CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX:RUN--Inside a black van were 5 chaotic men. The rock music coming from the speakers was loud. It was irritating to the ear, but for some reason, the men inside were also shouting along with the music. Their drive is not steady at all since their driver looks drunk and all. They were so noisy that their noise even escaped the van, but it annoyed no passerby or other vehicles. Because there were none in the first place. The black van was driving alone on an abandoned road. The road was rocky and grassy. It looks like it has not been maintained for a long time. Their surroundings were quiet. The only source of sounds was their noise and the rustling of the leaves when birds flew away from the trees or landed to take a rest on the branches. Other than that, the place is oddly dark and silent. They can see nothing but the bumpy, straight road and the tall trees. They were in the middle of a forest. “Hey, hey, hey!” the man in the front seat called out for his noisy c
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN:He Has a Son?--The corridor of the hospital is cold and silent. The floor is cleaned like they were polishing a diamond, it even reflects the shine of the light coming out from the bulbs embedded in the ceiling. There were sofas and chairs along the way, and the doors of the rooms were closed tightly. Specks of lights are pouring out from the gaps of the door the floor, and the glass window. The hospital looks deserted if not for the group of five people- which consists of adults and a 5-year-old kid- walking and passing the rooms."Uhm," Melanie tried her best to get their attention while whispering. The whole place is so quiet that she felt bad about making noise. What if she wakes up the other patients in the hospital? And since there was nothing but silence surrounding them, the other three caught it. “I’m really sorry about this…”Melanie’s eyes looked at Tyler who was carrying the little Kai in his arms. The boy is comfortably leaning on his shoulder with l
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT:Tyler and Kai--Morning came earlier than Tyler expected. Like his daily routine, he's woken up by his maid, takes a bath after a short run in his garden, then wears his outfit of the day; a tie and his black suit, then pairs it up with black leather shoes. Tyler stood in front of his human-sized mirror while fixing his tie. His hair is a little damp since he didn't dry it properly. He's a little lazy to dry them using a towel. He even just runs his hand on them, not bothering about styling them.Knock, knock.Tyler paused when he heard the knocks. Looking at the door through the mirror, he called. "Yes?""Sir Tyler," a muffled voice called. Although it was a little inaudible, he immediately recognized it as the head maid. His former nanny. "Your breakfast is ready.""Wait," Giving his appearance a quick fix and check, he turned away from the mirror and opened the door. The head maid was already standing at a safe distance so he could pass. Tyler smiled at her. "
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE:Tyler is Kind Hearted--The first floor of the company.There was a bustling crowd near the entrance. They were in circles and had a lively discussion about a single topic. Every employee who arrived a little late to see the event has a big question mark on their head. Hearing snips and crumbs of what had transpired, they became curious and also flocked to the biggest circle near the reception area. “What happened?” One of the newly arrived asked. The others who also knew nothing about it perked up their ears, ready to absorb the tea. “It seems like Sir Tyler has a son---" one lady said, but the lady next to her lightly elbowed her side. She was cut off and most of them glared at her for the interruption. She glared back.“Shut up, stop making false news.” She huffed. “I was near to them, so I heard that the kid did not even call him ‘dad’, ‘daddy’, or whatsoever! He addressed him as Mr. Tyler!”Grunts of confirmation followed this. A man popped his head through
CHAPTER SEVENTY:Testing Him--The meeting wrapped up earlier than they originally planned. It went smoothly and the problems were smoothened down almost immediately.The people inside the conference room started bustling, they are discussing things that are either relevant with the meeting that just ended or just random conversation that involves their hobbies and past times.Although the meeting is already adjourned, you can notice that none of them left their seats. Behind the loud and noisy discussions of the others, you can hear small and inaudible murmurs. These group of people that gossips were looking at a certain direction.It was Tyler who was sitting at the opposite of the table. He was with Sharon, and they were discussing about their meeting after this.If you listen closely to the murmurs directed to him, the context of these is about what happened earlier. About the child he brough
Chapter seventy-one:Tyler's friend--"What's wrong?" Tyler asked Kai.Kai looke up at him and answered after a moment of silence. "Nothing.""Hm..." Tyler hummed, unconvinced.Kai noticed that Tyler did not believe his words but he did not bother telling the truth. He instead, looked away and tightened his grip of the other's hand. The boy was silent since they went out of the company's building. Tyler know that the boy is silent and a man of few words, but his silence this time is not like the silence he is used to.It was clear that something is bothering him.Tyler thought about what it is for a bit, and after pondering, he reached into a conclusion. He stopped on his tracks. Since the boy was walking slightly ahead of him, he was pulled back. The boy looked up at him, his aquamarine eyes is filled with confusion. It remided him of Althea'a confused eyes wheneve he tells her a joke that is hard for her to comprehen
Chapter Seventy-two:A Look of Disdain--The restaurant is not crowded and very few people are dining in. They all looks elegant and refined, the have this classy air in them, making the ordinary people that is peeking out from the glass wall to look at them with envy and admiration.There are still people that are having their lunch, as they talked with themselves in whispers, their eyes will occasionally wander to wards a certain spot.It was where Tyler and the others were sitting at. Well, in actuality, it was only Tyler who was sitting. Augustine, Kai were standing in front of each other. Kai was looking up at the other with an indiscernible emotion in his eyes.Sharon was also standing up, originally, she thought of sitting on her boss's table, but when she saw the unmoving boy, she looked at the two with complicated emotions.She noticed that something is amiss, but she did not voice it out.Tyler was oblivious
Chapter seventy-three;Marks--Morning, the hospital has many people than yesterday, althoug the place is not crowded, it was enough to make the place feel like not a place for dead people to wander around.Among the patients in their hospital gowns, the nurses in their uniform, the visitors in their casual clothes, three people that were walking down the corridor especially stood out.It was two men and a woman. The woman who was walking ahead of the other two, wore a white blouse and a grey pencil skirt. Drape over the long sleeve white blouse is a grey blazer. Her black leather heeled sandals were clicking on the titled floor as she walks.The other two on the other hand, were wearing a three pieced suit, back and navy blue.As the three passes through other people on the corridor, they can't help but take a second look and turn to stop. The three were well known businessmen and woman, so they can't help but wonder:Who a
---I did what I was ordered to, and when I finally got to the bottom of it…What the fuck?“I knew things would be interesting if I keep him by my side.” Startled, I looked at my sister who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She was looking at the photo with interest in her eyes. She looked at me. “Erase every record the police had or anything within Victoria’s reach, we can’t have her figuring out everything before I can have my fun of them destroying each other.”“Hmmm,” I glanced at her. “Isn’t she your friend?”“Friend?” She smiled, appearing innocent. “I don’t have anything like that. Father banned that word to us, brother.”“... If that’s what you say.”“Good!” She turned and stretched her body. “Ahh, I can’t wait to see Sheryl get destroyed by the man she loves. Or maybe, it would be mutual destruct
—“Is that your fiance?” I asked as soon as I sneaked at her back, wanting to scare her.“Stop doing that!” She yelled at me. I laughed at her, telling her sorry. She clicked her tongue before nodding. “He is. Handsome, right?”“Hmm?” I pretended to think about it. “Not really.”She scoffed. “Really.”She turned her back on me and continued her work, facing the paper works that were piled on her table. She was 15.I stood behind her, looking at the man on her table.From the day I knew that all along, she was the leader, I decided to stay and look after her. When I told her about my decision, the pause she had was short but eye-catching. Before I could register the pause and understand the meaning behind it, she answered my words with a smile.‘I will be glad to have you under me.’ Her smile was pretty chilling, more bone-numbing than our father’s s
—I am older than her by 5 years, and I remember her looking at me from behind. Normally, one should feel happy to know that someone was looking at their back, admiring them, but that’s not the case with me.Every time I look back, turn to look at her over my shoulder, every time I caught her eyes, I can’t help but shudder:She feels the same as our father.We were only half-siblings. We have the same father, but that’s not the case with mothers.My mother died when I was four, then our father brought another woman into the house after that. That woman was Charlotte’s mother. She was warm and kind. I remember her talking to me a few times.‘Charles, even though you don’t have my blood, please think of me as your mother too.’ She said one time when I tried avoiding her in fear that she wanted me dead. That was what most people who wanted to seize my father’s power would do if they were in her position
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (10)“He is so cute…!”Days had passed since the birth of her son. Althea was peeking at him with a glass wall between them. She still has IVs in her hand, and she hasn’t recovered most of her energy yet, but she seems like she was overflowing with one.She had her palms against the glass, Althea feels like looking from where she was is not enough, she wanted to slip through the wall and hold him. But it was still not safe, so she held the urge in.A bracelet on her son, the letters were a little bit incomprehensible, but she can read them. It was the name of her son:Alexander Kai GrahamAlthea felt giddy, she can’t wait to hold him in her arms soon.“He’s your son?”“Yes,” Althea responded without thought. When she realized what she had
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (09)—Blood was trickling down.Plop, plop, plop.Bead-shaped blood fell from her private area continuously. It seems like someone pressed the pause button of the world; Althea felt everyone in the supermarket stopped moving.‘No.’ She thought to herself as she watched the blood slowly forming into a puddle beneath her feet. She can feel the hot liquid trailing down her legs. ‘This can’t be!’This day is supposedly like the normal days she had. Strolling around and buying things she thinks she wants. But in the middle of it, she just suddenly felt it come down.She’s only six months pregnant.“Oh my god!” A lady came to her, holding her shoulders in worry. Her eyes were on the blood, aghast. “You are bleeding!”
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (08)—She didn't think of it anymore and immediately set an appointment for the abortion.The next day, she went to the center and waited in line.Althea was all covered up, afraid that someone might recognize her in this hospital. She was pale, she had to deal with the morning sickness alone, and she had no idea what to do the whole time because, in her previous pregnancy, her mother was there.Now she was alone, dealing with everything she doesn’t want to.Althea wants to sob and to get everything over with. She can’t believe she committed a grievous sin to her friend. If only she didn’t get tempted with the money, things would not escalate like this.‘It’s all his fault,’ she galed at the entrance of the hospital where few people were going in and out. ‘He fooled me!’
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (07)—“A brothel?” Althea asked as soon as she entered the place. Her eyes wandered around and she felt overwhelmed by the red hue of the place. The lights, the atmosphere, the people. Everything here was new to her. She doesn’t know what to feel.“First time here?” The lady in heels asked. She gestured to someone far away by her hand and the other nodded before leaving their sight. “Don’t be nervous, you will only be entertaining guests… Why you don’t want to? It’s money, you know.”Selling myself. If it was her in the past, she would strongly disagree and storms off from here. But now, she has nothing but emptiness, she abandoned her pride and morals. She doesn’t have any desire to live anyway. This much won’t hurt her.“Anything’s fine,” Althea said, her
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (06)“What happened to you?” Altheaopened her eyes and saw a fuzzy scene. There were heads in front of her peeking at her from above. Althea could not recognize the features of the faces, but she knew they were medical workers because of their uniforms. It was the uniforms that the nurses and the doctors wear that she sees every time she goes to the hospital for check-ups and visits to her father.“You have been stabilized…” She heard muffled voices as if she was submerged in an ocean, waters entering her ear canals. She tried to move, but her body was too heavy like lead. She gave up and remained still, still unable to do anything, not even talk.“The man who found you and sent you here already paid for the medical bills…”‘What are they talking about?’ Althea had no clue. ‘It seems important.
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (05)“Do you like it?” The man asked Althea who was silent with her head bowed. “Do you like it?”“...” She had no response.His eyebrows twitched. He dislikes being ignored despite ignoring people.He bends down and held her chin to look at him forcefully. “Hey, little mouse, I am asking you a question. Do you like it?”“...” She still had no response.With eyebrows raised, he stood up and stretched his arms. “Sigh! After all, we did to repaint the wall, that blood only amounted to that much. It wasn’t even able to cover one-fourth of the wall. So regrettable! Now, the little fierce rat is not fierce anymore…”He glanced down, his cold eyes looking at the woman who was sitting on the cold ground motionlessly. “She can’t even appreciate our