HANDS OF RETRIBUTION

CHAPTER 8

The sound of glass shattering startled Lilian. She was seated on the couch with her husband, watching her father live out his rage. Meeting Aaron at the party was the last thing either of them had scorched to happen. It felt like Aaron couldn’t go away no matter how hard they tried. She had divorced him, and for things not to get weirder, Lincoln had fired him from the company. That was supposed to be the end of Aaron Warren, but here he was back in New York with a new name and huge wealth.

“How is this possible?” Lincoln asked rhetorically.

Lilian clenched her jaws in fury. David seemed to be the only unfazed person in the room which boiled down to the fact that he hadn’t been around when Aaron was around. Lilian had met David a year later after she divorced. David never expected Aaron to have such an impact on the family. He was more confused than angry. Having his wife's ex-husband around wasn’t that appealing to him either. What if Lilian went back to him? At this point, that seemed impossible. As far as he knew, Lilian hated Aaron so much and so did her father.

“You need to calm down, Lincoln,” David suggested.

Lincoln’s head was pounding and his face was livid with rage. He turned to David and gave him a death glare. David realized he was better off silent and simply sat down without saying a word.

“Did you know anything about this, Lilian?” Lincoln asked.

Lilian was surprised to hear her name.

“No. As far as I knew, his foster parents were dead,” she replied. “I don’t know where he could have accumulated such wealth from. And showing up with a different name is more scary.”

Lincoln had one hand on his waist now as he stroked his beard. He had beads of sweat on his forehead and he was still dressed in the suit he had worn to the party. He barely got any rest when they returned, and throughout their drive home, he had been quiet. Lincoln seemed pretty worked up by this.

“What did he say his name was again?” Lincoln asked.

“Roman,” Lilian replied. “Roman Lacroix.”

Lincoln sighed at that.

“Lacroix, you say?” He asked.

The name sounded familiar, but he just couldn’t picture where he had heard it from. Lilian was getting worried. If Aaron was back, it could mean he wanted something. But what was it? What could Aaron possibly want from them? Did he play on tormenting her family? Why would he come back to New York after all these years? Lilian was lost in thought. Her mind was foaming as she racked her brain for an answer.

Then, she recalled the dirty blonde man on her lawn. The strange man had made all the guards pass out till later that evening. She had forgotten about it. The man had been looking for Aaron. Did this have some sort of connection to his sudden wealth? Lilian wasn’t sure. She sighed at how futile it was.

“What could he possibly want, Dad?” Lilian asked.

As Lincoln stared at his daughter, Aaron’s last words came back to him. Could it be possible that his plans would backfire? He had manipulated Lilian and had made sure she divorced Aaron. It had all been his plan. Aaron didn’t look like someone who would be able to handle his company at that time. Now he owned one of the fastest-growing companies in the city. It was ironic.

Based on the conversation they had before Aaron left, there could be only one thing he would be after. It made sense to Lincoln now. He had taken everything away from Aaron, his wife, his family, and his job, of course, he would want something in return. Lincoln ran his fingers through his black hair as the realization hit him. Why hadn’t he seen it earlier? His confidence had blinded him, and now he was going to pay for it. If Aaron was back in New York after all these years, there would be only one thing he would be seeking—retribution.

“Dad?” Lilian called.

Lincoln turned to his daughter and she could see the fear in his eyes. He was scared. What could he possibly be thinking now? Lincoln walked closer to her. His eyes were lit up in fright.

“There’s only one thing Aaron would want after all these years,” Lincoln said.

“And what could that be, Dad?” Lilian asked.

“Only one thing,” Lincoln replied. “One thing that would have made him go as far as he has.”

Lilian was getting impatient. It made her wonder when her father started being cryptic.

“And what is that?”

Lincoln’s lips quivered as he struggled to bring forth the words. They seemed heavier than they should. Maybe it was the bitter realization that was stopping him.

“Revenge.”