"Robert! Andrea! What in God’s name is this?” Carlos’s voice thundered through the walls of the luxurious suite like a bolt of raw anguish and betrayal. He stood at the doorway—halfway into the room, halfway out of his old life—clutching the still-warm delivery bag in one hand, the scent of takeout barely clinging to his nostrils as the room’s new reality crushed his senses.On the king-sized bed, tangled in silk sheets and guiltless expressions, were the last two people he thought would betray him.Robert Dane. Andrea Moretti.His best friend. His lover.They stared at him—unflinching and unbothered. Andrea sat up slowly while her hair tousled in ways Carlos knew too well, not even reaching for a robe to hide her treachery.“Dude…” Robert exhaled, scratching his head lazily, “...not the best time.”Carlos couldn’t move.“What the hell is going on here?” His voice cracked, not from weakness, but from the weight of his crumbling world. “How could you, Andrea, how could you? And you

> [ INITIAL SYSTEM ACCEPTANCE SUCCESSFUL][REWARD: $100,000,000,000 deposited to System-Linked Account][Bonus: +20% Agility for all future tasks assigned in Phase 1][NOTE: A system-activated withdrawal card is required to access the funds]Carlos stood in awe, his arms limp at his sides and his eyes widened at the glowing red text floating midair before him.“…What?” He exclaimed softly.The air in the dark apartment seemed to pulse with invisible energy. His ragged breath echoed off the peeling walls as the holographic notification hovered like a ghost.He looked down at himself—dirty, torn shirt, bruises on his knuckles and dirt on his pants.“How... How can I have a hundred billion dollars?” He asked himself, turning to the quiet corner where the shrouded sheets covered his parents’ cold bodies still lay as the silence swallowed him while he clenched his fists.“No.” He shook his head and stepped back. “This isn’t real. This has to be some twisted hallucination. I’ve snapped. Lo

They’d all arrived minutes later, inside the police station. Both Carter and Carlos stood alone in the evidence room, far from the press.“Here,” he said, handling over all that was seized from Carlos back to himCarlos was glad to recover them but most especially, his necklace.“Thank you.” He said to Carter whose gaze remained stiffened. But Carlos's eyes noticed something on Carter's desk when he turned to leave. The card on his desk had a familiar logo.He froze for a while, unable to fathom the reality of the discovery.“..... Anything else, Mr Rodriguez?” Carter's voice snapped at Carlos, accompanied with a mean gaze as he turned to leave. And as soon as he walked out from his office, Carter locked the door behind him and pulled out a burner phone.He dialed a hidden number and the line rang twice before connecting.“What is it Carter?” A gruff, gravel-thick voice answered.He glanced at the door.“Sir... we’ve got a problem.”“Go on.”“A guy stopped the Narva team. Too traine

The morning sunlight pierced through the motel blinds, splashing soft lines over Carlos’ weary face. The dreams had vanished with the night, but the glow of the mark still lingered in his memory, like a whisper etched into his skin.He stood before the mirror once more with fingertips grazing the faint emblem on his lower back. The same mark from his dreams… the same one that glowed. It wasn’t just a dream. It meant something.He had to find out what.And there was only one person alive who might know of it. Grace, his late mother’s sister and the only relative who’d ever shown him kindness before Beatrice and Dario passed. Grace had always been warm, though she kept her distance in recent years. If anyone had answers about his birth, about the strange dreams, about who he really was—it had to be herCarlos looked down at himself— his boots were ragged, his hoodie stained, and his jeans were so faded they could pass for gray. In his current state, people would dismiss him before he e

The evening sun bathed Coast Wesley in a soft golden hue as Carlos stepped out of the Thalos boutique with Dre at his side. The tuxedo box was tucked neatly under his arm, but his mind was elsewhere—still replaying Brian Morgan’s retreat, Dre’s courageous defense, and the curious twist of fate that had brought them together again. A yellow cab honked twice from across the street. The driver leaned out the window, grinning broadly. “Boss! I waited like you said,” Charles called. Carlos smiled faintly. He’d forgotten he had asked the cabbie to stay. “That’s right,” he murmured. Dre adjusted his glasses, glancing at Carlos. “Where to now?” he askedCarlos hesitated, then offered, “How about dinner? I owe you that much after today. Besides… It's been years. We should catch up properly.” Dre’s lips curved into a rare smile. “I’d like that.” They both slid into the cab. Charles glanced at them in the rearview mirror, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. “Where to?” he a