Craige rushed into the hospital, his heart pounding as he carried Yuan in his arms, with his younger sister, Lory, trailing closely behind. Yuan remained unconscious, his body limp and lifeless, while Lory's swollen eyes and tear-streaked face told a story of helplessness and guilt. She kept whispering under her breath, blaming herself for not being able to do anything to prevent what had happened.
I approached her gently and asked about the incident. With a trembling voice, she recounted everything. Yuan had been cleaning the school pool when Jacob and his gang came after him. They were furious because Yuan had forgotten to complete Jacob's assignment. But how could he have remembered? His mind had been consumed by grief over his brother Killan's tragic situation—beaten to death.
Hearing this, I clenched my fists, a storm of anger brewing inside me. I was ready to make them pay, to avenge Yuan without hesitation. But before I could act, Lory seized my arm. Her grip was weak, yet her desperation was stronger than any force I had ever known. She shook her head, her voice breaking as she pleaded with me.
"Please… don't do anything reckless. If you fight them, it will only make things worse for us."
Her words sent a chill through my spine. I knew she was right, but I didn't want to accept it. She explained that Jacob's family was powerful. His father, a high-ranking politician, was the school's primary sponsor. The principal favored Jacob, turning a blind eye to his actions. Worst of all, Lory confided in me that Jacob's father had a dark reputation—if anyone dared to cross his son, they disappeared. Forever.
Craige stood there, frozen in place, his anger clawing at his insides like a caged beast. He was attached to Killan's siblings, having grown close to them after Killan's death. The thought of standing idle while Yuan suffered ignited a rage he could barely contain. Yet, looking at Lory, her tear-filled eyes pleading for him to stay out of it, he felt a rare sense of helplessness. For the first time, he was forced to swallow his pride and restrain himself.
But that didn't mean he would do nothing. If he couldn't exact vengeance in person, he would strike from the shadows.
As the hours passed, midnight cloaked the city in silence. Craige moved like a ghost through the dark streets, his destination clear—Jacob's house. He scaled the walls effortlessly, slipping inside with the stealth of a predator. His eyes scanned the dimly lit room until he found what he needed—a candle laced with a sedative strong enough to put someone into a deep sleep. With precise movements, he lit it and placed it near Jacob's bedside before turning his attention to the main prize.
Jacob's computer and cellphone.
A wicked smirk curled Craige's lips as he sat before the glowing screen. His fingers danced over the keyboard, hacking his way into Jacob's personal files. What he uncovered was beyond even his expectations.
Video after video, each one more horrifying than the last. Footage of Jacob and his gang torturing their victims, laughing as they inflicted pain. One video showed Jacob using pliers to rip out a terrified boy's fingernails. Another displayed their group chat, filled with countless recordings of their cruel acts.
Satisfaction intertwined in Craige's chest as he exhaled sharply.
"This bastard," he muttered under his breath. "You thought you were untouchable."
With a few swift keystrokes, he uploaded everything onto every social media platform he could access. The world would see Jacob's true face. The world would know the monster lurking behind his family's wealth and influence.
As the files finished uploading, Craige stood up, his smirk deepening. He cast one final glance at the sleeping Jacob before whispering:
"You were lucky tonight. If not for Lory, I would have torn you apart myself. But tell me, Jacob—who will save you when your own family falls into the abyss you created?"
With that, Craige vanished into the night, leaving behind nothing but chaos waiting to unfold.
As Lory and Yuan slowly regained consciousness, they were met with an unexpected sight—their brother, Killan, strangely happy. He was humming a tune and smiling at them as if nothing had happened."How about watching the news?" he suggested, reaching for the remote and turning on the television.
The moment the screen lit up, Lory's eyes widened in shock. The news broadcast showed none other than Jacob and his father, swarmed by reporters and flashing cameras that made it almost impossible to see clearly. The headline scrolled across the bottom of the screen, but Lory could barely focus on it as her mind reeled.
"My son is innocent! He is far too young to commit such a crime!" Jacob's father declared with desperation in his voice.
"So, are you saying that the video evidence was fabricated?" one of the reporters asked, pushing a microphone toward him.
Lory turned to Killan, her gaze filled with confusion. But what caught her off guard even more was the sound of his laughter. It was an eerie chuckle, low at first, then growing louder as if he had just heard the most amusing joke in the world.
"What's so funny, brother?" she asked hesitantly.
Killan turned to her with a grin, his eyes gleaming with something unfamiliar.
"I'm laughing because karma came too fast," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I prayed for it last night—for that bastard to get what he deserved. I didn't think it would happen this soon."
Yuan, still groggy from his injuries, watched his brother carefully. Something about him seemed… different. It wasn't just the way he spoke, but the way he carried himself. Could it be because he was hit on the head? Yuan wondered.
Then, a new rumor echoed in his mind—one he had heard from his School. His brother, once considered academically slow, was now being called a genius. But that didn't make sense. The Killan he knew had never excelled in school.
Before Yuan could voice his thoughts, Killan glanced at him and smirked.
"I'm glad you're awake," he said simply.
Yuan nodded slowly, still trying to process everything. Meanwhile, Craige sat near the hospital bed, peeling an apple with effortless precision.
Despite the strangeness of the situation, Yuan found some comfort in the atmosphere. It wasn't awkward or tense like before—it almost felt normal, like the past when everything was simpler.
As Craige passed a slice of apple to Lory, he began to talk, his voice smooth and unhurried. Whatever had changed in him, it was clear that he had no intention of hiding it. And for the first time, Lory and Yuan realized that the brother they once knew might never be the same again.