2024-08-22 17:46:42Slade stood there like a log of wood that had just fallen into a pool of icy water.
He felt stiff and immovable as he tried to process those few words that his nanny had just uttered.
He slowly heaved the nanny from his chest and walked back to the building. He was shocked out of his wits.
It could even be said that his actions now are but instinctive.
He slowly pushed the door open, which fell away at his touch. Earlier, before he heard his name called by her, he had looked through a blow in the door to see the inside. But right now, the debris of the interior of his once beautiful home stood right their in front of him like a ghastly nightmare.
Charred woods, melted plastics, shattered glasses, broken porcelain, and several other fire residues littered the whole room. Slabs of latte blackness crawling all over the walls. The ceilings were displaced, and the whole space was in ruins.
A ruin that can hardly be fixed.
Just staring at this, Slade heart became water! He knew what this meant! Fire! A serious fire! But he didn't want to make things up. He quickly turned around to look at Mamita, who had already walked towards him, too.
There were tracks of dried tears, nearly wetted all over her face.
"What happened?" Slade swallowed. His throat was as bitter as gaul. He didn't think he was ready to hear the story.
"A few days after you went to prison..." She was still sobbing, unable to get her words clearly.
She decided to hold back the remaining tears. That way, she would be able to tell the story clearly.
Slade's heart was beating hard as he waited for the narration.
"July 11th. Your father's birthday. The house was busy, and everyone had his hand occupied. There were a lot of guests and other well wishers. The day went by slowly... It was a joyous day which later turned..."
She sniffled, rubbing the back of her hand, which looked extremely coarse, against her nose.
"At night when everyone was tired and looking to put their bodies to bed... suddenly, a cry of horror was heard. Fire! It was a mysterious fire that no one knew how it started."
"It was strange how the fire spread out in the blink of an eye. Before attempts could be made, the whole mansion had been set on fire!"
"I'm sorry, Slade..." Her voice broke again as tears started welling up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. The fire took them all. If I had not gone out shortly to get more groceries, perhaps I would be dead, too."
"Forgive me, Slade, that I could not do anything." Her effort to hold back the tears gave way! Her eyes became flooded.
Slade felt like his spirit had been crushed as he listened to the story of his nanny. His heart was shattered into a confetti.
His whole family is dead! His entire family is gone! Gone to a mysterious fire!!!
But he could not just stand there and watch Mamita suffer like that. He couldn't begin to imagine what share of pain and torture she must have gone through all these years. He felt pity for her, for himself and for his family, who were gone.
A tear strayed from his eyes as he tightened his jaws. He should be the man here no matter what.
"There are rumors..." Mamita began, "that the arsonists are the Langley family. They gained a lot from your father's death. But it's just a rumor."
"Langley family…"
"Yes, and your girlfriend Mariana..."
Mamita suddenly fell silent, as if she had said something she shouldn't have.
"Mariana? What happened to her? I thought she would be here taking care of you all."
"Taking care of us?" Mamita seemed to find this amusing, showing a mocking smile before a tear rolled down her cheek.
Slade did not want to press further. He walked closer to her and hugged her.
The both of them stood in the midst of the ruins; a leftover of what used to be an opulent living room.
While hugging her, he tried to cup her body into his broad chest, but he noticed something strange. He quickly pulled away as his eyes squinted.
Suddenly he realised that one of her arms was gone. She only had one arm left.
Could this get any worse?!
"What happened to your arm? Thought you said you were not in the fire?" He asked out of burning concern, not caring about the words themselves.
"It's... It was..."
She was trying to explain to him when all of a sudden, a loud vehicular noise was heard roaring outside the building. Urgent matters shift the mind to pressing business.
Slade and Mamita quickly hurried out of the building to see what this noise was all about.
Outside the building, there was a group of men dressed in vests, googles, hats and boots. They looked like they worked for a construction company. There were two bulldozers behind the men.
Although they were construction workers, yet they looked very tough.
As soon as Mamita saw them, she started to shudder. She quaked and was in great fear. Slade noticed this. He intelligently deduced that her missing arm must be related to these people.
He was trying to advance towards the men when Mamita grabbed his arm to stop him. She shook her head at him. There was great fear seeped into every corner of her eyes. She was warning him not to go to the men!
Seeing her like this made Slade burn in rage. His face suddenly turned cold and rigid as steel! He snatched his arm from her and stomped towards the men.
"Who is the boss here?" Slade said coldly, hardly looking at the five men gathered in front of him.
"Who is this poor loser acting tough?" One of the men mocked.
"Get off my face right now, and we'll try not to destroy you alongside that wench and the house!" Another man gloated.
Slade's eyes turned crimson when the man called his nanny a wench! He could kill all these men without even breaking a sweat, but he was biting his rage down.
"Are you still standing there?" The men were really surprised to see Slade staring them down even though they had warned him.
While this was going on, the leader of the construction workers stepped to the front. He looked round and heavy. Bald but appealing.
"Do you know who sent me, you little cunt!!!" The leader almost spat at Slade. "I was sent by the Langley family!" His voice was loud and very proud.
"If you do not crawl out of my sight like a beggar, I'll crush you to death, and you'll be buried under the rubble of this house like your miserable family!!!"
Slade narrowed his eyes. The Langley family again? It seemed that the rumors Mamita mentioned were likely true;
Otherwise, why would the Langley family bother tearing down his house?
When Mamita saw that the argument was getting heated and Slade might get hurt, she quickly ran to the front to shield Slade from getting beaten.
"Don't include him, please. I'm the one you're here for." She feigned boldness as she stood in front of Slade, spreading her arm like a wing to protect Slade.
The construction workers suddenly burst out laughing by her demonstration.
"What the hell is wrong with this one-handed bitch. Get away from my sight!" The leader slapped her across the face.
He slapped her so hard that she tumbled over her head and almost broke her neck.
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Anger swept over Slade like a violent storm!But even in this utmost rage, the first thing that came to mind was helping Mamita from the ground. She looked helpless and extremely weak on the ground. He slowly lifted her up until he was certain that her feet were stable. He helped her to the back, a distance from the construction workers. He placed both of his palms gently on her shoulders. "Please stay here. Those pigs would wish they were never born." Slade promised, bloodlust and rage struggling in his eyes. When Mamita saw his eyes, she felt chills all over her body. Who was this grown man standing in front of her? Was he really the same Slade that she fed and nursed? She could only but move her head as Slade instructed. Even if she wanted to argue, she couldn't find her voice. There was a mark of the leader's hand printed on her face. There was pain all over her neck, too. Even while she was in pain, she couldn't help but worry about Slade's safety. Slade turned
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Slade's eyes gained a strange strength as he realised what was about to happen. He couldn't just stand there and watch his nanny be crushed to death by the gigantic tyres of this mighty bulldozer.There was no one in the bulldozer. It must be that the driver had gotten out too hastily and hadn’t set the brake properly, causing it to move on its own.He was a couple of distances away from her and didn't want to risk the timing. There was a big stone just right next to his left foot.He quickly picked it up without any stress. The stone should weigh at least 40 pounds. It looked like one of the parts of the house that had popped out during the fire.Without having a second thought, he threw the stone towards one of the front tyres of the bulldozers. The precision was topnotch, and it balanced right when the tyre was about to be steered in the other direction.A big roar was heard, and the engine of the bulldozer came to a stop. The force was sudden and had probably damaged something in
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Slade stomped his left leg on the ground, and off he went. There was no point digging deep into the assumptions while he stood there. The first necessity was saving the girl from drowning. As soon as his body made contact with the river after the dive, his head went gliding through the surface for a few seconds before he submerged his whole body into the water. Barely had he spent a minute in the water when he his head popped out of the water, a shawl of flood pouring from both sides of his head. Clutched to his chest was the girl who was barely breathing. With the girl in his arms, he climbed out of the water and slowly placed her body on the ground, supporting her back with his sturdy arm. The girl had swallowed a lot of water, and her lush blonde hair had turned into rolls of ropes. She was unconscious. Her face was pale, looming at the near-death omen. Her lips were blue, and she already looked like life was just a puff away, about to be blown off. "Let's take her to the
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"What do you mean by this?" Slade's face held a very strong note of seriousness. His facial expression was so stiff that the man was beginning to question his own decision. The man cleared his throat and withdrew his hand for a second. He held a bolder stance and took a step closer to Slade and Mamita. "I don't want you to be offended by this. But in all truthfulness, I won't be happy if you don't take this token of gratitude from me. You have done a very great thing by saving my daughter. Please allow me to show my gratitude with this little token." The man was very intentional about his decision. Slade didn't say a word yet about it. He inspected the clothes of the man for the first time. He realised that the design of the overall winter coat looked very simple, but the intricate carving in the hems and collars was quite unique. Like a limited-edition casual wear. Also, judging by the manner at which the man was talking and the way he would carry himself, it was now obvious to S
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There was an unusual silence between Slade and Mamita as they walked away from the scene. "Why didn't you accept the money?" Mamita finally asked. She had wanted to ask the question earlier, but she didn't want to do it in the presence of a stranger. She had respected his decision in public, but she wanted to understand why he had chosen not to take the money. It was a handsome amount that anyone would have taken at the first thought. Slade took a gaze at her. He understood her concerns. If she had not asked the question, he would have thought that something was wrong. A part of him already knew that the question was unavoidable. "While I was in prison, I learned a lot. Someone told me that helping someone shouldn't be centered on the premise of rewards. That if getting rewarded was why a help was rendered, then it was not necessary in the first place." Slade explained. "Money might end up being a harbinger of disaster. That was why." Slade came to a stop. He watched as Ma
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Although time passed by quickly after he left the girl and the old man by the river, he didn't think he would see her so soon.The lady now looked a lot better, happier. Slade could sigh in relief. But when he realised where she was, he couldn't help but wonder again. Does she perhaps live here? Because she didn't look (dress) like someone who was here for the wedding."Good day, miss." Matthew's face turned warm when he saw the beautiful lady. There was a fat smile on his face.When the lady looked up and saw Slade, she was surprised. She recognized him instantly."This fool here has come to cause trouble," Matthew explained to the lady. "You're just in time; this thief might have stolen or copied your father's ring. We're about to take him to the police station."Father! The Paxtons were stunned as they looked at the girl in front of them.She's the only daughter of Jendall Kurtis. The heiress of the Kurtis mighty family!Although Candyce was the only daughter of her father, she was
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As she walked on, Elise kept brooding over the topic. She didn't know what to believe. She has found herself at an impasse, unable to agree with either her logic or the reality of event. "Could he be the Spectre?" She wondered, her face growing chills. "No. The Spectre is supposed to be a myth. He's not real. He can't be real." She was shaking her head violently. "Then if he's not the Sceptre, and most definitely not my father, who else could be this powerful man living in Pinnacle County?"The more she thought about it, the more confused she was. She was trying to find a common ground for her logic and reality but nothing seemed to be working for her!"Someone who can't only clone himself but can easily vanish when he's at his most vulnerable state. What kind of human is this?!" She shook her head violently. "It can't be. He couldn't have sent two clones. That's impossible." She nodded frantically. "If a mage wants to clone himself, the real person has to be there! Two clones ca
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Elise stood there feeling relieved as she watched Slade fall hard to the group after pulling the sword out. She was much more impressed with herself than she was with what has just happened. A second ago, she was caught in the claws of her trauma, and then another second later, she was driving a sword into the chest of Slade. She couldn't tell for real how she was able to bury her fears so quickly, switching it with the hunger to see this guy dead! Perhaps her will to cause havoc was stronger than the fog of fear that encircled her earlier. "I warned you before all of this started but you decided not to listen." Elise said, standing over Slade. "How could you be so obstinate? Did you think that you could fool me with making a clone of yourself?" She sounded quite offended. There was no trace of emphaty towards Slade on her face. It felt like she was enjoying and savoring every second of this moment. "Do you know what was more foolish?" She pushed the tip of her heel into the sid
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When Elise heard this, her eyes turned red instantly. "What!!!" She exclaimed. What the hell did this fraud just call her?Slade kept track of all the changes that took place in the eyes and face of the lady. He has a mission, too. He didn't want to spend all the day here having a word battle with some strange girl. Just like he always did, he wanted to push her to very edge of her rage and watch her use all her strength to take him down!"Why do you look so offended?" Slade laughed softly. "Did I lie?" He added. "How can a pretty lady like you be the dog of Vixton? Did he send you here to kill me just like the assassin he sent earlier?" Slade pushed further. Slade had thought about it for a moment. When the lady first approached him, he was forced to think that it might be the lady from the forest, the dragon. But then he recalled that he hasn't released her from her dragon form yet. So, there was no way in hell where she would have escaped the Heaven Coast Forest and come here.
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It's been a day after she left the forest. Elise has done everything she could do locate this fake Lord Jaguar, but she wasn't able to. She has even tried to make Ceballos tell her, but Ceballos was extremely scared to utter a word about the man. Elise believed that the fake Lord Jaguar must has bewitched Ceballos and co. She decided that all the responsibility rest on her right now. She needed to find a way around this. Up to this moment, she has been able to find some fact about the fake Lord Jaguar. She has come to discover that the fraud used to be the heir of a powerful company but was sent to prison for what he didn't do. Perhaps because he was trying to seek judgement for those who hurt his family, he decided to lie that he had met an old man in prison. Even though if he wanted to save his family's legacy, should he do so by lying about her grandfather and pretending to be who he's not?Elise was very furious as she came to a stop. She was in front of a convenience store. S
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"It's okay if you don't want us to be together for now. I understand totally. You don't have to force yourself or go against your beliefs." She placed her left palm on his cheek. "See, I'm not mad at you, not at all. Like I said, I understood why my father didn't remarry. That was why I said let's take a break. It's not like we are breaking up for good." She assured. "By the time you're done with everything that you have to do, I'll still be here waiting for you, even if it takes four decades or a century." She added, water forming in her eyes again. She suddenly laughed. "I was joking when I said a century. You better not take it serious." She scolded. Slade smiled, falling deeper and deeper in love with her. He could never have thought that this lady in front of him was the eighteen years old suicidal girl he had saved from a lagoon several months ago. He felt very bad for having lowly thoughts about her. He felt extremely remorseful that he used to think that she was a burden
Chapter 179
Slade and Candyce were having a hearty laugh as they stood in the midst of the fluffy flowers that bent to the rhythm of the gentle breeze. When they had taken a flight, Slade had brought them to this location. It is an open garden of beautiful flowers. Each flower was about half the height of an average human. The both of them seemed to have something in common as the laugh continued for another few seconds. After this, Slade stopped laughing but Candyce wanted to carry it on for a while. Soon enough, the both of them found a common ground and the laugh died out. When it died out, each of them was looking in an opposite direction. Turning their back to each other. Slade could enjoy the beautiful view of this geographic area. It was one of the places that he hasn't really paid attention to. This would be a perfect location for him to come to whenever he was in need of solitude. He could even bring himself up to per with his skills if he were to practice here. "She told me everyt
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Candyce was still struggling to regulate her breathing pace. What had happened outside the restaurant earlier took a toll on her mental health. She wasn't the type to get into a fight with people no matter how subtle. She was trying to fan herself with the back of her hands even though the restaurant was chilly with the aid of air conditioners. "It was my fault. I planned to make today a great day, but then I ruined it." Slade apologized, taking responsibility for what had just happened. "It's your fault, truly." Candyce admitted, trying to catch her breath. Slade wasn't surprised by her remark. Where was the lie? Of course everything that happened outside the restaurant was all because of him. In fact, only few privileged people in Pinnacle County knew who Candyce was. They didn't know her in person. So, there was no chance in the universe where someone would have been able to recognise her here! This again bulged down to the fact that if it wasn't for Slade, this wouldn't have
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Slade got the door of the car for Candyce and she stepped out. When she stepped out of the car and looked at Slade, she chuckled, blushing. Slade smiled. They both walked hand-in-hands in the direction of the eight-star restaurant. They were both exchanging gazes as they approached the door of the restaurant.Suddenly, someone walked into their path. Candyce was the first to lift her gaze. When she saw the person standing in their way, her eyes squinted. "You..." She tripped off, unable to recall the name of the person. Hearing what Candyce had said, Slade quickly looked up to see who it was. "Mariana?" Slade didn't know when he mentioned her name out loud. The first question should be what was she doing here, but Slade didn't care. Why should he worry about her whereabouts? They both have no reasons to be responsible to each other. "Let's go in." Slade decided to ignore Mariana. He pulled Candyce to the side a little bit to create enough space for himself and her in order to w
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"I have to go now." Slade suddenly changed the topic.He really did care about the look on the face of the dragon. The story of the life of her specie was something that brings her to a swamp of sadness, burying her deeply into the mire. She was immersed in that moment. "What about him?" The dragon asked, putting down the man on her back with her tail. "Keep him with you for a while. I want him to be in a deep sleep for a while. When I return, I might choose to restore him and then listen to what he has to say." Slade explained. "Why can't you listen to what he has to say right now? Why can't you wake him up right now?" She asked. "I have a date to attend. It's long overdue. I cannot put it aside anymore." Slade brushed off the topic. After this, he turned around and started to walk away. "Are you going to ask me what I told her before you got to me?" The dragon called.Slade stopped in his tracks for a moment. "It doesn't matter. I'll just admit to everything myself." He nodd
