slow, deliberate movement. She shifted her weight as a faint hiss escaped her lips; her gaze was fixed somewhere beyond his shoulder. She didn’t reply to Blake’s plea.Elizabeth stepped forward, her smile tight. "Blake, please. Not here.""Not here?" Blake scoffed, the sound harsh. "Where then, Elizabeth? In private? Like you prefer to keep things?""That's enough!" Elizabeth's voice rose, carrying just enough to draw more attention. She turned to the small crowd that had begun to gather, her expression shifting to one of practiced concern, then that of a righteous mother. "He's lying! Every single word is a lie!"She swept a hand towards Blake. "This man... he did nothing for my daughter. Nothi

"That phone call," the driver said with a smug look on his face. "Telling me to drive you to Days Corp HQ like you are the big boss that runs this corporation. Everyone knows the CEO is a ghost and hides his identity." He chuckled, a dry, unpleasant sound. "Trying to act important for the lady who pays for your clothes? What a pathetic thing to do as a man. Being used as a toy thing for your mistress." The driver said, his voice getting harsher, “Don’t you have any shame?”The fact that Blake seemed unbothered made the driver even angrier; he was very desperate to provoke Blake and get a rise out of him. “If I can get an outburst from this pathetic guy outside the Days Corp HQ. I can report him to their security. He would get what he deserved, and I would get a reward for reporting an imposter.” The driver thought to himself with a devilish smile.The driver had heard from his friends and colleagues, during their beer time, that companies like Days Corp. usually reward people with h

The security guards charged out; the six of them moved as one in a wave of dark uniforms and raised batons. Their faces were set, confident. This was their job. Handle the disturbance and remove the unwelcome guest. They fanned out slightly, attempting to surround Blake, cutting off his escape towards the street.Blake didn't back away. He didn't even change his relaxed posture. His eyes, however, were sharp and calculating. They were tracking each man and their movement. The air around him seemed to tighten, but there was not a strand of fear in his lungs. ...The six guards were all taken down in a matter of minutes. The store was filled with their cries as they groaned in pain while clutching their broken and paralyzed limbs. None of them were getting up anytime soon. This was not a fight but instead, it had been a slaughter fest, with quick, brutal, and utterly decisive strikes that left the lady who was being detained in shock with her hand over her mouth. Blake stood among th

Blake clenched his fists in reaction to the scratch Elizabeth gave him and the drink she spilled on his suit. Blake was shocked and furious at the same time."What the fuck do you want?" Blake's voice was a low growl, the anger simmering beneath the surface finally breaking through. He took a step towards them, and both women flinched back, startled by the raw intensity in his eyes.Elizabeth recovered first, straightening her shoulders. "You See? You see, Rose? This is the real Blake! The real criminal you call an ex! There is no longer any ounce of civilized blood in him, only that of a hardened criminal."Blake took a deep, shaky breath, trying to rein in his fury. “Don't make a scene. Not for them,” he thought to himself. He glanced down at his fingers, where Elizabeth's nails had left angry red marks."Mom, that's enough; let me handle this," Rose said, her voice surprisingly calm, though a flicker of fear remained in her eyes. She motioned for her mother to step back. Then she t