2025-10-16 04:00:58BACK TO THE PRESENT: BEFORE THE GALA
As the bus stops at every road andstreet Jones's gaze never shifted. Frustration filled his eyes. He had mixed emotions. He lost his job and has no idea on what to do next with his life without a job. The job was his only surviving option, though the pay is low but it fits the bills and covers his mom's health insurance. The company was going bankrupt, possibly due to financial instability or because they crossed the wrong person. The release of a tape featuring Kai Won, a renowned artist, accusing him of counterfeit painting, all in the name of telling the "truth". The unemployment rate in New York city was higher than the employment rate. Youths are miserable, pushing them to commit crimes which also increases the crime rate of the country. The rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. Jones slammed his head hard against the window in anger. He felt a sharp pain, but it can't be quantified with the pain he's feeling about being a failure. "Why me?", he muttered to himself, throwing his head against the window. Everything has to be a struggle for him. The phone rang, drawing him out of his thoughts, he pulled it out of his pocket. The caller ID showed no name, "Hello, am I speaking with Jones Walterson?", the other end asked. For some crazy reason, Jones wished it was a job opportunity. "Yes, you're",he said, "We need you at the hospital, your mother Sarah Walterson was just admitted." "Shit", he mutters. "Hello, hello!!", the caller said, all Jones could respond to her was pure silence. He ended the call without asking for the hospital name, because he knows there's only one that's a bit affordable in his hometown for people around the neighborhood. "Stop! Stop.. stop the bus", he yelled to the chauffeur drawing attention to himself. He jumped off the bus with his bag and coat to the hospital like a criminal escaping his greatest prison. Breathing heavily, he stumbled to the nurse desk, scaring the young lady. " Hey I'm Jones I got a call that my mom was admitted. Where's she", he asked panting. "Over there sir, the third room by your left". Jones fled immediately. He slowed his pace when he saw his mother lying on the bed with oxygen support. He wiped the tears streaming down his eyes. A hand held him back from going into the room, he turned his gaze from the knob to the doctor standing in front of him. It was Dr.Julian, he's been treating his mother for years, he respects him so much for his help. "Hey man, come with me ", Julian says drawing him out of his mother's view to a corner. "Her heart is failing and she needs the surgery immediately..... before her heart stops", Julian said with concerned looks. "I can't afford it. Is there any medication or treatment you can offer?......l-l...like the last one", he says stuttering, tears streaming down his eyes. "No, there isn't. It's either the surgery or she won't survive", Julian said facing the ground. Jones felt like all hope was lost. "I lost my job today. What am I suppose to do?", Jones said laughing out his pain with tears. He walks out of Julian, to take a seat before meeting his mom. Julian eyes lingered all over Jones with pity. "Doctor Julian, your attention is needed", a nurse on blue uniform said, Julian withdrew his eyes from Jones and followed the nurse. When he got inside room, it scent of lavender, he could only hear the beeping of the machine in the beside his mom. Her short brown chestnut hair was spread on the pillow, her strands of her bangs covering her eyes, her white glowing skin looks paler than in the morning."Hey mom, it's me", Jones whispered. His mom's face lit up with a warm smile mixed with pain she doesn't want me to be aware of, but I know. "Are you okay?, how you feeling?", he asked in hesitation. "I'm fine, how you doing?, don't lie to me". Yeah she knows, I'll definitely lie about how I'm feeling. "I lost my job today, but nothing to worry about, I'll get another", I told her the truth, yet I know getting another job will be difficult. "I know you will, this is just a bump in the road. You get passed it", she said holding tight to my hands, the world would see your light and talent", he giggled along with her. The room echoes with conversations of mother and son bonding.
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CHAPTER 29
‐‐~ Jones ~‐‐Jones forced his shaking hands to grab his phone. The emergency operator picked up immediately, and he gave the location, told them someone was badly hurt, and that they needed to arrive fast.He didn’t stay longer than that.The moment the call ended, he ran through the rain toward Michael’s car. His heart was beating too fast, his thoughts scrambled. He didn’t understand what he saw, or what really happened, or why someone would target Barry of all people.He just knew he needed to get away before he completely fell apart.The tires screeched against the wet road as he sped back toward the event.The closer he got to the exhibition, the more his phone vibrated nonstop in his pocket—but he didn’t check it. He couldn’t. Not yet. His mind was still at the construction site, still seeing Barry drop past the elevator, still seeing the shadowed figure running away.When he finally reached the gallery, he parked carelessly—crooked and half over the line—and rushed toward the
CHAPTER 28
Continuation of chapter one.Kai — Arrival at the GalaThe ride to the Gala was silent, save for the low hum of the engine and the occasional vibration from my iPad. City lights streaked across the window—gold, white, violet—blurring together like an unfinished painting.I scrolled through the final catalog Clara had sent an hour ago: placement charts, lighting corrections, security grids, predicted turnout. My collections glowed on the screen—oil pieces, charcoal sketches, shattered-glass abstracts, fractured portraits. All bound to the theme of the exhibition:Past lives.Reincarnation.Echoes.Memories that didn’t belong to this lifetime.And threaded through nearly every work—subtle, half-hidden, sometimes only suggested in a shadow—was one recurring figure. The same silhouette. The same haunting outline.I still didn’t know who he was. Or why he kept appearing. Or why my hand seemed compelled to paint him, again and again.The thought gnawed at me, but tonight wasn’t for doubt. T
CHAPTER 27
AUTHOR’S NOTE:If you’ve read this far, congratulations — you’re officially one of the mystical art lovers, lol. I hope you’re enjoying this book. I’m truly sorry for the late and delayed update; please accept my sincere apology, guys.AUTHOR’S WARNING:Alright, listen up — things are about to get messy. Like really messy. These last few chapters dive straight into the characters’ past right before the Gala, and trust me, they’re all about to lose their minds in their own special ways.From this point onward, the story shifts. These next chapters will pull you beneath the surface and into the past — to the moments right before the Gala, where everything truly began. The characters you’ve been following will reveal themselves in ways you didn’t expect.Secrets will rot their way to the surface.Identities will crack open.Boundaries will be crossed without hesitation.And the truth behind Kai’s art and Jones’ life will grow darker, sharper, and far more dangerous.These scenes will exp
CHAPTER 26
‐‐~ Kai ~‐‐Dawn turned into night.I had done nothing worth calling a day except drinking.Today was supposed to be productive. Today, I told myself I would forget the dream — the nightmare — and focus. But the hours slipped through my fingers like dust. Every time I tried to start something, my mind dragged me back into that dark place. The place where the nightmare kept replaying, shifting, distorting, whispering things I didn’t want to hear.Frustration clawed at my chest. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. My mind felt like a cage tightening around me.Enough.Inside my studio, the air smelled of charcoal and turpentine — familiar, safe.I sat before the blank sheet, the pen trembling between my fingers.“Focus,” I whispered to myself.Lines began to form. Soft, fluid strokes. A silhouette. Then two. A man… a woman. My hand moved faster, almost automatically, as if something else was guiding me. Something old. Something buried.The male figure appeared first — the same figure
CHAPTER 25
~~~ Kai ~~~The morning sun crawled across the city skyline, slicing through the tall glass windows of my penthouse. The soft chime of the clock broke the silence. I rubbed my temples, my body stiff from another sleepless night. Pale dawn light spilled over the piano keys — the same ones I hadn’t touched since the last note faded hours ago.I dressed in quiet precision — black turtleneck, charcoal coat, leather gloves. Every motion deliberate, an armor against the heaviness in my mind.Outside, Manhattan was already awake. Downstairs, my chauffeur straightened up as soon as I stepped out.“Good morning, sir,” he greeted, grabbing my suitcase.“Morning,” I replied curtly.“Rough night?”“No. Slept well,” I lied, settling into the backseat. “And you?”“Great night,” he grinned, catching my glance in the rearview mirror.The streets glittered with melting snow, taxis blaring through traffic, steam rising from the subway vents. The city moved fast — too fast — while my thoughts dragged be
CHAPTER 24
~~~ Kai Won ~~~“You—you killed him. You murdered your own blood, your own brother… You’re evil!” Martin yelled.I trembled behind the door, covering my mouth as tears ran down my face. I couldn’t believe it—Mario had murdered Richard, our brother.Mario stood behind the table facing the window, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His back was turned to Martin, calm and cold. When he finally turned, he walked closer until they were face-to-face.“You make it sound like I committed the worst crime in the universe,” Mario said, his voice smooth. “Relax. It’s not that big a deal.”My heart sank. There was no guilt in his eyes—only a terrifying calm, as if killing Richard was the most natural thing in the world.“You evil bastard! You have no regret for your atrocity!” Martin’s voice cracked with rage.“Why should I?” Mario smirked. “You’re not as innocent as you claim to be, Martin.”“I’ll make sure you pay for what you did. For your sin. I’ll bring you to justice!”“And how exactly do you p
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