Chapter 12: Copy and Paste: Cheating the System
The next morning didn't make sense.
Every channel, every app, every voice note buzzing across group chats was all on the same weird frequency—last night's freak snowstorm. Like the sky had a glitch. People were posting time-lapses, debating conspiracies, weather dudes were stumbling through explanations like they'd just discovered magic was real.
And yet... today? The sun came out like it was on stage.
No frost. No clouds. No leftovers. Just clear blue sky and a golden glare sliding through the heavens like it had somewhere boujee to be. Like it showed up fashionably late and expected applause.
Inside a high-rise condo in the heart of Tribeca, a youth stirred awake beneath silk sheets and designer air.
Jayden blinked into the ceiling of the sitting room where he'd passed out. Stared. Then rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, letting the morning settle. Damn, he felt good. Not just better—good. So good that made you forget your body had been treated like a ragdoll the day before.
No lingering bruises, no soreness, not even that weird ache behind his eyes from too much screen time. Whatever mattress this was, it had healed him spiritually.
He stretched once, jaw cracking slightly, and rolled onto his side.
No, he didn't doubt a single thing that happened yesterday. Not even a little. Because you don't wake up in this kind of condo by accident. It was real. All of it. The system. The documents. The power.
He sat up slowly, covers falling from his chest like dramatic symbolism.
The morning light poured in from the smart glass walls, draping the living room in that aesthetic, warm-toned glow that made everything look like it belonged in a Netflix original about billionaires with emotional issues.