Chapter 2

Seeing my firm stance, Dominic’s eyes darted back and forth as he realized hard tactics wouldn't work. Taking a deep breath, he switched to a warm, well-meaning expression, lit a fresh cigarette, and offered it to me.

"Elliot, look, I get that this request is weird. But rich folks nowadays all have their bizarre quirks. Maybe they're into cosplay or whatever."

He lowered his voice, sweetening the deal. "But the money is real. The customer already transferred a grand as a tip. I'll throw in another thousand out of my pocket, plus there's a two-grand balance on delivery. That's four grand total for one trip!

"That's more than you make in days of regular shifts, so what else could you possibly want?"

Four thousand dollars to me, right now, was a massive fortune.

However, I knew all too well that this four grand was blood money to buy my life!

"I'm not—"

Just as I was about to refuse completely, quit on the spot, and walk out, the phone in my pocket vibrated frantically.

The name "Harper" flashed across the screen.

My heart skipped a beat. Harper was my girlfriend, and the person I had fought with everything to protect in my past life.

The moment I answered, Harper's terrified, tear-choked voice came through the speaker. "Elliot... Elliot, where are you? Sob..."

"What's wrong? Don't cry, tell me what happened," my chest tightened instantly.

"Those loan sharks are back... They're right outside the door, smashing it with an axe! They said... they said if we don't hand over that fifty grand tonight, they're going to spray paint the walls and drag me away to settle the debt...

"I'm so scared, the door is about to break... Elliot, when are you coming back?"

Over the line came the violent bang of heavy blows against the door, accompanied by a man's crude shouting.

"Pay your debts! Open the damn door, or I'll end you both!"

The horror of my past life collided with the immediate threat of the present, tightening around my neck like a noose.

In order to help Harper pay off this high-interest loan she had co-signed for her brother, I took on orders like crazy, which ultimately led me to accept that fatal delivery in my previous life.

If I didn't go, Harper might be in grave danger tonight. But if I did, I would step right back into that meticulously planned trap.

Watching the visible struggle on my face, Dominic seized on my hesitation and pressed harder.

"Elliot, a real man steps up when it counts. Isn't your girlfriend desperately in need of cash? This single trip pays four grand. Sure, it won't cover the big debt, but at least you can buy some time to appease those thugs, right?

"If you refuse to go, I'll have to deduct that hundred-thousand-dollar penalty directly from your earnings. You won't see a single cent of your year-end bonus or the last few months of your paycheck!"

It was a blatant threat.

My knuckles turned white as I clutched the phone, my fingernails digging so deep into my palms that the sharp pain kept me tethered to reality.

For the money, and for Harper, it seemed I truly had no choice.

Taking a deep breath, I hung up the phone and gritted my teeth as I picked the black outfit back up.

"Fine. I'll deliver it."

I raised my head, a cold, ruthless glint in my eyes that Dominic couldn't quite comprehend. "Transfer the money to me right now. I need to send it to Harper for the emergency."

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Dominic beamed with satisfaction, instantly pulling out his phone to process the transfer. "Young man, never turn your back on cash."

The moment the money hit my account, I forwarded it straight to Harper without a second thought, telling her to find a safe place to hide first.

Just as I finished changing into the black hoodie, pulling the hood low to cover most of my face, an unknown caller ID popped up on my screen.

When I picked up, a cold, voice-altered voice that sounded like a venomous snake rasped through the speaker. "Why haven't you left yet?"

It was impossible to tell if the voice belonged to a man or a woman, but it radiated a bone-chilling coldness.

I glanced at the wall clock. It was only 10 p.m.

The delivery address was at the Sunshine Resort, located in the suburbs. It was the most high-end yet isolated resort area in the city, and reaching it on my bike would take an hour at most.

That left a one-hour gap in between. If the absolute rule was to deliver at midnight sharp, why was this caller so anxious to rush me out the door right now?

What did they want me to do during that time? Or were they afraid I'd change my mind?

"What's the rush?" I replied coldly. "I'll definitely be there before midnight."

Hanging up the call, I grabbed the heavy delivery bag and stepped out into the vast darkness of the night.