She snapped the clasp of her diamond-studded necklace into place, her silk dress flowing like liquid gold under the dim light. The price tag of her outfit alone could buy Lewis a dozen lifetimes in the cabin he called home. She turned to face him, lips painted blood red, eyes gleaming with triumph. “I know you’ve heard the news,” she said with a mocking tilt of her chin, the air thick with her expensive perfume. “And now you’ve even got a hint from my call. Don’t even think of showing up there today, Lewis. Don’t lay your foot anywhere near that event.” Her smirk deepened, sharp as a blade. “You’ll only embarrass yourself. For your own good, just stay back.” With that, she brushed past him, her perfume lingering like poison in the air as the click of her heels faded toward the door. Lewis didn’t reply, but his silence wasn’t surrender. His chest burned, his mind racing, plotting how to summon courage to defend what was his. He grabbed his black suit—old but pressed—his

Lewis opened his old car, the hinges groaning like an exhausted man, stepped down, and carried the old woman into the car despite the trauma clawing at him. The weight of guilt pressed heavy on his chest as he lifted her fragile frame. On the zebra crossing, pedestrians froze mid-stride, their curious eyes following the scene like spectators at a street drama. Some whispered, some gasped, but no one moved to help, only watching as he entered the car and drove off, leaving a cloud of dust swirling behind like a curtain falling on a stage. A few minutes later, Lewis pulled up at Clinton Clinics, one of the special hospitals around Buffalo, though usually for the average masses. The neon sign buzzed faintly above the doorway, casting a cold glow over the building. He immediately rushed out, flinging the car door open and carrying the old woman in his arms as if she was his last chance at redemption. Bursting through the glass doors, he shouted to the nurse at the front desk,

Immediately Lewis shot up from his seat, his legs trembling with urgency as he rushed to the door. He yanked it open, his voice cutting through the hospital corridor like a knife. Two nurses were approaching down the passage, their shoes clicking against the tiles. “Go and call the doctor; she’s collapsed again! Please, be fast!” Lewis barked, his voice cracked with fear, sweat glistening on his forehead. The two nurses didn’t waste a second. They disappeared like shadows vanishing into the dark. Within two heartbeats, they barged into the ward again, this time followed by the doctor whose white coat swayed behind him. Without a word, the transactional doctor crouched by the bed, his stethoscope pressed against Lewis’s mom’s fragile chest. Lewis hovered close, his fists tight by his sides, his face carved with worry, blue eyes burning with desperation. “Doc… how is she doing?” Lewis’s voice shook, barely holding itself steady. The doctor kept checking with surgical precisi

Lewis rushed out of Louis TechHub, his shoes crunching against the pavement. The late afternoon air slapped his face with cold, reminding him how much time had slipped through his fingers. His chest tightened, not just from the sprint, but from the weight pressing on his mind. His pockets were empty except for the money Mr. Louis had given him, money that belonged to his mother’s treatment, not a single dime to waste on transport. He bit his lip, jaw flexing in frustration. No options left. He lowered his head and started trekking. The streets of Buffalo were alive, with taxi horns blaring impatiently, buses coughing smoke, and pedestrians dragging shopping bags across zebra crossings. He had barely gone a few blocks when a bike rider slowed beside him. The man gave him a curious look. Lewis’s pride wanted to stay silent, but desperation overpowered. “Dude please,” Lewis said honestly, his voice carrying both urgency and sincerity. “Can you give me a ride to Clinton Clinics

Lewis and his mom quickly turned, startled by how fast the SUV came tearing down the lonely road. The midnight was thick and unwelcoming, its darkness hugging the trees. Maria froze, her hands trembling at her sides, while Lewis steadied his breath. He squared his shoulders, courage tightening his features, ready to confront whoever would be driving around at such an ungodly hour. He also saw an opportunity; maybe the driver could help them. They were swallowed by night and vulnerable to every danger lurking behind the silence. As the SUV drew closer, headlights flaring like twin suns, Lewis raised both hands high, waving. “Hello! Please, can you give us a ride?” He yelled over the engine’s hum. Brakes squealed. The vehicle stopped sharply, tires skidding slightly across the snow-kissed asphalt. The driver lowered his tinted window, and a beam from a flashlight sliced across Lewis and Maria, forcing them to squint. There was a sudden intake of breath from the man inside. “