“Gloria, Gloria, thank god you finally picked up.”"My mom and I were in a car accident. My mom is trapped inside. You must use the app to unlock the doors right now!"Duane Wordsworth’s voice broke as he fruitlessly pounded the car door with his bleeding fist one more.His car lay overturned on the cold, hard asphalt, with oil and shattered glass strewn everywhere as thick smoke billowed from the wreckage. His mother, trapped inside, could be killed at any second if the car exploded.After call after desperate call, finally, the line connected. Music and laughter spilled from the receiver. “Duane?”Gloria’s voice sounded dreamy and distant. “What was that? Speak clearer."Duane gulped nervously. He quickly fought the urge to babble, forcing himself to calm down before speaking. “Okay, okay, Gloria, you have to listen to me carefully now.”“We’ve had a crash. My mother is trapped inside and the doors won’t open from the inside. I need you to use the app to unlock the doors. Please, y

Duane's hands shook as he stared at the contents of the locket.Inside was a tiny photograph which was faded with age but still clear – his father, his mother, and a younger version of himself, all smiling at the camera. It had been taken years ago, back when his father was still alive. But it was the small folded piece of paper tucked beneath the photo that made his breath catch.He pulled it out carefully, his fingers trembling as he unfolded it.The handwriting was unmistakable; it was his mother's elegant script. My dearest Duane,If you're reading this, it means you've finally discovered the secret of the locket. I've been waiting for this day.Do you remember your sixteenth birthday? You were so fascinated by cryptocurrency, talking about it constantly, convinced it was the future. So I bought some as a gift for you – just a small amount, nothing extravagant. I put it away, hoping that one day, when you opened this locket, you'd find it and be pleasantly surprised.The passwo

“What's going on here?” His voice thundered. Daniel Morrison's sharp eyes swept across the scene, taking in every detail. His gaze moved from the supervisor's bleeding lip to Duane's clenched fists, then down to the Black Gold Card lying on the floor near the wall."I'll ask one more time," Daniel said, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable edge of authority. "What is going on here?"The supervisor's face lit up with relief. He stepped forward quickly, ignoring the blood on his lip, his voice eager and obsequious."Mr. Morrison, thank goodness you're here. This is a very serious situation." He gestured wildly at Duane. "This man's mother has been receiving treatment in our ICU without paying a single cent. One of our doctors," he shot a venomous glance at the doctor still standing nearby, "took it upon himself to authorize continued care despite knowing there was no payment."Daniel's expression remained neutral. "Continue.""When I came to rectify the situation and move the

Duane's eyes locked onto Maya, his baby sister, he girl he'd protected her entire life. Now she stood there in that degrading dress, feet bleeding, her face streaked with tears and her body shaking with exhaustion from hours of dancing like a trained animal.He looked at the blood on the white carpet. Her raw, destroyed feet. His chest felt like it was being crushed. His vision blurred.This was his fault. He should have protected her.His entire body trembled with rage and anguish."How dare you," he said, turning to Gloria, his voice low and shaking. "How dare you sell my sister like she's some kind of object?”Gloria's smile didn't waver. She set down her champagne glass and looked at him with cold amusement. "Sell her? I didn't sell anyone, Duane. I simply provided an opportunity. Your sister came here willingly. I never forced her to do anything.""Liar.""Am I?" Gloria tilted her head. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"Duane turned to Maya, his heart breaking at the sight of h

Duane looked at Richard Brown, who sat trembling on the sofa, then at Gloria's family staring at him with wide eyes."I made a phone call," he said simply. "To someone I know."Gloria's face flushed red with fury. She stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists at her sides."Stop talking nonsense!" Her voice was sharp and loud. "Stop playing games and tell us how you actually did this! Who did you call? What did you say? How did you get Mr. Brown fired in three minutes?"Duane looked at her calmly. "Rather than worrying about how I did it, you'd be better off tending to your own affairs."He gestured toward Richard Brown.Richard had pulled out his phone with shaking hands and was frantically dialing numbers. When someone answered, his voice came out desperate and pleading."Please, you have to listen to me. This is a mistake. A terrible mistake." He stood up from the sofa, pacing toward the door. "I've been with the bank for fifteen years. Fifteen years! You can't just... please