"Don't touch her! Julian, I said don't touch her!"Arthur's voice was hoarse, cracking amidst the roar of rain hitting the freezing Glencoe asphalt. He tried to drag his body, but from the waist down, he felt like a stiff block of wood. Only his fingers clutched at the sharp gravel, leaving a trail of blood on the wet road. His heart shattered watching Julian torture his little sister."Oh, you want me to stop, big brother?" Julian laughed, his voice shrill amidst the sound of the highland wind. He stood over Lily's tiny body, which trembled with fear. "But Daddy said we have to clean up all the trash today. Right, Dad?"Arthur looked up with difficulty. There, in the Rolls-Royce parked just a few meters from him, the back window slowly rolled down. Alistair McAlister's face emerged from the warm darkness of the cabin. His eyes were cold, devoid of any trace of pity."Finish it quickly, Julian," Alistair said flatly. "Your sister is already waiting at the restaurant. We don't want to

The neon lights on the hospital corridor ceiling flashed rapidly above my head, like frozen bolts of lightning. The pungent smell of antiseptic pierced my lungs, replacing the scent of wet earth and blood from Glencoe. The sound of gurney wheels creaking on the linoleum floor blended with the panicked shouts of the nurses."Patient one, male, eighteen, spinal trauma and hypothermia!" a paramedic shouted."Patient two, female, ten, massive hemorrhaging, compound fractures in both lower legs! Blood pressure is plummeting!"Arthur could only stare at the ceiling, letting his body go limp as they transferred him onto a hospital bed. Arthur caught a glimpse of Lily’s gurney being pushed in a different direction, toward the operating room. Her small face was covered by a fogged-up oxygen mask."Lily..." Arthur whispered, his voice nearly gone."Calm down, son. We’re going to help her," an old nurse said, looking at Arthur with eyes filled with sickening pity. "You’re safe now. You’re at Gla

The pale morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the hospital curtains, illuminating dust particles dancing in the air. Two days had passed since the incident at Angus McGregor’s apartment and the bloody night an intruder tried to end Arthur’s life. Thanks to the system, his wounds were closing faster than medical logic could explain, yet he still had to play his part. He remained the paralyzed, broken, and helpless Arthur McAlister.Beside his bed, Lily was still fast asleep. Her pale face looked slightly more peaceful after Arthur had secretly administered the last drops of the Vial of Shadow Mending to her lips last night. Although the system stated a higher level was required to fully heal her nerves, at least her breathing was no longer labored.Suddenly, the ward door swung open with a violent jerk. No knock, no manners. The sharp, expensive scent of masculine perfume immediately invaded the room, drowning out the clinical smell of antiseptic."Good morning, dear brother.

"My name is Marcus Thorne," the man repeated, his voice heavy and dripping with arrogance. He placed his black briefcase on the small table, right next to Arthur’s empty IV bottle. "I represent your father, Mr. Alistair McAlister.""Alistair doesn't have a lawyer; he only has guard dogs," Arthur hissed, his eyes never leaving Marcus's every move. "What do you want?"Marcus smiled, the kind of smile that never reached his eyes. "Your sharp tongue hasn't dulled even though you're in a wheelchair, Arthur. I'm here to discuss Lily's future. This medical facility... I find it inadequate for her trauma. Mr. Alistair has prepared a more 'private' place for her in the highlands.""Private? You mean a prison?" Arthur gripped his bedsheets. "Tell that bastard he will never touch Lily again.""This isn't an offer, Arthur. It's a notice," Marcus said, pulling a document from his briefcase. "Sign this, and you will receive a monthly allowance sufficient to live comfortably as... an ordinary citize

This is impossible," Dr. Graham whispered, his eyes wide as he stared at the tablet screen displaying the latest scan results. "Arthur, can you feel it? Can you really move your knee?"Arthur took a deep breath, pretending to be surprised while slowly lifting his right leg a few centimeters off the bed. "A little, Doc. It feels like... a stinging electric current, and then suddenly there's power.""Nerves that should have been dead for years... this is a complete medical anomaly!" Dr. Graham paced the room, ignoring the fact that there had been a bloody message on the corridor wall that morning. "I have to report this to the board of directors. You could be an extraordinary research subject.""No, Doc," Arthur cut him off quickly. He stared at the doctor with an intensity that made him stop in his tracks. "I want to go home. Lily and I are not safe here.""But this progress of yours...""You saw what happened last night, didn't you? Someone broke in here to kill me. The police can't g