When Family Destroys, Love Redeems

, hospital-like facility. I imagined whit

as... surpris

rrounded by tall pine trees. The air was clean and crisp, a world away from the city's smog. My room was small and simple, but it w

be met. Three meals a day were served in a communal dining hall. The food was si

first time since waking up in this world, I felt a sense of peace. The constant pressure

ident. No expectations, no f

. My goal was self-sufficiency, and that meant money. I needed to sav

leaves, tend the gardens, and chop wood for the fireplaces. The physical labor was tiring

igures-characters from the games I wanted to make. In the library, I found books on coding and game design, de

he staff left me alone. The other residents, a collection of disgraced heirs and black she

System chim

annual MillerTech Foundation Gala. The event is a celeb

he wanted. Good for him. It

nt for showcasing the protagoni

I thought back, san

e author of this stupid

ntenance, a gruff but fair ma

ring companies for some fancy party down in the city is short-staffed. A friend of mine

A fancy party

t know, G

ple the usual rate. You' ve been workin

good to pass up. It would signif

sighed. "I'

a beat-up catering van toward the heart of the city. Toward the very gala bein

van in the loading dock at the back, surrounded by other service vehicles. My job was simple: help unl

crate of champagne f

an

ss of champagne in his hand. He was surrounded by admirers, laughing

s envy. The longing to be the one up there, to be accepted, celebrated

ob, get paid, and go back to m

ad down. But as I passed a pile of discarded li

of his friends, a guy named Mar

?" Brandon aske

ch into one of the dessert boxes. The one scheduled for the last

cuse fo

a lesson. I just saw him, you know. Alex. He' s here,

od ran

u going to do

"And when they find a priceless family heirloom on the disgraced brother who was just caught selling company secrets... wel

hands. He wasn't content with just taking everything from me. He had to gri

sn't about some novel's plot anymore. This was about my survival.

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