THE RISE AND FALL OF A CHOSEN HEIR

CHAPTER THREE (APRIL 19)

Bryan watched as the car drove away. His stare settled on the golden bracelet in his hand. He doesn't know much about ornament and stuff, but he needed no soothsayer to tell him that the bracelet in his hands cost a fortune.

At this point, Bryan felt like a naive boy. Who's asked to choose what place he wants to go on his birthday? Either McDonalds, Walmart, or Starbucks. Whatever his choices are - there's a high tendency that he'll get his mouth soaked in candy at the end of the day.

Bryan wants to believe that all what that old man said was true. But a part of his heart cringed at how hurt he'd feel if he found out that everything was all a lie. He wished someone would wake him from his dream and say "It's time for another delivery" Because all that has happened tonight was too much misfortune to contain for a mere delivery guy.

The last sentence the old man uttered reverberated in Bryan's head. And he felt apt to hit his auntie up. Like the old man said, she'd have a lucid detail of what is going on.

Bryan stumped his hand on his phone screen, as he dialed Ava's number.

"Hey, Bryan" A feminine voice echoed from the other end.

Bryan didn't respond instantly. He heaved a sigh and proceeded. "Ava, what's going on?"

"Uhhhhm" there was a short frail of silence. "I don't seem to understand that," Ava said - clueless.

"What's up with the sudden fortune? He told me you had a lot to say about all of this" Bryan said, almost yelling.

"Oh... Yeah. You met Matt already?"

"I don't know his name... He was talking about some wealth and inheritance. I didn't understand all what he said. I'm surprised that he knows my father and he even mentioned your name. Please what's going on, I'm lost here. What the hell is going on?"

Ava chuckled. "Bryan, everything Matt told you is nothing but the truth. We belong to the lineage of the famous Morris family. And we're the most influential and wealthy family in the United States. My brother made you the heir. The one who'll take over the whole empire when he's no more. He gave the instruction that you must be 21 before we reveal anything to you" Ava said.

A sigh tugged on Bryan's lips. "Ugh... That was the same thing he said"

"It's midnight Bryan. April 19. You're 21. You're the head of the Morris family"

"But why did Dad have to hide this from me for this long? We barely could afford food when he was alive. Why now? Even though he had all that wealth, why did we have to suffer so much?" Bryan said.

"It's a custom, Bryan. It could have amounted to a lot of consequences if he didn't abide by the rules. The troubles are over Bryan. It's time for you to take control of what belongs to you. Your father owns the biggest tech company in the city and a lot of business conglomerates. Have fun. You'd have to resume his office as the CEO in a few days. Brace yourself up for greatness" Ava said.

Silence.

"...hello... He.." Bryan stuttered, but there was no response. Ava had hung up.

Bryan took the phone off his ears and tucked it into his pocket. He let out a gasp and proceeded down the street. Unlike the past moments he'd be striding down the streets, this time his destination was lucid - home. Every step he took trudged in outright joy and a drizzle of fear.

Joy - because the destitute part of his life had finally been ameliorated and the huge sum in his account was the only sign he needed to know that he was never going to be poor again in his lifetime.

He's still dazed at why his father kept such crucial detail away from him. He felt like he had lived his entire life in deceit. He had an intimate synergy with his father, the thought that he never got to find any trance or detail - made him feel like a huge part of him had been taken away.

Fear grasped him because he was a bit doubtful about the wealth propaganda. Because he feels he's not ready to handle all the drama. Maybe with the conviction he got from his auntie - he's ready to pick the stake by the edge.

The loud noise of a speeding car pierced into Bryan's ears. The cluttered noise drew ever close and it felt like the car lost control. Bryan turned swiftly - frightened. The car had lost control - it yanked into the sidewalk and was running into every pole and every visible thing on the sidewalk.

Bryan sped to the other side of the road, in a bid to conceal himself from the impending danger.

The car crashed into the sidewalk - opposite Bryan. It was stopped by a huge pole. And the whole crash ended with a loud bang.

White flames stemmed from the scene, as Bryan concealed his head in his arms. He stepped out of his hiding place after a long hush. He tiptoed to the wrecked car, his feet trembled like he was walking on a fiery furnace. He gaped down the street for a moment, and all that's visible is a blank road, with broken glasses and woods.

The driver's seat of the wrecked car flipped open. Bryan struck a pause, as his heart missed a beat at the sudden movement. He tried to process what was going on when a lady fell to the floor - from the driver's seat - clutching a bottle of whisky. She'd been drinking and driving.

Bryan stepped closer to her. Then he noticed a huge bleeding scar on her head. She's dressed in a skimpy red skirt and a tight tank top, that slightly concealed her belly button. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the car. She let out gasps and Bryan was forced to halt his breath - because of the thick stench of alcohol.

"....h...help me" the accident victim mumbled.

Bryan stared back and forth as he carried her to the other side of the road. She needed to see a doctor, as the fountain of blood on her head wouldn't stop flowing. The only way out was to find a taxi - even if everywhere looked like a forsaken shore.

"....I don't wanna die... Help me" She stammered again.

"I will help you," Bryan said. He lifted her - her legs dangled around his shoulder as he wandered down the block - in a bid to find a taxi.

'...yo, dude stop" a voice echoed from behind.

Bryan turned and he caught sight of a fat man jogging toward him. At that point, a taxi drove through the block and Bryan flagged it down.

The man ran towards Bryan and nudged his chest. "Where do you think you're going with her?" He shouted

Bryan scoffed - void of words - as tiny streaks of sweat assembled on his face. "She was involved in an accident. She needs to see a doctor" Bryan said, about to place the girl in the backseat of the taxi.

But the fat man pulled him by the shoulder.

Bryan didn't hesitate to place a punch in his face. He fell to the floor and Bryan and the accident victim hopped into the taxi.