From Ashes to Empire

As he stepped out of the prison gates, Liam Thorne instinctively paused, turning around to glance at the imposing walls and electric fences that exuded an aura of sternness. He couldn't help but shiver.

It wasn't entirely due to fear; it was more because of the cold.

By late October, the Lutetia City was deep into autumn, and today it was drizzling.

Though it wasn't as bone-chilling as winter, it still carried a sense of desolate cold.

Liam Thorne scanned his surroundings, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.

There wasn't a single car nearby.

On the day of his release, no one had come to pick him up.

No wife, no friends, no relatives, no colleagues – none of the familiar faces he had hoped to see. This realization was like a splash of ice-cold water on his once excited and hopeful heart, making him feel even colder.

"Liam, go out and be a good man, and don't ever come back here," the guard who escorted him out said from behind.

Liam shook his head, thinking to himself that only a fool would want to return to this wretched place.

"Mr. Johnson, I'll treat you to a drink someday," he said, waving his hand. During his time in prison, Mr. Johnson had treated him fairly well.

"Liam, someone will call you in the next couple of days. I owe you my life, and I'll repay that debt. I keep my promises," another familiar voice called from the prison gate. It was one of his fellow inmates, an old man named Luke Brown.

Two years ago, Luke had gotten into a conflict with some prison thugs and was nearly beaten to death. Liam, unable to stand by, had stepped in and saved him.

Since then, the two had become friends. Luke always claimed he was a big businessman and promised to repay Liam's life-saving kindness once he was released. However, Liam never took it to heart. He saved Luke out of the goodness of his nature, never expecting anything in return.

So, he didn't bother looking back. He simply shouted, "Luke, I appreciate it. You stay out of trouble, and I'll come pick you up when you get out."

With that, he quickened his pace, pulling his thin coat tighter around himself as he hurried towards the nearest intersection.

As he walked faster, his body warmed up a bit, but memories began to flood his mind. Accompanied by the occasional raindrop on his face, a bitter feeling welled up inside him.

Two years ago, he was a millionaire.

Though far from being the wealthiest in Lutetia, he had achieved this by his mid-thirties without any significant background, coming from an ordinary rural family. Through his hard work, he had managed to build a small restaurant into a renowned chain in Lutetia. His success was partly due to his ability to endure hardships and his loyal and righteous personality.

But misfortune struck. Two years ago, in an attempt to help his best friend out of a tough spot, Liam ended up making a mistake, though he hadn't used any illegal means. He lost a significant amount of money and went from being a successful entrepreneur to a convict.

It would be a lie to say he had no regrets, but Liam harbored no resentment. He had been taught from a young age to be righteous, believing that character was more important than ability and that it ultimately determined a person's success.

In reality, he had always lived by these principles. It was his loyal and righteous nature that had helped him build his business from a small restaurant to a well-known chain in Lutetia in just a few years.

He knew that life wouldn't always be smooth and that everyone made mistakes. When you fall, you get back up. Storms and obstacles are part of life.

But on the day of his release, his best friend, Frank Thomas, hadn't come to pick him up, which left him feeling disappointed.

Frank must be planning a surprise for him. He loved doing things like that.

Liam comforted himself with this thought, especially since his wife, Eve Hawthorne, was also absent. This made him more convinced that the two of them were planning something special for him.

But more than anything, Liam wanted to see his children. Eve had been pregnant again before he went to prison, and he hadn't yet met his newborn son. His daughter, Lucy, must have grown into a little lady by now.

Thinking of his family warmed his heart and made him feel less cold.

Honk, honk...

Lost in his thoughts, Liam was startled by the sound of a car horn.

A somewhat old gray Jetta pulled up beside him.

"Liam, I'm so sorry. I tried to take a shortcut to get here earlier, but the damn GPS led me to a road that was impassable. I'm late..."

A familiar voice called out as a tall man in his thirties, limping slightly, got out of the car.

"John?"

A look of surprise and joy crossed Liam's face, followed by a frown as he noticed John's uneven gait. "What happened to your leg?"

"It's nothing, just an accident. Get in the car; you must be freezing in those clothes," John said, taking Liam's backpack and opening the car door.

The two had been childhood friends and classmates, though they had seen less of each other once Liam's business took off. They were lucky to meet once or twice a year.

Liam hadn't expected John to be the first person to show up to pick him up.

"John, what really happened to your leg?"

As they drove back to the city, they exchanged a few pleasantries before Liam couldn't hold back his question.

"It's just a limp; it doesn't really matter," John replied with a shrug. "Liam, my wife has prepared some dishes at home. Let's have a few drinks tonight to celebrate your release."

Seeing that John didn't want to dwell on his leg, Liam didn't press further. He smiled and said, "I appreciate it, John, but I need to head to the office first. Eve should be waiting for me there, along with my daughter and son. I haven't seen my family in over two years. Let's have that drink tomorrow, my treat."

"I don't think you should go to the office..."

John's expression turned strange, as if he was hesitant to speak.

"What's wrong?"

Liam's heart skipped a beat at John's tone.

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