CALL ME SINNER — AND I WILL MAKE YOU SIN.

It was exactly 12:00 PM at Snow Enterprises, the multi-billion-dollar conglomerate controlled by Eric, the second son of the powerful Snow family. His older brother, Derek, had long ago declared independence from the family dynasty, choosing instead to chase his dream as a struggling musician—an artist who had yet to find his way into the limelight. That left the weight of the empire entirely on Eric’s shoulders. Eric had given seven grueling years of sacrifice and sweat to the company, earning his place as his father’s ultimate favorite. But a single catastrophic mistake three years ago had shattered that hard-earned trust and nearly destroyed the entire family legacy. On the polished mahogany desk, Eric’s phone vibrated silently. He had kept it on silent mode to block out sudden distractions during his grueling workday. Dropping his designer pen, he checked the flashing screen, desperately hoping it was one of the giant international investors Snow Enterprises needed to survive. Ever since they forfeited their massive contract with the elite Wilson family, the company had been bleeding cash. He stared at the caller ID, his eyes widening in shock. “What?” he muttered to himself, his breath catching in his throat. “My dad?” For a few agonizing seconds, he wondered if his exhausted eyes were playing tricks on him. His father hadn’t called him directly in years. Eric closed his eyes, took a long stabilizing breath to calm his racing pulse, and finally swiped the green button to answer. “Hello, Dad,” Eric said, forcing his voice to sound cold, calm, and controlled despite the storm raging in his chest. “Are you ready to clean up your mess?” the deep, booming voice demanded from the other end, completely ignoring the greeting. “Are you finally ready to amend your three years of foolishness?” The older man’s voice grew heavier, cutting through the speaker like a blade. “Are you prepared to rebuild the legendary friendship you destroyed with your reckless choices?” The harsh words hit Eric straight in the heart. He closed his eyes tightly as painful memories flashed through his mind like a vivid movie playing in real time. It felt like it had happened just yesterday—fresh, heavy, and still utterly heartbreaking. Before Eric could even gather his thoughts to answer, Steve pressed on, dismissing his opinion entirely. “The ultimate opportunity to recover our losses is finally here. The Wilson family has agreed to have dinner with us tonight at my private estate. Seven o’clock sharp. Be punctual, Eric. And for once in your life, be responsible.” The line went dead. Eric slowly lowered the phone, holding it in his trembling hand for a long moment as he replayed the short, dramatic exchange in his mind. It had been three long years since his father had spoken a single word to him. The parting command—be responsible—echoed in his brain like a mocking ghost. His past actions had cost him everything. Ever since the Wilsons withdrew their multi-billion-dollar investments, taking their elite network with them, Snow Enterprises had been on the verge of bankruptcy. The Wilson family had been the true pillar holding up their entire corporate empire. The past three years had been an endless nightmare of stress. Eric had only survived because of his fiercely loyal best friend, Harris, who refused to let him fail and did everything humanly possible to keep the company from collapsing into ruin. Now, the golden chance to redeem himself had finally arrived. Eric pulled back his heavy leather chair, placed the phone on the desk, and stretched his long legs, resting his head against the seat. “I will do absolutely anything to make it right this time, Dad,” he whispered to the empty office. Suddenly, a brilliant realization struck him, and a genuine smile spread across his handsome face. “Oh my God! Billie will be so happy to hear this good news. She’s been dying to meet my family for almost two years now.” He grabbed his phone again and scrolled rapidly through his contacts until he located her number. But just as his thumb hovered over the call button, a spontaneous thought stopped him in his tracks. Don’t call her. Why not make it a grand surprise? “Yes, that will be perfect,” he murmured, his eyes drifting over his luxurious office. A framed family photograph sitting on his desk caught his attention. For the first time in ages, he truly looked at the smiling faces. “It’s been so long since I hugged my parents. I can’t wait for tonight.” Later that evening, Eric called Harris, who was across town bidding on a difficult new contract. After sharing the explosive news, Eric explained that he would be closing the office early to prepare for the monumental dinner. Driving his Lamborghini into the city, Eric made a quick stop at a high-end fashion house to purchase an exquisite designer dress for Billie, already imagining the joy on her face. He navigated his sleek black Lamborghini through the winding suburban streets, finally pulling up outside her modern home. A wave of relief washed over him when he spotted her sports car parked right in the driveway. She was home. Leaving the luxury shopping bags securely in the car, Eric stepped out into the cool evening air, eager to catch her completely off guard. “Billie is going to be so surprised to see me,” he thought happily as he stepped onto the front porch and knocked gently on the heavy wooden door. No one answered. A faint frown creased his forehead. She didn’t mention expecting company or going anywhere, he thought. He reached down and pressed his palm against the silver door handle. To his surprise, it clicked and swung open. “Oh,” he breathed softly, stepping quietly into the dimly lit sitting room. The house was far too quiet. He looked around the pristine space, noticing a stunning new modeling portfolio picture she had recently hung on the main wall. “Come on, Eric, it’s been six whole months since you actually came over to her place,” he muttered to himself, a sharp pang of guilt hitting him. Because his failing business had become his suffocating priority, he had fallen into the habit of sending his personal chauffeur to pick her up for dates instead of coming himself. “Babe? I’m home,” he called gently, his voice echoing slightly through the hallway. Silence greeted him. But as he took another cautious step deeper into the apartment, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. The faint, unmistakable scent of expensive male cologne lingered in the air—and it wasn’t his. Then his eyes caught something dark resting on the floor. A silk blue tie. He froze, his heart hammering against his ribs. Slowly, he bent down and picked it up, inspecting the foreign fabric before letting it slip from his fingers back onto the floor. His gaze drifted frantically toward the master bedroom hallway. A few feet away lay a discarded pair of red lace panties and a singlet. He picked them up, his chest tightening so hard he could barely breathe. “I bought these for her...” he whispered, his voice cracking. A suffocating wave of cold dread settled deep in his stomach. Eric crept forward, his leather boots making no sound against the plush hallway tiles as he approached her bedroom door. Suddenly, the heavy silence of the apartment shattered. From behind the tightly closed door came a muffled, unmistakable gasp. Maybe... maybe she just has a visitor, his mind desperately scrambled, fabricating any excuse to protect his fragile heart from breaking. Billie would never cheat on me. I’ve given her everything. Just as his trembling fingers reached for the cold brass doorknob, the phone in his left trouser pocket began vibrating suddenly, the screen lighting up the dark hallway. “My dad?” he whispered in fear.