A light rain glazed the sidewalks of Ashborne that night. Neon signs flickered above, their reflections rippling across the wet asphalt.Amid the restless city that never slept, Jake stood outside the glass display of the district’s biggest jewelry boutique. His eyes locked on a golden watch behind the pane, its gleam cutting sharp as a blade.“Quick. Five minutes tops,” he whispered to himself, like a promise.He stepped inside. The automatic door chimed shut behind him. The air smelled of fresh carpet laced with expensive perfume. A clerk approached with a professional smile.“Good evening, sir. How may I help you?”Jake returned the smile, voice steady. “I can manage on my own.”His hand traced along the glass cases, eyes scanning with precision. Only three other customers lingered inside—a middle-aged couple and their restless child.Jake crouched in front of the display, lips barely moving as he muttered, “Three cameras, two guards, one exit. Easy.”When the clerk turned his back

The journey passed in silence, the only sound being Jake’s steady snoring as he slept, worn out by the long drive.Damian’s penthouse crowned the top of a glass tower, overlooking the entirety of Ashborne. A crooked smile curved Damian’s lips as he glanced at Jake.“Wake up,” Damian said.Jake jolted awake, blinking around in confusion. Damian motioned for him to follow as the car stopped.“Where is this?” Jake asked.“At my place, of course.”They stepped into the elevator, Jake’s wary gaze never leaving Damian.“Stop looking at me like I’m the villain,” Damian said lightly.When the doors opened, Jake froze. Plush red carpet cushioned his feet, and the glass walls reflected the glow of the city lights.Damian strode calmly into his office, pressing a code on the massive safe’s panel. The door swung open, revealing stacks of cash, bars of gold, and piles of documents.Jake swallowed hard, his eyes instinctively following the shine.Damian glanced at him, a faint smile on his lips. “A

Jazz still floated through the grand hall. Crystal chandeliers scattered golden light across tables dressed with champagne, caviar, and counterfeit smiles.The guests—bankers, politicians, crooked businessmen—crowded around Damian Crowne, praising his latest shady deal that had just rattled Ashborne’s shadow market.Jake stood off in a corner, his back pressed against the cold marble wall. He wore a cheap black shirt and worn-out trousers, a stark contrast to the silk suits of the guests.Damian raised his glass high. “To the man who made the impossible possible!”Cheers erupted, the crowd chanting Damian Crowne’s name as if he were the star of the night. No one realized the toast was actually meant for Jake.Jake’s gaze was flat as he watched people drift past him.One guest whispered loudly enough for him to hear, “Why is that guy here? He looks like a pizza delivery boy.”Another snickered. Jake kept himself in check, gripping the glass of mineral water he held just so he’d have so

Jake stopped in front of the towering black iron gates. Beyond them a grand mansion rose, surrounded by gardens dotted with white marble statues.“This place is huge—yesterday’s penthouse already impressed me,” Jake muttered.“Come in, Jake.”Damian’s voice crackled from the speaker at the gate, and at the same moment the tall gates swung open.Jake scanned the grounds carefully, but what drew his attention wasn’t the mansion—it was the luxury cars lined up on the terrace.A golden-yellow Lamborghini, a blazing red Ferrari, and a black Rolls Royce that looked like a throne on wheels.Jake suddenly felt small; his threadbare clothes made him inhale a long, quiet breath. His eyes fixed on the Rolls Royce.“My God…” he whispered. “When will I ever have a cool car like that?”Inside the main hall Damian was already waiting. He wore a white shirt beneath an elegant black vest. His smile was wide; he treated Jake like an honored guest.“Jake!” Damian spread his arms. “Right on time. Come, h

They kept running through the forest. One thing Jake realized: the man who had just saved him could run incredibly fast. It felt like his own body was being carried by the wind. They stopped in front of an old house hidden deep within the woods.“Come on, we’ll hide in here!” the man said.Jake was still gasping for air, his back pressed against the damp wall of the old warehouse. Cold sweat mixed with rainwater dripping from the rusty roof above. The man who had helped him shoved Jake forward roughly, then pried open a small hatch in the grassy floor. From inside, a pungent smell of wet earth rose up, mingled with the scent of rusting iron.“Get in,” he whispered sharply, his eyes hard.Jake hesitated. The hole was dark, narrow—like a grave. But the heavy thud of approaching boots gave him no other choice. Panting hard, he crawled inside. His body dropped into a cramped, cold, pitch-black tunnel. Roots scraped his back as his knees knocked against the packed dirt.Once the hatch clos