Selene stood at the doorway, watching with wide eyes as John was being stomped on. “Blake… maybe that’s enough.” Blake ignored her. He crouched beside John. “Next time you want to act tough, remember this moment.” John spat blood. “You… stole from me… I need it back.” Blake chuckled. “If you need money, come back when you’re ready to pay real interest. Let's say… one thousand percent.” Then his eyes fell on the strange locket around John's neck. “I'll be taking this.” He said, forcing the locket out from around John's neck. The locket shattered. This pissed Blake off. “Useless,” he said, tossing the shattered Locket away. “No… not my mother's gift.” John said, crawling towards the shattered pieces of the locket. He clenched his teeth in anger. His mother had warned him never to take off the locket because it was his “lucky charm.” He had worn it all his life. To him it symbolized his mother's love. Blake walked away with Selene, who didn’t look back this time.

The glowing sign of MOON PLAZA Hotel could be seen from miles away. The hotel was ten stories tall and designed like a palace.John Valerio paused at the entrance, his eyes wide.“All my life, I’ve only heard about how magnificent this place is. Only students from noble families are granted membership here. Now I finally get to see it for myself.”He took a deep breath as he stepped in.The marble floors were so clean they looked like mirrors. Giant chandeliers hung from the ceiling, filling the room with warm light. The air smelled rich, like perfume and fresh flowers mixed together.Unlike the small roadside spot with plastic chairs and cheap meals that John was used to, this place felt a hundred times different. In a good way.But before he could even step fully inside, the security guard at the door stared at him.The man’s eyes were narrow and cold. His hand moved close to the taser gun on his belt. He watched John closely, ready to throw him out if he made one wrong move.To the

A group of waitresses arrived, each carrying trays filled with different meals. The smell alone was rich and inviting. It made John’s mouth water.They placed each dish carefully on the table in front of him. The plates were arranged neatly, and the food looked fresh and perfectly made.Martha stepped forward. “The food is here, Sir. Allow me to give you a taste.”She leaned over John's shoulder, her breast pressing against it.John swallowed hard as he glanced at her exposed cleavage.Martha picked up a fork, took a small piece from one of the dishes, and gently fed him.“Do you like our service, Sir?” she asked, her voice softer now.John nodded with a smile. “Yes, it’s exactly what I needed.”Martha straightened up. “Good. In that case, I’ll let you enjoy your meal.”She reached into her pocket and handed him a pink card. “Sir, this is my personal contact. If you ever need anything, call me directly.”John took the card and placed it in his pocket. “I will. And please, call me Joh

“Joan!” Vincent said, his voice hard. “What are you doing? I told you not to talk to strangers. You’re new. You don’t know how things work here. Thieves always come around here. You have to be careful.”Joan stopped walking. “He’s not a thief, Mr. Vincent. He’s a guest. I’m just showing him the house.”With that, she moved ahead, showing other aspects of the mansion to John.Anna leaned in and whispered to Vincent. “She’s too ambitious, Vincent. She’s only been here a week and she’s already acting like she runs the place. I think she wants to take your job.”Vincent’s face got dark. He clenched his jaw. “You’re right. I won’t let that happen.” He turned and walked toward the main hall. He stopped in front of a tall glass case. Inside was a blue and white vase with gold lines. It looked very old.Vincent opened the case, took the vase out carefully, and walked back to Anna. He looked around to make sure no one else saw. Then he pushed the vase into Anna’s hands. “Hide this,” he whispe

Jerry’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. Sweat beaded on his wrinkled forehead. The entire Royal Drive Motors showroom had gone dead silent. Every salesman, every customer, every security guard… all eyes were on him.“I… I was just joking,” Jerry stammered, forcing a laugh that died in his throat. “You can’t expect a man to…”“You made a deal.” John’s voice was quiet, but it cut through the showroom like a blade. He took one slow step forward. “In front of witnesses. In front of Martha.”Martha stood beside John, arms crossed, but her eyes were wide. She’d never seen Jerry look this small. The man who used to shout at her, who cheated and called it “her fault,” was now shrinking under John’s gaze.The manager of Royal Drive cleared his throat. He’d just watched sixty million clear on his terminal. His tone shifted instantly. “Mr. Valerio, if this man is harassing you, we can have security escort him…”“No need.” John didn’t look away from Jerry. “He’s going to keep his word. Ar