BLOOD TIES, LOVE LIES (Empire of deception)

Anthony trudged wearily through the front door, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

He had just finished a long day at college, but his responsibilities didn't end there.

He was the sole caregiver for his blind father, and he had to make sure he was taken care of before heading to his part-time job.

"Hey, Dad! I'm home," Anthony called out, dropping his bag on the floor. His father, seated in his favorite armchair, smiled weakly.

"Hey, son! How was your day?" Anthony's eyes met his father's sightless gaze, and he forced a cheerful tone. "It was fine, Dad. Just stressful, you know?"

His father nodded understandingly. "I know, son. But everyone will be in place soon."

Anthony quickly prepared his father's lunch, making sure he had everything he needed before giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, Dad. Got to run to work."

He grabbed his old bicycle and pedaled off to work, the wind blowing through his hair as he tried to clear his mind.

As he turned a corner, he accidentally scratched a sleek black car parked by the curb. The car's alarm blared, and Anthony cursed his luck.

A furious voice shouted from behind, "Hey, you! Yes, you! Come back here!"

Anthony recognized the tone and knew he was in trouble. He turned to face the music, his heart sinking.

A stunning young woman emerged from the car, her long, raven hair cascading down her back like a waterfall.

Her piercing green eyes blazed with anger, and her full lips curled into a scowl. "You clumsy oaf!" she spat, her voice venomous. "You'll pay for this!"

Two burly men in black suits flanked her, their faces expressionless, their eyes cold and hard.

Anthony's instincts screamed warning, but he stood his ground, his pride and defiance getting the better of him. "Sorry, princess,"

Anthony sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I didn't mean to scratch your precious car." The guards moved towards him, their eyes flashing with a sinister intent.

The lady raised a hand, halting them. She stepped closer, her eyes flashing with anger. "You're a rude and careless boy," she spat.

"You'll regret crossing me." Anthony smirked, his temper getting the better of him. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots, princess. You're just a spoiled brat used to getting everything your way."

The girl's face turned red with rage. "How dare you!" she hissed. The guards lunged at him, but Anthony was quick. He dodged their grasp and landed a solid punch on the nearest guard's jaw.

The other guard tackled him, but Anthony used his agility to flip him over and deliver a series of swift kicks.

The girl watched in shock as Anthony took down her guards with ease. Her eyes narrowed, her mind racing with a new assessment of this young man.

The fight was intense but brief, with Anthony emerging victorious. The guards lay on the ground, groaning in pain. The girl stepped forward, her voice icy. "You're a foolish boy. You'll pay for this insolence."

She glared at Anthony one last time before turning on her heel and entering her car. The driver, a stone-faced man with a crisp suit, nodded at her and started the engine.

The car purred to life and drove off, leaving Anthony standing alone on the sidewalk. Up

One of the guards, still nursing his wounds, approached Anthony with a mixture of anger and admiration. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into, kid," he growled, wincing in pain.

"The princess doesn't take kindly to disrespect. You're in for a world of trouble." With that, the guard turned and limped back to their car, followed by his partner.

They drove off, tailing the princess's car into the distance.

Anthony watched them go, a sense of unease settling in his stomach. He knew he had just made a powerful enemy, but he had no idea what lay in store for him.

He took a deep breath and started pedaling his bicycle again, his mind racing with thoughts of the strange girl's anger and the guard's warning.

As he arrived at the restaurant, his boss, Maria, greeted him with a stern expression. "Anthony, you're late again! What's going on with you?"

Anthony sighed, knowing he had to come up with a good excuse. "Sorry, Maria. I had a flat tire on my way here. I'll make up for the lost time, I promise." Maria raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Alright, get to work. And no more excuses, understood?"

Anthony threw himself into his work, determined to put the event behind him. He took orders, served customers, and cleared tables with precision, trying to focus on the task at hand.

As the lunch rush subsided, Maria patted him on the back. "Good job, Anthony. You're back in the groove."

Anthony smiled, feeling a sense of relief. Maybe, just maybe, he could put this day's incident behind him and move on with his life.

But as he continued to work, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He glanced around the restaurant, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Still, the sensation persisted. He felt like he was living on borrowed time, like the other shoe was waiting to drop.

And then, just as he was starting to relax, he saw her. Sitting in the corner, sipping a cup of coffee, her eyes fixed on him like a predator.

Anthony's heart skipped a beat. What was she doing here? And what did she want from him?

Anthony shook his head, wondering if the stress of the day was getting to him. He looked again, and she was gone. He rubbed his eyes, thinking maybe he had just hallucinated the whole thing.

"Hey, Anthony, you okay?" Maria asked, noticing his confusion.

Anthony snapped back to reality. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess."

Maria nodded sympathetically. "Well, you've had a long day. Maybe take a break, huh?"

Anthony nodded, still trying to shake off the feeling of unease. He told himself it was just his imagination playing tricks on him.

But the image of the lady's piercing green eyes lingered in his mind, making him wonder if he was truly seeing things or if something more sinister was at play.

He decided to call his friend Alex to inform him of his worries and concerns.

Anthony quickly dialed Alex's number, hoping his friend would answer. He needed someone to talk to, someone who would understand.

"Hey, man, what's up?" Alex answered on the first ring.

"Alex, I need your help," Anthony said, trying to keep his voice low. "I think I got myself in a whole lot of mess"

Alex's tone turned serious. "Whoa, that's heavy. What happened?"

Anthony hesitated. "I met some girl today we exchanged few words, she looks dangerous ." He proceeded to telling him about his encounter with the strange lady and her guards.

And now I think I saw her at my place of work, then the next minute, she's gone. I think I'm going crazy...,

Alex's voice was calm and reassuring. "You're not going crazy, Anthony. I believe you. We'll figure this out together, okay?"

Anthony felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Thanks, Alex. Just talking to you makes me feel better."

Alex laughed. "Anytime, bro. That's what friends are for."

It took a while before the customer's stopped coming so Maria suggested they locked up and head home.

Anthony packed his stuff and headed home to rest and relax to think about the days events..