One - Ghosts of the Past

"You know them?" He curiously asked the old man, given the reaction he had as he glimpsed to the huge portrait.

The butler managed to get back to his senses and straightened up. He cleared his throat then shook his head. Devonne was not convinced with his uncertain denial.

"Are you sure? You looked like you're about to faint the moment you saw who those people on the portrait." Devonne started pressing.

The butler was back to his poker face. He stared back at the portrait like it was a normal display in the house. It started to spark a curiosity on Devonne's part. Mr. Mercer has this talent of altering his expression as fast as he had showed them.

"I believe I am not familiar with them." He denied, now with much certainty.

"Even a slightest recognition?" Devonne was still not dropping it.

"Yes. Now, I need you to---"

He walked out the moment Mr. Mercer started blubbering about his safety and everything else. The old man sighed as he watched the young lord accepted his keys from the valet outside. The young man smirked at him.

"Tell dad I'll kiss the Eiffel tower for him." He playfully laughed and drove out of the property.

"This generation has been quite bold for their age." And the butler strolled back inside the house, disappointed.

The silence covered the entire manor again. The sound of the gardener grooming the bushes, the cart pushed by one of the staff, the giggles of the maids and the footsteps of Mr. Mercer were the only sounds that can be heard around the old mansion. Lord and Lady Samira were out for the whole week to attend some necessary events that demand their presence.

Mr. Mercer has been the second father of Devonne, ever since his parents, especially his father was consumed by their loads of works. His mother has been there for him but she's handling the other company that their family owns. Devonne has two other siblings but they decided to attend a boarding school leaving him the only one always residing to the lonely Samira Manor.

The maids were cheerfully mopping the ball room when they heard a loud scream calling Mr. Mercer to the main staircase. They all exchanged glances and continue mopping cautiously. The old man paced urgently towards the main hall. He found Renard furiously looking at a particular portrait. Mr. Mercer sighed in frustration. He faced the lord and lady of the house.

"Good morning, my lord, my lady." He curtsy.

"Who in their right mind brought this bloody thing inside my house?" Renard instantly questioned with his temper arising. His wife held his hand to calm him.

"Master Devonne bought it, milord." Mr. Mercer said, a matter of fact.

His answer choked Renard on his next words. He glanced at his wife, who's like him, worried about this sudden turn of events. Lost in words, he cleared his throat.

"Beg your pardon, Mr. Mercer?" Renard clarified.

"Master Devonne bought that portrait from his trip in Paris, sir." The old man answered in details.

He held his wife's hand tightly. Renard composed himself and stared back at the old man. A humorless snicker left Renard's mouth. Fate is definitely mocking him.

"Remove it." He firmly demanded.

"Sir?" The old man hesitantly confirm the said order.

Renard was about to strengthen his order but his wife let go of his hands and took a step closer towards the portrait. He confusedly stared at her. She smiled.

"I think he needs to know, Renard." She sadly stared at the two majestic people.

"Allison, there's no need to." He defended.

"He needs to know who he really is before somebody else will tell him." Allison said. She cupped her hands on his face for a second, sweetly smiled and went straight to the stairs.

A laborious sigh escaped Renard. He smiled to his wife and nodded to Mr. Mercer, supporting the idea. It was his moment this time to look at the two people who have damaged him in any ways possible.

"Mr. Mercer, call Devonne, tell him he is needed here. Tell him I was the one looking for him." Allison politely requested to the old man. If someone can soften Devonne, it is his mother. She's the only person he gives importance above anyone else. The old man nodded and left the hall.

Renard was left staring at the two vicious people he knew. Even in their deaths, they have managed to haunt his peaceful life. A dreary smile on his face emerged.

"Have you tried talking to the two of them?" Allison asked sheepishly when she went back to check on him.

Renard snorted and climbed the stairs. The two of them found each other in their most devastating moments. After Catherine died, Renard didn't know what to do with his life. He was left with a huge responsibility, but his friends never left his side, Dominic, Hendrix and Allison. She managed everything for him when he was not able to stand up and put the courage to face everyone. The two men accepted to run the Samira Clan until this day.

Around mid afternoon, an unfamiliar car halted in front of the manor. A man wearing a dark aura emerged holding his briefcase. He checked his reflection on the car window and paced to the front door. The doorbell echoed inside the house. It took him few minutes waiting until an old man opened the door. He nodded at him in recognition.

"How can I help you?" The butler inquired.

"Does a certain Devonne Pride Samira lives here?" The visitor countered with a question.

Mr. Mercer looked at the odd visitor from head to toe. He even had his judging eyebrow deviously high and took a step forward.

"Yes. He is not here at the moment. But you can leave a word for him." He strictly stated.

"What about his parents? If he happens to have any." The visitor replied. The old man's threatening eyebrow quirks back up.

"They are here. You must be?"

"Attorney Fernandez Hussein of Drax Family." An emotionless response from the lawyer.

With no haste, the old man went to the master's bedroom leaving the confused attorney outside. Three knocks were his indications of an urgent matter. Mr. Mercer informed the couple about their unusual visitor. He even explicitly described the occupation of the said person. Renard asked the old man to accommodate their guest to the visitors' lounge.

The mysterious gentleman stiffly sat on the couch with all his composure while he roamed his eyes around the elegant room. Numbers of very expensive and rare items were displayed openly around him. A huge portrait is hanging above the fifteenth century fireplace. The huge door to his right burst open spitting Mr. Mercer with his threatening aura.

"Lord Renard and Lady Allison Samira." He announced.

Two gorgeous people entered the room with full of elegance and sophistication. A friendly gestures were shown to the lawyer, which he did not expect to receive from such household. They motioned him to take a seat.

"I am Attorney Fernandez Hussein of the Drax Family." He introduced to the couple.

Allison felt the tightening hold of Renard. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"The Drax bloodline has seized to the two people, which, frankly speaking, I think you two knew, Catherine and Hector," The lawyer paused and checked some documents. "We've been tracking some, potential heir to the family's untouched assets. There were two people appeared to be part of Drax bloodline. Someone from the Philippines, which a team was sent to confirm, and your son, if I'm not mistaken was the son of late Doña Katerina Drax Pride."

The unease couple nodded reluctantly. They didn't want to hear the rest of the declaration of assets but they chose to listen.

"Since he is the only confirm heir aside from the other one from the other side of the globe, he will inherit various assets, including the ones owned by Don Hector Drax Exconde."

Renard and Allison exchanged nervous looks. If Devonne will inherit the entire family assets, that includes the underworld.

"Why would he inherit Hector's assets?" Renard asked. The Samira family alone can support his son's financial needs.

"You see, milord. Don Hector has no family records submitted to the family's legal counsel. The one from the Philippines was allegedly his, until then, Señor Devonne will receive everything."

Allison held her husband's hand. A huge inheritance will be given to the only child of Catherine. They are starting to worry if the Hiatus Clan of the Clement will be handed to him.

"Can you mention a few things he will inherit?" Allison requested wishing that the lawyer might read something controversial.

Attorney Hussein opened his briefcase and fished for some documents. He scan some of the papers. He sigh in relief when he found the specific document.

"Well, first is the Drax Group of companies which consists of News Agency, Publishing Company and a Chain of hotels, then the Chateau De la Mercedes, to name a few. Unfortunately, these assets are not solely own by the family except for the chateau, only percentages since the Alderige has acquired the majority of the stocks."

"Is there any organization? Like a charity the family has been supporting ever since?" Allison question vaguely. Renard shot her a worried look but she winked at him. The lawyer continue scrambling his collections of papers.

"Oh, here. There's this certain company, Morningstar Corporation? It's one of the things he will receive from Senior Hector's asset," he stopped mid-sentence. "Wait, he won't be receiving that, for some reason it is intended for someone else. Maybe for that person in the Philippines."

A huge thorn was removed from Renard and Allison hearing the last statement. Morningstar corporation is run by the Hiatus clan and is under the Drax bloodline.

After the lawyer explained the process of the turn over of assets, he needs to talk to Devonne in person. He slightly bowed and bade his goodbye. Renard and Allison promised to tell Devonne regarding the recent news the moment he arrives.

***

A frown drawn on Devonne after he parked his car. He was about to board the train to Paris when Mr. Mercer informed him that his parents has arrived and that his mother personally asked for his presence. He slammed his car door and throw the keys to the valet.

"Manners, Devonne." The old man reprimanded him. He was the first person too approach him.

He rolled his eyes and went inside, immediately looked for his portrait. It was not on where he left it. Devonne went back to confront the old man.

"Where is my portrait, Mr. Mercer?" He asked full of attitude.

"Lord Renard asked to remove it from here." The old man answered plainly.

"What? It's not his to decide! Where did you put it?" His anger rose. He was tempted to raise his voice more than usual.

"You will find it again, but first you need to join your parents to dinner like a normal son." The old man said in a reprimanding manner.

"Oh, please." He sarcastically answered and lazily walked towards the dining area.

The old man opened the door for him, showing the furious look of his father and the cheerful smile of his mother. He kissed his mother on the cheek and patted his father's shoulders. He took the seat across his mom.

"I'm glad we finally have this dinner," Allison happily said and put some food on Devonne's plate.

"I know right. I'm surprised to know you two still live here." Devonne sarcastically responded.

Renard was about to discipline the untimely attitude of his son but Allison held his arm. She doesn't want any unacceptable scenes happening especially during mealtimes.

"So how was Paris? I heard you went there." Allison asked in excitement.

"Yes, tell us son." A sarcastic addition from Renard.

Devonne rolled his eyes and cut the steak that was delivered by the kitchen staff. He wanted to return the attitude but his mother is already giving him the warning look.

"It was fun. I bought a portrait actually. Someone decided to put it away," and dropped a judging stare to his dad. He quickly returned to his food when Allison gave him a sharp look.

"Mr. Mercer will bring it back to your room later. No need to get things worse." Allison stated.

Allison resumed eating. Renard slowly put down his glass of water and stared at his son. It pains him to see the resemblance of his ex-wife. Devonne clearly did not just inherit their assets, also their attitude are starting to surface.

"I heard you have been traveling to Paris without proper supervision?" He strictly asked.

Devonne sighed and sipped his water before he threw a bored look at his father.

"Yes. As I've said, I'm already 17. I don't think a chaperone is necessary." A complete tone of surrender from him.

"But you just need to have a slightest decency to inform everyone about your whereabouts!" Renard countered. Covering his worries with his famous frown. Allison deliberately coughed to console the growing tension between the two.

"Let the kid have his fun," She neutralizes the situation then glanced to the young man. "Just make sure, Devonne, next time, inform anyone in this house where you are going."

Devonne rolled his eyes one more time. He decided to continue his food to avoid another heated argument.

"By the way, I see you have that portrait. What made you bought it?" A spark of interest and curiosity consumed Allison's tone.

That changes Devonne's mood. It immediately lit up his face. He looked at his mother in excitement. Renard was skeptical to the topic but his wife smiled at him.

"I went to this old chateau in Paris. It was huge and beautiful! The owners seemed to leave it to rot. Such a waste, I may say. They had everything in auction so I bought that one." He answered lively.

"And you bought it using your own finances?" Renard could not help but comment.

He quickly shifted his mood when Allison gave him a disappointed look. Renard just ruined an improving atmosphere. He mouthed an apology but Allison glared at him. Devonne laughed at his father's defensive look.

"So why that portrait? I'm sure there's more beautiful and mysterious than that?" Allison continued.

"There is but there's something about that portrait. They seemed familiar. And you have to give them credit with the way they appeared on that portrait. So intense and powerful like they will crash everything that stands on their way."

"They did." Renard unconsciously murmured to himself, enough to be heard by the two people with him.

"Beg your pardon, dad?" Devonne inquired.

"He said that they sure did look the way you pictured them. We've seen the portrait ourselves." Allison was quick to assess when she noticed that Renard was tongue tied.

"I know. I'm sure as hell putting it in my room."