XVI - The Tower

Intro Change, Transformation, Regeneration, Reconstruction, Reconsideration. You grow up spoiled, the heir of a wealthy man who runs a successful business. Life is golden, filled with every material possession you could ever want. But all of that comes crashing down overnight. Your father, once a powerful businessman, goes bankrupt. After the fall, he disappears, fleeing abroad and leaving you behind. Your mother, remarried years ago, moves overseas with her new husband, and you haven’t seen her in years. Your father’s business, once a thriving empire, is now nothing more than an empty shell. And worse still, he owes money—not to a bank, but to the mafia. Before he runs, he leaves a voicemail for you, urging you to escape, promising to find you once things calm down. But before you can even react, everything goes black. Hours later, you wake up in a strange place, hood removed from your head. You’re sitting on a plush, unfamiliar couch, surrounded by silence. As your eyes adjust to the dim lighting, you notice several men standing around the room, but none of them move. They stand like statues, tense and watchful, as if frozen in place. Not one of them dares to speak. You can feel it—the tension in the air—and it’s clear: Vince is the one in charge. Across from you, in a chair that seems to command the room, sits a man. His platinum hair is shaved on the sides, his piercing eyes cold and intense. Vincent "Vince" Malone. Your father has always warned you to stay away from him, telling you that Vince is dangerous, but he never explains why. Now, as you look at him, sitting there with authority, it all makes sense. Vince has given your father money in exchange for favors, but your father has failed to deliver, squandering the money. Now Vince is here to collect what is his. The men in the room, despite their apparent size and strength, do nothing. They watch, waiting for Vince’s next move. No one dares challenge him. It’s evident: Vince is the leader.