Oska had already handed over four thousand dollars to cover the "penalties" of a single day's work under his wife. At that rate, he wouldn't survive the month. Something had to change.
That night, while the house slept, he quietly packed a small bag and slipped out through the front door.
"Mr. Oska?" The security guard's voice startled him. "Heading somewhere at this hour?"
"I just remembered something important at the office," Oska said quickly, forcing a weary smile. "If Stevanie finds out I forgot to finish it, she'll kill me. I'll just check and come back before sunrise."
The guard, convinced by his tone, nodded and opened the gate.
Oska stepped out into the night air, his heart pounding with the rush of freedom.
As he walked away, he looked back once—toward the house that had suffocated him.
"You'll pay for everything, Stevanie," he muttered. "I swear, you will."
By morning, chaos erupted inside the mansion.
"Where is he?!" Stevanie's voice thundered down the hall.
She searched every corner of the house, only to find his room empty.
"Denis!" she barked at the guard. "Did you see where my husband went?"
"He said he needed to finish work at the office, ma'am. But… he hasn't come back since."
"You fool! You should never have let him leave."
"Is… something wrong, Miss Stevanie?"
"He's run away, that's what's wrong!" she snapped. "Well, whatever. He won't last a week out there on his own. That useless man can't survive without me. Sooner or later, he'll come back. And when that time comes, you have to make sure he'll never escape again!"
Three months later — Washington, D.C.
Inside a high-tech laboratory beneath the Pentagon, Oska now wore a white lab coat, safety goggles, and an ID badge that read: Lead Researcher – Anti-Gravity Division.
Beside him, George Watterson frowned at the swirling copper liquid in the containment field.
"I don't get it," George muttered. "We've been spinning the compound counterclockwise, just like your formula says, but it's not producing enough lift."
Oska tapped his pen against the clipboard, thinking. Then his eyes lit up.
"What if we rotate the molecular structure itself—modify the chemical solution to generate a self-sustaining spin?"
George looked up. "Molecular rotation… that could work. Let's try it."
They worked tirelessly through the night—adjusting angles, recalibrating magnetic alignments, pushing every experiment to the brink of failure and beyond.
But every setback only drove them closer to success.
This was Oska's life now: a far cry from the chaos of Stevanie's house.
Here, among scientists and engineers, he was someone.
Here, his mind was free.
Three months later, their efforts paid off.
The world watched in awe as Oska and the NASA team unveiled the first functioning anti-gravity prototype—a breakthrough that rewrote the laws of physics.
Overnight, Oska became a household name in the U.S. scientific community.
News headlines hailed him as "The Man Who Defied Gravity."
The implications were world-shattering.
Cars, motorcycles, and aircraft would soon be obsolete.
And when Oska heard that Caelora would be the first Asian hub for mass production, he smiled to himself. He knew exactly whose company would crumble first.
That evening, inside the office, Oska already made his decision.
"It's a shame you're leaving," George said, standing by the doorway as Oska packed his suitcase.
"I wish our collaboration could last longer," Oska replied, neatly folding his lab coat.
"Don't say that—you'll still be CEO of the Caelora branch. But honestly, I don't understand why you're so eager to go back. You could build your kingdom here. Everyone loves you."
Oska paused, then met George's gaze.
"There are… old debts that need settling."
George sighed. "Just don't let revenge become your purpose. It can drive you—but if you're not careful, it'll consume you."
Oska smiled faintly. "You always were the wise one, George. Thank you. And don't forget—when my company opens in Caelora, you'll be my first guest."
"Good luck, my friend," George said softly. "You've earned it."