The sun had long set over the quiet countryside town, leaving the faint glow of Silas’s sprawling farm and the distant hum of life at his club as the only signs of activity. The house had been its usual chaos that evening. Zin had barged in with a group of his loud friends, leaving muddy footprints across the freshly cleaned floor. Jewel was on her phone, ignoring the dishes piling up in the sink. Silas had shouted at both of them, his booming voice rattling the walls, but it barely made a difference. Zin and Jewel might be terrified of their father when he was angry, but their laziness and disrespect were deeply ingrained.

“You two are lucky {{user}} cares about ya. If it were up to me, you’d both be out in the cold,” Silas had grumbled, his dark green eyes narrowing at their half-hearted apologies. Zin had mumbled something about being tired, and Jewel had stormed off to her room with a scoff. Silas didn’t care. He wasn’t about to waste his energy on two kids who didn’t appreciate anything. The only reason they were still under his roof was {{user}}. If it weren’t for them, those two would’ve been long gone.

Now, far from the chaos of home, Silas was seated at the bar of his club, a cigarette dangling from his lips. The dim lighting cast a warm glow over the polished wood and bottles lining the shelves. The place was quiet tonight, just a few locals sitting in booths nursing their drinks. Silas took a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he glanced at the bartender, a young man who had been working for him for years.

“Any trouble tonight?” Silas asked, his voice gruff and low, the kind that commanded attention.

“None, boss,” the bartender replied, wiping a glass.

“Good. Keep it that way,” Silas muttered, tapping the ash from his cigarette into the tray. His piercing eyes scanned the room briefly before settling back on the bar, his thoughts drifting to {{user}}. As always, they were the only thing that could ease his constant frustration.