This Damned Thirst for Survival - Chapter 221: Escape

In a world that only hears shouts, his silence is a weapon.Orphaned and mute, Mateo Álvarez communicates through the beautiful game.After a tragic accident steals his voice, it grants him something else: an extraordinary ability to see the flow of play before it happens, a gift he calls The System.On the pitch, he is a prodigy, a conductor of silent symphonies, reading the game with a genius that leaves scouts and legends in awe.His talent earns him a destiny at FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.Under the wing of mentors like Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi, Mateo flourishes, his dream of one day representing Spain on the world stage feeling closer than ever. He becomes their golden boy, a symbol of pure footballing intellect, and the heart of a new generation.But when the club’s soul is traded for corporate interests, Mateo’s greatest strength is recast as a liability. To the new board, a star who cannot speak is a star who cannot sell. Betrayed by the institution he called home, the boy who dreamed in goals is cast out at sixteen, his future shattered.Now, Mateo must journey beyond the only home he’s ever known. Armed only with his preternatural gift and a resilience forged in silence, he must find a new team willing to listen not to his voice, but to his vision.His quest is no longer just for club glory, but to prove a devastating truth to those who discarded him: that the most powerful language in football isn’t spoken at all.The Silent Symphony is an unforgettable underdog story about the corruption of dreams, the beauty of resilience, and the unspoken bonds that define us. It's a journey across the fierce landscapes of European football to reclaim a stolen destiny, one perfect pass at a time.

When Jasmine’s fated mate Elliot rejects her for the Lycan Chairman’s daughter, she is left broken, humiliated and alone. To make matters worse, her father gets arrested for embezzlement, and Jasmine needs to raise ten million to release him.Desperate to save her father from a wrongful conviction, Jasmine takes the only job she can find—tutoring the bratty daughter of a rich werewolf family.But she never expected her employer to be the Lycan chairman himself: Gareth Laken. He is ruthless, dominant… and her ex-mate’s future father-in-law.Gareth thinks she’s a threat. A bitter ex-girlfriend out for revenge, waiting to harm his own daughter. But the more he watches her, the more he sees a woman refusing to be shattered by the world that betrayed her. A woman he can’t stop wanting, despite the huge age difference.Now, Jasmine is caught between two powerful men—one who destroyed her, and one who might destroy everything she has left to protect.Excerpt“You’re playing a dangerous game,” Gareth said, voice low, his towering frame just inches from mine.“I didn’t come here to play,” I shot back, even as my heart pounded. “But you should be asking Elliot why he keeps showing up at my door. I’m not the one chasing ghosts.”His eyes darkened, his gaze dropping to my lips. “He’s not the only one haunted by you.”I froze.I should have walked away.Instead, I whispered, “Then why do you look at me like you want to hate me and kiss me at the same time?”He didn’t answer.But his silence spoke louder than any lie.

After graduating from college and unsure of where to go, Zhou Wang accidentally activated the “Game of Life” system while playing a video game, turning his life into easy mode from then on.We can't return to the past, but we can always change the way we live.Growing through indulgence, advancing with a carefree spirit....Zhou Wang: “This time, I'll only be the winner.”