He took a step forward, his voice calm but edged with iron. “How much?” Clint turned to him, confused. What?” “How much does he owe you?” Carlos repeated, his eyes boring into Clint’s. “Name your price.” The room fell into stunned silence. Charles and Anita gaped at Carlos, their son frozen in wide-eyed wonder. Dre, still seated at their table, leaned back slowly, recognizing the shift in Carlos’s energy. But after a moment of abrupt silence, Clint threw his head back and laughed with a deep, mocking sound. “You? Pay me? Don’t make me laugh, boy. Do you even know how much you’re talking about?” “Try me.” Carlos said, his lips curling into a faint, daring smile. “Oh, this is rich,” Clint said between laughs. “Charles owes me a total of $15.8 million. With interest. You look like someone who can’t afford a decent shirt, let alone millions. And now you’re talking about clearing his debt?” “And you dare talk about upgrading this dingy place? Boy, you’d be lucky t

Carlos stepped back slightly, leaning against the wall. His heart was pounding from a strange mix of grief and purpose. “You okay?” Dre asked quietly. Carlos gave a faint smile. “Yeah. Just… thinking.” “I heard what you did,” Dre said, shaking his head. “You really are something else, Carlos. First Clint, now this? People don’t do what you did. Not anymore.” “That wasn’t for any recognition. I did it because someone should.” Carlos said with a faint smile. After hours passed, the Doctor returned, this time with a bright smile. “He’s stable,” he announced. “The operation went smoothly. With proper follow-up, he’ll make a full recovery.” Anita fell to her knees in gratitude. Charles helped her up, his own eyes already pale from the tears. They both turned to Carlos, almost overwhelmed by his presence. “Carlos,” Anita whispered, “you’re… you’re like an angel sent to us.” Carlos shook his head gently. “No angels. Just people helping people” “Just before I

Carlos’s breath came in uneven waves as the masked ninjas and Bruce looked at him with reverence, awaiting his response. Every instinct told him to run. “Stop,” he finally said, his voice hardening. “All of you. Whatever this is… whoever you think I am—stay away from me.” Bruce’s brows twitched, but he kept his composure. “My lord—” “I said stay away!” Carlos barked. The power in his tone startled even himself. “I’m not your lord, I’m not your heir, and I want no part in this. Not now… not ever.” His words sliced through the reverent silence. The masked ninjas exchanged brief, concerned glances but didn’t move. Bruce’s expression remained steady, though a flicker of understanding passed through his eyes. “As you wish,” Bruce finally said, bowing respectfully. They had watched him falter away in the dash of minutes. And the minute he left, Bruce got up from his kowtowing point and watched him for a while as he continued to walk afar off. But none of the men h

The morning light seeped through the half-drawn curtains of Carlos’s room, but sleep had long abandoned him. The night’s dream still lingered like smoke after a fire—the burning garden, the armies, the sword that nearly pierced his chest. He had tossed and turned, replaying every moment until dawn finally broke through.By the time the clock struck 7:45 a.m., Carlos was already up, showered, and dressed. His movements were sharper, more deliberate than before. Everything that had happened over the last few days—the fight at the alley, the revelation of his identity, the dream—had woven a quiet determination inside him. There was no running from this anymore.But before he could face the weightier matter of visiting Grace, his mother’s younger sister—the only living family he had left,he was finally going to buy himself a new iPhone.Charles had gladly agreed to pick him up from his place at the earliest hour of the morning at just a phone call from himThe Apple Gadg

Carlos felt an unusual warmth course through him as he stepped out of the Apple Plaza store, the sleek paper bags swinging lightly from his fingers. For the first time in months, he felt… content. The silver gleam of his brand-new iPhone 17 Pro Max caught the afternoon light as he turned it in his hand. The smooth glass and metal design reflected his face — sharper, calmer, more assured than the man who once had nothing but resentment and grief for company.He slid into the back seat where Charles new cab is backed at the waiting area outside the store to unbox the device, syncing it effortlessly with the rest of his new gadgets. A small smile crept across his lips as he powered it on. The screen glowed brightly — his reflection merging with the device’s brilliance and for a brief second, he felt like he was looking at a new beginning.“Finally,” he murmured, swiping through the setup screen.“I can see you are happy with your new purchase sir.” Charles said, observ