Johnson leaned back and cleared his throat. "Well, my story goes like this..."
Before he could continue, Jerry raised a hand and cut him off with a smirk. "Nah, I can't stay for long. It's technically getting late, and I'll miss my appointment. Why don't I tell my story instead, baby girl?"
Angela tilted her head, amused. "Yh, u can."
"Hey, not fair!" Johnson complained, puffing his cheeks. "I was supposed to speak next!"
Without warning, Rose blasted an attack at Jerry's back.
"OPEN!" Jerry snapped, instantly storing the strike into his shadow space.
Rose stomped forward, cheeks puffed. "Let us speak!!"
Mary only sighed, exasperated, before placing both hands on Johnson and Rose's shoulders. "Well, it wouldn't be nice if we don't let the guest of the house have what she wants, wouldn't it?"
Johnson lowered his head apologetically. "I'm sorry."
Rose faltered, then turned invisible in embarrassment. "I'm... I'm sorry!!! So what is ur story like, Jerry?"
Mary nodded in approval while chewing a slice of pizza. "Good. You all should learn to get along."
Angela scratched her head awkwardly. "Well, Johnson and Jerry do get along well. Rose and Jerry are...?"
Rose suddenly appeared right beside her, eyes wide. "What!!"
Angela smirked mischievously. "You both act more like lovers than friends. I think u both would look perfect together."
The room fell into shocked silence. Everyone's eyes darted between Jerry and Rose before erupting in unison. "What the fuck!!"
"Ewww." Both Jerry and Rose recoiled at the same time
Rose made a face immediately. "I don't even like him. He's too…"
Angela leaned closer with a mischievous grin. "Too what?"
Rose's lips twisted as she fumbled for words. "He's too strong. Too skilled. Too rich. Too handsome. Too dark. Too mysterious…"
Johnson, who was casually sipping his juice, raised a brow. "Sounds to me like you've got a crush on him."
Mary smirked knowingly. "Yeah, I think so too." She and Angela nodded in unison.
Rose's cheeks flushed. "No! I— I don't! All of you should just leave me alone!" Flustered, she vanished in a shimmer of invisibility, storming into the kitchen. Moments later, she reappeared holding a bowl of peanuts.
"Hey! My peanuts—give those back!" Johnson cried, half-laughing, half-serious. He narrowed his eyes. "I can see your aura, Rose. You can't hide from me!" He chased after her.
"Nope, I won't!" Rose retorted, hugging the bowl to her chest.
Jerry, who had been watching them bicker, slammed his hand on the table, clearly annoyed. "You both should stop your damn squabbling and sit your asses down already!"
Johnson flopped back into his chair, sliding in beside Jerry with a grin. "Chill, dude. I've been here the whole time anyway."
Angela, still floating lazily in mid-air, drifted over to Jerry. "Fine, I'll stop." She tilted her head curiously. "So… what's your story?"
Jerry exhaled slowly, picking up a glass of juice. "I don't really have much of a story… but it's a bit complicated."
Mary leaned in. "How so?"
He swirled the liquid in his glass, his tone dropping lower. "My father was a businessman in Smart City. Sharp, clever… a man who built everything with his mind. He loved a woman deeply, his wife. But she was… a hooker. And after too many abortions, Tiana lost her womb. She couldn't bear children anymore."
Rose frowned. "Then why did your father marry her?"
Jerry shot her a look. "Chill, I'm getting there. One day, while returning from a business trip, he was ambushed. Robbed. His documents stolen. And worse, a large sum of money—money that belonged to his boss—was taken. He was shot too, left with a wound that should have killed him."
Angela gasped softly. "That's horrible… did he survive?"
Jerry nodded. "Barely. He would've died, if not for a kind lady who found him. She nursed him back to health, treated him until he was strong enough to make it to a hospital. And when he recovered, he offered her money in gratitude. But she refused. That refusal, that kindness… it broke something inside him. He fell in love with her right then. Despite her past, he decided she was the one."
Rose's eyes softened. "Thank goodness…"
Jerry continued. "They grew close, began dating. But when my father returned to work, it all fell apart. He lost his job—the company needed someone to blame. Those documents he lost… they were crucial. His boss refused to forgive him. Worse, he wanted to punish him."
Mary's face darkened. "The boss sounds evil."
Rose scoffed. "Dude's a dick."
Johnson cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, he deserves a punch in the face."
Jerry gave a humorless chuckle. "That wasn't even the worst of it. The boss placed the entire company's debt on my father. Billions. And it wasn't just private debt—it was government debt."
Angela gasped again. "That's cruel…"
Jerry's voice lowered further, bitterness lacing his tone. "And then came the organ collateral agreement."
Johnson blinked. "What the hell is that?"
Mary's expression hardened. "An illegal contract. If you can't pay your debts, they take your organs and sell them. Sometimes… while you're still alive."
Rose winced. "That's messed up."
"I know, right?" Jerry let out a dry laugh. "My father begged, explained that the money had been stolen by robbers, that he'd nearly died protecting it. But no one listened. He was kicked out of the company and given one month to pay it all back. Ten billion." He paused, taking a long sip of wine. "Don't look so grim. Eat, drink—don't kill the mood."
Mary laughed nervously, snatching the bottle from him. "You're a funny dude, Jerry."
A clone appeared, setting down more snacks. Everyone took a glass.
"So as I was saying," Jerry began again, eyes fixed on his wine.
Johnson narrowed his gaze. "Wait, this isn't alcoholic, right?"
Angela smirked. "Relax, I checked the label."
Rose reached for her glass but the wine inside froze and cracked the cup in her hands.
"OPEN," Jerry commanded casually, storing the shards away with a flick of magic. He waved a hand toward a clone, who immediately handed Rose a new glass.
Rose ducked her head. "Sorry about that…"
Johnson leaned forward. "So… what happened to Raymond—your dad?"
Jerry exhaled deeply. "He fell into despair. Depression. Begging on the streets for food. Tiana gave him everything—her savings, her strength. She rented them an apartment after he was kicked out of his home. She even kept… working, even while dating him. My father didn't stop her. At that point, survival was all that mattered. And he loved her all the more for it."
Mary whispered, "That's tragic."
Jerry's eyes grew distant. "One night, he heard a rumor. About a cave in the Sahara Desert. About a sealed, mysterious creature. With only two weeks left before his debt collectors came for him, he gathered what little he had and fled the country."
Rose leaned closer, intrigued. "Now that's interesting…"
Johnson tilted his head. "Hold up. He went on foot?"
Jerry shook his head. "Through the sea, ended up somewhere in Arabia. From there, he journeyed across the desert. Miles upon miles, under a blazing sun by day and freezing winds by night. With no food, no water. When he finally reached the cave, he broke the seal with his unsealing ability and a little magic he knew."
Everyone leaned in, listening intently.
"The being he released was no ordinary demon," Jerry said darkly. "It was an Archdemon. A high-ranking one that had been sealed away for thousands of years."
Johnson scoffed. "Let me guess—a very evil creature from hell?"
"Technically, yes. But not just evil. Sinister. Manipulative. Cunning beyond belief. And worst of all… he had a name."
Rose frowned. "Aren't demons supposed to?"
"Not all of them," Jerry replied. "If he had a name, it meant he'd been recognized. Named by someone powerful—maybe Lucifer himself, or someone even higher."
Angela tilted her head. "Sorry… I didn't get that."
Jerry smirked faintly. "Makes sense. A Dryad like you wouldn't. Let me explain. This world isn't just humans. There are non-humans, Beta humans, ghosts… but also ogres, goblins, lizardmen, spirits, demi-humans, aliens, dragons, demons, mages, Archdemons, Primordials, Cherubs, Scribes, gods, Angels, Monarchs, Archangels… even the Creator himself. They all exist, whether humans see them or not. And their actions… influence everything."
Rose sipped her wine slowly. "So you really believe God exists?"
Johnson burst out laughing. "Hah! That's ridiculous."
Jerry met her gaze. "Of course He exists. I haven't seen the old man in a long time, but…" He drained his glass. "He's real."
Mary stared at him. "You suddenly sound… ancient. Like you've actually seen Him before."
Jerry chuckled. "Seen God? No. Nobody can. He's too powerful. Beyond human comprehension."
Johnson laughed harder.
Jerry's smile faltered as he lowered his glass. "Tiana—my mother—her womb… it was taken as part of the collateral."
Rose slammed her hand down. "That's stupid! She wasn't even related to him! Couldn't she refuse?"
"She offered." Jerry's voice was heavy. "One of my father's legs was supposed to be taken instead. She couldn't let that happen. He fought against it, but the government carried out the procedure anyway. If he resisted, he and his family would've been imprisoned."
Angela winced. "Damn… your story's worse than mine."
Jerry gave her a bitter smile. "We all have scars. But that wasn't all. My father begged the demon to restore her womb. To help her. He asked that she find someone better than him… and he begged for one last thing."
The room went silent.
"He asked the demon to give her a child. Because no matter what, Tiana had always dreamed of being a mother."
Johnson frowned. "Wait—hold up. You said earlier that she lost her womb because of abortions. But now you're saying it was the government? I'm confused."
Jerry leaned back, expression unreadable. "Both are true. She was a hooker, yes. She had many abortions, and her womb was damaged. But not beyond repair. That's why the government still had use for it. That's why they took it…"
His words trailed off, heavy and bitter, leaving the room in silence.