2025-08-05 02:30:46The clock hanged up in the hallway read 02:47PM, meaning it was almost time for Niccolo to head home. He stood outside the large company building, beads of sweat dripping down his face.
His cleaning overall jumpsuit was tied around his waist, leaving just the white t shirt he wore underneath, and even that was soaked with sweat, exposing the hardness of his chest and abs. Niccolo never had the time or money to register at any gym to work out, but the years of physical labor he had endured had given him a body that women wanted and men were envious of. His medium length hair was tucked away under a bandana, to keep it from bothering him while he worked. He raised a hand to his face, fruitlessly trying to protect it from the harsh rays of the afternoon sun. "Boy it's hot today." He had just finished mopping the long hallway and was presently waiting for his boss to leave, so he would clean his office and be done for the day. Niccolo Morandi was one of the janitors at Phoenix Corp, a well known advertising company through out the city of West View, and while most people looked down on him because of it, he never allowed it to weigh him down. "Niccolo!" Someone called out from behind him. "The boss is done and he wants you to clean his office." "Of course, I'll get right on it sir." He headed back into the building and headed straight for the stairs. His boss had made it very clear that he should never use the elevators when people were around so the stairs were the only option for him. Skipping steps along the way, Niccolo managed to get to the office on time, but as usual, his boss complained about him being late. "Why can't you ever get here on time?! Huh? Why the hell do I have to be waiting for you?!" "I'm deeply sorry sir." He bowed his head, silently taking all the insults his boss threw at him. It didn't matter though. For he was too happy to be bothered that day. Niccolo felt like there was nothing anyone could say or do to him to ruin his mood. After his boss finally left, Niccolo's hand went into his pocket and he took out the little ring he had gotten earlier. It took all his life's savings but it was worth it, because he finally managed to get his wife a diamond ring. It was their third year anniversary and he was happy he was finally able to get her something nice. He tucked the ring gently in his pocket and quickly went to work. The joy of getting to see his wife made him work double time and in speed record time, he was done. As he approached his matrimonial home, Niccolo could hear loud music coming from inside and he smiled. His wife must have thrown a party to celebrate their anniversary. As he opened the door, a bright light shone at his face, momentarily blinding him. Before he had the chance to comprehend was going on, a blindfold was put on him from behind. "Kimberly, what's going on?" He asked with a smile. "Today is a very special day, so tell me…what amazing gift did you get for your wife?" A female voice questioned from behind him. Niccolo could immediately recognize that it wasn't his wife who spoke, but her friend, Lyla. Lyla and Kimberly had been the best of friends for a long time, and Niccolo knew she didn't like him. But he guessed his wife had asked her to behave since it was their anniversary party. Deciding to play along with their game, he answered. "I got her a ring." When he said that, he felt a hand reach into his pocket and fished out the ring, placing it on his palm. "Put the ring on your wife." The voice ordered playfully. Niccolo reached forward, and a feminine hand touched his. Smiling softly, he put the ring on her finger. "Happy anniversary Kim." "Awwn okay, now what comes next is the kiss." Lyla said. Right after she said that, Niccolo felt something round and soft pressed on his face and laughter erupted in the living room. Tasting the little that got in his mouth, he realized that it was cake. He removed the blindfold and saw that Layla and two other ladies he wasn't familiar with were laughing at him, but his wife was nowhere to be seen. Lyla took off the ring and threw it at Niccolo, apparently he had worn it on her finger and not his wife. "Your stupid gift is so small and worthless that Kim wouldn't even be bothered to glance at it." She said, a mocking smile on her face. "Look at what you've done Lyla, now his face and clothes are stained with cake. That's mean." One of the ladies said with feign concern for Niccolo. "Oh that's not a problem for him. Don't you know? The loser is a janitor, so he shouldn't have a problem with dirt. In fact, he should be used to it by now." Lyla said, laughing at Niccolo. He didn't understand what was happening, but he knew he didn't like it. Where was Kimberly? Was she aware of the mocking prank her friends pulled on him? Surely not, because he knew she would have never allowed it. "Where is Kim?" He demanded. "In the bedroom." Lyla had a mischievous smile when she answered, and Niccolo wondered why but he went in anyway. "Oh yes, ooh I love that, keep doing that." "Oh fuck yes. Harder!" Niccolo's heart almost dropped to his feet as he heard the voice of a man and woman coming from the bedroom.
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094. New Evidence
The knock at the door came sharp and deliberate, not hesitant, not rushed. Just enough weight to show confidence. Niccolo looked up from the file on his desk, the mayor’s face smirking up at him from a photo stapled to the front page. He closed the folder and straightened his jacket.“Come in.”The door creaked open, revealing a tall, sharp featured man in his late fifties. Dressed in a crisp navy suit with a gold tie pin, he looked like he belonged in a courtroom or on the front page of a campaign donor list. His eyes were cold, calculating. It swept the room before settling on Niccolo.“Mr Morrandi,” the man greeted. “When you asked to meet up, I was very confused... since we have no reason to see each other .”Niccolo stood and offered a hand he had no interest in shaking. “Oh don't be like that, I thought we were already acquainted. Although you're right, we don't have any personal business to discuss.”Casella gave a polite smile, though his eyes didn’t move. “And yet you called
093. New Ally
The following morning, the entire city buzzed with talk of Niccolo’s daring rejection. The footage had replayed on every news channel and flooded social media. “Niccolo Morrandi refuses to sell to the mayor!” “A corporate slap to political power!” “Is this the beginning of a rivalry between the city’s two most powerful men?”Ariana watched it all unfold from the comfort of her family’s living room, her father sitting silently beside her, his face dark with humiliation. She felt an ache in her chest as the clips replayed, Niccolo standing tall, composed, confident, while her father stood there speechless before the cameras. The public thought it was a power move; Ariana saw it as unnecessary cruelty.Even if Niccolo didn’t want to accept the offer, couldn’t he have said it with more grace?Couldn’t he have spared her father the embarrassment of that cold “no” on live television?When the mayor rose from his seat and stormed out of the room, Ariana stayed behind, torn between loyalty to
092. A Sudden Offer
The day came sooner than the mayor would have preferred.Cameras lined the freshly painted gates of the orphanage, their flashes blinking like restless fireflies. Reporters jostled for space, their microphones raised high, eager to capture every word and expression. The event had been publicized all week; The Mayor’s Official Donation Ceremony, and the crowd that gathered was far larger than usual.Niccolo arrived first.He stepped out of his car in a dark navy suit, sharp and understated, his expression unreadable as always. The children ran up to greet him, and the sight almost softened his features. Almost. He greeted each one gently before walking toward the podium that had been set up beside the orphanage’s new wing — the one he had personally funded.Ten minutes later, the mayor’s motorcade arrived.The man stepped out, adjusting his tie nervously though he hid it beneath a broad smile. His entourage followed behind, secretaries, bodyguards, and his PR manager. When he caught si
091. The Quiet Before The Storm
The first week of the month passed in a blur of dull routine. Meetings. Contracts. Endless paperwork. It was as if life itself had taken a pause, holding its breath after the chaos of the previous month. Nothing new happened, no scandals, no whispers, no danger. For everyone else, it was peace. For Niccolo, it was boredom.The city had grown quiet about him too. The media no longer swarmed outside his company’s gates, and the headlines that once carried his name had moved on to fresher stories. But peace never lasted long around Niccolo. He could feel it —the uneasy calm before another inevitable storm.That morning, Lyla returned to work.The corridors of the company buzzed faintly with the usual chatter of employees, but conversations dipped when she passed. She could feel their eyes on her —curious, judgmental, a little mocking. The suspension had left a stain on her reputation, and even though she walked with her head high, she could sense their whispers following like shadows.St
090. Rising Shadows
Gregory’s temper still hadn’t cooled. After leaving Lyla’s apartment in a storm of humiliation, he drove around the city for hours, barely noticing the streets blurring past his windshield. Her cold dismissal replayed in his head like a mocking echo: If it’s that easy, then do it yourself. Gregory prided himself on control. On charm. On being the one who always got what he wanted. But Lyla’s refusal had cut deeper than he expected. Not because he cared for her— he didn’t— but because it meant losing an ally, a tool. She was supposed to be useful. Now, she was acting like she didn’t need him. When he finally returned to his apartment, he tossed his jacket onto the sofa and poured himself a drink. His phone buzzed with notifications— business partners, his new allies, the usual— but none of it satisfied the gnawing inside him. He had been circling Niccolo for weeks, probing for weaknesses, trying to destroy him. Yet Niccolo was still standing. Worse, he was gaining power. Gregory sl
089. Breaking Points
Gregory stood in the hallway outside Lyla’s apartment, fists clenched at his sides, his jaw locked so tightly that a vein bulged along his temple. He had come here expecting answers, maybe even loyalty, but the look in Lyla’s eyes as she leaned against the doorway told him everything before she even spoke.“You’re suspended?” he barked, disbelief dripping from every syllable. “That was your big chance to corner him, and you— what? You embarrassed yourself instead?”Lyla’s lips curved in a bitter smile. She wore her dress like armor, her arms folded across her chest. “Don’t talk as if it’s so easy. If you think you can outsmart Niccolo, then by all means —try it yourself. I’m not your errand girl, Gregory.”Her words cut deeper than he expected. His pride stung. “You’re a failure,” he spat, his voice low but sharp, “and you know it.”Her eyes flashed, cold and dismissive. “Then stop wasting your time here. If there’s anything worth telling you, I’ll call. Until then, don’t come to my a
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