Bryan could not almost not believe that he was back to where he once called home. Now, all it seemed to him was some old dungeon of memories. His uncle looked a little older than he had recalled. His face was much wrinkled and his hair a little more gray. But that didn't make him look any less agile like the string man that he knew. "It feels good to be back home, uncle," Bryan replied with a wide smile but didn't walk into his uncle's embrace. The older man awkwardly closed his own arms and then gestured them both inside the house. Richard was still right beside him and he entered first, holding the door opened for Bryan. The guard was rather very happy to see Bryan and he couldn't even hold back his excitement. He hadn't seen Bryan in such a long time. He'd been in prison for quite some time and although he never wanted to speak about it, Bryan knew that it had changed the man in many ways. Especially knowing that he'd been wrongly accused and put in there in the first place. Ric

The slow humming of the recorder was monotonous, almost making Bryan fall asleep as he laid on his single seater couch. He couldn't keep his mind straight, his thoughts stretched far and wide. "Hey, are you okay?" Claire asked him as she sauntered to the couch and placed a glass of wine on his hands. Bryan nodded, "I'm fine," he replied vaguely. "You have said a word since you got back from the archives, what happened?" She asked. Bryan shot his eyes to her at once. "I didn't mention that I'd been at the archives since I returned, how did you know that?" He asked. Claire shrugged, "My mother told me, she must have gotten it from uncle Tom somehow," she replied. Bryan hummed, he didn't like it at all that his in-laws were keeping tabs on him. "Tom now serves me, he doesn't serve your mother and she should learn to stay off my path, I'm getting sick of her meddlesome nature," he spat angrily. Sighing, Claire told him to calm down, " I'm sure she didn't mean any harm, she just wants

Claire looked very uncomfortable, her eyes bored into that or Arnold and the man gave her a subtle wink that made her hiss under her breath. "Are you Arnold Mack?" Maxwell asked as he mentioned his name. The young man nodded firmly with a wide smirk on his face. He still had his eyes fixated on Claire in such a lustful manner that Bryan could help but suspect that he knew where before. Why else would he show up in the house and interrupt them? "Yes, my name is Arnold Mack and I'm the heir of the Mack Dynasty, my father has just stepped down for me to take over, I just need a few more weeks to settle in and I'll be talking over," he stated boldly. Bryan sneered at him, "This is a family situation. Unless you work with the cops, then I won't see why I should have this conversation with you. Leave, if we need help then we'll let you know," Bryan said. "Why are you chasing him away? What if he could help us?" Maxwell asked harshly, "Allow him speak, we need all the help that we can get

Benjamin sat on the adjourning chair, they were both in his private office. Bryan hadn't been able to sleep a wink the previous night, not after all that Maxwell had said. "Have my wife for a week?" He asked out loud again and the more he said it, the less it made sense to him. How could they even think of something so absurd. And most importantly, how could grandfather Maxwell agree to it knowing all too well that Bryan was married to his granddaughter and would feel bad about such arrangements. "Calm down, Bryan, you're sounding like he's asking to have her in bed for the next week," Ben said and chuckled. He couldn't help being amused at his friend's rage. "It might as well be for all I care. How could you disrespect me like that! I have the means to teach that idiot a lesson that he won't forget in a hurry!" He snapped. Benjamin slowed him down, he raised a hand above his head and reminded him that he couldn't begin to mess with family politics. "How about you look at it this

Bryan stepped out of the car and onto the familiar driveway of his family's home. It had been a few days since he last set foot in this place, and the memories that flooded his mind were far from pleasant. Left for him, Bryan wouldn't have stayed to see his Uncle too soon. But it was like a siren call, beckoning to him. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the confrontation that was to come.As he entered the house, he was met with the sarcastic smile of his aunt, Tess. "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. The prodigal son returns," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I didn't think you'd have the nerve to show your face around here again."Bryan ignored her jibe, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of his uncle. "Where's Uncle Williams?" he asked with a cold tone. Tess snorted. "Oh, you mean the man who took you in and fed you when your own parents couldn't be bothered? The man you repaid by abandoning him and your brother? He's in the study, waiting fo