31/05/2026
**MADNESS OF THE MIND**
"Make sure you end his life. He cannot be a hindrance to me. Do a clean job, and I promise you will be paid handsomely," the cold-hearted woman ordered, pointing a sharp finger at the terrified little boy.
Two masked men lunged forward, grabbed the child, and covered his face until everything went pitch black.
Someone was violently shaking Silas. He gasped for air, his eyes flying open. It was just a nightmare. But it wasn't just *any* nightmare; it was the second time he had experienced this exact same terrifying vision, yet he could never see the face of the little boy or the wicked woman giving the orders.
"Why were you kicking your legs like someone being strangled?" Felix asked, staring at him in confusion from the other side of the room.
"Felix, I just had a terrible nightmare. I feel so weird," Silas muttered, wiping the cold sweat from his face.
"What was it about?" Felix asked, sitting up.
"Don't worry about it, bro. Just go back to sleep," Silas replied, laying his head back down on his thin pillow.
In the quiet of the night, Silas thought about his adopted mother, who had called him earlier that afternoon just to check on him. She was a woman of pure love, never demanding money, only caring about his well-being. Then, his mind drifted to the strange madwoman who had been staring at him near the construction site. He wondered what she wanted with him. Eventually, exhaustion pulled him back into a deep sleep.
The following morning, Silas dressed up and headed straight back to the grand estate on Ridgeville Street. He couldn't explain the invisible rope pulling him toward this specific mansion. He knocked on the massive gates, and the security guard surprisingly let him in. As he walked toward the main doors, a wealthy man in his late fifties stepped out, rushing toward his parked car.
"Good morning, sir," Silas greeted respectfully.
The wealthy man stopped in his tracks, staring intently at Silas. A strange, unexplainable connection instantly sparked in his chest, freezing him in place for a brief moment.
"Yes... good morning. How can I help you?" Mr. Sterling finally replied, shaking off the weird feeling.
"Sir, my name is Silas. I am a professional cook. I came to see if my services might be needed here," Silas said softly.
"A cook?"
"Yes, sir," Silas nodded respectfully.
"Come back tomorrow morning. I am running late for work, but I will see what we can do," Mr. Sterling said before stepping into his luxury car. The driver immediately pulled out of the compound.
Silas left the estate overflowing with joy. He rushed to the construction site where Felix was already hard at work mixing cement, desperate to make enough money for his sister's tuition. Silas jumped in to help his friend, excitedly sharing that he was finally going to get a foot inside the mansion. Felix was thrilled for him; at least his friend would finally find some peace of mind.
At the end of the day, Silas collected his wages and handed the entire amount to Felix, telling him to use it to pay his sister's school fees. Felix was deeply moved and thanked his best friend profusely.
---
Meanwhile, inside his chauffeur-driven car, Mr. Sterling couldn't shake the image of the young man from his mind.
*Wait... is it possible that this boy is who I think he is?* he thought to himself. *No, it can't be. That's impossible. But why do I feel this strong bond?*
His ringing phone abruptly snapped him out of his deep thoughts. It was a business associate calling. After speaking on the phone, Mr. Sterling waved his suspicions away, blaming it on stress.
---
The next day, Silas arrived at the mansion early. He met with Mr. Sterling and his haughty wife, Madam Beatrice. They asked him a few basic questions, which Silas answered confidently. They offered him the job on the spot, explaining that their current chef was traveling soon and they needed a replacement.
Silas was ecstatic. He knew he had lied—he wasn't a professional chef, he had only worked briefly in a local diner—but getting inside this house was his only chance to find answers. He needed to know why his destiny was tied to this family.
But just a few days into his new job, Silas was cleaning near the hallway when he overheard something he was never meant to hear.
**EPISODE 2**