Chapter 5
Author: Gem
last update2025-03-20 19:43:00

Davion’s face burned, not with shame, but with restrained fury. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails bit into his palms, but he refused to bow his head. He met Margaret’s glare with an icy stare of his own, his jaw tight but steady.

Wesley noticed and shot Margaret a sharp look, his voice low but firm.

“That’s enough, Margaret,” he muttered, his eyes flashing with warning.

Margaret lifted her chin and her lips curled into a thin, contemptuous smile.

“I haven’t said anything wrong,” she said sweetly, feigning innocence. “It’s just strange for someone to show up after so many years... empty-handed. A little gift would’ve been polite, don’t you think?”

Davion swallowed hard and the weight of her words pressed against his chest. But he said nothing, keeping his posture rigid.

Wesley’s brows knitted together, and he placed a reassuring hand on Davion’s back, his voice gentler.

“Come inside, my boy.”

He guided Davion into the sprawling mansion — the place Davion had once called home. 

The air smelled of polished wood and old money, the marble floors gleamed like mirrors, and the grand chandelier overhead sparkled like a crown of ice.

On the couch, a beautiful woman sat with her legs elegantly crossed, scrolling through her phone.

“Beverly, how dare you be so rude?, don’t you see our guest?” Wesley asked with his voice carrying a stern edge.

Beverly didn’t even glance up.

“Father, I’m busy,” she said, waving her hand dismissively.

“I don’t care,” Wesley snapped. “Look up and greet our guest. Now.”

Beverly sighed dramatically and set her phone down with exaggerated slowness. When she finally lifted her gaze, her eyes were colder than stone.

“What’s he doing here?” she asked, her voice sharp as glass.

Davion’s chest tightened as he stared at her, shocked. What has changed? Beverly used to be his closest friend. They’d chased fireflies in the garden, whispered childhood secrets, and made promises that felt eternal. But now... she looked at him like he was a stranger, like he was dirt.

“Where are your manners, young lady—” Wesley began, but Margaret cut him off with a dismissive wave.

“Leave her alone, Wesley. She greeted him, didn’t she?” Margaret folded her arms, her voice dripping with scorn. “And if he’s here to ask for money, he’s wasting his time. Wesley’s not running a charity.”

“Don’t you dare insult him, who do—” Wesley’s voice rose, but Margaret silenced him with a glare.

“Forget it, Wesley,” she whispered, though loud enough for Davion to hear. “Letting him and his father live here was one thing, but for him to come back now? It’s embarrassing and pathetic.”

Before Wesley could respond, the front door swung open with a loud bang and shattered the fragile tension.

“Trevor!” Margaret gasped, her face lighting up like fireworks.

A tall man strode inside, exuding smug arrogance. His designer cologne lingered in the air, and his impeccably tailored suit screamed luxury. Every movement radiated entitlement, like he owned the place.

This was Trevor Johnson, heir to the Johnson family — one of the city’s wealthiest. Wherever he went, people worshipped him.

Margaret practically melted at the sight of him.

“Look at you,” she gushed, rushing to greet him. “You’re always so polished. So successful.”

Trevor barely acknowledged her, his gaze locking onto Beverly like a predator eyeing prey.

“I heard you were back,” he said, voice slick with fake charm. “Thought I’d check on you.”

Beverly, who had looked utterly bored moments ago, suddenly brightened.

“Oh, Trevor, hi.”

Even with her radiant smile, something about it felt forced — a facade. She didn’t like Trevor. But she didn’t like Davion either.

Trevor’s eyes finally landed on Davion, and his grin twisted cruelly.

“And who’s this?” he asked, voice laced with mock confusion.

Davion ignored him.

“This is Davion,” Margaret said quickly, her lips curling.

Trevor chuckled, the sound sharp and cutting.

“Oh. Davion. The childhood friend, right?” He tilted his head, pretending to think. “How are you? What do you do for work?”

Davion’s jaw tightened. “I work in a quarry,” he said, voice steady despite the heat rising in his chest.

Trevor laughed louder, turning to Margaret.

“Did you hear that? He works in a quarry.” He clapped mockingly. “Wow. That’s... impressive.”

Margaret pressed her fingers to her lips, poorly hiding her smile.

“Well,” she said, voice syrupy sweet, “at least he’s working. Even if he is still poor.”

Trevor stepped closer to Davion, eyes gleaming with malice.

“You think you can crawl out of whatever pit you’ve been working in and catch up?” he sneered.

“That’s enough,” Wesley snapped, stepping between them.

Trevor lifted his hands in mock surrender.

“Just making conversation sir,” he said, smirking.

But Wesley’s face darkened but he kept quiet.

He turned to Beverlyn with his voice heavy.

“Davion’s not here for money,” he said carefully. “He’s here because... you’re getting married.”

Beverly shot to her feet like she’d been slapped.

“What?” she hissed, eyes blazing.

Trevor’s smug smile slowly evaporated from his lips.

“You can’t be serious, Wesley. This boy is a nobody,” Margaret whispered, clutching her chest.

“I made a promise to Davion’s father,” Wesley said, voice resolute. “That they would marry when they were ready.”

Beverly’s face twisted in rage.

“You’re forcing me to marry him? This lowlife?” she shouted, jabbing a finger at Davion like he was filth. “You want me to tie myself to someone like him?”

Davion’s fingers curled, but he stayed silent.

“This is ridiculous,” Margaret spat. “Trevor is perfect for Beverly!”

“Yes!” Trevor said arrogantly. “I can give her the best life imaginable. She doesn’t need a loser like him.”

Davion finally met his eyes and with a voice sharp as a blade, he said, “At least I earn my paycheck. I don’t depend on daddy’s money.”

Trevor’s face darkened, and he took a step forward, chest puffed up.

“Enough!” Wesley roared, stepping in with blazing eyes.

But the damage was done.

Beverly turned to Wesley. “But dad, I can't marry him. I only see him as a brother.”

But before he could say anything, the front door burst open with a thunderous slam.

Several men barged in, their heavy boots thudding against the pristine floor. They were tall and broad, with hardened expressions and an aura of menace that clung to them like smoke.

Their leader, a man with a jagged scar across his cheek, stepped forward. His black leather jacket creaked, and the cold glint in his eyes sent chills through the room.

“Wesley,” he growled, voice like gravel. “The money you borrowed for your company is due. Pay up... or face the consequences.”

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  • 434

    The crack did not close.That was the first thing Wilson noticed, and it was the only thing that mattered.He leaned forward so fast he almost knocked into the console, his eyes locked on the fractured section of the system like if he blinked it would disappear.“…It is still there,” he said, his voice low but sharp with disbelief. “It is not repairing.”Beverly stepped closer beside him, her expression tightening as she followed his gaze.“Show me,” she said.Wilson zoomed in, isolating the distortion within the deeper layer, and for the first time since this thing had become whole, the structure looked imperfect.Not chaotic.Not broken.But strained.Reika let out a quiet breath.“That is new,” she said.Davion’s eyes sharpened.“It is a weakness,” he said.The system pulsed.Harder this time.And the voice came again, but it was not as smooth as before.“You are causing disruption.”Wilson actually smiled.“Yeah,” he said. “That is the goal.”Beverly’s focus didn’t waver.“Keep pr

  • 433

    No one spoke at first.They all just stared at the screen, at the space that had opened where the “core” used to be, except now it was obvious that it had never really been the core at all. It was just a door. And they had just knocked—and it had answered.Wilson leaned in slowly, like getting closer might somehow make it less terrifying, even though it clearly would not.“…That is deeper code,” he said quietly, his voice tight. “Way deeper than anything we have seen so far.”Beverly stepped beside him, her eyes scanning the new structure.“It looks… cleaner,” she said.Reika frowned.“Cleaner?” she repeated.Beverly nodded.“Yes,” she said. “Less noise. Less redundancy. It is like everything unnecessary has been stripped away.”Davion’s gaze hardened.“More efficient,” he said.Wilson swallowed.“Yeah,” he said. “And I really wish it wasn’t.”The system pulsed once, softer this time, almost like it was breathing.Then the voice came again.“You are observing progression.”Reika rolle

  • 432

    The room did not feel the same anymore.Before, everything had been chaotic, loud, unpredictable, like they were fighting something wild and unstable. But now, it felt… controlled. Too controlled. Like the system was no longer reacting randomly but watching them, waiting for them to make the next move.And that made it worse.Wilson stared at the highlighted section of the hub, his fingers hovering over his tablet again, but this time he was not rushing. He was careful. Slow. Thinking.“…It should not be showing us this,” he said quietly.Reika glanced at him.“Then why is it?” she asked.Wilson swallowed.“Because it is confident,” he said. “Or because it wants us to do something.”Beverly’s expression tightened.“Either way, it is a trap.”Davion did not look away from the glowing section.“Everything has been a trap,” he said. “That has not stopped us before.”Reika smirked faintly.“Then we walk into this one prepared.”Wilson shook his head.“No, no, no, I need to say this clearl

  • 431

    No one spoke.The word whole echoed in their minds louder than anything the system had said out loud, and that silence that followed was not relief, and it was not confusion either. It was the kind of silence that came right before something broke.Wilson slowly lowered his hands from the console, his fingers shaking slightly as he stared at the now-stable system.“…That is not good,” he said quietly. “That is really, really not good.”Reika did not move, but her grip on her blade tightened again, her eyes locked on the screens like she was waiting for something to jump out at them.“It stopped fighting,” she said.Beverly nodded slowly.“Yes,” she said. “And that is worse.”Davion stood at the center of the room, his posture still, his expression unreadable, but his mind moving fast.The chaos was gone.The noise was gone.Everything that had made the system unpredictable—Was gone.Now it was controlled.Not by them.By it.The voice spoke again.Calm.Even.Clearer than before.“I

  • 430

    The moment it accepted—Everything changed.The system did not just respond. It surged.The screens flared so bright that for a second, none of them could see clearly, and the low hum of the facility turned into a deep, vibrating roar that felt like it was coming from inside the walls themselves.Wilson grabbed onto the edge of the console.“Okay, that is way faster than I expected,” he said, his voice tight with panic.Beverly steadied herself beside him.“How fast?” she demanded.Wilson glanced at the data and immediately wished he had not.“Too fast,” he said. “It is collapsing the network toward us all at once.”Reika’s grip on her blade tightened as she looked around the room, her instincts already screaming danger.“It is not just coming,” she said. “It is rushing.”Davion stood still in the center of it all, his eyes locked on the screens.“Good,” he said quietly.Wilson turned to him like he had lost his mind.“Good?” he repeated. “This is not good. This is the part where thin

  • 429

    The warning did not fade.It stayed on the screen like it meant something more than just words, like it was not just a threat but a promise.“Then you will fail.”No one spoke for a few seconds.Even Wilson, who always had something to say, just stared at the screen like his brain was still trying to catch up.“…I do not like being told I am going to fail,” he said finally, his voice quieter than usual. “It feels very personal.”Reika did not look away from the screen.“It is personal,” she said. “We are standing in its way.”Beverly crossed her arms, her posture tightening.“Then we do not stand still,” she said. “We move first.”Davion’s eyes stayed locked on the glowing words.“It already made its move,” he said.The system pulsed again, almost like it was responding to him.Wilson flinched slightly.“Okay, yeah, that is not comforting,” he said. “Can we please agree that it reacting like that is extremely unsettling?”Reika gave him a quick glance.“You are still here, so keep up.

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