From Pitiful to Powerful: The Concealed Heir Elevation

Chapter Forty-two

A/N

Hey readers. Lynxx is back with updates. 

I'm sincerely sorry for the lack of updates for the past few days. I don't want to lie. The reason is I've been feeling a bit lazy and my workload was much. 

But seeing the number of new readers I had now made me feel guilty about it. Hope you can forgive me, please?

I was also stockpiling chapters for February, so I can assure you (not promising though) that there will be daily and regular updates in February. If possible two chapters per day. So there won't be many updates in the remaining months of January but there will be in December.

Lynxx is no longer lazy, readers. Thanks, y'all who stayed. It means so much.

If you've read the previous chapter before this one, you might want to remove this book from your library and add it again. I made a change to that chapter. Don't worry about the chapters you paid for. They'll remain unlocked.

I made this chapter free for you. Enjoy, y'all.

Mwaah.

*******

Brian stared at the photo in bewilderment.

This picture was taken from a long time ago. It was of him on his third birthday in a little playground in the city back then. 

His mother just decided to celebrate his birthday by sharing some snacks with the children who played with Brian in the playground. 

That was like two decades ago, so how was Edward able to get the picture? He shook his head and kept the picture aside.

The next picture only increased his confusion. The next picture was of him walking into a school gate. It looked like the first day he entered middle school. 

"What?" Brian mumbled.

Brian took the next one. Now he was really losing it. The third photo was of him standing on a podium with his graduation robe on him. His graduation day from high school.

Brian's confusion increased and increased as he sorted through the pictures. Each picture was of him when he was still younger.

Brian sat on the ground in a daze and left the photos to scatter on the ground. His mouth hung open and his glasses fell out of place on his face.

How did his father get these photos? Was it his mother who sent him those?

No, it couldn't. The angles of the pictures looked like the person taking it was hiding. And he was sure his mother didn't have some of the photos here, like his first day entering middle school.

Recalling the night he met his father, Brian got up hastily in rage and adjusted his glasses. Edward said he found them three years ago. But how was he able to get the pictures?

This could only mean one thing.

***

The door banged on the wall due to the force Brian used to barge in. 

The thud made Richard and Edward flinch a bit. Edward just arrived at the study a few minutes ago.

"Geez, Brian. Take it easy on the door." Richard remarked, glancing at the cracked glass on the door. "Why the anger?"

Brian ignored him and marched towards Edward.

"Explain this." He slammed the photo papers on the table and they scattered, vibrating some papers near them.

Edward squinted his eyelids at the photos and his lips parted in shock. "How did you get this?" 

Brian scoffed. "What? You thought I'd never find out? That you'd keep this from me the rest of my life?"

Edward opened his mouth to talk but Brian chimed in. "So you've been lying to me all this while?" 

"Brian...I..." Edward stood up and tried to speak but Briam cut him off again.

"You said you found us three years ago. How then do you have pictures of me from when I was young? And don't tell me my mum gave you these because it wouldn't be from this angle if it was hers." 

"I..." Edward stopped and realized he had been busted.

Brian huffed. "So, you've been lying to us from the beginning. You've found me and my mother since my birth but refused to take us and just allowed us to suffer, huh."

"I was only trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what?" Brian snapped. "Why did you have to lie?" 

"Because if I didn't, you wouldn't trust me." 

"Well, guess what, you just lost my trust." He laughed bitterly. "And to think I was starting to get along with you." 

He stormed out of the study with his fists clenched.

"Fuck." Edward slapped the table and covered his face. What was he going to do? Brian was going to hate him again and everything would start from the beginning. Why now?

"Ok, umm..." Richard said. "I don't know what to..."

Edward turned all of a sudden and threw a punch at Richard's face.

Richard yelped and staggered back.

"Hey, man. What the heck?"

"Why did you give him my keys?" Edward approached him and grabbed his shirt collar. He growled, his eyes bearing fury within them. "Why did you let him in my room?" 

"Hey, take it easy. I never knew he would find this."

"Fuck you." Edward pushed him back and ran his hand through his hair.

How would he get Brian to trust him now?

Meanwhile, Brian leaned against the wall in the backyard of the manor.

Why was everyone lying to him? First, his mother lied about his surname, and now he just found out his dad had been lying about finding them. 

What other lie was he going to find out next? Why can't everyone just tell him the truth?

"Hey, Brian. You called?" Melanie's voice called and he looked up.

Melanie, Charlene, and Dalton just arrived in their respective gang uniforms. Brian sent a guard to call them.

Brian crossed his arms and glared at them. "You guys knew my dad's secret, didn't you?"

They furrowed and looked at each other. 

"What secret?" Charlene asked.

Brian huffed. "Don't act like you don't know. You knew my father had found me right from birth, right?" 

Melanie blinked. "How...how did you find out?"

Brian dropped his arms so that they hit his lap hard and scoffed. "So unbelievable. So you guys knew the truth all this time and refused to tell me?" 

"Well..." Melanie scratched her head awkwardly. "We had orders not to tell you anything."

"And...I have no idea about this." Dalton added, holding up his hand as if surrendering.

"Yeah, he does not. Just I and Mel." Charlene supported.

"You guys are so...ah forget it."

Brian turned back and stormed back into the manor.

Melanie ran her hand through her hair and remarked. "Well, this isn't good."

Brian barged into the manor. As he went to the stairs, he spotted Edward coming down from the other side.

He faced the front and increased his pace, avoiding eye contact. 

"Brian." He heard Edward call but he ignored it and turned to the hallway leading to his mother's room.

He knocked on her door when he arrived but got no response.

He frowned. Where else could she be? He turned to go back to the stairs but stopped when he saw Edward coming towards him.

He held back a growl. Why can't he just leave him alone? He turned to go in the other direction. 

"Your mother is in the training room if you are looking for her," Edward called out before he could take a step. 

Brian huffed and turned to proceed to the training room.

"Let's talk about this, Brian," Edward said as Brian walked past him. 

"There's nothing to talk about." Brian merely said and continued moving. He heard Edward's faint sigh.

In the training room, Brian found his mother yelling and doing rounds with the punching bag.

Brian had to blink twice to be sure this was his mother and his glasses weren't playing tricks on him. It was so odd to see his mother in black leggings and a gym crop top.

Her body was covered in sweat as she punched the bags with boxing gloves, jumping from side to side. She was like a fierce female boxer getting ready for a boxing match.

Brian's mouth hung open. He had never seen his mother do workouts before, not to speak of training. It was even odder seeing his mother in gym clothes.

"Mum?" He finally voiced out after being dazed for some minutes.

Rosanna, who was about to kick, turned. "Brian? How long have you been here?"

"Some seconds ago. You train now?" 

She shrugged. "You are not the only one who needs to learn how to defend himself. Edward has been teaching me different skills."

Brian's countenance changed at the mention of his father.

Rosamma noticed and asked. "Is there a problem?"

"I just found out something so outrageous."

"Sounds serious. Sit."

They sat down on the bench. Rosanna picked a chilled bottle of water on the bench and took a large gulp.

She swallowed and held back a belch. "What is it?"

"Remember when dad said he didn't find us until three years ago? He lied."

"What?"

"He found us since I was little but refused to bring us home. He had been lying to us all this time." 

Rosanna frowned, deep in thought. "Hmm, he may have a reason for doing it though." 

Brian raised his brows. "What do you mean? Aren't you angry that he never came for us? We suffered all our lives while he just watched from a corner, taking pictures of us."

"I know your father, Brian. Like I said, he must have had a reason for it."

Brian scoffed, frustrated. "Why do you always support him in everything? Our lives could have been better. You wouldn't have had to beg or work too hard. Or have you forgotten what we passed through?" 

"Brian, dear. There will always be suffering in this life you see. Even the rich suffer too, just in a different way. And yes, I've forgotten all that we passed through because that's all in the past. We shouldn't dwell on the past but focus on the present to shape our future."

"But mum..."

"And who knows? Things happen for a reason to teach us lessons in life. There might have been a reason for our suffering. Who knows? If I had grown up rich, I'd have been a rich arrogant woman." She shuddered at the thought.

Brian opened his mouth to speak but stopped, finding sense in what his mother said.

He sighed. "But still...why did he lie? He could have told us the truth right from the start."

"I guess you'll have to ask him and let him explain himself to you. And it's not as if you haven't lied before. I can't count the numerous times you've lied to me."

Brian chuckled. "You must love my father a lot to defend him always."

Rosanna merely smiled and wiped off the sweat on her forehead. "Yes, I do. A lot. Just let your father explain before jumping to conclusions, okay?" 

"Okay. Thanks. You are the best." He held her hand, grateful for his wonderful mother.