Twenty years ago, the streets overseas were bone-chillingly cold. Winter in the slums was a season of loss, with people sumbing daily to the biting frost. They draped themselves in flimsy grey coats, scavenging for jackets from the deceased. These weren''t filled with


    cotton but with straw, yet somehow they managed to fend off some of the bitter wind.


    Odie''s mother had smuggled them over, crammed in the bottom of a ship''s hold, clutching him tightly. She dreamt of finding refuge with a wealthy young man she once shared fleeting moments of warmth with. Yet, life overseas was far more tangled than they had ever imagined. Odie could still recall how they never even glimpsed his father before being unceremoniously tossed out of the affluent neighborhood by a security guard.


    In his mind, it was a grand vi, an imposing iron gate standing as a barrier between them and a world they weren''t meant to enter. They wouldn''t even spare them a dime.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Undeterred, his mother shouted at the elegantly dresseddy of the house, "Your husband and I have a child! I''m carrying the Roy family''s heir!" She had imagined her words would spark shame or jealousy, but thedy''s face remained unmoved, not even sparing a nce at Odie''s mother.


    In that moment, Odie began to faintly understand. His mother had been living in a grand illusion. As he grew older, his understanding deepened. In the world of the wealthy, everything has a price. Rich men''s wives don''t lose their minds over affairs; they''re more clear- headed and rational than anyone else. Marriage is just a transaction, a mutual support system between two families.


    Often, they live separate lives, turning a blind eye to each other''s actions. As long as the other woman doesn''t threaten the main wife''s position, what harm is there if her husband seeks amusement elsewhere?


    And love? It''s just a chemical


    reaction-dopamine sparked


    between a man and a woman-that


    fades over time. Love is the most elusive thing. The wealthy don''t cling to intangible feelings; they''re practical, acutely aware of what they truly desire.


    The winter Odie''s mother froze to death, he wiped his tears and stubbornly told himself not to cry. He knew she loved him, but he also resented her-resented her selfishness, her foolishness. Odie silently vowed never to follow in her footsteps. He was determined to make something of himself, to seize every chance to climb thedder.


    One day, he''d live in that wealthy district, be one of them. He was done with hunger, with being bullied, with begging for scraps.


    Finally, the opportunity came. Mr.


    Elwood arrived in the slums, looking for muscle. Everyone saw it as their


    ticket out like prisoners the


    row eyeing their only chance at pardon. They reached out


    desperately, their eyes pleading with MP. Elwood.


    Mr. Elwood, like a deity deciding fates, scanned them with a casual gaze. Colby and Griffin were chosen straight away. Mr. Elwood didn''t even spare Odie a nce. But somehow, he found the strength to rush forward and block Mr. Elwood''s path. The bodyguard''s taser brushed him off like a pesky fly. Yet, Odie got up again, confronting Mr. Elwood. "Boss, whatever they can do, I can do! Whatever they can''t do, I can do too!"