The phone was already in his hand. His mind torn between what decision to make as his thumb hovered over the green call button. This wasn't just a call, it was a decision that would forever change his life. A gamble. A line drawn in the sand between everything he stood for and everything he feared becoming.
He closed his eyes tightly.
He thought back to the times at science camp, of his mother coming home tired , defeated , mentally drained from work but still keeping a smile on her face because she knew her sacrifice was worth it. Of his father, who once told him, "Integrity is the only thing no one can take from you, boy, unless you give it away."
He thought about his wife, the woman who chose him, who stood by him when he had nothing to offer. Who never looked down on him like others did, never shamed him for having nothing more than a dream. She lifted him when he fell, filled the tank of his car when he couldn't, fed him when he didn't have a penny to his name. and stayed up with him late into the night during deadlines. She still believed in him, even when he'd stopped believing in himself. Her belief had always been enough for them both.
He looked around at the lab. At the prototype. The enhanced dragonfly. And all the inventions he created, each one holding a piece of his soul. Proof that there were no limits to creativity when science was involved, that limit's only existed in the mind.
His thumb hovered again, back and forth over the call button, before finally pressing it.
The screen lit up. The call connected. It rang once. Twice. And just as Robert's thumb drifted toward the disconnect button…
"Robert, my old friend!" Derrick's voice rang out, smug and full of satisfaction. He reveled in moments like this. "Gotta say, you held out a lot longer than I expected. Most come crawling way sooner. But you? You were different."
Robert clenched his jaw and curled his hand into a fist. It took everything not to slam it against the table. Derrick's smugness crawled right under his skin.
"Listen, Derrick. Enough with the games. Is the offer still on the table or not?"
"Relax, relax, Robert. Of course it is. My boss and I wouldn't pass up a golden opportunity like this."
"Well, I need the money by the end of the week, or we can kiss this entire venture goodbye. I need to pay staff and clear the lab's debts."
"You'll get your first installment tonight," Derrick said. "It'll cover the staff, keep the sharks off your back, and keep the lab's lights on."
Robert hesitated. "Tonight, then."
"Tonight," Derrick repeated, delighted. "Welcome to the family."
Robert hung up, tossing his phone aside before exhaling a long breath. He had secured the money, secured the lab's future, but at what cost?
His mother, his father, his wife, they wouldn't have wanted this. They poured love, trust, and belief into him because he was hardworking, committed, and honourable. But some choices stain the soul, and nothing in this world is worth selling your soul for.
Not even your dreams.
Later that night…
"Boss?" A scientist stood in the doorway. "There's someone out in the car park. He's been there a while. Should I call the cops?"
Robert sprang from his chair. "No. No need. I'll handle it."
He stepped into the night. Cold wind bit at his ears. At the far end of the car park, away from all the other vehicles, sat a sleek black sports car, low to the ground, custom plates glinting under the lights.
Robert walked slowly toward it, every step feeling heavier than the last. Like his boots were filled with cement.
The window rolled down as he approached.
Derrick.
Sitting behind the wheel, grinning from ear to ear like a kid in a candy store.
No words. No greetings.
Derrick reached over to the passenger seat, grabbed a black duffle bag, and passed it through the open window.
Robert took the bag. Its weight pulled his arm down, heavy and undeniable. He didn't have to open it or count it, he could feel the stacks inside.
His dream would live on… for now.
As he turned to leave, Derrick's voice followed him.
"I'm a man of my word, Robert. Make sure you're one of yours, or there'll be consequences."
Robert paused. He didn't know what to say. He just nodded.
"Well then," Derrick said. "Here's to a beautiful partnership. See you soon, old friend."
Robert didn't answer. He just walked away.
Then came Derrick's voice again, sharp as ice in the night's sky.
"Oh, and Robert?"
Robert stopped but didn't look back.
"Don't worry about this one. It's on me. Call it a signing bonus."
Robert kept walking, faster this time. The weight that had once slowed his steps now pushed him forward.
He disappeared into the dark, the duffle bag in hand, and regret in his chest.
But once you make a deal with the devil…
There's no turning back.