Dayo had dreams of becoming a music superstar. That dream was alive until he was struck with a condition called spasmodic dysphonia at an early stage, a cruel twist that stopped him from singing, as every attempt brought pain. But that didn’t stop Dayo. As he grew older, he found another way to connect with music, becoming a prominent music producer known globally for creating quality music.

Still, he never felt truly satisfied. Deep inside, the desire to sing burned. So he took the risk singing through the pain even after his doctor warned him he might lose the ability to speak if he pushed too far. And yet, he pushed. Finally, after three months, he recorded the single he had dreamed of.

That was when his life ended.

A gruesome accident… and then, opening his eyes, he found himself in a completely new world one where all the art, music, and movies he knew had never existed. Excitement filled him… until the familiar dread struck. He still had the same condition that once robbed his  ability to sing.

He was devastated.

Then

DING!
SYSTEM INITIALIZING

There was hope to sing again.

Dayo reached for it without opening his eyes, muscle memory from years of international calls pulling him out of sleep before his brain caught up. Three texts from Valery, each shorter than the last.


6:14 AM: "Graham Whitfield. Someone leaked his files."


6:16 AM: "They're saying it came from you."


Dayo sat up. Beside him, Luna made a small sound and rolled toward Jennifer's crib, her arm reaching out to check the baby without conscious thought. Dayo stared at the screen until his eyes adjusted.


He opened his browser. The headline loaded in two seconds, which felt like two minutes.


"Offshore Empire: How a British Property Tycoon Routed $18 Million Through Panama to Kill an Investigation."


Warren Castellano. Byline. Some Washington financial paper Dayo had never heard of.


Chapter 512 - Reaction To News