2025-06-30 23:13:29His first thought was to open the envelope right there and then, but after noticing the crowd on the road and not really knowing the contents in the envelope, he decided to wait till he got home.
A loud noise from his stomach reminded him of why he had stepped out from his wife’s birthday party as he made his way to a local restaurant to get something to eat.
Eli stared at the light insect that kept fluttering around him, making it impossible to enjoy his meal, as he wondered when he was finally going to be able to dine in rich restaurants and order food from the comfort of his house when he didn’t feel like stepping anywhere. He shook his head realizing that his thoughts were just wishful thinking, and despite all he had done to climb higher, it felt so impossible for him. He could only be grateful to his wife for staying by him and sticking by his side despite all the ridicule he got from her family members and strangers as well.
Eli finished his food and left the restaurant, before sending a quick text to his wife. “Don’t forget our anniversary dinner, I will be waiting for you at the venue” Then he sent a quick photo and few directions to her, so it would be easy for her to find her way, then he went to the restaurant to book a table. The restaurant wasn’t on the list of really expensive restaurants, but for Eli, it was a lot, considering he had to use half of the money he had saved to get jewelry earlier to book a single table and get one meal, that he was left wondering what he would have done if he had decided to use the money to get the necklace earlier.
“Sir, would you like for your meal to be brought now? – the restaurant will be closing soon.” A slightly lean man said to Eli as he tapped him gently. Eli was so tired that he didn’t realize he had fallen asleep on the table.
The lean man looked at Eli with complex emotions, though he was slightly disgusted by the poor haggard man that lay sprawled across the table, he had paid to be served at the restaurant, so he had to treat him with respect.
“What time will the restaurant close?” Eli asked, stretching his bones as he sat upright.
“30 mins from now.” the waiter responded, annoyed that he had to spend extra time answering his question.
“Isn’t that too early?, – the thing is, I am expecting my wife to be here soon, – today is our anniversary, and I wanted to surprise her with a fancy meal.” Eli responded, his tone hopeful.
“I am happy to hear about your anniversary, but there is really nothing I can do, it’s past eleven and if your wife was really turning up today, she would have done that a long time ago.” The waiter replied, not wanting to believe that the man in front of him would have a wife, who in their right senses will want to marry him, despite looking neater and earning more than this man, it was difficult for him to have a girlfriend because he was a waiter, what more could he say about a man that looked homeless, he was very certain that Eli was lying to him and was hoping to use the excuse the spend the night there.
Eli was beyond shocked to hear the time as he grabbed his phone to see if the waiter was lying to him, and to see if he had gotten any feedback from Elara, but his message had not been opened and true to the waiter’s words, it was 11:30 in the night.
“Can I have the food put in a takeaway so I can carry it along?’ Eli asked, his tone defeated, his face looking like he had aged by a few years.
“That will cost extra Sir.” The waiter responded, his impatience growing.
“How much will that be?” Eli asked, hoping in his mind that the price wouldn’t be too much.
“50$”. The waiter responded, crashing Eli’s hope, he was certain he would not have enough to board a cab on his way home if he paid the extra 50, if the day was a bit brighter, he might have considered walking back, but he was tired and he didn’t have the strength to fight any body that might try to attack him that night if he chose to walk.
“Please can I get a refund instead.” Eli asked, his tone hesitant and a look of disappointment flashed across his face for a brief second. He had hoped that he could at least give the food to his wife even if she hadn’t been able to make it for the date, since he was certain she wouldn’t have eaten much that day.
“That’s against the restaurant policy Sir, but I will do it, considering the fact that you look like you need the money.” The waiter responded, sounding high and mighty as he looked down at Eli in a mocking way, not able to hide his disgust any longer, before walking off.
Eli was used to such treatments but he was shocked by the attitude of the waiter, since it seemed they were in the same class, even if they weren’t, the gap couldn’t be bigger than the tip of his finger. Some minutes later the waiter came with a bundle of cash, removing a 10$ bill before passing the rest to Eli.
“That would be my payment for standing on my feet for an extra minute trying to attend to you.” The waiter replied smugly when he noticed the questioning look Eli threw at him.
Eli sighed, not saying anything, people were always looking for who to bully, and it was always easier to do it when they considered their victim weaker than them, he wanted to ask for the money to be transferred to his account instead of carrying huge wads of cash that night, but he changed his mind, he was certain that this man was looking for a way to get him angry and find an opportunity to attack him, so instead he smiled, nodded politely at the man, before walking to another part of the restaurant to hide the money in his coat, then walked out of the restaurant not sparing the waiter a second glance.
Eli arrived at his house some minutes later, luckily he didn’t encounter any problem on the road. He headed towards the bedroom he shared with his wife Elara wondering if she had gotten home, when he saw her sleeping soundly on their bed, he didn’t know if he was to be angry at her for leaving him in that restaurant without so much as a feedback, but as he continued to stare at his wife’s peaceful face, he realized he couldn’t be angry at her. She must have been too exhausted after the party and didn’t have the strength to check her phone, so she probably didn’t know he had been waiting for her. Eli thought to himself. Besides, it gave him the opportunity to check the content of the envelope without bothering about his wife wanting to know what the letter contained.
Eli hesitated a bit, taking in large gulps of air as he tried to steady his breathing, he couldn’t understand why, but he was nervous as he wondered what the envelope contained. After gathering enough courage, he tore open the envelope, catching the key that rolled out of it in time before it could land on the floor.
Inside the envelope, a tiny paper lay, and on the paper 8 words written in perfect cursive handwriting stared at him.
“You are not who you think you are.” The words spelt, leaving Eli completely shocked and confused.
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Chapter Fifty-Eight
The days that followed blurred into one another. Eli moved from one Aurelius branch to the next — New York, then Dubai, then Boston — shaking hands, listening, promising stability he wasn’t sure he still believed in. Each office carried the same nervous energy: board members whispering about market shifts, mid-level managers trying to sound loyal, and the occasional journalist lingering outside the lobbies, waiting for a quote he’d never give.By the time he returned to his suite at the Aurelius headquarters tower, because he was still haunted by Elara’s ghost anytime he went home, the fatigue had eaten deep into his bones. He loosened his tie, checked his phone, and sank into the couch. The skyline stretched beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. For a few quiet minutes, he allowed himself to breathe.Then came the knock. Two short, one long — deliberate.When he opened the door, the hotel concierge stood there holding a black envelope sealed with a silver insignia.“Delivered for yo
Chapter Fifty- seven
The hotel room was quiet when Eli walked in, a deliberate kind of quiet, one that threatened to swallow him. He dropped his bag on the couch and loosened the collar of his shirt, the faint hum of the air conditioner filling the emptiness. The city lights glimmered through the window — small, distant fires flickering beneath a fading sky.He took one last look at the letter still folded in his hand. The paper had grown warm from being pressed in his pocket, like it had absorbed the heat of his thoughts. He didn’t open it again. He already knew every word by heart.When his phone vibrated, the sound felt intrusive — sharp against the stillness that his brain had gotten used to.He checked the screen. Karim.Eli exhaled quietly and answered. “Talk to me.”Karim’s voice came low but urgent, static crackling faintly behind him. “Eli, I just got an update from the guy I assigned to track Elara. You might want to sit for this.”Eli moved to the desk, leaning against it. “Go on.”“They thi
Chapter Fifty - six
The flight to Japan was long and silent. Eli spent most of it reading his father’s old notes on the tablet, trying to make sense of the fragmented philosophies Leonhart had left behind — pages about consciousness, legacy, and something he kept calling continuity through code.By the time he reached Kyoto, the sun had started to set, casting a golden haze across the city. The coordinates Selene sent led him away from the crowds, up narrow roads that curved into the hills. When he arrived, the address didn’t look like any of the other Aurelius estates he’d seen.A single gate stood before him — smooth black metal, no guards, no cameras, nothing. Just an emblem etched at its center: two thin circles intersecting inside a larger ring.He paused, scanning the area. No movement. No sign of life. Then his watch vibrated — a faint pulse that matched the glow on the gate.Without him doing anything, it opened.Eli frowned slightly, stepping forward. The air around the place felt charged, as if
Chapter Fifty -five
“I have no idea who Elara is, but judging from your tone and the fact that you came looking for me, despite the grudge and hatred you feel towards me, she must be someone important.” Victor chuckled from where he sat, throwing his head back with every bout of laughter that escaped his throat.“What makes you think I will tell you anything even if I knew where she wasThe sound of his laughter echoed across the small, sterile chamber — a perfect square of metal and glass that seemed to hum with quiet energy. The air was clean, the lighting precise — An environment designed to strip emotion from a person. But it only made Victor look more alive.He sat across from Eli, hands cuffed to the sleek metal table, yet still somehow managing to look like the one in control. His dark hair was slicked back, his eyes gleaming with amusement.Eli didn’t flinc
Chapter Fifty -five
“I have no idea who Elara is, but judging from your tone and the fact that you came looking for me, despite the grudge and hatred you feel towards me, she must be someone important.” Victor chuckled from where he sat, throwing his head back with every bout of laughter that escaped his throat.“What makes you think I will tell you anything even if I knew where she was The sound of his laughter echoed across the small, sterile chamber — a perfect square of metal and glass that seemed to hum with quiet energy. The air was clean, the lighting precise — An environment designed to strip emotion from a person. But it only made Victor look more alive.He sat across from Eli, hands cuffed to the sleek metal table, yet still somehow managing to look like the one in control. His dark hair was slicked back, his eyes gleaming with amusement.Eli didn’t flinch. His tone stayed calm. “You’ll tell me because you know what I can do. You know what happens when I stop playing fair.”Victor tilted his
Chapter Fifty - four
“I am sorry we haven’t found her, Eli, we are not relenting in our search, but there’s a high probability that we might not find her alive.” The detective Eli had hired to assist in the search of Elara sat some distance away from where Eli sat.Eli didn’t react at first — didn’t blink, didn’t breathe. It was as if the world around him slowed to a crawl..Then, his fingers tightened, digging into his flesh, He took his time feeling the pain on his palm..“What did you just say?” His voice was low, strained — like speaking had become too difficult for him.The detective shifted uneasily in his seat, his eyes flicking toward the open window as if searching for escape. “Eli, we’ve done everything. The city’s been combed over. Traffic grids, phone records, witnesses — nothing. People don’t just vanish unless—”Eli’s chair scraped harshly against the floor as he stood up. The sound cut through the room. “Don’t finish that sentence.”His tone wasn’t loud, but it carried a sharpness that made
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