Daniel Reid could be called "a winner in life." Sure, he was born dirt poor and struggled through childhood, but he didn't let that stop him from spreading his wings and becoming successful.
He graduated from a mediocre college while working part-time jobs to pay for his tuition. After that, he managed to land a decent-paying position in a company by giving his all during the interview. And now, at the age of twenty-eight, he's a top executive at that very company. He owns cars, villas, resorts, land, and a bunch of other things. He's living the life others only dream of—and he's not afraid to flex it. After all, this is his hard-earned wealth. Why shouldn't he show it off, right?
Tomorrow, the 27th of March, will be a special day. One could say it marks the opening of a new chapter in his life. Because tomorrow, he's going to marry the most beautiful woman in the world—Christie.
He had met her two years ago at the New Year's Gala hosted by his company. The moment he first laid eyes on her, Daniel immediately knew she was the one. He didn't hesitate for even a single moment to take the chance and connect with her. Gradually, she fell for him too. And now, they're about to take an oath before God and become husband and wife.
"Such wonderful weather today, sir," Daniel's new driver, Edward, remarked as he drove the car speeding down the asphalt road.
"Indeed," Daniel replied, almost mumbling. "Ten years ago, I wouldn't have even imagined becoming the man I am today."
Edward only smiled as he continued maneuvering the car.
Looking out the window, Daniel reminisced about his childhood before he became a successful man. He thought about the people who had helped him, such as the owner of the restaurant where he'd worked part-time—someone who had always supported him and even raised his pay generously.
"I wonder how he's doing now," Daniel muttered with a hint of nostalgia.
He turned to look at the mirror in the driver's seat and saw Edward's face, seemingly conflicted, as though he had something to say but couldn't let it out.
"What is it, Edward? Don't be afraid to speak your thoughts."
The mirror reflected Edward looking embarrassed after hearing his employer's words. Then he glanced at the mirror too, his expression suddenly serious as he locked eyes with Daniel's reflection.
"I wonder if I can become successful like you too, sir," Edward said in a calm, almost cold tone.
"What do you mean?" Daniel asked, but he quickly changed his words. "Ehem, what I'm trying to say is—of course you can be successful. Just don't give up pursuing your dreams and play it smart."
"You're so lucky, sir. You managed to capture the heart of Madam Christie."
"You flatter me," Daniel chuckled. "But yeah, I think I'm pretty lucky…"
Daniel's voice trailed off when he realized something. He looked outside the car and noticed it was slowly speeding up. He darted his gaze at the speedometer to make sure he wasn't imagining things—and yes, the hand was moving steadily past the limit.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Daniel said, panic creeping into his voice.
Edward still stared at the mirror, not bothering to look at the road ahead. Narrowing his eyes at Daniel's reflection, he spoke:
"Did you know, I have this one childhood friend? I first met her when I was five. Back then, I was bullied by mean kids. Then she arrived. A complete stranger, yet she pushed them away and protected me."
Hearing him suddenly tell his life story made Daniel's heart sink, though he didn't let it show on his face. He wasn't worried about Edward's words—he was worried about the blurring road ahead.
"Hey, slow down—"
"Shut the fuck up!" Edward roared.
Daniel immediately shut his mouth, fists clenched, heart pounding like crazy. He didn't dare move recklessly, lest Edward crash them outright.
"Look, if you've got grievances, we can talk it out," Daniel said, lips trembling.
"Talk it out?" Edward sneered. "You never even tried to listen to me, did you?"
"Your life story? Childhood friend? Yes, yes, I'm listening," Daniel replied fearfully, eyes flicking to the speedometer as it continued to climb. "But first, you need to calm down."
"No, no, you don't understand, sir." Edward's voice dripped with venom. "You ruined my future. You stole it from me!"
"What?"
Daniel's eyes widened. He quickly ransacked his memories but couldn't recall ever meeting Edward. Sure, he'd made questionable choices in the past, but nothing that would outright ruin someone's life.
"Two years ago," Edward continued, "I was planning to confess to my childhood friend. We'd been through ups and downs together. Finally, after years, I built the courage. That day, she said she was attending a New Year's Gala. I planned to confess to her after the gala."
Wait a minute… this sounds familiar!
Daniel's face stiffened, his muscles locking up. He already knew what Edward was about to say, but he refused to believe it.
Edward smiled darkly when he saw his boss's look of realization in the mirror. His voice turned calm, almost mocking:
"That's right. That night, Christie—my childhood love—told me she was attracted to someone at the Gala. My world shattered. From that night on, she started messaging that guy instead. She kept telling me how cool he was, how kind, how hardworking. Ahhh, fuck!"
"Wait, wait, we can talk this out—"
"No!" Edward snapped. "Tomorrow is your wedding, and I refuse to let it happen. If I can't have her, then neither will you!"
Holy fuck, he's gone mad. Goddamn it, I shouldn't have hired him as my new driver.
That's when Daniel noticed the road ahead: a long, straight stretch with little traffic—but the railings of the highway were starting to curve left.
Ah, shit…
Daniel burst into action, standing from his seat and lunging forward. He grabbed Edward's arms, struggling to seize control of the steering wheel.
"Fucking slow down!"
"No!"
Edward wrestled against him, jerking the wheel to the right. The car screeched, smoke billowing from the tires.
"Goddamn it!"
Daniel gritted his teeth, releasing Edward's arm and reaching desperately for the wheel. But before he could grasp it, a sharp pain exploded in his side.
"Ahh—!"
He gasped, clutching his stomach. Edward had driven a fist straight into his liver. Pain wracked him, stealing his breath.
Edward laughed maniacally, eyes locked on the guardrail ahead.
"Who the fuck cares if you have money! We're both going to die, hahahaha!"
No…
Daniel's eyes blurred with tears. He was about to die. The car was seconds away from smashing into the rail. His life flashed before him—his parents, long gone… his fiancée, his soon-to-be wife, Christie.
"Am I really going to die like this?" Daniel laughed bitterly. He had worked so hard to become a winner in life. But in the end, it was all going to waste.
All people, regardless of status and wealth, share the same ending—the world's most fair judgment of all…
Death.
CRASH!