From Prison Bars to City King

Author: Eric Louisa

Chapter 1: Sentenced To Death

Words : 1832 Updated : Nov 13th, 2025

"On more than thirty counts of rape and murder, the defendant, Stefan Zimmerman, is found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He is sentenced to death and remanded to death row to await execution." When the judge read the verdict, Stefan sat in the dock, his face calm, his eyes giving nothing away. Across the aisle, in the victims' section, Christina Scurr, a strikingly beautiful woman, trembled with rage. Tears welled up, and she fixed Stefan with a look of pure, unending hatred. Feeling her stare, Stefan, who hadn't flinched once, finally showed a flicker of shame. Stefan, a senior at Jenos University, had always been an outstanding student. Thanks to his record, he was recommended for an internship at the renowned Flourish Group in Jenos. On merit alone, he delivered a major project the company prized, earning high praise from the CEO, Christina, and the Scurr family. Four days earlier, in thanks for his contribution, the head of the Scurr family, Christina's father, personally invited Stefan to their residence for dinner. Heartbroken over a recent breakup, Stefan drank far too much and blacked out at the table. When he woke the next day, panic seized him. He was stark naked, lying on top of Christina. Christina woke at that moment. Her lovely face went pale. She kicked Stefan off the bed, scrambled into her clothes, and demanded to know why he'd assaulted her. Stefan's head pounded; he had no memory of what had happened, and no answers to give. While he struggled to piece things together, several officers burst in, drove him to the floor, and snapped handcuffs on his wrists. Only then did Stefan and Christina hear the rest. Overnight, more than thirty members of the Scurr household, including the servants, had been murdered. Christina was the only survivor. And the security footage showed the killer as Stefan. Hatred surged in Christina. She lunged to strangle the man who had not only attacked her, but had butchered her entire family. If the police hadn't held her back, Stefan wouldn't have lived to see a courtroom. Only Stefan knew he was innocent. He'd been set up. Whoever framed him had pulled it off flawlessly. They'd wiped out the illustrious Scurr family, which spoke to the kind of power that works behind the scenes. Stefan couldn't make sense of it. If someone that powerful wanted him dead, it would have been as easy as crushing an ant. Why go to such lengths to frame him? He also knew there was no way to explain it. From arraignment to verdict, he hadn't said a word. So be it. He'd grown up an orphan, with no ties and no one to mourn him. At least it would be over. Still, he felt a hard knot of guilt toward Christina. He hadn't committed those crimes, but he knew, with sickening clarity, that he'd actually slept with Christina. And then there was his ex, Hailey Yare, the one who'd promised they'd be together forever. The thought hit him cold. Had the rich heir Hailey latched onto set all this up? Word was, the man was a heavyweight from Tensby. With that kind of family background, he could have accomplished all this. But what good did knowing do? Facing a man like that was like an ant trying to topple a tree. Stefan's mind raced as they escorted him to Jenos Prison. The place housed only the worst of the worst, men serving at least twenty years, most with no hope of ever walking free. After processing, shackled in handcuffs and leg irons reserved for the condemned, Stefan was led by a female guard into Cell 927. He was still wondering why there was a female guard in a men's prison when several inmates inside shot to their feet like schoolboys caught by their homeroom teacher, staring at the guard with open fear. Stefan finally took a good look at her. The guard, Anya Halenkamp, had an hourglass figure that would have turned heads anywhere. Her face was oval, her features delicate —a beauty that people remembered. All of it was marked by a large bluish-brown birthmark that darkened her left side from temple to cheek, giving her a fearsome look, like an avenging she-devil from old tales. "Scumbag, what are you staring at? Keep it up and I'll gouge your eyes out," she snapped at Stefan, her eyes flashing. Then she swept her gaze over the cell. "Behave, all of you, or you're going straight to solitary." Bang! The cell door slammed shut. "Damn she-devil. Cheap bitch," muttered a hulking, scar-faced inmate, a knife scar running across his cheek. He eyed Stefan, lips curling in a predatory grin. He was one of the inmates, Franklin. "Fresh meat," he said. "Get over here and take care of me. You keep me happy, I watch your back. You don't, and you won't last long." Lust clouded his gaze. Men like him, doing hard time, twisted by the years, would do anything to vent their urges. To him, a smooth-skinned, pretty boy like Stefan was sweeter than any woman. Stefan understood exactly what Franklin wanted. He also understood that if he submitted, the days he had left would be filled with unspeakable humiliation. Even with death looming, he refused to bow. He put a tremor in his voice and widened his eyes. "B-Boss, you'll really look out for me? I'll do what you say." He shuffled forward in his leg irons, inching toward Franklin. Franklin chuckled. "Relax. You make me feel good, and nobody'll dare touch you." The other inmates traded knowing looks and licked their lips. Let the boss have his turn, they thought, then there'd be plenty to go around. Franklin yanked down his prison pants and crooked a finger. "Hurry it up. I can't wait." Contempt flashed in his eyes. Scare a kid a little and he folds like a cheap suit. What a spineless worm. In the next heartbeat, Stefan exploded into action. His elbow shot up like lightning and slammed into Franklin's jaw. Before the man could scream, Stefan clasped both fists together and brought them down in a brutal hammer blow to the top of Franklin's skull. It wasn't over. As Franklin howled, Stefan drove his knee up, hard, straight into the man's groin. Crunch! Franklin's eyes bulged. Pain ripped through him so hard it felt like his soul was trying to escape. He crashed to the concrete, both hands clamped between his legs, wailing. "Holy shit!" The other inmates gaped, jaws nearly hitting the floor. No one had expected the fresh-faced newcomer to be this ruthless. "You idiots, what are you standing there for? Get him! Kill him!" Franklin screamed, agony making his voice break. He was seeing stars, but still barking orders. "Get him. Kill him!" That snapped them back. This was their turf. They couldn't let some kid challenge them and get away with it. They surged as one, lunging for Stefan.

From Prison Bars to City King

Chapter 1: Sentenced To Death

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