Chapter One: The Proposition Alex was 24 years old and had just finished his marketing degree from the University of Missouri. Now back at home with his parents and younger brother, Brandon. He was looking for work and not having a successful time at it. Chase was 39 and had been a friend of the family for many years, having first met Alex's father, Dan, after graduating from college himself. Dan Evans was working in a de...

As I sat in the waiting room, fidgeting with my hands, I couldn't help but feel the weight of my deepest secrets pressing down upon me. The fluorescent lights above hummed in an unsettling cadence, while the sterile white walls seemed to close in, trapping the nervous energy simmering within me. I had come here, to this therapist's office, in desperation, hoping to find some semblance of understanding and guidance. The tr...

“And don’t make bad choices.” Chase’s wife yelled out the door as he climbed into the Uber heading for the airport. Chase smiled as he left to meet his friend Marcus at the airport. The Vegas wedding of his friend David and his fiance Jessica was going to be wild. After a night of heavy drinking, carousing and gambling, Marcus slapped the key card against the suite door, laughing as it flashed green. "Told you! Platinum p...

I grew up in a small town in the Northwest. My best friend Aaron and I were basically inseparable from first grade to graduation. He was smart and dorky; I was more the jock type. He went off to college, and I signed up for the Army. We lost contact after his sophomore year and my first deployment. It had been about ten years since I left home, and I hadn’t been back since. It was Christmas time, and my parents were beggi...

Chase had always been a bit of a daredevil. Growing up, he'd pushed every boundary, climbed every tree, and ridden his bike faster than anyone else in the neighborhood. His wild red hair and piercing blue eyes mirrored the reckless spirit that had earned him both admiration and a few bruises along the way. But none of that prepared him for the day his life would change forever. It was a typical summer afternoon when Chase...

Jack’s fingers trembled as he uncapped the vial, the soft click echoing in the sterile silence of Demi’s lab. The serum inside shimmered under the fluorescent lights, a liquid that promised transformation—and power. He couldn’t resist. After all, it was just another way to stay ahead in the cutthroat world of fashion. But he didn’t see her—now him—watching from the shadows, lips curled into a smirk. “Drink up, Jack. Let’s...