The night of the fight had finally arrived , the night that was meant to be the biggest moment in Stephen's boxing career. He had fought in venues before, of course, but nothing even remotely compared to this. The building was colossal. From the moment Stephen walked toward the backstage entrance, the noise of the crowd had already been vibrating through the walls like distant thunder. When he eventually stepped into the open, he saw it properly: thousands of people, more than he had ever imagined attending a match of his. A sea of faces, flashing lights, excited chatter, and roaring anticipation.
It should have been the proudest moment of his life. It should have been the night he showed the world what years of hardship, training, and perseverance looked like. But instead of pride, Stephen felt an ache settle in his chest , a heavy, suffocating sadness.
He wasn't here to show them his best.
He was here to lie.
To fall.
To betray everything he had worked for.
