A City, Italy
The Italian night sky grew darker, thick as if hiding a secret. The wind was bone-chilling, as if carrying bad news.
Bang! Bang!
A man, his body covered in wounds, ran in a hurry, his breath ragged, clutching a baby basket tightly.
Inside, a baby boy, not even six months old, cried softly as if sensing the fear.
The sound of shouting and gunfire echoed from behind.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets whizzed through the air; he managed to avoid some with his already trembling body. But, damn it—
Bang!
A long-range shot from a high-quality pistol struck his leg.
"AAAKHH!" the man screamed. His body slammed to the ground, his face contorted in pain.
Even so, his hand never let go of the baby basket. He held it close, protecting it as if his life existed only for that baby.
"Hold on, son…" he mumbled in a trembling voice, his eyes puffy with pain and unshed tears.
With his last ounce of strength, he forced his body to rise again. His leg dragged, blood dripped along the road, but he kept running.
He finally reached a crossroads. Without thinking, he turned right. There, a gas station stood, dark and deserted because it had been closed for a long time.
His eyes caught a black car parked not far from it.
"Oh God… please help…" he whispered, dragging his steps.
Meanwhile, the sound of shouting and the footsteps of his pursuers were getting closer. His breath hitched, panicked, but his eyes fell upon the baby's face, who was now sleeping soundly despite having cried moments ago. Tears could no longer be held back.
He gazed at the baby mournfully, tracing the tiny face as if wanting to etch every detail into his memory.
"Forgive your father… for not being able to protect you any longer, my son…" he whispered in a hoarse voice. "May you one day live happily… far away from all of this."
Sobs choked in his chest, but time did not allow it. The pursuers' shouts were now only tens of meters away.
With a trembling hand, he lifted the basket and placed it on the roof of the black car, which was quite tall, hoping the baby would not be seen by anyone.
"I have to divert their attention," he said softly, looking once more at the basket.
With all his might, he emerged from behind the car and ran.
"There he is! He's over there!" shouted one of the pursuers.
They immediately turned on their flashlights, firing bullets mercilessly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The man ran fast, his body shaking, blood still flowing from his leg. He knew one thing: he had to get away from his baby.
However, in the dark of night, his eyes didn't realize he was on a steep cliff. Below him, a large river roared, ready to swallow anything that fell.
His steps stopped abruptly, his shoes skidding harshly against the gravel. His body almost stumbled and fell. His breathing grew more frantic.
But disaster came too fast.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets rained down on his body without mercy.
And—
"AAAKKHHH!!" a scream echoed in the silent master bedroom.
A man woke up, his body soaked in sweat. His breath was ragged, his eyes wide open. His whole body trembled. He looked to the side and found a man in a neat suit standing faithfully.
"Good morning, Mr. Aegypt," the man greeted with a calm voice. This was Lexus, his loyal assistant.
Aegypt just nodded briefly, still trying to catch his breath.
"The nightmare again, Sir?" Lexus asked carefully.
"I… I don't know why that dream keeps haunting me," Aegypt replied, his voice heavy, his gaze vacant.
Lexus signaled to the female servant behind him. The servant immediately stepped forward, carrying a tray with a glass of water.
Lexus himself took the glass and handed it to his Boss.
"Please drink this first, Sir. It will help," he said in a calm tone.
Aegypt took the glass, then quickly drank its contents. His throat felt slightly relieved.
"Thank you," he said curtly.
He handed the empty glass back. Silence fell for a moment, only the sound of his still-irregular breathing could be heard.
"What's my schedule today?" Aegypt finally asked, his voice firmer.
"There's a big meeting today for our latest film," Lexus answered, bowing respectfully.
Aegypt stared straight ahead, as if trying to cast away the remnants of the nightmare. "Alright. Prepare everything. I'll shower first."
Lexus and the servant bowed and then left the room.
Now Aegypt stood alone. He walked slowly toward a small table with a large mirror above it.
Quickly, he opened the drawer and took out a baby bottle nipple. Aegypt poured carton milk into the nipple, then... He sucked on the pointed tip, like a baby.
After that, he felt slightly calmer. Although his breathing was still a little uneven.
His hand rested on the table, his eyes looking at his own reflection. His muscular body was still damp with cold sweat, his face tense.
He mumbled softly, as if talking to the shadow in the mirror.
"I don't understand… are you still not at peace… even after I killed the perpetrator?"
The voice hung in the air, full of secrets and old wounds that never healed.
A black car stopped in front of a tall, magnificent film production building.
Glass lights glittered on its outer walls, adding to the luxurious impression. Right above the main entrance was a large sign in thick gold letters: 'Lucian Pictures'.
Lexus, sitting in the front passenger seat, immediately got out swiftly. He walked to the back side of the car and opened the door respectfully.
"Please, Sir," Lexus said, bowing slightly.
Aegypt stepped out with a calm yet authoritative stride. He wore a neat, grey formal suit, which covered most of the tattoos adorning his body.
One hand adjusted his jacket, then he walked into the building with a cold yet commanding gaze.
Lexus and one of Aegypt's men, who had been the driver, walked a few steps behind him, keeping their distance but remaining vigilant.
Upon entering the lobby, several employees immediately offered greetings.
"Good morning, Mr. Aegypt."
"Good morning, Sir."
Aegypt only responded with a brief nod without a single word. He rarely spoke much in public, but his authority made everyone choose to stay silent or bow whenever he passed.
They took the elevator to the top floor. As the doors opened, a spacious meeting room with a long table, a projector screen, and a row of executive chairs was waiting.
Several directors, producers, and the creative team were already seated neatly with documents in hand.
Aegypt entered the room. The atmosphere instantly became quieter. Everyone stood up to greet him.
"Good morning, Mr. Aegypt," they said in unison.
Aegypt nodded briefly, then took the main seat at the end of the table. Lexus stood straight behind him, like a shadow always ready.
"Please begin," Aegypt said curtly.
A young producer stepped forward, opening the presentation on the screen. He began to explain the concept of the latest film. Everything from the genre, target market, cost calculation, to the estimated profit.
The presenter's voice was clear, occasionally accompanied by the click of the pointer on the screen.
Aegypt sat calmly, his arms crossed. His gaze was sharp, following every slide of the presentation. Occasionally, he tapped his finger on the table, a sign that he was still focused.
However, suddenly—
Trring! Tring!
Aegypt's phone rang. The room instantly fell silent. All heads turned to him.
Aegypt raised one hand, giving a sign for everyone to stop. The presenter immediately went silent, holding back the sentence he hadn't finished. No one dared to make a sound.
Aegypt reached for his phone from his jacket. His eyebrow was slightly raised. Grandfather was calling.
"What is it this time?" he thought, letting out a long sigh before pressing the green button.
"Hello," Aegypt said flatly.
"Where are you right now?" an old man's voice was heard from the other end, firm but trembling with an authoritative tone.
"I'm in a meeting, Grandfather. I'll call you back later," Aegypt replied, still trying to suppress his annoyance.
"You insolent boy. I'm not finished talking!" his grandfather's voice rose, causing several people in the meeting room who heard the harsh tone through the phone speaker to exchange glances.
Aegypt massaged his temple with his eyes closed. He tried to restrain himself from his grandfather.
"Hurry up, Grandfather. I'm in an important meeting," he said coldly.
"Take me to Indonesia. I want to meet an old friend, Santomo. It's been too long since we last met."
Aegypt sighed heavily. "Fine. After the meeting is over, I'll arrange everything."
"Right now! Or I'll go by myself."
Tut-tut-tut!
The connection was cut just like that. Aegypt stared at his phone screen, his jaw hardening.
"That… old man," he thought, clenching the phone tightly. "In my life, none of his wishes can ever be refused."
He placed the phone on the table, then glanced at the directors and producers who were still silently uneasy. Aegypt's gaze was sharp, piercing each of their faces one by one.
"Continue the presentation," he said curtly, his voice deep and full of pressure.