The Devil's Fortune

Shadows of Betrayal

The silver RollsRoyce glided to a stop outside the hospital entrance like it owned the whole block.

Marcel stepped out first, Aurora right behind him with her hand lightly on his arm. The automatic doors slid open and heads turned immediately. A nurse at the front desk dropped her clipboard with a clatter.

"Is that... Aurora Vale?" the nurse whispered loudly to her colleague. "The Aurora Vale?"

An older doctor rushing past froze mid-step. "Miss Vale? What brings you here? Do you need medical attention? We'll clear the best room right now."

Aurora smiled calmly and shook her head. "Not for me, doctor. This is Marcel Kane. His sister Lily is a patient here. We need the best care possible and we need it now."

The doctor blinked rapidly, adjusting his glasses. "Of course, of course. But her case requires highly specialized hands. Multiple shattered bones, complex reconstruction. Our team is good but we might need to call in experts from out of state. This could take time to arrange."

Another doctor joined them, voice panicked. "She's unstable and the surgery window is tight. We don't have the equipment or the precision team on site for something this delicate. One wrong move and she could lose mobility permanently."

Marcel's jaw tightened. "She doesn't have time. Do whatever you need."

Aurora raised a hand smoothly. "No need to panic. I brought my own team." She pulled out her phone, spoke quickly into it. "They're here."

Seconds later, three sleek black vans pulled up. Out poured a group of six doctors in sharp suits carrying high tech cases. They moved with military precision, badges flashing elite credentials from top global hospitals. The head surgeon, a tall woman with sharp features, nodded at Aurora.

"Miss Vale. Patient details are already uploaded. We'll take over immediately."

The hospital staff stared in disbelief. One nurse muttered, "Who are these people? They look like they stepped out of a secret government lab."

The lead surgeon approached Marcel. "Mr. Kane, we're ready. Your sister will be in surgery within the hour. Full reconstruction, no complications. We've handled worse."

"Thank you," Marcel said, relief mixing with the heavy ache still in his chest. "Just save her legs. Please."

As the elite team wheeled new equipment toward Lily's room, Aurora pulled Marcel aside into a quiet hallway. "They will handle everything perfectly. You should go change into something stylish while they work. The system provides. You cannot meet the world looking like this anymore."

Marcel glanced down at his rain-soaked, dirty clothes. "Yeah, you're right. I look like I crawled out of the gutter. Which I basically did."

Aurora smiled. "let's go,I know just the right spot"

Across town at an upscale boutique, Olivia Hart flipped through racks of designer dresses with Jake beside her. The place smelled of expensive perfume and new leather.

"Babe, this one would look killer on the red carpet," Jake said, holding up a shimmering gown. "With your new movie, you need to step it up."

Olivia laughed. "You're right. I deserve the best now." She glanced out the large window and froze. "Wait. Is that Aurora Vale's Rolls Royce? The custom silver one? Oh my God, it is. I have to say hi. She's the biggest name in the industry. Networking like this could open doors."

Olivia sputtered gleefully

Jake followed her gaze. "Go for it. I'll wait here."

They stepped outside just as the chauffeur opened the door. First came Aurora, elegant as always. Then Marcel stepped out right after her.

Olivia's mouth fell open. "No. That can't be. Marcel? With Aurora Vale?"

Jake squinted. "Wait, that's your ex? The broke loser? What the hell is he doing getting out of her car like that?"

Olivia watched Aurora move close to Marcel, adjusting his collar with familiar ease, like he was her man. A sharp sting of jealousy hit her hard, followed by pure disgust. "This has to be some mistake. Him? After I left him begging last night?"

Jake put an arm around her waist. "Relax, babe. Maybe he's just her new driver or errand boy. No way Aurora Vale would settle for a guy like that. He probably begged for a job after you dumped him. Look at him. Still looks pathetic."

"You're probably right," Olivia said, forcing a laugh. "He couldn't even keep me. How could he land someone like her? Let's go back inside. I need that new wardrobe to celebrate my success."

They returned to the boutique, but Olivia kept glancing out the window. "I mean, seriously. Me with Jake, a real player in the industry, and now this? Marcel showing up with the queen of Hollywood? It doesn't add up."

Jake picked up a silk shirt and held it against himself. "Forget him. He's old news. You're rising, baby. Focus on us."

Marcel had just changed into a crisp new black shirt and tailored pants the system arranged through a quick stop. He looked in the mirror and barely recognized himself. Stronger. Sharper. But the pain from yesterday still burned.

A notification flashed in his vision.

[SPECIAL MISSION ISSUED]

Target: Olivia Hart.

Objective: Make the woman who abandoned you regret her betrayal. Target is close.

Reward: $100 Billion.

Bonus Reward: Unknown.

Penalty: None.

Marcel clenched his fists tight. Memories flooded back fast. Olivia's cold laugh. "I'm tired of pretending to love a loser." Jake's mocking voice. "Get lost, dude. Go sleep in the gutter." The way she threw his love back in his face while fresh from another man's bed.

"Damn her," he muttered under his breath. "She'll regret every word."

Before he could decide his next move, his phone rang. The hospital director's voice came through, sounding nervous.

"Mr. Kane!"

"Yes?" Marcel answered quickly. "Is Lily okay? The new team is working on her now."

The director cleared his throat. "The specialists found something strange about your sister's injuries. They weren't caused by ordinary beatings. They were done deliberately. As if someone wanted to cripple her forever. Precise breaks designed to cause maximum long term damage."

Marcel froze. "What? Those damn debt collectors. Every single one of them will pay dearly for this."

The director swallowed hard, voice dropping lower. "And that's not all. We found something inside her body. A tracking chip."

Marcel's blood ran cold. "A tracking chip? Inside Lily? Who the hell put that there?"

The line stayed silent for a beat. The director sounded shaken. "We're still analyzing it. This goes beyond random kidnapping. Someone planned this very carefully."

Hundreds of miles away, in a dark room filled with glowing screens, a mysterious man leaned back in his chair. He watched live hospital footage of Lily's surgery on one monitor and Marcel's shocked face on another. A slow smile spread across his face.

"So the Sin Wealth System finally chose a host," he said quietly to himself. "Interesting. Let's see if you survive longer than the last one, Marcel Kane."

The man tapped a button, zooming in on Aurora standing protectively near Marcel. His eyes gleamed with dark amusement. "This should be entertaining."