All Chapters of Midnight System: Rise of The Broken Lover : Chapter 1
- Chapter 10
11 chapters
Chapter 1: The Island Job
Chapter One: The Island JobDylan Chase pressed his forehead against the shuttle bus window, watching the city shrink behind them. The glass was warm, almost hot, and the air conditioning couldn’t quite keep up with the afternoon sun.Around him, the other staff buzzed with energy.“I heard they had Beyoncé there last summer,” someone said from the back.“Bullshit. That was the Hamptons.”“No, I’m serious! My cousin worked…”Dylan tuned them out. His phone buzzed in his hand.**Grace: Did you guys leave yet?**He smiled before he could stop himself, thumbs already moving.**Dylan: Just hit the highway. Two hours to the island.****Grace: I’m so proud of you.**Three words. That’s all it took to make his chest tighten. He stared at the message, reading it twice, then locked his phone and slipped it into his pocket. His hand brushed against the acceptance email he’d printed out yesterday, folded and tucked away like a talisman.Congratulations, you’ve been selected to join the staff at
Chapter 2: Suite 12
Chapter Two: Suite 12 The bus pulled to a stop just as the last light bled from the sky.Dylan stepped onto the gravel dock, his shoes crunching softly beneath him. Around him, the other staff filtered out, stretching their legs and checking their phones. Then, one by one, they went quiet.Coral Bay Island sprawled before them like something out of a dream.The beach curved in a perfect crescent, the sand so white it seemed to glow under the rising moon. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, their shadows dancing across the shore. The air smelled like salt and something sweeter—hibiscus, maybe—carried on the wind. In the distance, waves whispered against the rocks.And at the center of it all stood the resort.Dylan had seen wealth before. He'd carried groceries into penthouses and delivered packages to gated estates. But this was different. The building rose from the island like a fortress of glass and steel, every surface catching the moonlight. Balconies spilled with greenery. Warm lig
Chapter 3: Lana!
Chapter Three: Lana! "Grace."Dylan's voice came out strangled, barely above a whisper. His chest felt like it was caving in, each breath sharp and painful. He stared at her, willing the face to change, to become someone else's. Anyone else's.But it didn't.It was her. Grace Bennet. His girlfriend.The old man's face twisted into something ugly. "What did you just say?" he demanded.Dylan didn't hear him. His eyes were locked on Grace—on the way she clutched the duvet to her chest, on the smudged makeup around her eyes, on the way she wouldn't meet his gaze.His gaze flicked between the old man and her, as if the answer might lie in the space between them."Grace," he said again, louder this time. "What are you doing here?"The man stood, his pale chest rising and falling with indignation. "Answer me, boy. Who the hell do you think you are, barging in here and—"Something snapped.Dylan lunged.He didn't think. Didn't plan it. His body moved on instinct, rage flooding every muscle.
Chapter 4: [System Activated]
Chapter Four: [System Activated]Dylan kept walking.The trail wound upward through the trees, dirt crunching beneath his shoes. Every step hurts. His ribs ached with each breath. His left eye was swollen shut, the skin around it tight and hot. Blood had dried on his split lip, and a cut across his cheek stung every time the wind touched it.He didn’t care.The pain in his body was nothing compared to the hollow ache in his chest."I’ll never leave you, Dylan. Not in this life, not ever."Grace’s voice echoed in his head, soft and sweet — a memory from just days ago, when he’d believed her. When he’d thought she meant it.Then came the other voice. The real one."He’s a nobody. A waiter. Why would I lower myself to speak to someone like that?"Dylan’s throat tightened. He tilted his head back, staring at the moon. It hung there, cold and distant, casting silver light over the island like it was mocking him.Maybe everyone was right. Maybe women didn’t stay when you had nothing. Maybe
Chapter 5: Rebirth
Chapter Five: RebirthMoonlight filtered through the curtains, spilling silver shadows across Grace’s room. She lay curled on her bed, restless, her phone glowing in her hand, the screen filled with unanswered calls. Her teeth nibbled at her fingertip — a nervous habit she could never quite shake. Each rejection made her bite harder. Her thumb hovered over Dylan’s name, and for the tenth time that night, she pressed Call.The line rang. Then—Call rejected.Again.Rejected.Her heart squeezed. Dylan never ignored her calls. Not like this. Maybe… maybe he was busy, she reasoned. But no matter how much she tried to convince herself, unease coiled tighter in her chest. She rubbed her palm against her sternum, as though the motion could chase the ache away.Finally, she typed a short message:Grace: How’s it all going?Read. No reply.Again, she typed:Grace: Are you okay? Please call me back.The message sat there—read, but unanswered. Very unusual.Sleep was impossible. Every passing mi
Chapter 6: The First Step Towards Revenge
Chapter Six: The First Step Towards Revenge"Well, well, if it isn't Dylan."Dylan's blood went cold. He turned slowly.Caleb stood near the entrance, flanked by two of his usual followers. Their smirks spread across their faces like a disease. Caleb's laugh cut through the quiet murmur of the boutique, sharp and mocking."What did I just hear?" Caleb's voice carried across the store. "You? Shopping? Here?"A few customers turned to look. Some smiled. Others whispered behind their hands.Dylan's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.The boutique around them gleamed with wealth. Marble floors caught the light from crystal chandeliers overhead. Gold-trimmed mirrors reflected every angle, multiplying the luxury. Mannequins wore suits that cost more than most people made in a year, their blank faces judging everyone who walked past.Caleb sauntered forward, his grin widening. "Look who crawled out of the gutter." His followers snickered on cue. "Dylan Chase. Shouldn't you be running errands
Chapter 7: Cracks in the Empire
Chapter Seven: Cracks in the EmpireDylan stepped out of Regal Threads into the afternoon sun, shopping bags in hand. Behind him, the whispers continued—some in awe, others in disbelief—but all carrying the same message:Caleb Steele had been humiliated.And Dylan Chase was no longer the poor boy everyone thought he was.He walked a few steps from the entrance and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up with a notification.Ding!**[Congratulations, Mr. Chase. First public humiliation complete.]****[Reward: +5000 system points. Hidden reputation boost unlocked.]**Dylan’s lips curved into a faint smile. So this is what victory feels like.But even as satisfaction settled in his chest, he knew better than to celebrate too soon. Men like Caleb didn’t take losses quietly.This was just the beginning.He pocketed his phone and kept walking.Behind him, Caleb stormed out of the boutique, his face flushed red, his jaw locked tight. His friends trailed after him in awkward silence, their ea
Chapter 8: Whispers and Wounds
Chapter Eight: Whispers and WoundsThe cafeteria hummed with life. Trays clattered. Voices overlapped. The smell of fried chicken and fresh bread filled the air.Grace sat alone at a corner table, staring at her untouched plate of mac and cheese with fried chicken. Her phone lay face-up beside it, the screen dark and silent.She’d called Dylan six times that morning. Six times, straight to voicemail.He’d never ignored her like this before.The scrape of a tray across the table made her look up. Amanda slid into the seat across from her, balancing a plate piled high with spaghetti, garlic bread, and chocolate cake.“Grace.” Amanda’s voice was soft, concerned. “You look terrible. Are you okay?”Grace shook her head. “He still hasn’t answered.”“Dylan?”“Yeah.” Grace’s fingers curled around her phone. “I’ve called him all morning. Nothing. Not even a text.”Amanda opened her mouth to say something, then froze. Her brows shot up as she pulled her own phone from her pocket. “Wait. Oh my G
Chapter 9: When the Poor Pay in Millions
Chapter Nine: When the Poor Pay in MillionsDylan stood in front of the creaking wooden door of his studio apartment. The building reeked of damp walls and stale smoke—the kind of place where broken dreams clung to the cracked paint and refused to die.He pushed the door open. The hinges whined in protest, the sound echoing down the narrow hallway like a sigh.For a moment, he just stood there, taking it in. The tiny room. The water-stained ceiling. The single window that barely let in light. The old fan still hanging from the ceiling, swaying slightly as if exhausted from years of use.His lips curved into a grin. *Finally, I’m done with this place.*But the grin faded almost instantly.Something was wrong.The boxes against the wall were stacked neatly. His clothes hung in a perfect line on the rickety hanger. Even the bed—small and thin as it was—was made tight, the corners tucked like a hotel room.Dylan hadn’t done any of that. He’d left in a rush for the island job, barely remem
Chapter 10: The Tenant Turns Master
Chapter Ten: The Tenant Turns Master "Will you help me with that, sir?" Dylan asked smoothly. "Finding a new place?" The landlord stood frozen, clutching his phone like it might vanish if he let go. His eyes darted between Dylan and the bank alert on his screen. One hundred and twenty thousand dollars. From the boy who couldn’t pay twelve. Dylan waited, watching the old man’s face cycle through shock, confusion, and finally—greed. The landlord’s mouth twitched, then broke into a wide grin. “Dylan Chase!” He practically sang the name. “I always knew you had it in you. Just hiding your light, that’s all.” He gestured toward the door. “Come, come. We’ll find you a place before the day ends.” Dylan nodded. “Give me a minute to change.” “I’ll call an agent right now.” The landlord was already pulling out his phone again. “We’ll meet him at the corner.” He hurried out, his voice echoing down the hall as he made the call. Dylan shook his head, amusement flickering across his face. A