LOGINOne week after the threatening message from Solenne, he purposely refused to go back to school to see the chairman. Somehow enjoying his serenity with Nyra is the most satisfying moment he had had in years ever since his mom became sick. Morning sunlight spilled through the old cottage windows, turning the floating dust into tiny specks of gold. The place no longer felt abandoned. A sweater Nyra had forgotten hung over the back of a chair, two mugs sat in the sink…. Her study notes were scattered across the dining table, mixed with Kaizen's textbook, the pages filled with her neat handwriting and his careless scribbles.Life had quietly settled into a routine, Every morning, Nyra bullied him into studying.Every afternoon, Kaizen complained that she smiled too much whenever he answered a question wrong.Every evening, they argued over who was making dinner.It was strange even though they felt relaxed knowing fully well that danger still existed, The Chairman still existed, …B
The rain had settled into a gentle rhythm, tapping softly against the cottage roof as though the outside world had finally forgotten they existed.Kaizen stood by the fireplace, one shoulder resting against the stone wall while absent-mindedly stirring the dying embers with a metal poker. The orange flames reflected in his gray eyes, but there was no warmth in them.Nyra sat cross-legged on the rug, hugging a cushion against her chest.For several minutes, neither of them spoke…the silence wasn't awkward anymore.It was... comfortable.Finally, Nyra broke it with a sigh. The silence had become too heavy..they both knew it.Without another word, he disappeared into the small storage room before returning with a dusty cardboard box.Nyra frowned."What's that?""Our only chance of preventing you from interrogating me for the next three hours."He dropped the box onto the coffee table.Inside lay faded playing cards, old Scrabble tiles, dominoes and a worn chessboard.Her eyes lit up.
The cottage was unusually quiet, No alarms…..No noisy students arguing in the hallway….No luxury cars roaring outside the penthouse….Only the gentle rustling of pine trees beyond the windows and the cheerful songs of birds welcoming the morning.For the first time in what felt like forever, Nyra slept without waking every few minutes to the sound of Kaizen sneaking out into another dangerous night.Warm sunlight slipped through the curtains and settled softly across her face.She frowned, burying herself deeper beneath the thick blanket.Then...Her nose twitched.Something smelled......wonderful.Butter,Fresh bread,Eggs,Coffee.Her stomach growled before her brain had fully awakened.She slowly pushed herself upright, immediately regretting it.Every muscle in her body protested.Her legs still ached from running through the underground tunnels.Her shoulders felt heavy.Even breathing reminded her of the recent asthma attack."So this is how he feels after every fight..." she m
After staring at the photograph for nearly ten minutes, Kaizen finally grabbed his phone.His fingers hovered over Auren's contact before pressing call.The cheerful voice answered almost instantly."Big bro!"Kaizen closed his eyes."Auren... listen carefully."The smile disappeared from Auren's voice."What's wrong?""For the next few days...""I need you to go straight from school to the hospital.""Stay with Mom until visiting hours end.""Don't leave her room alone."Auren frowned."Did something happen?""No.""You sound weird."Kaizen forced a laugh."I just worry too much.""You always do.""And Auren...""Yeah?""Tell the head nurse to keep someone outside Mom's room twenty-four hours a day.""What?""If anyone asks questions about our family...""Don't answer."Silence.Even Auren could tell something serious was happening."I understand."Kaizen softened."Oh...""I heard about your scholarship interview."Auren brightened instantly."I got it!""I knew you would.""I'm pro
Blood Isn't Enough, Going through this phase of his life in pain, suffering, bruises….Kaizen doesn't even care anymore, he just wants to make enough money to save his mother. The underground arena had never been this quiet.Kaizen flexed his bruised fingers beneath the tape wrapped around his knuckles. Every muscle in his body protested as he stepped into the preparation room. His ribs still burned from the previous night's fight. He had barely slept before another message summoned him back.Something wasn't right, Usually, fighters volunteered.Tonight...No one asked, his name was simply written on the board.Opponent Assigned.Fight Three.He frowned.Across the room, another fighter looked at him with sympathy."You again?"Kaizen forced a grin."Guess I'm popular."The older man didn't smile."You fought yesterday.""So?""No one fights back-to-back."Before Kaizen could respond, heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway.The arena manager walked in carrying a black duffel bag
The crystal wineglass shattered against the marble floor."I've had enough!"Seraphina Vale paced furiously across her father's study, mascara streaking down her cheeks as anger burned brighter than embarrassment."I won't let that scholarship girl steal Kaizen from me!"“ Such a low life!!”Her father, Victor Vale, barely looked up from the documents spread across his desk."What did she do?""What didn't she do?"Seraphina wiped at her tears with the back of her hand."She follows him everywhere.""They live together.""She tutors him.""She even visited his mother in the hospital which Kaizen has never allowed me to"Her breathing became ragged."Many times…..." Her voice cracked. "I caught her coming out of his room."Vale finally looked up."What?""They've been spending every evening together."His expression remained unreadable.Seraphina mistook his silence for indifference, she definitely has every right to report him to her father because he kinda lured her into dating Kaize
The drive back to the penthouse was unusually quiet.Not awkward, not hostile, Just quiet.The kind of silence that settles after an emotional day….The city lights of Vancouver blurred outside the windows while soft music played from the speakers.Auren had fallen asleep in the backseat few minute
The visit starts beautifully, Sylvara insists everyone stay longer.She complains that hospitals are boring as Auren immediately agrees."See? I've been saying this for weeks.""You've also been eating my snacks for weeks," Sylvara replies."That's different.""How?""Because I'm your favorite chi
In less than fifteen minutes, the guys were ready, I arrived ten minutes later. Auren practically dragged both of us out of the penthouse.By "both of us," I meant me and his permanently irritated older brother."I swear," Kaizen muttered while locking the penthouse door behind him, "you were drop
That night, sleep refused to come, I lay motionless on my bed, staring at the ceiling while moonlight spilled through the glass windows of the penthouse.The room was silent….too silent.Every time I closed my eyes, Auren's voice echoed inside my head,"Mom is dying."The words wouldn't leave me al







