Rise of the stolen heir

2

Mason's body shook as he tried to maneuver around Walter, but Walter clutched his arm, sinking his nails into Mason's flesh like sharp talons. He spun Mason around to face Charlie and the rest of the bodyguards, who had caught up to them. Their faces were twisted into cruel grins.

Mason winced, his teeth clattering at the cold sting of Walter's nails, and his eyes met Charlie's black orbs, burning with anger.

"Did you think it would be easy to escape Walter and I?" Charlie asked, his voice low and menacing.

"I didn't do it," Mason confessed with fear wracking through his body.

"You are a liar!" Charlie growled.

Just as Charlie's men closed in, a black van halted beside them, and a group of men jumped out. Rushing towards Mason and Walter. Immediately, Mason recognized the leader, Rufus, as a debt collector.

Mason's stomach churned as he lowered his gaze to the floor, feeling a lump form in his throat.

"What-what do you want from me?" Mason asked, his pulse racing, threatening to burst out of his ribcage as the men encircled him like predators preparing to attack.

Rufus spat, popping his knuckles as mischief glinted in his eyes. "Your luck has run out, and now it's time for you to suffer and pay up for your sins."

Mason managed to ask amidst his thumping heart, "What do you mean?"

"Your debts are due, and enough to make us rich," Rufus said from behind him, causing Mason's heart to gallop like a petrified horse.

Mason knew he was in big trouble.

"My boss hasn't paid me." Mason's voice shook as he responded, trying to sound braver than he felt. "He's owing me four months' salary." Mason had been living in debt to care for himself and his baby sister.

"We don't care. We want our money," one of the men sneered, his words cutting Mason deep like a knife. "And that's why we're here, Mason.”

Mason stammered, struggling to swallow the stubborn lump in his throat, "I-I don't have any money on me.”

Rufus halted, raking his eyes down Mason's lanky body. His gaze lingered on Mason's worn-out sneakers, initially white but now a bright shade of brown. Rufus's mouth curled up in disgust, and his eyes flashed with hate.

"Look at those shoes," Walter spat, speaking on Rufus'behalf. "I wouldn't be caught dead in those."

Their voices overlapped as they roared in laughter, mockery glinting in their eyes.

Seeing this as an opportunity to escape, Mason took a step back, but air flew out of his lungs when a hand gripped his arm and spun him.

“Please, stop," Mason begged, lips trembling. “I didn't lay a finger on Ellen. And Rufus, please give me more time.”

The circle of men threw their heads back and burst into fits of mocking laughter.

"You're a pathetic worm, Mason," Charlie snarled, gripping the collar of Mason's only good shirt.

"Did you know he beat up Mr. Russell's daughter today?" Charlie said to Rufus. "We should join hands and teach him a lesson."

Rufus agreed, his eyes gleaming with malice.

Mason protested, his heart racing, "I didn't do it!"

"He's so weak he can't even fight back," one of the assailants taunted, fueling Mason's anger. However, he knew better than to retaliate.

"When we turn you into nothing but pulp, you'll know never to hit a woman," Charlie sneered, releasing Mason's collar and shoving him violently. Mason lost balance and fell into the waiting hands of Charlie's cohorts.

Charlie's fist connected with Mason's cheek, sending his head jerking to the side. A sharp pain seared through his face.

"I didn't hit her!" Mason yelled in agony.

Before he could recover from the impact, another fist slammed into his stomach. Mason coughed harshly as an explosive pain erupted in his gut.

They released Mason's hands, and one of the boys shoved him toward Walter, who struck Mason's cheek with his wide and calloused palm. The slap left a ringing sound in Mason's ear that echoed through his skull.

"Pay up, loser!" Rufus exclaimed, delivering an uppercut that sent Mason tumbling to the ground. The blow felt like a sledgehammer crushing him.

A searing pain shot through Mason's skull, akin to a hot knife plunging into his brain. His vision blurred. Mason curled on the floor, shouts of agony flying from his broken lips as the metallic taste of blood danced around his tongue.

Finally, the blows stopped, but Mason's body felt like a punching bag – beaten and battered. Every breath hurt his ribs, and his heart pounded so loudly it drowned out the sounds of their heavy panting.

Mason thought to himself, "I'm sure they'll leave now since they can see how helpless I am," hoping this was his light at the end of the tunnel. But he was wrong.

"He disgusts me!" one of the boys announced, and his hands grasped Mason's collar, lifting his battered body off the ground.

"Now, where is our money?" Rufus demanded, his face inches from Mason's.

"I-I don't have—" Mason stammered, but Rufus's fist silenced him, connecting with his nose.

Mason staggered back, blood dripping down his face. Pain shot up his head, threatening to split it in two. The agony felt like a living entity, a wild beast clawing at his insides.

"Since he can't pay up," one of Rufus's men suggested, as Mason struggled to regain his footing, his vision blurring, "Why don't we take his sister and use her as our plaything until he has the money to pay?”

Mason's mind reeled in horror. "What?" he thought, anger coursing through his veins like an erupting volcano.

"Damn! That is one hell of a sexy woman," Charlie exclaimed, his wicked grin spreading across his face. He rubbed his chin, eyes gleaming with sinister intent.

"Why didn't I think about this sooner?" Charlie mused.

Rufus snickered. "I know, right? I can't wait to get my hands on her big boobs." He darted out his tongue to wet his lips, eyes leering with disgusting hunger.

"We would take turns drilling her," Rufus continued, his voice dripping with malice.

Mason's anger boiled over. "How dare you speak about my sister like that?" He seethed, fists clenched and jaw locked. He summoned every last shred of strength to fight back.

Their faces twisted in shock that soon turned to anger as lines of disapproval marred their foreheads.

"How dare you fight back?" One of the men snarled, delivering two swift kicks to Mason's leg, sending him crashing to the ground.

Mason squeezed his eyes shut, body trembling, praying for the agony to end. But the nightmare was far from over.

The man straddled him, unleashing punches of fury to Mason's face, each one landing with a sickening thud, making his head spin.

Just when Mason thought he'd succumb to darkness, a voice pierced the air like a whistle.

"Hey, that's enough!"

The punches stopped, and the man climbed off Mason.

Mason's vision was foggy, his body battered and bruised, lying in a canvas of blood with aching joints, feeling crushed.

"Olivia Carlisle," Rufus said with shock hanging down his voice.

Mason's vision blurred, and their voices grew distant, as if he was on the verge of blacking out.

Who was Olivia Carlisle?