Revenge in The Dark

Chapter 2: Meeting the Former Servant

"What did you do to my father, Diego?!" someone shouted at the open door.

He had just arrived and rushed into the room, helping Austin up.

"Are you okay, Dad?" he asked once Austin was on his feet. It was Carlos, Austin's son.

"It hurts," Austin replied, fingering the cheek where his nephew had punched him.

"Why did you attack my father?" Carlos asked again, glaring at Diego.

"Your father deserved it. He took my father's company. You're the same, enjoying the company that my father worked so hard to build from scratch."

Carlos was silent, unable to answer because what Diego said was true.

"Get out of here, Diego!" Carlos shoved his cousin away.

"You're kicking me out of my father's company? Don't expect me to leave."

"All of Brandon's assets have been transferred to me and Carlos. You're poor, you have nothing," Austin said loudly. He tried to stand up straight despite the pain in his face.

"I don't believe it."

Carlos took a secret document from Austin's vault and handed it to Diego.

Diego was shocked to see the contents of the document. It stated the absolute ownership of his father's company, which had now been renamed in the names of Austin, Margareth, and Carlos.

All three had shares with different percentages.

Diego and Gloria's names as Brandon's heirs were nowhere to be found.

"This is impossible. You've manipulated the data, Uncle Austin," Diego said with trembling lips, his forehead knitted together.

"Whatever you say. What's certain is that the company and the mansion I'm living in are now mine. It's absolute, it's legal."

"You have no heart for me, Uncle. You too, Carlos!"

"The court decided to transfer Uncle Brandon and Aunt Cecilia's property to our family. The reason is obvious because they were killed by their own son, and you have no right to your father's wealth," Carlos said arrogantly.

"Asshole!"

Diego was pissed; he tore up the document and then attacked Austin and Carlos. Austin was punched a second time in the face, while Carlos received a punch in the chest.

Hearing the commotion in his boss's office, several employees entered and immediately broke it up.

Diego had to be evicted from his father's company, which was controlled by his uncle's family.

***

"I didn't realize you had the heart for us, Uncle Austin. You control all of my father's property," Diego muttered after leaving the company.

Diego was now sitting on the side of the road. His clothes were rumpled, he was in a state of disarray.

His tie, which had been neat, was now out of shape. Diego ruffled his hair and looked down in defeat.

He never thought that Austin would betray Brandon, even though Brandon is Austin's own biological brother.

What was Brandon missing all this time? He had been kind enough to give Austin the General Manager position.

Diego wanted to hold back his tears, but he couldn't. The clear water suddenly came out without being asked.

Diego stayed there long enough to decide to walk down the sidewalk.

Swinging uncertain steps, he didn't know where he was going.

Because his gaze was blank, Diego didn't pay attention to the road he was walking on until his body bumped into a woman who was standing at the bus stop.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Diego said after restraining the woman's arm from falling.

"Mr. Diego? Is that you?" The woman asked.

"Yes, I'm Diego. Who are you? Why do you know my name?"

"I'm Susanne, sir. Don't you remember?"

"Susanne? Susanne who?"

"Susanne... a former servant at the home of the late Mr. Brandon and Madame Cecilia."

"Is that so? Sorry, I didn't recognize you earlier. I used to not pay much attention to who worked at my parents' house."

"It's okay, Sir. How are you? When did you get out of prison?"

"I was released yesterday and... I've been doing badly, Susanne," Diego said in a quiet voice.

"Does it have something to do with Mr. Austin?" asked Susanne, guessing.

"Why would you know? What exactly happened while I was in prison? Do you know something?"

"Yes, in fact, I know everything, sir," said Susanne, nodding slowly. Her face turned sad.

"Tell me what happened." Diego held both of Susanne's arms, expecting the 40-year-old woman to tell him everything.

"If you wish, let's go to my house first. I'll tell you everything there." "Yes, of course."

***

"Where exactly are you from, Sir? Why do you look so disheveled?" asked Susanne after arriving at her house. She served Diego a cup of green tea.

They took a 15-minute bus ride to get to Susanne's house.

The house was quiet, as Susanne's husband was at work.

"I'm disappointed with Uncle Austin. This morning, I went with him to my father's company. I thought I was going to take my father's place as the owner of the company. But instead, I'm going to be made a cleaning service. Uncle Austin told me that all of my father's property and assets have been transferred to him," Diego replied sadly.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Sir."

"So, can you tell me everything you know?" Diego asked.

Susanne took a deep breath, then exhaled softly.

Staring sadly at Diego, Susanne felt so sorry for her former employer's son.

"After the judge sentenced you to 10 years in prison, Mr. Austin and his family moved into Mr. Brandon and Mrs. Cecilia's house. They lived in Mr. Brandon's house as if they owned it. They arbitrarily changed the rules, changed what Mr. Brandon had established, and they even fired some of the servants and replaced them with new ones. I was one of the servants who wasn't fired because Mrs. Margareth thought my work was good."

"As time went on, Mr. Austin declared that he was the new owner of Mr. Brandon's house. Anyone who contradicted Mr. Austin would be fired immediately."

"Then, what about Gloria? Isn't she entitled to my father's estate?"

"No, sir. Miss Gloria was not given that right. Instead, Miss Gloria has been matched with Mr. Harry, Mr. Austin's old business partner from Canada."

"Set up with an old man?" Diego repeated Susanne's words. He straightened his back spontaneously.

"That's right."

"Why would Gloria want to be set up?"

"Miss Gloria said she didn't want to. But Mr. Austin threatened her at the time."

"Where is Gloria now?"

"Living with her husband in Canada, Sir."

"Was it a happy marriage?"

"I don't know for sure, Sir. But, I have heard Mr. Austin and Mrs. Margareth discussing Miss Gloria's marriage. They said that Mr. Harry often abused Miss Gloria if she disobeyed her husband's orders."

"And they were silent about their niece being hurt?"

"That's right. I'm sorry, sir, I think they were happy for Miss Gloria to suffer."

Diego closed his eyes, swallowing hard. It was as if he felt for his sister Gloria.

"How cruel of them...," Diego said softly.

"That's why I chose to resign. I didn't like the way Mr. Austin's family treated the servants in that house. The slightest mistake, Madame Margareth would get angry and cut our salaries."

"Oh my...."

Susanne was silent, as if she shared Diego's mood.

"What else do you know, Susanne?" Diego asked.

"Miss Samantha, your ex-lover."

"What about her?"

"She's married to Mr. Carlos."

"What?!" Diego widened his eyes in disbelief. "Are you talking about my own cousin Carlos?"

"That's right. Mr. Carlos and Miss Samantha got married a few months after you went to prison."

"I heard a lot of surprises after I got out of prison."

"Let alone you, I was also very surprised, sir."

There was a moment of silence, leaving the two people sitting in the living room with their thoughts to themselves.

"You'll definitely be surprised again if you hear another one of my stories, sir."

"What is it?"

Susanne paused, preparing her words so as not to misspeak. Susanne bit her lip for a moment, then caught her breath.

"Tell me, Susanne," Diego pleaded impatiently.

"Mr. Austin's family... Mr. Austin's family is the reason Mr. Brandon and Mrs. Cecilia died."

"What?!"