I crashed through the rooftop door and stumbled down the stairs, my heart hammering against my ribs. The elevator felt like it took forever, each floor passing in agonizing slow motion.When the doors finally opened on the ground floor, I saw the paramedics wheeling in a stretcher. My breath caught in my throat as I recognized the familiar gray hair peeking out from under the blood-stained sheet."Mom!" I rushed to her side, grabbing her hand. It was so cold, so fragile.Her eyes fluttered open, barely focusing on my face. "Michael..." she whispered, her voice like autumn leaves."Don't talk, Mom. Save your strength. The doctors are going to fix you up, okay?"She squeezed my hand with what little strength she had left. "I'm sorry, son. I couldn't... I couldn't be a burden to you anymore.""Don't say that!" Tears streamed down my face. "You're not a burden. You're all I have. You're my mother.""I know you're not my real son," she breathed, "but you've been... the best thing in my l

Dr. Peterson's face broke into a triumphant grin as Director Harrison burst through the doors. "Director Harrison! Perfect timing. This woman just assaulted me, and this deadbeat—" he pointed at me "—owes us nearly a hundred thousand dollars. I need you to call security and have them both arrested immediately."But instead of the backup Peterson expected, Director Harrison's reaction was the exact opposite. His face went from flushed panic to absolute terror as his eyes found Victoria Sterling.Without hesitation, he dropped into a deep bow, his voice trembling with nervousness. "Ms. Sterling, I am deeply sorry for this inexcusable situation. Please accept my most sincere apologies."Then, to my complete shock, he turned to me and bowed just as deeply. "Mr. Thompson, I cannot express how sorry I am for the treatment you've received at our facility. This is absolutely unacceptable."Dr. Peterson's mouth fell open. "Director, what are you doing? This man is a nobody! He can't even

The Grandview Hotel towered above us like a monument to wealth and power, its seven floors representing a rigid hierarchy of social status. The ground floor alone required a net worth of at least fifty million just to book an event. Each floor above demanded exponentially more influence and connections.Tina Fletcher straightened her designer dress with obvious pride. "Thanks to Derek's connections, we've secured the third floor for Mother Fletcher's birthday banquet this year. Third floor! Can you imagine?"Kevin nodded enthusiastically. "Usually we're stuck on the second floor with the rest of the middle-tier families. This is our chance to finally prove we belong with the upper echelon."David smirked at me. "Not that you'd understand the significance, Michael. You've never moved in circles where such things matter."I bit back my response, knowing that the black card in my pocket could probably buy this entire hotel without making a dent in the Sterling family fortune."This

I entered the banquet hall just in time to see Sarah's father, Robert, leading their small group quietly along the perimeter of the room, clearly trying to avoid drawing attention. The third floor of the Grandview Hotel was magnificent—crystal chandeliers cast warm light over elegantly dressed guests, and the tables were set with fine china and gleaming silverware.But their attempt at discretion failed immediately."Well, well, look what crawled in," came a mocking voice from across the room. Sarah's uncle Richard approached with his daughter Isabella beside him, both wearing expressions of barely concealed disdain."Uncle Richard," Robert said stiffly, forcing a polite smile."Don't 'Uncle Richard' me," he sneered. "I'm surprised you had the nerve to show your faces here after what your precious daughter did to the family company."Isabella laughed cruelly. "Speaking of Sarah, where's that useless husband of hers? Too embarrassed to bring him along?""Michael had... other obligatio

As we settled into the second-floor venue, the whispers and speculation grew louder. The elegant chandeliers and fine table settings couldn't mask the underlying tension that had followed us down from the third floor."I heard from one of the waiters," a family member said in hushed tones, "that whoever booked the top floor did it for a woman. Some kind of romantic celebration."Grandmother Fletcher's eyes lit up with curiosity. "A woman? How fascinating. I wonder who could possibly be worthy of such an extravagant gesture.""Probably some foreign heiress," Richard speculated. "Or maybe a senator's daughter."Isabella suddenly let out a sharp laugh, pointing directly at Sarah. "Maybe it's for our dear Sarah here! After all, she's so special that she can afford to turn down hundred-million-dollar investments!"The table erupted in laughter again, the absurdity of the suggestion striking everyone as hilarious."Can you imagine?" another relative chimed in. "Sarah dining on the seventh