CHAPTER 1: ACCIDENT
The evening sun dipped low behind the skyline, casting long shadows across the quiet suburban street where Arthur Maxine lived. It was the kind of place where nothing extraordinary ever seemed to happen—where days passed in predictable rhythms, and lives unfolded in quiet repetition.
But Arthur's life had never been ordinary.
From a young age, Arthur had been known as a bright and kind-hearted child. Teachers praised his intelligence, neighbors admired his politeness, and friends relied on his steady presence. He had an easy smile, a calm demeanor, and an instinctive urge to help others—even when it cost him something.
"Arthur," his father would often say, placing a firm yet gentle hand on his shoulder, "no matter how difficult life gets, never turn your back on someone in need. We don't help others because it's easy—we do it because it's right."
Those words had been etched deep into Arthur's mind.
His father, Maxine, was not just a parent but a guiding force—a man of discipline, kindness, and quiet strength. As a respected surgeon, Maxine had dedicated his life to saving others. To Arthur, he was nothing short of a hero.
Yet, there was a void in their home that never truly healed.
Arthur's mother had died when he was still very young. Her absence lingered like an unspoken shadow in every corner of their house. Her laughter no longer echoed through the halls, her warmth no longer filled the cold nights.
It was during that time that Arthur's relationship with faith began to fracture.
"Why would God take her?" he had once asked, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
Maxine had paused before answering, his gaze distant. "Sometimes… we don't understand His reasons. But that doesn't mean we stop being grateful for what we still have."
Arthur never fully accepted that answer.
Even so, out of respect—and love—for his father, he followed his words. He helped others, stayed disciplined, and tried to live a life that would make Maxine proud.
But Arthur was not as simple as he appeared.
Behind his composed exterior lay a hidden world—one he never shared with anyone.
Late at night, when the house was silent and the world seemed distant, Arthur would sit in front of his screen, completely absorbed.
Anime. Manga. Fanfiction.
He devoured them all.
Stories of heroes rising from nothing, of broken individuals gaining power, of second chances in fantastical worlds—they fascinated him. Whether it was the journey of a ninja striving for acknowledgment, a wizard fighting destiny, or pirates chasing freedom, Arthur found solace in those fictional universes.
"A second chance…" he once muttered, scrolling through yet another story. "If only life worked like that."
But reality was far less forgiving.
By the time Arthur turned twenty-one, he had already experienced more setbacks than most people did in a lifetime.
Despite his brilliance in Mathematics and Biology, despite his athletic talent and sharp instincts, life seemed determined to push him down at every turn.
His greatest regret stemmed from something he could never control.
Hemophobia.
The mere sight of blood made his body react violently—dizziness, nausea, weakness. It was an irony so cruel it almost felt deliberate.
The son of a renowned surgeon… unable to even look at blood.
"I wanted you to inherit my legacy," Maxine once said quietly, not with disappointment, but with a faint sadness he tried to hide.
Arthur clenched his fists. "I know… I tried. I really did."
And he had.
But no amount of effort could overcome his condition.
In the end, Arthur made a choice—not out of desire, but necessity.
He turned away from medicine.
Instead, he entered the world of commerce, redirecting his analytical mind toward finance. Numbers, patterns, probabilities—these were things he could control. Things that didn't betray him.
Years later, that path led him to Wall Street.
"This is it," Arthur whispered to himself on his first day, staring up at the towering buildings. "My chance to start over."
For a brief moment, hope returned.
But hope, as Arthur would soon learn, was fragile.
"Kid, stick with me and you'll go far."
Those were the words of the senior broker Arthur had been assigned to—a man named Richard Hale. Charismatic, confident, and well-connected, Richard seemed like the perfect mentor.
Arthur trusted him.
That trust became his greatest mistake.
Months passed, and everything appeared normal. Arthur worked tirelessly, learning the intricacies of the market, building relationships, and slowly establishing himself.
Then, one morning, everything collapsed.
"Arthur, we need you to come with us."
The voices were cold. Official.
Authorities.
Confusion quickly turned into dread.
"What's going on?" Arthur asked, his heart pounding.
"You'll understand soon enough."
He didn't.
Not until it was too late.
Richard Hale had vanished.
Along with millions of dollars.
And the only trace left behind…
was Arthur.
"I didn't do this!" Arthur shouted across the interrogation table, his voice raw with desperation.
The investigator remained unmoved. "Your credentials were used. Your access points were involved. You were the last person in contact with him."
"That doesn't mean I'm guilty!"
"It means you're our prime suspect."
The words felt like chains tightening around his throat.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months.
Arthur fought.
He provided evidence, retraced every step, analyzed every transaction. His mind—once his greatest strength—became his weapon for survival.
But the world had already made its judgment.
"Thief."
"Fraud."
"Scammer."
The labels spread faster than truth ever could.
By the time Arthur was finally cleared—after years of investigation—the damage was irreversible.
No company would hire him.
No one trusted him.
Doors closed before he could even knock.
At home, the silence grew heavier with each passing day.
Maxine watched his son struggle, unable to help, unable to fix what had been broken.
One night, he spoke softly.
"You did nothing wrong, Arthur."
Arthur stared at the floor. "Then why does it feel like I lost everything?"
Maxine had no answer.
Days later, he was gone.
A heart attack, they said.
Peaceful.
But to Arthur, it felt like the world had collapsed entirely.
Something inside him snapped.
Grief turned into anger.
Anger into rage.
For the first time in his life, Arthur lost control.
The boy who had once been kind, composed, and rational became someone unrecognizable.
"Stay away from me!" he shouted at anyone who tried to approach him.
His mind spiraled into darkness, unable to bear the weight of everything he had lost.
Eventually, there was only one solution left.
A mental asylum.
"Arthur, can you hear me?"
A calm voice cut through the haze.
Dr. Elena Morris sat across from him, her expression patient yet firm.
"You're not alone," she said gently. "But you need to let us help you."
Days blurred into nights. Sessions turned into routines.
At first, Arthur resisted.
But slowly… very slowly… he began to change.
"I don't want to be like this," he admitted one day, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Then don't be," she replied. "You still have a choice."
Two years passed.
Piece by piece, Arthur rebuilt himself.
Not the same as before—but stronger in a different way.
The day he was discharged, the sky was clear.
For the first time in years, Arthur felt… light.
"This is your second chance," Dr. Morris told him. "Don't waste it."
Arthur nodded.
"I won't."
He stepped out into the world once more.
The road home was quiet.
Too quiet.
And then—
A scream.
Arthur's head snapped toward the sound.
A small girl had run onto the street, chasing a ball.
A truck was speeding toward her.
Time slowed.
"No…"
Her mother's voice trembled with terror. "SOMEONE SAVE HER!"
Arthur didn't think.
He moved.
In that moment, there was no past.
No pain.
No fear.
Only instinct.
Only choice.
"Hey!"
The girl turned.
Arthur reached her.
And pushed.
The impact was instant.
Brutal.
Unavoidable.
Pain exploded through his body as the world spun violently. The force hurled him across the road, his vision blurring as he hit the ground.
Distant voices echoed.
Footsteps.
Crying.
But Arthur could barely hear them.
Through fading vision, he saw the girl.
Safe.
Alive.
"…thank… you…"
He wasn't sure if he spoke the words.
Or just thought them.
The little girl looked at him, tears streaming down her face.
Blonde hair.
Blue eyes.
Beautiful.
Alive.
Arthur smiled.
A weak… but genuine smile.
For the first time in his life…
He felt proud.
And then—
Darkness took him.