Barry was clad in a black leather jacket over a simple white t-shirt, paired with fitted denim jeans. His boots clicked against the polished marble floor as he strode confidently toward Snow. A pair of sunglasses rested on his face, elevating his looks.The moment he entered, the room shifted. Girls whispered among themselves, their gazes locked onto him in admiration.Even Daphne’s cheerleader squad suddenly straightened up, eyes widening at the sight of him.Snow, seeing her brother at last, ran straight into his arms and embraced him tightly. “You’re late,” she pouted, looking up at him with slight annoyance. "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?"Barry removed his sunglasses, tucking them into his jacket pocket as he smiled down at her. “Sorry, kiddo. I got caught in a traffic jam.”Snow studied his face for a moment before sighing. “I was worried,” she admitted, stepping back. “But I’m glad you’re here.”Just then, a scoffing voice cut through the moment.

Barry finished his last drink in one swift motion, then he set the glass down on the table. He leaned back in his chair and let out a deep breath. "Thank you for listening to my backstory. I haven't told anyone about this except Madam Evelyn."Sebastian stepped forward and began clearing the table in silence. "Master," Sebastian began, breaking the still silence, "what do you intend to do about your father? He seems quite determined to see you."Barry's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening as he considered the question. "I'll set up guards at the gates," he said firmly. "If Loid shows his face around any of my properties, they'll kick him out without a second thought. I don't want him anywhere near me or Snow."Sebastian nodded, placing the last of the dishes on the tray. "It's fortunate that Miss Snow is still at school, boarding. I imagine you wouldn't want her to see him and be reminded of... everything.""Exactly," Barry replied sharply. "Snow doesn't need to be dragged into this

When Barry returned back to his mansion, he met Sebastian waiting for him outside the gates. "So, how did it go?" Sebastian asked.Barry shook his head. "It's just as I suspected. Loid's up to something. He didn't come all the way here to make peace. He wants money to settle off a $10 million debt."Sebastian grinned. "Let me guess, you're not planning to lend him the money are you?""Of course I'm not," Barry said, walking into the house. "I need a favour, Sebastian. I want you to look into Loid's recent activities and report back to me tonight. Can you do that?"Sebastian nodded. "Piece of cake, master Barry. Leave that to me.""I trust you," Barry said quietly. "As far as I know, my father is probably up to no good."* * * *Later that evening, Loid took a taxi to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. Unknown to Loid, Sebastian had followed him discreetly using his unique ability to turn invisible. It was easy for Sebastian to slip through the cracked door into the w

Loid thought he was dreaming. Never in his life did he imagine that his son, Barry, could command a force as powerful as the Mario brothers. He stood there like a petrified statue, gaping at Barry in shock. Barry passed a hand across his hair as he approached Loid. "You look shocked, Loid," Barry said. Loid swallowed. Barry's voice was cold and merciless. He had never felt so frightened in his life. "What's going on Barry?" Loid asked with a shaky voice. "I'm confused."Barry locked eyes with his father for a long time then he broke the silence. "Like I said, King doesn't exist. I made him up to test you. More importantly, I lied about being a servant."Loid felt like he was coming and going. "Who are you?""I'm not the same little boy you abandoned years ago, Loid," Barry said curtly. "I've evolved from a boy to a man. I'm worth trillions of dollars. The mansion, the cars, the butler, they are all mine."Loid's face went pale. He wanted to say something but the words were stuck

The Phoenix family held a private meeting after the ceremony. The elders sat around a long, polished table while the other members of the family stood around them. Veronica stood at the center with Barry standing silently beside her.The Phoenix family were all bashing he for her choice at marrying Barry. “You’ve disgraced us!” one of the elders bellowed, slamming his fist on the table.“How dare you bring shame to our family name?” another shouted.“A nobody, Veronica? A street rat? You could have married a prince, a billionaire! But instead, you parade yourself with that... that beggar?”Another elder, a woman with sharp features and a voice like ice, chimed in.“I have no problem with you marrying outside the family,” she said, folding her hands. “You’re not the first, and you certainly won’t be the last. But a pauper? That’s unacceptable. You’re dragging our reputation through the mud.”Veronica took a deep breath, then lifted her chin. “I’ve already made my decision—I’m leavi