He was fucked up! How could something like this happen to him? He was the last person that deserves to be framed like that!As his headache began to subside, David's instincts kicked in. He knew he had to find the gun and get rid of it. His fingerprints were on it, and he couldn't afford to leave it behind when he found it,he kept it at the back of trouser. He quickly scanned the area and spotted the bathroom. He rushed in, grabbed a washcloth, and filled a bowl with water.With a sense of urgency, David began to wipe down every surface he had touched in the house. He methodically cleaned the areas where he had left his mark, trying to erase any evidence of his presence else he would be seen as a suspect. He searched around the house until he was able to find a nose mask. When he was sure everything was clean without his print,he picked up the package he was supposed to deliver,used his nose mask and rushed out of the house with his bloodstained shirt. But he didn't care,he just neede

Gabriele slammed his fist against the leather-wrapped steering wheel, the sound muffled inside the luxurious sedan. He watched from a distance as a small fleet of boats crisscrossed the ocean in search of a body that wasn't there. His frustration was a venomous cloud, thick and suffocating. This was the third time they had searched that same night, and still, nothing. He'd used every connection, pulling in his own men and bribing the NYPD to search for a missing person, giving them free rein to drag the ocean for hours."Boss," his right-hand man, Marco, said from outside, his voice hesitant. "We've gone over every inch. We can't find his body. Either he sank, and the current took him, or..." Marco trailed off, not daring to voice the other, more terrifying possibility."Or what? Escaped?" Gabriele’s eyes, cold and sharp, bore into Marco's. "For three years, we couldn't find a trace of him. Not a whisper, not a single lead. And now that he's finally surfaced, he slips away again?" He

The ride up was tense. The mirrored walls of the elevator reflected Ari's distraught face, her eyes were red-rimmed. Xavier stood a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest, a granite expression on his face. She could feel his quiet fury simmering and she fought the urge to shrink even further into herself.Finally, the doors slid open on the top floor. The space was nothing like the bustling, colorful offices she was used to. The doors opened to reveal a hallway so quiet you could hear the hum of the air conditioning. Ari’s mouth fell open slightly as he took in the sight, polished marble floors, sleek modern art on the walls, and soft, indirect lighting that created an atmosphere of understated elegance.Xavier pushed the double door open and they both stepped in. The space was just as breathtaking as the hallway. Floor-to-ceiling windows dominated the wall behind a massive, dark wood desk, offering a panoramic view of the bustling city below. The skyline was a masterpiece, a

The scent of burning rubber and gasoline hung heavy in the air, serving as a reminder of his near-death experience. Xavier pushed himself up from the asphalt, his heart still hammering against his ribs. He watched the twisted wreckage of his car, a silent monument to what could have been his fate, and a new resolve hardened in his eyes.Just then, the cold, metallic voice of the system spoke directly into his mind. "Warning: Unsolicited surveillance detected. Two individuals observing from a black sedan, 50 meters to your left. Recommendation: Approach with caution."Xavier's gaze snapped to the car. His jaw tightened, and a wave of raw fury washed over him. Gabriele. Of course. There was no other person except him who would stoop so low to not playing fair. The anger was a familiar, bitter taste, but this time it was laced with a new, icy determination. He wasn't the powerless man he used to be. Not anymore. He reached for the handgun holstered at his hip—a weapon that had now become

Xavier drove in silence, the tense atmosphere in the car thick enough to cut with a knife. Ari sat as far from him as she could, her sodden dress clinging uncomfortably to her skin and a puddle of muddy water forming at her feet. She risked a glance at him, but his face was an impassive mask, his jaw set in a hard line as he focused on the road ahead. The only sound was the hum of the car’s engine and the pathetic squishing of her wet slippers.She felt a fresh wave of humiliation wash over her. Not only had she made a complete fool of herself in front of her new coworkers, but she had also screamed at her new boss and was now a literal mess in his pristine car. This wasn’t the first day she had envisioned. She wanted to prove her innocence and show everyone that she deserved this second chance, but all she had done so far was prove how much of a disaster she was.He pulled up to the entrance of the towering skyscraper and parked in a spot reserved for the CEO. “Get out,” he said, his