Christmas went by quickly, and I used the opportunity to get some much-needed rest rather than hunting for presents. Still, Mom made me get up to take tacky Christmas photos in matching pajamas. And for once, I actually got presents that year. Not some random car part or whatever cheap junk my past parents picked up after blowing all the holiday money on drugs. It was a nice change. And zero mention of Debbie. Then came New Year's. For some reason, we had to go to Damien's house just because we were invited. My dad, of course, was very eager to go, even praising me for getting us all invited. When we arrived, we were greeted by the butler, who took all of our coats. "Hello, Leigh, Eva," Damien's dad greeted smoothly. "Thank you for inviting us," Mom said, her usual polite charm in full effect. "I had no choice at this point." Damien's dad chuckled, his voice smooth but amused. "My boy just likes yours so much, it would feel cruel to take a holiday without him." I went red. "
I woke up on the couch, groggy and disoriented. It took forever to convince my mom and dad not to push me into a relationship after Damien had kissed me so passionately in front of them. Dad's justification? "If you're going to be gay, you should be gay with him." Mom, of course, had agreed wholeheartedly. Somehow, though, I managed to get them to promise to put off that conversation until graduation. [New Mission: Finish Off Your Rival Award: Secret Intel Penalty: Strength Depletion] Fuck my life. I couldn't afford to lose my strength right now, but I also couldn't just kill Ayla, right? ...Was that what the system was suggesting? Kill her? It's the easiest option. Or was it setting me up for failure again, just to scold me later? I should kill her. My phone rang loudly in my hand. "Hello?" I croaked. A sharp, demanding voice answered. "Make some time to talk to me tonight." I frowned, still groggy. "Who the fuck is this?" "You don't recognize my voice?" She sounded
I arrived at the Johnson Hotel in regular clothes—a hoodie and mismatched sweatpants. A strategic choice. If someone filmed tonight, I just wanted to look like a guy who wasn't into labels. It better be fucking worth it. These ugly-ass Crocs on my feet were pushing the limits of my patience. I'll be burning them right after this. The fifth floor was quieter than I expected. The restaurant looked only slightly busy, but something was off. I tried to walk idly past, but three different people made direct eye contact with me in a way that was too deliberate. This must be the place. "I believe there's a reservation under the name of Spears," I said casually. The host behind the podium looked like the type who never belonged in high-class places but somehow forced himself in. He had gold teeth that flashed when he smiled—too wide, too eager, too forced. "Good evening, Mr. Spencer." His voice had an edge to it. "She's waiting for you inside. Please, follow me." As we walked through
{TW: violence} The ripping sound of fabric filled the air as two brutes tore my hoodie straight down the middle. My muscles tensed, and before they could react, I exploded into motion. The guy who had torn my hoodie barely had time to register what was happening before my fist crashed into his face. His head snapped back violently, his body staggering from the sheer force. The moment his grip loosened, I twisted, grabbing the second thug's arm and using his own weight against him. With a sharp pivot, I flipped him over my shoulder. His back hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him with a wheezing gasp. I followed through, slamming my knee into his gut before rolling back onto my feet. My knuckles throbbed from the impact, but my adrenaline had me feeling completely in control. Just as I was about to make another move, the host at the entrance suddenly spoke, his tone mocking yet tense. "What, is there an issue?" The two thugs hesitated, clearly listening to orders th
"Wait!" I ordered before the cops could drag Ayla out completely. She froze, her tear-streaked face turning toward me. I stepped closer, studying the raw desperation clinging to her features. She wasn't playing anymore. There was no more fake composure, no more arrogant smirks. Just a stupid girl who realized too late that she'd lost. "Who gave you the courage to do this, Ayla?" I asked, my tone calm, almost casual. "It can't be your dad, or Hilliard, or even Debbie. Was it Eli Roth?" The second his name left my mouth, her expression snapped from fear to anger. "He's the one who told me the truth about you," she spat. "You're just a leech—" I raised a hand slightly, cutting her off. "I have something to ask you about him." That flicker of defiance wavered, and she shivered. "I don't know much about him," she murmured, the tremor in her voice betraying how deeply Eli had gotten under her skin. I studied her carefully. Ayla was spoiled and stupid—just clever enough to be dangero
"How could you not know your own mother's background? I know mine so well I could tell you everything from her childhood up until now," Damien scolded me, his tone laced with disbelief. "Did she really not tell you she was a McIntyre?" "No, I'm absolutely clueless here," I admitted, feeling a bit ashamed. I'd never had much interest in my mom's side of the family, and now, that ignorance had come back to bite me. Apparently, the family that had disowned her was the McIntyres. Which meant I had killed my cousin... who, to be fair, had killed me first. Still pretty fucked up now that I think about it. "I looked at some of it quickly, and I can tell you right away she's from an influential family. You know McIntyre Corporations? The conglomerate? I'm sure you have, they used to have a stake in HUG." "Seriously? My mom is from that family?" I gasped. McIntyre Corp was a step below the elite, but still a top-selling brand, on par with Empire in certain aspects. "Yeah, they founded
[New Mission: Get A McIntyre On Your Side. Reward: Good Karma Penalty: Arrest] There the system goes with its impossible tasks again! How the hell was I supposed to do that? At least, that was what I was thinking an hour ago when I first received the mission. But because I was impulsive—and possibly an idiot—I ended up taking a car out myself, heading straight for the only person I could think of who hadn't come at me personally yet. My aunt. Women were more sympathetic in these kinds of situations so I should contact her first, right? Somehow I doubt it. I arrived at her office in one piece, which was more than I could say for the car I drove. "A few bumps" wasn't enough to describe the damage I'd done. The side mirror was barely hanging on, and the back bumper... well, technically, it was still attached. Barely. "You! You can't park there!" A guy in uniform shouted at me as I stepped out. "Is my aunt here?" I asked, trying to sound authoritative. "What? Your aunt? Why w
{TW: Self-Harm} The knock at the door was heavy and deliberate, a sound that told me this wasn't just a neighbor stopping by. When I opened it, I found two uniformed officers and a plainclothes detective staring back at me. "Jack Spencer?" the detective asked, his voice sharp. "Yes." "We need you to come down to the station for questioning. It's about the murder of Declan McIntyre," he said, watching me carefully. Behind me, Erwin froze, his grip tightening around his robe. "What the hell's going on?" he asked, his voice shaking. I turned and looked at Erwin firmly. "Stay calm. Lock the doors. No one in or out until you hear from me. Call Damien, Jason, and Jared to help me out," I said firmly. Erwin's face twisted in protest, but I was already being slapped in cuffs and led out of the house. The detective gestured toward his car, and I followed without another word. The ride to the station felt longer than it should have. Sitting in the back seat of the squad car, my pulse dr
I laid there, handcuffed to the hospital bed, with two detectives watching over me as the nurse finished wrapping up my wrist. She was friendly, but I was too anxious to fully engage with her. Three hours had passed since I arrived at the hospital, and just sitting there idle wasn't helping. "If you try some shit like that again, I'll kill you, kid," the lead detective snarled, glaring at me. "Is that a threat? I could sue for that, pig," I shot back, my voice steady but dripping with disdain. "It's a relief there's a hospital nearby with a low amount of patients," he scowled, launching into a rant about how reckless the youth of today were. "Don't you have a life to think about? I swear, you rich kids are so damn selfish." I tuned him out momentarily, my thoughts racing. The most important thing right now was my family's safety. Riley McIntyre was definitely going to go after my dad or my mom first. But as expected, I'd already calculated that possibility. I made a big fuss to ge
{TW: Self-Harm} The knock at the door was heavy and deliberate, a sound that told me this wasn't just a neighbor stopping by. When I opened it, I found two uniformed officers and a plainclothes detective staring back at me. "Jack Spencer?" the detective asked, his voice sharp. "Yes." "We need you to come down to the station for questioning. It's about the murder of Declan McIntyre," he said, watching me carefully. Behind me, Erwin froze, his grip tightening around his robe. "What the hell's going on?" he asked, his voice shaking. I turned and looked at Erwin firmly. "Stay calm. Lock the doors. No one in or out until you hear from me. Call Damien, Jason, and Jared to help me out," I said firmly. Erwin's face twisted in protest, but I was already being slapped in cuffs and led out of the house. The detective gestured toward his car, and I followed without another word. The ride to the station felt longer than it should have. Sitting in the back seat of the squad car, my pulse dr
[New Mission: Get A McIntyre On Your Side. Reward: Good Karma Penalty: Arrest] There the system goes with its impossible tasks again! How the hell was I supposed to do that? At least, that was what I was thinking an hour ago when I first received the mission. But because I was impulsive—and possibly an idiot—I ended up taking a car out myself, heading straight for the only person I could think of who hadn't come at me personally yet. My aunt. Women were more sympathetic in these kinds of situations so I should contact her first, right? Somehow I doubt it. I arrived at her office in one piece, which was more than I could say for the car I drove. "A few bumps" wasn't enough to describe the damage I'd done. The side mirror was barely hanging on, and the back bumper... well, technically, it was still attached. Barely. "You! You can't park there!" A guy in uniform shouted at me as I stepped out. "Is my aunt here?" I asked, trying to sound authoritative. "What? Your aunt? Why w
"How could you not know your own mother's background? I know mine so well I could tell you everything from her childhood up until now," Damien scolded me, his tone laced with disbelief. "Did she really not tell you she was a McIntyre?" "No, I'm absolutely clueless here," I admitted, feeling a bit ashamed. I'd never had much interest in my mom's side of the family, and now, that ignorance had come back to bite me. Apparently, the family that had disowned her was the McIntyres. Which meant I had killed my cousin... who, to be fair, had killed me first. Still pretty fucked up now that I think about it. "I looked at some of it quickly, and I can tell you right away she's from an influential family. You know McIntyre Corporations? The conglomerate? I'm sure you have, they used to have a stake in HUG." "Seriously? My mom is from that family?" I gasped. McIntyre Corp was a step below the elite, but still a top-selling brand, on par with Empire in certain aspects. "Yeah, they founded
"Wait!" I ordered before the cops could drag Ayla out completely. She froze, her tear-streaked face turning toward me. I stepped closer, studying the raw desperation clinging to her features. She wasn't playing anymore. There was no more fake composure, no more arrogant smirks. Just a stupid girl who realized too late that she'd lost. "Who gave you the courage to do this, Ayla?" I asked, my tone calm, almost casual. "It can't be your dad, or Hilliard, or even Debbie. Was it Eli Roth?" The second his name left my mouth, her expression snapped from fear to anger. "He's the one who told me the truth about you," she spat. "You're just a leech—" I raised a hand slightly, cutting her off. "I have something to ask you about him." That flicker of defiance wavered, and she shivered. "I don't know much about him," she murmured, the tremor in her voice betraying how deeply Eli had gotten under her skin. I studied her carefully. Ayla was spoiled and stupid—just clever enough to be dangero
{TW: violence} The ripping sound of fabric filled the air as two brutes tore my hoodie straight down the middle. My muscles tensed, and before they could react, I exploded into motion. The guy who had torn my hoodie barely had time to register what was happening before my fist crashed into his face. His head snapped back violently, his body staggering from the sheer force. The moment his grip loosened, I twisted, grabbing the second thug's arm and using his own weight against him. With a sharp pivot, I flipped him over my shoulder. His back hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him with a wheezing gasp. I followed through, slamming my knee into his gut before rolling back onto my feet. My knuckles throbbed from the impact, but my adrenaline had me feeling completely in control. Just as I was about to make another move, the host at the entrance suddenly spoke, his tone mocking yet tense. "What, is there an issue?" The two thugs hesitated, clearly listening to orders th
I arrived at the Johnson Hotel in regular clothes—a hoodie and mismatched sweatpants. A strategic choice. If someone filmed tonight, I just wanted to look like a guy who wasn't into labels. It better be fucking worth it. These ugly-ass Crocs on my feet were pushing the limits of my patience. I'll be burning them right after this. The fifth floor was quieter than I expected. The restaurant looked only slightly busy, but something was off. I tried to walk idly past, but three different people made direct eye contact with me in a way that was too deliberate. This must be the place. "I believe there's a reservation under the name of Spears," I said casually. The host behind the podium looked like the type who never belonged in high-class places but somehow forced himself in. He had gold teeth that flashed when he smiled—too wide, too eager, too forced. "Good evening, Mr. Spencer." His voice had an edge to it. "She's waiting for you inside. Please, follow me." As we walked through
I woke up on the couch, groggy and disoriented. It took forever to convince my mom and dad not to push me into a relationship after Damien had kissed me so passionately in front of them. Dad's justification? "If you're going to be gay, you should be gay with him." Mom, of course, had agreed wholeheartedly. Somehow, though, I managed to get them to promise to put off that conversation until graduation. [New Mission: Finish Off Your Rival Award: Secret Intel Penalty: Strength Depletion] Fuck my life. I couldn't afford to lose my strength right now, but I also couldn't just kill Ayla, right? ...Was that what the system was suggesting? Kill her? It's the easiest option. Or was it setting me up for failure again, just to scold me later? I should kill her. My phone rang loudly in my hand. "Hello?" I croaked. A sharp, demanding voice answered. "Make some time to talk to me tonight." I frowned, still groggy. "Who the fuck is this?" "You don't recognize my voice?" She sounded
Christmas went by quickly, and I used the opportunity to get some much-needed rest rather than hunting for presents. Still, Mom made me get up to take tacky Christmas photos in matching pajamas. And for once, I actually got presents that year. Not some random car part or whatever cheap junk my past parents picked up after blowing all the holiday money on drugs. It was a nice change. And zero mention of Debbie. Then came New Year's. For some reason, we had to go to Damien's house just because we were invited. My dad, of course, was very eager to go, even praising me for getting us all invited. When we arrived, we were greeted by the butler, who took all of our coats. "Hello, Leigh, Eva," Damien's dad greeted smoothly. "Thank you for inviting us," Mom said, her usual polite charm in full effect. "I had no choice at this point." Damien's dad chuckled, his voice smooth but amused. "My boy just likes yours so much, it would feel cruel to take a holiday without him." I went red. "