Chapter 2

My senses snapped back with a jolt. I looked up and saw Richard opening the delivery boxes full of surveillance equipment.

My mind raced, and reality instantly clicked into place.

The cameras weren't set up yet. And the "Personal Information Security Guarantee" sitting on my desk was still unsigned.

The pen hovered in my hand.

Just as I was about to read the fine print, a hand shot out and blocked my view.

Sandra, the payroll manager, glared at me with impatient annoyance.

"Leo, what's there to analyze? The company isn't going to screw you over. Just sign it already. Richard is waiting on you to mount the cameras."

The workday was officially ending.

In my past life, I was in such a rush to get home and cook dinner that I signed it blindly, only for Richard to trap me into working unpaid overtime to install the surveillance system.

I had stayed up past midnight wiring every corner of the building.

When I finally got back to my apartment complex, I was surprised to see Richard's car parked right outside the main gate.

Before I could even make it to my front door, Lily called, demanding I go buy her artisanal pastries. I walked over a mile in the middle of the night to get them, only for her to say she didn't want them anymore.

Any suspicion I felt was instantly crushed under the weight of her nagging: "I need a new designer bag."

Looking back now, that whole late-night errand had been orchestrated so Richard could screw my wife in my own bed.

Before walking away, Sandra reminded me to upload a copy of my ID.

I cast a cold glance at Richard. He was on the phone, catching my eye with a nod and a smirk dripping with arrogance and mockery.

With a swift stroke of the pen, I scribbled a fake signature across the bottom.

Then, pulling out my phone, I scrolled through my camera roll, found the photo of Lily's ID, and uploaded it to the company portal.

Kindness gets you trampled.

Since this pair of scumbags wanted to drag me into hell, I'd make sure they got a front-row seat to the fire.

I discreetly snapped photos of the paperwork, then took on the task of installing the cameras.

I had dabbled in hardware and tech setups over the years, which was why Richard always treated me like free labor.

But that free labor just handed me the keys to the kingdom.

Once everyone had clocked out and left the building, I pocketed two wireless micro-cameras and tucked them away in discreet, shadowy corners of Richard's private office.

I sped through the rest of the installation.

The moment the job was done, I booked it home.

On the way, I grabbed a bag of hot dumplings.

Sure enough, as soon as I reached my apartment complex, Richard's car was sitting by the entrance.

I took a step toward the lobby, and right on cue, my phone buzzed. It was Lily.

On the other end of the line, she was panting, her voice breathless and uneven.

"Aren't you working late? I want those dumplings from downtown. Go get them right now."

I played along smoothly. "Oh man, that's pretty far out, babe. It's gonna take me a really long time to get back."

I put extra weight on the words really long time.

A sudden gasp slipped through the receiver.

I feigned panic. "Babe, what happened? I'm coming right up!"

The line went dead silent for a second before she snapped, "Nothing! I just bumped my head, okay? Go get the dumplings. Don't you dare come home until you have them."

She hung up abruptly.

I turned around, jogged out of the complex, and dialed a few old buddies from my wilder days.

"Leo, man, what's the emergency?"

I lowered my voice, sounding dead serious.

"I think my wife's been taken hostage. The intruder is inside my apartment right now."

The guys erupted into an immediate chorus of curses, knuckles cracking over the speaker.

"Who the hell has the balls to cross you? Do they not know who you used to be on the streets? They called you the Butcher for a—"

I lit a cigarette.

"Cut the crap. We get in there, and you beat the intruder half to death."

Having run with me for years, my boys knew exactly what kind of situation this really was.

Looking menacing as hell, they followed me as I led them past the building's blind spots and straight to my front door.

Without wasting a breath, I unlocked the deadbolt and pushed the door open.

In the living room, two figures were tangled up on the couch, going at it like animals.

Moans and heavy breathing echoed through the room. My boys exchanged glances, smirking.

I took one long, hard drag off my cigarette butt.

"What are you standing around for? Don't you see Lily's being held hostage?"

"Beat his ass!"