2024-05-07 02:13:19The hospital ward was dimly lit as the only source of light was the lamp beside the bed. The ward was like any other hospital ward just extravagant.
Xander lay on the bed unconscious and he had bandage wrapped around his left arm and right leg. He was in this position since his minor surgery an hour ago. The night breeze from the open window gently brushed past his skin and he slowly felt his arms and legs, including the pain that follows. He groaned and squeezed fingers into a weak fist as he tried to feel his body. The muscles on his arm ached so he released the fist and tried moving his legs. His legs felt more heavier than usual so he gave up and tried opening his eyes. It felt like a task to keeping his eyelids from closing but was glad that room was dimly lit as he slowly adjusted to it. This was strange to him as he had never been in a place like this. The beeping of the heart monitor caught his attention and was confused for a minute as he realized it was connected to him. He turned his head to inspect the other part of the room. The movement caused him a slight pain that he was willing to endure to ensure his safety. "Where am I?" he asked no one in particular as he was the only one in the room, his voice was hoarse and it felt hard to speak. He sighted a clock hanging on the wall across from his bed but couldn't make out what it said. Judging by the sky outside the window it was night as the stars decorated the navy blue sky. Who knew the night sky would be filled with stars after a heavy rain, he thought mindlessly to himself and the memories that led to this moment flooded back to him, tightening his chest, as if he hit a truck of emotions. His healthy hand went for his chest as he felt like he was suffocating. His eyes pick with tears and he let out a whimper as he chocked down on his sobs. "How could she do this to me" he whimper and turned on his side, not caring he was straining the IV attached to his hang. It was little pain compared to his bleeding heart. How could his life change in less than 48 hours. He admitted that his life hadn't been perfect - it was terrible but it was all that he had, and he wanted to cherish it. He didn't notice he low sobs had turned into a full blown cry and this caught the attention of a man in his late fifties that came to check on him. "Young master, are you alright" the man asked as he sticked his head through the slightly opened door. Xander didn't respond because he didn't know the older man was referring to him as young master, meanwhile he was backing the door. "Xander, are you alright" the older man tried again, this time stepping into the room fully and closing the door behind him. The older man remembered the little kid he watched from afar. Now, standing close, he saw the damage life had inflicted on him. The sobs coming from Xander stopped as he slowly turned to stranger and clenched his jaw to endure the pain in doing that. "Sorry, stupid question, you are in pain, don't move I would help you sit up" the older man said sadly to Xander, who made no move to speak as he lay on his back. The liitle kid he knew had a happy lit in his eyes but the man in front of him looked crushed. The older man approached the bed and pressed a button on the bed repeatedly. The upper half of the bed rose slowly, adjusting Xander into a comfortable sitting position. The older man took a step back when he was done and stood beside the bed lamp. This gave Xander the opportunity to view his face. He reconsidered him that was the last face he saw before he became unconscious. "Who are you" Xander struggled to say. The man noticed his discomfort and poured him a glass of water from the jar placed beside the lamp. Xander collected it with a grateful look. This pleased the older man as he watch him drink it eagerly. He released a sigh as he felt water soothe his throat and down to his body. He regained more control of his body as he felt less suffocated. "Who are you?" he asked again "Call me Max, you just underwent a very necessary surgery on your leg" Max said, his voice mixed with concern and professionalism. Xander looked at his bandaged leg and shrugged. "The doctor stated that you left your leg untreated for two months, why didn't you fix it" Max continue, noticing Xander non chalant behavior. "It was not important" Xander shrugged and looked away from Max. "How could you say it was not important!" Max stated as he looked shocked at the young man. "Every part of your body is important, I don't want to imagine what would have happened if I haven't seen you laying unconscious in the alleyway" Max said and cleared his throat as he noticed his emotions is getting in the way. How could he not feel when he saw a well grown adult beaten to the point of death. No one noticed him and if they did they left him to die in the alleyway. Death was preferable to Xander's current life. He had this thoughts before but he held on for his wife and daughter. Now there was no reason to live. "Maybe you should have let me die!" Xander shut back, shocking Max. The older man shuddered at the thought of letting Xander die. "Daddy" Xander remembered the way his daughter called him anytime she was brought back from the nursery and he felt disgusted with himself. How could he be at peace in death knowing his daughter was still out in the world with nobody to protect her. Xander balled the sheets in his fist as his eyes got blurred with tears. The vein on the hands that he had used to fend for himself propped out, causing the skin around the needle to swell. "I want to live, I don't want to die, I have a daughter to protect but so useless and incapable of doing that" Xander said, use his good hand to dry tears but they don't stop as flashes of humiliation and maltreatment he passed through came back to him. He remembered the look of disgust on their face. He remembered his wife hurtful words as she left him alone every night. He remembered being throw out of the house in the rain. He remembered as five thug beat him up while spewing abuse. Xander heard the older man smog his sniff and turned to him. Max had removed his glasses to wipe his tears with an handkerchief. Max assumed that Xander had a happy family life, which kept him from informing his boss about finding his son. "I'm sorry for everything you pass through, I didn't want to tell you until tomorrow but you are no longer poor, you are not a waste of space and it would be an for someone to pity you because your father is the owner of XL conglomerate" Max said and put on his glass. He struggled to Xander's unknown past but it wasn't his to share. Xander smiled sadly at him. "Thank you for saying those things, they mean a lot but I don't have a father" Xander said, his voice mixed with gladness and sadness. He never had a father, a mother any family member of his own and had long accepted his fate of being a orphan. "How could you not have father, even the egg of a python has a father" Max chided "I don't recall having a father, I'm a orphan" Xander said and Max chuckled lowly. "You have a father, he had been searching for you since you left the orphanage, let me introduce myself again, I'm Max Welder, personal assistant to Cameron Cage, the chairman of XL conglomerate and also your father" Max said in an outburst and for the first time in a long time Xander felt hope as he saw a light at the end of his tunnel, he was too shock to speak. "You know who The Cage is right?" Max asked tilting his head to look at the long lost young master. "I only saw him on TV" Xander responded. The head of the Cage Family was refered to as The Cage and was feared for it. "Imagine all the power he has, I don't think you need to lift a finger to do anything in this lifetime again but what would do with all that much power?" Max inquired suggestively. Xander gaze drifted to the floor and he caught sight of the disappearing on his knuckles as memories of the sleepless night and nights he spent locked outside the house in winter, crept his mind like shadows reclaiming their place on the wall. Xander chuckled bitterly, causing chills to run down Max spine. "I would make them pay for everything" he said and smirked wickedly.
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Xander stood by the window, resting his weight on his good leg out of habit. He has been limping for two months and was used to it. The bandage on his other leg have been removed by the door this morning but it still felt weird to be use his two legs.A light wind blew his mop of black hair, ruffling. His hair had long need an hair cut but he never bother of it as all his month went into his savings of buying his wife a present for their anniversary."What a waste" he muttered and looked out the window at other patients enjoying the weather with their visitors or family.He saw an old man on wheelchair laughing and talking with his son. A grandmother surrounded by her grandkids and children who wanted to fill her in on their lives that she missed. He saw the way the man held his wife which was pregnant as she watched her kids talk to their grandmother.He wanted that.That love of a family, he also wanted it. The lovely look that he would cherish for the rest of his life. His not so p
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Xander eyes widened in shock as he looked an older copy of himself. He felt like he was looking into a future mirror. The only difference was their eyes, his was green and his father was brown.Now he noticed that the camera never caught a clear photo of his face. It was always a side view or a far sight.A smile creeped into his face as he felt happy feeling of hope burn in him. He felt like there was someone in this world that cared about him because their resemblance was uncanny but why didn't he show up to see him. "You didn't visit me in the hospital" Xander stated, his voice came out more calmer than he expected. Max faceplamed himself as he knew the answer that was coming."The yearly shareholders meeting took place so I didn't have time to pay you a visit, it wasn't need as I was going to meet you later" Cameron answered, surprising Max who thought he was going to give a short reply. Xander nodded as what his father said meant more sense but it made him feel like he was hung
RISE OF ALEXANDER CAGE Chapter 4
"Cameron, don't you dare!" Max said angrily from the door.He had been behind the door the whole time eavesdropping on their conversation and to make sure things don't go out of control.Max was a precautious person and knew the topic of the chairman's dead wife was a taboo in the mansion. He knew what happened to people that mentioned his dead wife. The last person to do that is in a graveyard but this was his son and wasn't about to allow him to do what he would regret.Xander eyes widened and moved he shifted away from the horror in front of him. His father was about to hit, just like strangers hit him.By the time he realized what was happening, Max had pulled him behind him. Cameron eyes also widened in horror as he saw Xander behind Max. He stared at his hand like it wasn't part of his body but someone else."I'm sorry, Xander. Please try to understand I didn't mean to respond like that" Cameron plead. His cold impression was broken as he pleaded for his son forgiveness. Xander
RISE OF ALEXANDER CAGE Chapter 5
"Mind if I accompany you""I don't, I kind of need a break from this old man" Xander made a slight joke and was surprised when she laughed. Nobody ever laughed at his joke except his daughter, everyone else always raised an eyebrow then shook their head. "I understand you" the attendant said and I eyes left Xander to Max. "He remind me of my grandfather, you know how Mexican grandparents can be, so overprotective and rarely let you have a life" Max raised an eyebrow at that statement. He stared down at his knuckles it dew winkles on it but not enough to be referred as a grandfather. He stared at his reflection on the showcase, his face showed no sign of winkle thanks to his wife who nagged him on eating healthy food. "I'm not even sixty!" he wanted to say but he bit his tongue and swallowed his word. "Tell me about it" Xander smirked and looked at Max fuming through the corner of his eyes as he walked deeper into mall, the sound of his footstep followed after him. "Max" Xand
RISE OF ALEXANDER CAGE Chapter 6
"Do you know her? " Randy asked, her eyes on the three ladies who were about her age in front of them. This ladies dressed extravagantly from the jacket to their shoes. Helena stood in the middle of her two friends, she wore a pink jacket over a gray tight gown. She looked taller than when Xander saw her around his wife house with the aid of a pink boot heels. Randy's statement got her attention as she was yet to notice her. "Oh, new girl, that fast. I didn't think you get over my sister so quick" Helena said with a giggle that didn't sound normal. Her words slurred slightly and she looked at them with a sloppy smile. Helena held unto one of her friend to steady herself as she took one step closer to Xander. "Ex girlfriend? " Randy asked, her voice coming out at bit anxious as she watched Helena twirl a strand of her brown wavy hair around her finger. "No, ignore her she is high" Xander replied, he didn't want to stay in that uncomfortable situation so he took Randy's hand to lea
RISE OF ALEXANDER CAGE Chapter 6
Helena stared at the receipt then Randy's back as she followed the men out and again at the receipt. A lump came in her throat as her eyes welled up and blurred her sight. She was high and too disoriented to say why she was reacting like that. Her friends didn't notice until a tear dropped on the receipt, staining it."Hel, are you crying?" the blonde, Lizzy asked."No, I'm not, I think I'm too high" Helena responded and furiously wiped her eyes, drying every trace of tear."Why are you crying, I thought this is a happy news and he is single again" the black haired, Kati said and whispered the last part."Hands off him, he is mine" Lizzy shunned and glared at her friend"Were you girls blind he got a new girlfriend!" Helena said and lump reappeared in her throat again. "Gosh, something is wrong with me" she choked. She looked at the celling and blinked continously to clear the tears."Hold on for a minute, I thought you said he was poor that's why sister divorced him" Lizzy said, her
RISE OF ALEXANDER CAGE Chapter 8
Xander stood in an empty familiar space, his in laws house. Everything looked well arranged and not a speck of dust can be noticed. The couch and sofa were cleared of any spot, including the spot Helena had stained with red wine. The sky blue tiles sparkled under the chandeliers and lights but the familiar pine scent was absent.He stood and looked around at the place he called home for three years. He remembered the burning feeling the first time he entered the house as a son in law. It lacked safety but it was okay as long as he had a roof over his head.A strange sound brought him out of his thoughts, when he listened more it was a muffled cry."Emily?" He called, searching for the direction the sobs came from. He walker into the kitchen and check the cupboards and cabinets in case she was hiding there.With no fruitful effort he left the kitchen back to the living room. The muffled cry got clearer when he reached the staircase that led up stairs to-"Why did I not think of this fi
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"How was the meeting" Cameron asked his son. His voice came out more steadier than he thought."They are not the most accepting crowd but it was good" Xander replied and waited for his father to say something to ease the awkwardness."That's good" Cameron said and mentally facepalm himself. He didn't know what he was doing, he only did what Max told him to do."They can't do anything about your position but if they think otherwise you can strip them of their position." Max added and Xander returned with a smile.The new chairman watched the two older men converse with their eyes so he used this period to admire his father's office, now his, and mentally noted things he needed to change. Maybe change the black couch to red, it's more suitable for his aura."Hm-hm" Cameron cleared his throat to get Alexander's attention. He leaned forward and dropped something on the table. Xander stared at the key placed on the table then gave his father and Max a pointed look."Uhm, I suspected that
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Chapter 38
"Alex, wake up, Alexander wake up!" Xander heard a childlike voice called his name with such urgency.He forced his eyes open to see someone hovering over him. The image of the person was blur until he rubbed his. It stung like he rubbed all night."What?" he groaned and sat up before opening his eyes again to look at the person disturbing his sleep."We need to leave" The person stated. Xander's image of the person cleared and he looked at the teenager that disturbed his sleep.He was taken back. It felt like he staring in the mirror. The person looked so much like him the only difference was his mismatched eyes.He looked at his surroundings, it was different to what he remembered before passed out. The room was small and it almost empty of belongings. An old lamp sat on a make shift table made from bunch of books. Something felt wrong, this was not what he remembered. He remembered the Hunter, fire and the snake bite.Snake bite.He recalled and reached for his pants legs to inspec
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Xander sighed for the nth time and it visibly worried Hunter who was beside him."Can you stop sighing? You are making everything hopeless" Hunter complained and Xander halted and turned to him.The anger and sadness he had kept down since they enter the woods rose up again."Hopeless? Everything is hopeless. We have been wandering woods with no sense of direction and you keeping calm like everything is alright. But guess what, it is not. We lost! Hunter, we are lost in the woods and would die from starvation without anybody to find our dead body. That's so bad because Emily is going to live thinking I'm out somewhere but I would be dead" Xander ended his rant breathing heavily."Nobody is dieing, Do you hear me nobody is dieing" Hunter said and placed his hands on Xander shoulder."This what I'm saying you are calm when we are danger" Xander said calmly and looked into Hunter eyes. His face was stoic but there was a feeling his eyes, Xander couldn't pinpoint."Look" Hunter said and t
Chapter 36
"You can stop here" Hermia told her driver from the backseat.The driver silently noted and parked outside the XL headquarters.She was about to get off the car before her phone rang in her purse. She opened her white leather purse and took out her phone. The caller ID read Mike and she sighed tiredly before she answered the call."Where are you Hermia? I hope you didn't forget about our post honeymoon date" Mike said annoyed."Oh, I forgot" Hermia replied calmly. She had forgotten about the date when she was busy making plans for the day. "I would have to rain check something came up in my company""I'm at your company and you aren't there, quit lying and tell me where you are" Mike said, anger present in his voice."I would tell you everything when the time comes" She said and hung up without another word from his side.She couldn't get interrupted by her attention seeking husband. She had come this far. She had humiliated Randy with the hope that the unknown texter does something t
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"When is daddy coming back?" Emily asked Trente in a tiny voice. Her face was turned to the window, ignoring the cartoon playing on the television. It was already dark, later than Xander had ever been. "Very soon" Trente said for the fifth time and was also worried.He picked up his phone to call Max and heard a loud thump on the door."Stay here" Trente told Emily and covered her with a blanket before heading for the door.Carefully, he open the door and saw a body laying on the pouch. The sharp of the body and clothes were awfully familiar. He complained about the leather clothes being hard to breath in."Randy!" he shouted and rushed to her. She was laying face planted on the floor so he turned her over."Shit!" he gasped, shocked at her bruised face and bursted lips."Help" Randy groaned painfully as tears wet her bruises causing them to sting before she fell unconscious.She woke up the next morning with pain coursing through out her body especially her head. She looked around a
Chapter 34
"Alexander! Xander! Where are you?" He heard a worried young voice call his name. He blinked his eyes open and felt one of his was too heavy to open."I'm down here stop screaming" he respond to the voice."Oh my god, Xander" the voice was from a teenage boy same age like him. The looked down at him from the third floor balcony of the building he sat across. The boy disappeared into the shadows and Xander guessed he was coming down.Xander took that moment to stand with the aid of the walls. A sharp pain shot through his foot, he looked down to see that he step on a broken glass."Shit" he cussed.He looked at his reflection on the broken glass and noticed he was younger. One of his eyes was so swollen that it had to stay close while the other one function."Xander!" the worried voice called and ran to him, divertinf his attention from his reflection. The boy was around fifteen but was a inch taller than him since he was also fifteen. Both of their clothes were worn out and they looke
Chapter 33
"They aren't normal thugs" Hunter quickly replied. He stepped into the highway and almost got hit by a car."Hunter! Have you lost your mind!" Xander screamed from the pedestrian road but his assistant ignored him. Instead he pulled out the gut and pointed it to the driver."Get down, if you don't want to die" the frightened owener immediately unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car. He was replaced by Hunter who started the engine but didn't drive.Xander saw the door they just came through open and he ran into the car Hunter had stolen still holding his injured arm. "Come to my office for compensation" the chairman said to the frightened driver and threw his business card out the window.Hunter zoomed off, driving recklessly and changing lane randomly as the men stole a car to follow after them."How is your arm?" Hunter asked, eyes still on the road."It was just a graze, nothing I can't handle" Xander said and chuckled to hid the fact he was scared to death.If it were thr
Chapter 32
Xander woke up to his daughter beside him, she curled up next to him with an amount of his shirt squeezed loosely in her fist. He stood up quietly and noiselessly did his morning routine without waking her up. He kissed her on the cheek before he left the room, leaving the door slight open.He saw Randy preparing breakfast and Trente playing some game on his phone. It wasn't long Hunter got in and accepted Randy's offer on eating breakfast."Is she awake?" Trente asked when he finished a round in his game."She is still asleep, let her sleep till 10 before waking her up, Randy could you wash her up?" He said to the only woman in their mist. Hunter noticed her tensed up."Uhm, I don't know how to and I'm not good with kids" Randy said hoping they didn't noticed her tense up."I would do it, I'm good with children, Randy can assist me" Trente equipped.It was a Saturday so Xander allowed it. He made a mental note to hire a nanny for the weekends since he would take care of her during th
Chapter 31
Hermia layed quietly on her bed while her husband was as sleep beside her. It has been two days since she was released from police custody and a day since her honeymoon began.She should be happy that all the storms was over and she was happily married to someone who can cater for her, her family and company. She wasn't all she felt was anger and defeat. Their honeymoon did nothing to distract her from the fact Xander have her daughter and as a partner that might become his wife one day.She wanted her daughter back and for him to suffer in loneliness but she she is powerless compare to him.Her phone chimed from where plugged it beside her. She turned the phone and saw a message from a private number.Hello, it reads.She sighed and dropped her phone. Who could be messaging her around one in the morning.Her phone chimed again and curiousity drove her to check it.Don't ignore me I know you are still awake.Fear gripped her heart and she left the bed from the bathroom, careful not to
Chapter 30
Maybe a few minutes is the highest.His gaze was cut short as the figure he was staring at literally rolled into the water."One, two, three" he counted as he waited for Randy to surface but the pool water was still.Panicking, he rushed down the stairs and took the detour through the backyard. The few seconds it took for him to reach the backyard felt like a tormenting hell. For once he hated that his house was huge. Finally, he reached the backyard and ran to the swimming pool hoping to see a female figure surface.There was still no show so he pulled off his shirt, not caring where it landed and jumped into the water. He saw Randy clutching her kneel under the water. He thought she was having a cramp on her leg and was drowning because of it. As this thought went through his mind, the arms of fear ran down his spine.Another lost, he thought.He hurriedly brought out of the pool and played her on the ground to perform CPR. He started with mouth to mouth, blowing air into her mouth
