“What’s going on, Lucy? Is the famous debtor begging for money or mercy again?”Rico chuckled.“Nah. Maybe he came to borrow oxygen for his sick boy. Word is, the kid coughs more than a generator.”It angered Tobias that these people were making fun of his son.Their laughter filled the lobby.Luciana smiled sweetly, mockingly.“See, sir? Everyone remembers you. You became… kind of a legend around here. But for the wrong reasons.”Another louder wave of laughter rippled across the reception area.Tobias stayed silent. The stillness in him made their noise sound childish.Manuel leaned closer.“If you kneel now, maybe we’ll convince the boss to forgive some interest.”Rico slapped his thigh.“Yeah! Beg a little. It worked for your wife, didn’t it?”That one hit deep. The entire room felt it. But Tobias didn’t move.He raised his eyes slowly.“Call him.”Luciana folded her arms.“Sir, I already said—”“Call. Him.”The voice wasn’t loud, but it rolled through the air like thunder wrapped

The view from the top floor was endless — it was a sweep of glass and skyline where sunlight painted every surface gold.Below, the city breathed in muffled rhythm — oblivious that a throne had just changed hands.Tobias Sheldon stood before the oval boardroom table, a pen poised between his fingers.The documents before him gleamed with seals, signatures, and one empty line waiting for his name.Mr. El Pedro stood opposite, his hands clasped, eyes flickering with a blend of pride and unease.No one else in the room dared breathe.“This… makes it official,” El Pedro said at last, his voice low. “From today forward, the Pedroza Finance Group belongs to you.”Tobias’s hand hovered above the paper for a heartbeat — then descended, the pen etching Tobias A. Sheldon across the line.Each stroke felt like reclaiming a life once buried under debt.He capped the pen and exhaled slowly.“No,” he said quietly. “It’s not yet fully mine. It’s ours — until I decide otherwise.”The lawyer sitting n

The sun hung low, bleeding gold across the dusty street when Tobias Sheldon’s Tobias Sheldon rolled to a stop before the branch. The sign above the gate read PEDROZA FINANCIAL GROUP – SATELLITE OFFICE 7B, but the paint had long begun to peel, and the letters themselves seemed to sag under the weight of deceit.This was just a branch of the Pedroza financial group.He stepped out quietly. His coat hung across his arm, the wind teasing its folds like a flag of calm defiance. In his hand, he held a small envelope — Elena’s last breadcrumb.He approached the gate and gave a brief nod to the uniformed clerk inside. “Tobias Sheldon. Internal audit,” he said evenly.The clerk barely looked up from his chair. “Audit?” He let out a dry laugh. “You mean handout review?”Tobias’s jaw tensed. The man tilted his head, sizing him up, then added, “We don’t allow charity cases past this gate.”A bitter taste filled Tobias’s mouth. For a long second, he said nothing. He had been here before — at gate

The road stretched ahead like a dark vein through the wilderness — silent, endless, and hungry.Tobias gripped the steering wheel tighter as the dim glow of the dashboard reflected off his face. Sweat shimmered faintly across his temples, though the night air was cool. Every hum of the engine, every bump beneath the tires, seemed to echo his heartbeat.He had driven for hours now, leaving Ciudad de Sanvelis behind — a city of ghosts, debts, and laughter that cut like blades. Ahead lay Villa Dorada, the glittering nest of snakes where his next move waited.But tonight, the game had teeth.He glanced at the dashboard clock. 10:42 PM. The road signs said fifty kilometers to Villa Dorada. And beneath his driver’s seat — the sealed package lay heavy and silent.El Moro’s words burned in his head.“Five kilos — pure. You move it clean, viejo, you live. You fail, I’ll feed your bones to the dogs.”Tobias didn’t need to open the package to know what it held. The faint sweet-chemical scent tha

His hand moved toward the lever, fingers trembling. The spotlight cut across his face, turning sweat into glass.A voice cracked suddenly through the radio on the officer’s shoulder — loud, urgent, garbled.“— Unit Bravo, respond! — armed suspects— Calle Norte— repeat, immediate backup!”The officer’s head snapped toward the radio. Another beam of light swept over the line of cars. Men began shouting orders. Somewhere in the distance, sirens wailed.But even as the chaos rose, the officer didn’t move his eyes from Tobias.The dog kept barking.The radio screamed again, calling every available unit.But the man’s gaze — cold, unblinking — stayed fixed on Tobias’s.And in that stare, Tobias realized with a chill — this officer wasn’t just doing his job.He was waiting.Waiting for him.It seemed like he knew something was off about Tobias.Sirens wailed louder — a chaotic chorus that shattered the stillness of the night. Red and blue lights painted the trees and gravel road in frantic c