Leo stood in the warden's office, the two objects in his hands feeling heavier than any weight he'd ever carried. In his left hand was the Blackwood Card, a sleek black rectangle edged with shimmering gold. The warden had said it held one hundred million dollars and that there were only five like it in all of Boston. In his right hand was the Phoenix Ring. It was crafted from a dark, mysterious metal, with a phoenix carved so intricately its feathers seemed to ripple in the light. This ring could command the legacy of Silas. A network of influence that ranged from the political power players on the East Coast to the business titans on the West Coast, and even into the shadowy depths of the underground world.He turned them over, his mind reeling. This was power. Absolute, unimaginable power. And it was now his. But did he want it? All he'd ever dreamed of was living a simple life but then again, it had never turned out for him like that. Maybe this was his path after all.“I need to s

Adrian threw his head back and laughed, a loud, harsh sound that echoed in the sleek lobby. "You fool! You're out of prison but it's mentality Is still with you. Let me remind you that this isn't prison, Talking nonsense here has consequences."Elena nodded in agreement, her lips curled in a sneer. "I didn't know that squatting in a cell for two years could make a person so delusional and shameless. You irritate me." The secretary, a woman named Ms. Higgins, frowned deeply. She looked at Leo, his simple clothes a stark contrast to the expensive suits around him. "And what proof do you have of this invitation?" she asked, her voice dripping with doubt. "I mean, look at you and..."I have a gift from her father," Leo stated, calmly cutting her off. He began to reach into his pocket.But before his fingers could touch the black card, Elena’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, her nails digging into his skin. "Stop your crazy lies! Stop this nonsense this minute!" she hissed. "This is

After the incident in the lobby, Chloe Briggs decided that Leo’s simple appearance would cause more problems and she wasn't even in the mood to attend to such minor things. So to prevent further misunderstandings from people like her secretary, she took him to an exclusive tailor. Within hours, he was fitted in a perfectly tailored, elegant black suit that transformed him from an unassuming man into a figure of quiet power and command. The clothes did not make the man, but they certainly made others stop and look. She even found herself staring for longer than she should.On the way to the charity gala in her luxury car, Chloe handed Leo a heavy, ornate invitation. It was crafted from thick, creamy cardstock, embossed with intricate gold foil and bearing the exclusive Briggs Corp seal. It looked nothing like the standard invitations.“This is a VVIP pass,” she explained respectfully. “It is reserved only for our most honored guests. It will grant you access to everything without the

Leo was starting to get tired. This gala was filled with people of questionable backgrounds, bootlickers and well...notj one person got his eye.But he had promised he'd help so help he will. He took a few steps and his eyes fell on something: the nervous face of a young man in a slightly big suit, standing near a small, not so impressive display in a corner far from the main attractions.The display held a small, sleek device—a data storage unit, according to the simple placard. The company name was "Aether Tech," and the founder was a man named Alex Rook. As Leo watched, a small group of investors, including Adrian Wright, walked by the display. One of them chuckled, not even bothering to lower his voice."Data security? A kid like that thinks he can compete with the giants? He should stick to writing code in his garage."Adrian smirked, swirling his whiskey. "Hope he didn't spend his life savings on that table. It's the most action it'll see all night."This wasn't new to him. Leo

The TV was turned on and the news was blaring loudly in the background but she could care less. She was thinking about herself as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Adrian had been arrested but it meant nothing to her.“What a mess,” she said to the empty room. “I really picked the wrong one, didn’t I?”She picked up a tube of foundation. “Adrian had the big name, the fancy family. But look at him now. Handcuffs and court dates.” She smoothed the makeup onto her cheek. “And Leo… who knew? That nothing of a man I dumped would rise up to this.”Dabbing a dark, purplish eyeshadow, she leaned closer to the mirror. She blended it under her eye till it looked like a bruise. “Stupid, stupid Elena. You should have seen it coming. You should have known he had something special hidden away.”She finished her makeup, adding some pale powder to make her skin look sickly. She studied her face. Perfect. It was as if she's been crying and that's exactly the look she was going for. She'll ma