Chapter 1 HUMILIATION
Kael's POV
The rain hit hard enough to sting my skin and cold water soaked through my hoodie as I sped through the streets of Blackthorn City on my bike, ignoring the ache in my legs and the numbness in my fingers.
Midnight deliveries always paid more and right now, I needed every extra dollar I could get because hospital bills didn’t care if you were exhausted.
I tightened my grip on the handlebars as headlights flashed past me, expensive cars spraying dirty water across the road while rich people sat comfortably inside with heated seats and lives that probably didn’t involve choosing between food and medicine.
“Lucky bastards.”, I muttered under my breath.
My phone buzzed in my pocket again and I took it out to see that my mum was calling. I answered immediately.
“Hey, Mom.”
Her soft coughing filled the line before she spoke.
“Kael, are you still working?”
I forced a smile even though she couldn’t see it.
“Nah. I’m relaxing on a beach somewhere.”
“You shouldn’t joke while riding that dangerous bike.”
“I’m serious. There are beautiful women feeding me grapes right now.”
She laughed weakly and for a second, the sound made my chest loosen.
That laugh used to be stronger and warmer but now it sounded fragile like something slowly breaking apart.
“Did you eat?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah.”
It was a lie cause the last thing I ate was a stale sandwich nearly ten hours ago. Another cough hit her harder this time and I closed my eyes briefly.
“Damn it!”, I cursed within myself.
“Mom, did the nurse come tonight?”
“She did.”
“And?”
There was silence and it told me that the treatment still wasn’t working.
I swallowed hard and forced my voice to remain calm while talking to her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
“Kael…” Her voice softened painfully. “You don’t always have to carry everything alone.”
I laughed quietly.
“Who else is gonna carry it?”
There was another silence before she whispered, “I’m sorry.”
That almost broke me because none of this was her fault that we stayed in a tiny apartment, had debt collectors, had a sickness that was slowly eating her alive and that her son worked three jobs and still couldn’t save her.
“I’ll be home soon,” I said quickly before she could hear the crack in my voice.
I hung up and sped faster through the rain like outrunning reality could somehow change it but I know it wouldn't because nothing ever changed in Blackthorn City unless you were rich enough to buy change.
My phone buzzed again but this time, it was Selena and a small smile touched my lips despite everything.
I answered immediately. “Hey.”
“You’re late again.”
The warmth vanished instantly and I frowned.
“Late for what?”
“You have forgotten? You are late for the dinner.”
“Shit!”
I slowed the bike slightly as I realized that tonight was her birthday dinner and my stomach dropped.
“Selena, wait”
“You forgot.” Her voice sharpened. “Again.”
“I didn’t forget, I just got caught up with work.”
“Work, work, work.” She laughed bitterly. “That’s all you ever say.”
Because if I stopped working, my mother would die but I didn’t say that. Instead, I sighed tiredly and said, “I’m sorry. I’m coming now.”
“There is no need.”
“Why? What happened?”
“I’m already leaving.”
I could sense that she was really pissed off.
“Selena..”
“You know what your problem is, Kael?” she interrupted coldly. “You keep promising things you can’t give.”
Rain hammered harder against me.
“I’m trying.”
“I know you are.” Her voice turned quieter. “But trying isn’t enough anymore.”
The call ended and I stared at the screen for several seconds before lowering the phone slowly.
I started having that feeling again like life was slipping through my fingers no matter how hard I held on.
I exhaled shakily and continued riding, maybe if I got there fast enough, I could still fix this.
Twenty minutes later, I stopped outside Lumière, one of the most expensive restaurants in Blackthorn City and definitely not a place people like me belonged.
Luxury cars lined the entrance while rich men in tailored suits stepped out laughing beside women dripping in diamonds.
I looked down at myself wearing a soaked hoodie, cheap jeans and had a delivery bag. I looked really pathetic.
I parked the bike anyway and walked toward the entrance but the security guard blocked me immediately.
“No deliveries through the front.”
“I’m not delivering food.”
His eyes swept over me with obvious disgust.
“Then what are you doing here?”
“I’m meeting someone.”
He looked unconvinced but before he could speak again, laughter echoed from inside the restaurant.
I turned, saw Selena and my breath caught instantly.
She looked beautiful in a tight red dress, her dark hair falling over one shoulder as she smiled at the man beside her.
I also saw a man I recognized immediately.
He was Ethan Kane, son of the billionaire politician Victor Kane who was powerful, rich and untouchable, exactly everything I wasn’t.
Selena looked up, we locked our gaze and for one second, guilt flashed across her face before it disappeared.
Ethan was the next to notice me and his lips curved into a predatory smile slowly.
“Well,” he drawled loudly enough for nearby people to hear. “Looks like the delivery boy found the place.”
A few people laughed as heat crawled up my neck.
Selena walked toward me quickly. “Kael”
I looked at her. “What is this?”
She hesitated and that told me everything before she even spoke.
“Don’t do this here,” she whispered.
The knot in my chest tightened painfully as Ethan stepped beside her casually, sliding an arm around her waist like it belonged there.
“She was getting tired of waiting for you to become something,” he said smoothly.
I ignored him and stared at Selena.
“Tell me he’s lying.”
She looked away and that hurt more than if she’d slapped me.
“Kael..” she said softly, “I can’t keep struggling like this.”
The words landed like punches.
“I told you things would get better.”
“When?” she snapped suddenly, emotion cracking through her voice. “Next year? Five years from now? After your mother’s hospital debt buries you alive?”
Several people nearby had started watching openly, whispers spread and I felt every stare like knives against my skin.
Selena inhaled shakily and continued, “I’m tired, Kael.”
Ethan smirked beside her as humiliation twisted inside me.
“I loved you,” I said quietly.
Her eyes flickered with guilt again but that didn’t stop her from standing beside another man.
Ethan pulled out his wallet slowly, removed several bills from it and shoved them into my wet hoodie pocket.
“Here,” he said with mock sympathy. “Buy yourself dinner.”
Laughter exploded around us and my vision darkened.
I grabbed his wrist instantly as the atmosphere shifted fast. Ethan’s smile disappeared and security moved closer.
Selena’s eyes widened as she screamed frantically, “Kael, stop.”
For one dangerous second, I imagined punching him just once that was enough to wipe that arrogant smirk off his face but reality hit immediately after.
Men like Ethan didn’t lose and people like me always paid the price.
I released his wrist slowly and the crowd laughed again calling me a coward, pathetic and worthless.
The words echoed inside my skull even though nobody said them aloud.
Ethan adjusted his suit calmly. “Good choice.”
Selena looked at me one last time. There was pity in her eyes and I hated that more than anything.
Then she turned and walked back inside with him and just like that, three years together erased in seconds.
The security guard stepped closer. “You need to leave.”
I stood there silently while rain soaked through my clothes while inside the restaurant, Selena laughed at something Ethan said like I had never mattered at all.
Something cold settled inside my chest as I turned slowly and walked back toward my bike while the whispers followed me.
I started the engine with trembling hands.
Then my phone rang again, it was the hospital calling and fear slammed into me instantly.
I answered immediately. “Hello?”
“Mr. Varez?” a nurse said with panic in her voice.
“You need to come now.”
My blood ran cold.
“What happened?”
There was silence before…..
“Your mother collapsed.”
