Rise of The Fallen Son-in-law Vol. 2

Chapter 4: The impostor

As Mrs. Blackwood rushed toward the gate, Aiden and Celeste followed close behind. Markus, too, was drawn to the commotion, and he stood near Nicklaus, who seemed frozen in place.

The group came to a stop as they spotted a man standing near the gate. He was dressed in a sharp suit, his hair slicked back and his expression unreadable.

Mrs. Blackwood's eyes widened as she recognized the man, her hands trembling with rage.

Mrs. Blackwood's eyes narrowed as she took in the man standing before her. She knew that face, and she couldn't believe that he had the nerve to show himself here. Without warning, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face.

The crowd gasped, their eyes wide with shock. Even Nicklaus, who had been silent until now, looked surprised.

Darius stood there, a red handprint on his cheek, his expression still inscrutable.

Darius stood motionless, absorbing the impact of the slap. He looked up at Mrs. Blackwood, his expression unreadable. The crowd fell silent, stunned by what they had just witnessed. Markus and Aiden were both shocked, but Celeste had a feeling that she knew exactly who Darius was.

Darius straightened his jacket, his movements slow and deliberate. He glanced at Nicklaus, then back at Mrs. Blackwood. "So you recognize me, do you?" he said, his voice low and menacing.

Mrs. Blackwood took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew

"Darius!" she exclaimed, her voice shaking with emotion. "You thief! How dare you show your face here?"

The crowd around them fell silent, the tension in the air palpable. Darius remained calm, his gaze fixed on Mrs. Blackwood.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" he said, his tone mocking.

"You are no friend of mine!" Mrs. Blackwood spat, her cheeks flushed with anger. "You are nothing but a criminal and a scoundrel."

Nicklaus looked over at his father, his eyes filled with betrayal and a hint of respect for Mrs. Blackwood. He could tell that there was a connection between his father and this woman, and he wanted to know more. But he also wanted to protect Mrs. Blackwood from his father's schemes.

Mrs. Blackwood took a step back, her heart pounding. She looked Darius in the eye, her anger seething just below the surface.

"You thief! How dare you show your face here," she said, her voice shaking with rage. "I trusted you and I loved you," she continued, her voice cracking with emotion.

Mr. Blackwood stood frozen, watching the scene unfold in front of him. He could see the look on his son's face, one of betrayal and respect for Mrs. Blackwood.

"Come on son. You would let this woman shame me like this?" Darius asked as Nicklaus his disowned son stood there watching.

Aiden stepped forward, sensing the tension in the air. He looked from Nicklaus to Darius, trying to make sense of the situation.

"She's not shaming you," Nicklaus said, his voice firm. "You brought this on yourself, Dad. You've always acted like you're above the law, and now you're facing the consequences."

Darius's expression hardened, and he took a step toward Nicklaus. "Is that how you speak to your father?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me?"

Nicklaus met his father's gaze, his own eyes blazing with anger. "You've never done anything for me except use me to further your own agenda."

Darius looked taken aback by Nicklaus's words, as if he hadn't expected his son to see through his manipulations. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted what was best for you."

Nicklaus scoffed, shaking his head. "What you want and what's best for me are two very different things. I've spent my whole life trying to live up to your expectations, and I'm done. I'm done being your pawn."

Darius's gaze turned steely, his eyes hardening as he focused on his son. "What's this about?" he demanded, his voice tight with anger. "Why are you getting involved in something that doesn't concern you?"

"This concerns me because it concerns Mrs. Blackwood," Nicklaus said, his voice unwavering. "And I won't stand by and watch you manipulate and hurt her. She's done nothing to deserve that."

Darius's lips curled into a sneer. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said, his words dripping with disdain. "You're just a boy who knows nothing of the world. You can't possibly understand what's at stake here."

Nicklaus took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. "Maybe I don't understand everything," he said, "but I know that no one deserves to be used or manipulated, no matter what the stakes are. Mrs. Blackwood is a good person, and you're trying to take advantage of her. I won't let that happen."

"You're being naive," Darius scoffed. "You have no idea what it takes to get ahead in this world. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, even if that means hurting others."

Nicklaus shook his head, disgusted by his father's words. "No," he said, "I don't believe that. I think you can succeed without hurting others, and I will do everything in my power to prove that. I will not let you use and manipulate people just to get ahead. It's wrong, and I won't stand for it."

"You're such a fool," Darius spat, his face contorted with rage. "You'll never make it in this world with that attitude. You'll be trampled underfoot by people like me, people who are willing to do whatever it takes to win. And when you're lying broken and defeated, I won't shed a single tear."

Nicklaus felt his anger bubbling up inside him, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I'd rather be defeated with honor than win by doing something I know is wrong," he said, his voice steady. "I'd rather lose than become someone like you. And if that means I'll never be as 'successful' as you, then so be it. At least I'll be able to look at myself in the mirror and know that I'm a good person."

Darius stared at his son, his eyes blazing. "You think you're so righteous, don't you?" he said, his voice low and menacing. "But I know the truth. You're just as selfish and greedy as the rest of us. You just hide it better. You pretend to be noble and pure, but underneath it all, you're just like me. You just haven't admitted it to yourself yet."

Nicklaus felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He wanted to believe that his father was wrong, that he was truly a good person. But in that moment, he wasn't so sure. Could his father be right? Was he really just as selfish and greedy as everyone else? Or was there some truth to his belief that there was a better way to live?

"Aiden," Nicklaus said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I have to tell you something. My father, he's not who you think he is. He's not just a wealthy businessman. He's a god. And not just any god, but the god of thieves."

Aiden's eyes widened in disbelief, his mind racing to make sense of what Nicklaus had just said. It was too outrageous to be true, but Nicklaus's sincerity made him doubt his own skepticism. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice full of confusion. "That's not possible. He's just a_"

"He's actually a thief. He has the ability to disguise himself as anyone, which is how he's gotten away with it for so long. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Aiden's head was spinning, his mind trying to make sense of what he'd just been told. It was hard to believe that the man he'd known for so long could be capable

Aiden's eyes flitted back and forth between Nicklaus and Mrs. Blackwood, still trying to wrap his mind around what they were telling him. A god? It seemed impossible, but the conviction in their voices made him wonder if there might be some truth to it.

"You mentioned that you could 'feel' that "your father" was deceiving us," Aiden said, still struggling to accept what Nicklaus was saying. "How is that possible? Can you read minds or something?"

"No, I don't have that ability," Nicklaus replied. "It's more like a gut feeling, a sense that something's not quite right. It's hard to explain, but I just know that my father's not who he says he is."

Aiden still wasn't sure what to think. He wanted to believe Nicklaus, but it was hard to accept such a drastic shift