BRYCEE'S POV
I hurried away from her, returning the call I received.“How many times have I told you to wait for my call?” I scolded, “If there is anything that needs urgent tending to, send me a text,” “Send a text for goodness sake,” I was furious. It was already hard enough to keep secrets, living in this small house with Blair. Suspicious actions would blow everything, getting me into serious trouble. “That's fine, I'll see you by the weekend,” I responded to the caller. “Oh, Brycee, you arrived very quickly,” Mr. Johnson, the head domestic staff at the Williams' residence said, as soon as I entered the premises. I raised a brow, expressing my confusion. “I called five minutes ago to let you know that the boss wanted to see you, and didn't expect you to arrive so quickly,” he said.‘Oh, shit,’ I placed my head in my palm. I had forgotten my official device at home, placing it on the table when I scolded Blair, she must have answered Mr. Johnson’s call. I smiled lightly and followed Mr. Johnson to see Mr. Williams.“You do have some nerve, young man,” Mrs. Williams began, as soon as I walked in. I rolled my eyes, pretty fed up with her pettiness at this point. “We give you our daughter and suddenly you feel strong enough to oppose us?” Mr. Williams queried, in a fierce tone. “How ungrateful!” His mean wife chipped in. “No one told me I was supposed to be grateful,” I replied, and watched as the couple expressed shock at my reply. “You threw away your responsibilities of taking care of your child, now I have to feed her and put a roof over her head and you expect gratitude?” I continued. “I would barely call that a roof over anyone's head,” Mrs. Williams scoffed, “I mean, even Blair deserves better,” she laughed in a mocking tone. “She deserves better parents too,” I replied. “You would not dare speak to my wife like that,” Mr. Williams barked, “Or else?” I questioned. “Consider yourself fired!” They both chorused.“Oh no, I see you missed the memo,” I said, laughing hysterically, “Clearly it hasn't gotten here yet,” “I quit!” I yelled. “I'm only here to let you know that I would be keeping my arrangement of being married to your daughter,” I said. “Since clearly you suck at being parents,” I walked out, slamming the door behind me, in their faces. I walked angrily out of the mansion and was heading home, when a call came in for me. “Do not call me at will…” I began with immediate scolding. “What?” His information came in urgently. “I'm on my way,” I replied. ************************************************It was past midnight and I was very exhausted, returning from attending to the call I earlier received. My business was top secret and I couldn't afford any one else handling it in my absence. “You have some guts, young man,” I heard a hoarse voice from the dark as I drew closer to the house. It could get dangerous, roaming the slums, especially at night. There were always bandits and hoodlums lurking around. I rolled my eyes, as four of them came out of the dark, surrounding me. “Look boys, I do not have the time for this right now,” I pleaded, really exhausted and just wanting to get home, which was now only a few meters away. “Neither do we, which is why we are going to get over this very quickly,” one of them replied, swinging a bat at my head. I held the bat mid-air, and gave him a punch at his lower abdomen with my other hand.“Listen boys, there's no reason to fight,” I said, more in a warning tone than a plea. “How about I give you boys some money to get some drinks and we call it a night?” I offered. The other threw a punch at my face. I ducked, going behind him and kicking his buttocks from behind. “Guess we're doing this the hard way then,” I said, as I defended myself against the attacks the men threw at me. I really didn't want to be doing this right now, I had had a very stressful day, but the men left me no choice. The leader of the gang pulled out a dagger and tried to run it through my throat, but I drew back, letting the blade pass right in front of me. I kicked the blade from his hands, turned him around and placed the dagger to his neck, which I caught mid-air. “Who sent you?” I asked, holding the dagger to his neck. “Mr. Williams,” the man who was now struggling for his life, while the others groaned in pain on the floor, answered with a shaky voice. “Leave!” I ordered, “Now!” I yelled at them. They ran away from me in different directions and I threw the dagger on the floor and headed home. I couldn't believe how naive Mr. Williams was. To think of sending bandits to attack me after the altercation we had. I opened the door and found the living room in a mess. ‘Oh please,’ I exclaimed. I just wanted to get some rest. ‘Had Mr. Williams’ thugs also gotten here to raid the place?’ I walked slowly through the scattered furniture, barely getting space to place my feet.“Blair!” I called out loudly, as her thoughts crossed my mind and I hoped she was fine. I got to the room and found it in a bigger mess than the living room was. Blair was seated on the floor, with folded legs, having papers all around her and my secret box, open in front of her. I was taken aback by the sight, and wondered how she ever found that box. I stood at the entrance and didn't dare to go close to her. She got up with some of the papers and walked slowly towards me. “Who are you, Brycee?” She said, handing the papers to me, “Oh, forgive me,” she immediately said, her tone, clearly sarcastic, “Brian Craig,” she called. I knew at that point that it was over, no more lies.BRIAN’S POV CONTINUES At that point I should have just opened up, but instead I said,“You know it's all manner of rude to invade people's privacy,” I walked past, going to get some change of clothes. “Rude? Privacy? Brycee…” Blair was stuttering. “Cat's got your tongue Blair?” I asked, hinting at mockery. “You are such a horrible person,” she began to throw tantrums. “Say something I'm yet to know,” I replied. I was enjoying the shocked look on her face, even though I was fully aware it was not a very nice thing to do. They were files from a life I had to leave behind, a life I wasn't willing to discuss yet, or resurrect. “Blair, for all you know, that could belong to anybody,” I said lightly, adjusting into bed. “That's what I thought,” she said, “until this fell out of your files,” she threw down my I.D, “Brycee, or should I even call you that?” She queried.“If you're not ready to make discoveries, then stop snooping Blair,” I replied coldly. I could see just how much sh
BLAIR’S POV Despite all of my persistence, Brian would not come clean, or offer any description to the documents. “Some things are better left unsaid, Blair,” he replied to my question. “If you want to go ahead and be dramatic, we both can,” he said. He sat on the smaller couch adjacent to me, and fell asleep, shortly after. I replayed the incident over and over again in my head, until I eventually fell asleep. *****************************************“Good morning, Cinderella,” I heard Brian's voice waking me up. I slowly opened my eyes and found him serving breakfast. “Guess Cinderella is already living her princess life,” he said, as he helped me sit up. Brian had presented a tray with chips, fried eggs and a cup of tea. I couldn't control the broad smile on my face, being woken up with breakfast. I couldn't also believe that Brian had this sweet side to him. “Mhmm,” I exclaimed, as I munched on the sweetness and crunchiness of the chips. I was surprised at what a goo
BRIAN'S POVI was pissed the whole day, having caught Blair on Steven’s call and I could not seem to understand why she never stayed in her lane. “Stephen,” I called back,“Brian, what is happening? Are you also in trouble over there?” Stephen’s voice was heavy with concern. “I'm fine, I'm fine,” I replied lightly. “What is happening?” I questioned. “I need to return as soon as possible,” I said, “it's becoming pretty difficult to remain a secret here, especially with this snoopy wife of mine,” I added. “Wife?” Stephen exclaimed in shock. I placed my hand on my forehead, recalling that I had never mentioned Blair to him. “Brian, wife?” He queried again, “now you're living a double life?” “What if anyone finds out and she becomes a target? Or a link to get to you?” Stephen expressed his concern. “I have it under control,” I responded, “she knows nothing,” I added.“Well, I wouldn't say anything, with the way you're complaining,” Stephen said. “Hey, meet me at the spot in an ho
BLAIR’S POV I followed Ashley, a little scared to a garage we snuck into. “Common,” she said, noticing my skepticism and hesitation.I looked around, and having no choice, I followed her in. The garage was attached to a glorious mansion at an estate not very far off. Ashley turned on the lights and there were loads of cartons at one corner, and a little bed, barely enough for one person at the other side. “You can stay with me for a while,” she said, bringing out a burger from a paper bag.“Where are your parents?” I questioned.“I've never had any,” she replied.I felt my heart sink at her reply. “So, you live here? Taking care of yourself?” I inquired calmly. “I ran away from the foster home since I was ten,” she said, “it's not so much out here, but at least it's better than the foster home.” she said, pulling out a burger from a paper bag. “I can't take that,” I said,“It's okay, I have another,” she said, “I got two offers today,” she said, pulling out another paper bag.
BLAIR'S POV CONTINUES All day, Ashley and I would hunt scrap wristwatches and clocks, and sneak back into the garage at sundown. This routine had gone on for a week, and although I was getting quite used to the early mornings and hunting routine, I couldn't deny how exhausting it was. I admired Ashley’s strength and couldn't believe that a girl as young as she was, was out here trying to put her life together in this manner. It was another day of scrap hunting for us, and thanks to Ashley, I was getting used to the streets of Vegas.I didn't have to worry about getting lost, or a random stranger finding me and returning me to my father's mansion. That was my greatest fear. If I was ever returned to father, there was no telling what he would do to me this time. Moreso, with Brian's absence at the mansion, I might need another toothbrush to scrub the walls, before mother lets me out of her sight. “You can go in that direction, I'd go this way,” Ashley said, as soon as we got to a
BRIAN'S POV THREE YEARS AGOI paced in my office angrily.“This is the third time!” I yelled at the top of my voice, smashing my phone on the ground. “Third time! And they can't pin all of this to anyone? No one at all?” I was agitated. “Calm down Brian” Steve said.“Calm down, you say?” I sat at my desk, “I am being hunted down like an animal, Steve,” I said, “it's from one ambush to another, and merely lucky to still have my life, but for how long?” I said, “huh?” I hit my fist on the desk. “Burning down my warehouse at the exact time I was to be there?” I scoffed. “This is more than sheer coincidence, Steve, and I'm not having it,” Steve only watched me, as I ranted and expressed my anger. “If the law doesn't take its course in three days, I'd obviously have to take the laws into my hands,” I sounded a threat. “Until now, there is no evidence to apprehend anyone,” Steve said, “you have a lot of enemies and rivals, Brian, and for all we know, anyone could be behind this,” he
BLAIR'S POV “There, you have the truth!” he said. “I had to leave town and come here as a different person,” he further explained, “until the police trace the attempts on my life to someone, I can neither return nor use any of those I.D you saw,” I took a deep breath, marveled at his story.‘Who would have thought?’I had always thought Brian had a weird dress sense. He always dressed to work like some spy. Everyday, he would arrive at Father's mansion in black leather clothings, dark shades and hats he'd change everyday. “But it's been three years,” I said, “there's no there's still a threat on your life back at Winchester,” I added.“Steven thinks so too,” he replied, “but if there still is, I can't find out in person,” he replied. “I took some measures to check if the town is safe for me to return to.” He said. “How's that?” I asked. I had barely dropped my statement, when his phone rang. It was a call from Steven. We stared at each other briefly, before he proceeded to an
BLAIR’S POV CONTINUES The police searched every nook and cranny of the house, and my only prayer, like Brian, was that they didn't trigger the button that brought out his hidden files. I could only imagine how disastrous that would have been, and I was unready to witness such chaos. Despite their inability to find any thousand dollars in the house, or in Brian's possession, they insisted he followed to the police station, which he did. I only had tears flowing down my cheeks in endless streams, as they took him away. “Whatever happens, do not leave the house,” Brian said, following the police like he was being led to the slaughter. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I didn't at all believe the story of Brian taking my mother's one thousand dollars. I impatiently paced the house, from end to end, crying and drowning myself in thoughts, for hours, and Brian had not returned yet. I so badly wanted to obey his instructions, but I could no longer hold myself together I quickly l