Mason was jolted awake by the freezing cold water that was poured on him.
Cursing softly, he jumped out of the bed.His precious bed was now soaked wet and the clothes he wore stuck on his body like a second skin."How dare you sleep so peacefully? Do you have no shame?" Samantha, his wife bellowed angrily.According to her, he didn't deserve to sleep in such a cosy bed when he does nothing other than leech off her family money.Mason felt wronged. After working hard the whole day, what was so wrong to have a goodnight rest? Wasn't he now allowed to sleep anymore? Was he expected to stay awake the whole night and day?But he dared not voice out his grievances. He knows better than to go brewing trouble for himself."What's the matter, Samantha?" Pushing his dissatisfaction, he asked meekly."Why didn't you wash the clothes I left in my laundry bucket?" Samantha asked, anger visible from the twisted look on her face."You sent me to the market and I couldn't complete the chores on time. I plan to do that tomorrow." Mason replied. He couldn't help but try to defend himself, hoping she could soften her stand and let him off the hook.He couldn't get the time to finish his daily chores after coming from the market.She was the one who sent him there as a punishment and then had him attend to her and her friends when he came back. He thought she would understand and cut him some slack, how wrong he was!" Excuse! Excuse! Excuse! That's all you ever give me! Do you expect me to sleep in such a filthy environment?" A resounding slap sent Mason stumbling to the floor as he tried to regain his footing.The slap had caught him off guard, making him lose his footing.He looked at Samantha in disbelief.Yes, she mistreated him alongside her family members. He would also receive beatings from her brother and mother, but this was the first time his wife Samantha laid her hands on him.He never expected her to do that, afterall, they were husband and wife.They might not have married out of love but he was her husband for crying out Loud.The two were only married on paper and were nothing close to a real couple. They slept in different rooms to keep distance from each other or should I say, to avoid him rubbing his poverty to her as Samantha had said on their wedding night.Mason never expected anything from his wife but getting slapped by her felt like the biggest embarrassment of his life.Others could and did beat him, but for Samantha, he didn't expect it."What are you so surprised about? You are the family's dog and a dog should be punished If it doesn't follow it's masters orders." Samantha spat, eyeing him with contempt.Mason lowered his eyes to hide the burning fury in him. He sometimes fails to understand whether these people have a human heart or not."I want the clothes cleaned right this moment if you don't want to sleep outside like the dog you are!" She threatened before walking away in her high heels shoes.It was past midnight when Mason finished washing the clothes. As a punishment, he was instructed not to use the washing machine. He could only hand wash them.Walking back to his room, he groaned out loud.His bed was now wet and he could only sleep on the floor.Spreading the spare blanket on the floor, Mason laid on his back and hid hand to support his back.He raised his other hand and observed the wolf tattoo imprinted on it.'What could be the meaning of this tattoo and where did I get it from?' he questioned himself inwardly. It was like a mystery he couldn't solve.Many times, he would ponder on the same thing. He remembered nothing about his life. Just how he found himself laying in the streets, wounded and with a wolf tattoo on his hand.He couldn't help but wonder whether the tattoo has any connection with his roots.With those thoughts, he drifted off to sleep.The following morning, he woke up to the loud banging on the door.He had resulted in locking the door to avoid a repetition of what happened last night.He didn't want any more surprise visits from Samantha or anybody else for that matter.It was a decision he made thinking about his present but knew that it would cost him come tomorrow.But he didn't care, he was already used to their punishments, what else more could they do to him?Pushing himself up, he made it to the door before clicking the doorknob open.Samantha stood there, her beautiful face twisted to an ugly morph."How dare you close the door?" She bellowed angrily, the veins on her face popping out one after the other.Mason rubbed his nose, unable to come up with what Samantha called excuses.Of course, he could not tell her the truth. That would land him into even deeper shit.Pushing the door wide open, Samantha made her way to the room and sat on the single chair in the room."Change your clothes, I need you to drive me to the office." She ordered, her eyes never leaving his face."Okay."Mason obediently replied as he made his way to the little closet that housed his few dollar wears.Picking up a towel, he was headed to the bathroom when Samantha asked," and where do you think you are going?"Mason turned to look at her with confusion.Didn't she tell him to change? So how was he supposed to change without taking a shower first?"To shower." He replied honestly."Are you naturally stupid or just pretending to be dumb?" Samantha berated, making Mason frown even more.He felt insulted, but that didn't matter."I said change, did I mention anything about taking a shower?" Samantha added.Although dissatisfied, Mason dared not disobey her.Picking up his slacks and t-shirt, he started undressing before her.Don't get him wrong, he wasn't trying to seduce her, he was just saving himself some scolding.The last time he tried telling her to turn so that he could dress, he really heard it from her."You can change, I'm not interested in your body. Even if you are the last man in existence, I still won't look at you like a man. To me, you are nothing but a pauper and a useless piece of trash."She had told him that with a straight face and disgust in her voice.He was embarrassed hearing that but had chosen to do what's best for him, swallow her insults and fake Indifference.After changing his clothes, he led the way out of his room with Samantha following behind her.The door to his mother-in-law opened, revealing a grumpy Susan.Mason could not help but wonder why the woman's mood is always grumpy even when waking up."Why are you coming out from that bastard's room? Are you sleeping around with him?" Susan asked, narrowing her eyes at Samantha."Mom!" Samantha whined, her expression full of disbelief."How can you spout such nonsense? How can I sleep with this kind of a lousy excuse of a man? If anything, I could have already thrown him out of the house." Samantha added, sounding aggrieved as he eyed Mason with disgust.The suspicion in Susan's eyes vanished after hearing her daughter's words. Yes, her daughter was a high class woman. There's no way she would lower herself to get involved with such a poor man."Well, you can't blame me right? I saw you both come out of the room with this trash still straightening his clothes." Susan defended herself, looking at Mason with loath filled eyes.She couldn't stand his presence."I'm going to the company. I am discussing a business deal for the company with William later so I want to arrive early and arrange everything." Samantha reported."Make sure you get William to propose to you sooner. If you enter the Carter family, nobody will be able to look down on you. Besides, William
Mason was taken aback by the tone he used. It was like something came over him, something indescribable, something unidentified. Before he could stop himself, he had already walked towards the men, his eyes trained on the lady who was skillfully dodging the blows delivered to her. But despite how good she was, she couldn't move fast. Her movements were sluggish and that's when Mason realised that she had a gunshot wound at the lower side of her chest.Her face was gradually turning pale from the blood loss and she was staggering as she struggled to block the fatal attacks from the masked men."You better mind your business and get lost unless you want to die with her." One man said after recovering from their previous shock.Something about his words irked Mason to the core."You bully a woman and dare call yourself a man!" He mocked, eyeing the men with contempt.Marching to them, he flung his fists, successfully delivering a powerful blow to one goon who immediately spat blood as t
Mason's mouth hung low in disbelief."A thousand dollars for deposit?" He repeated the nurse's words to make sure he got the right answer.The nurse nodded, an impatient look on her face."Sir, I suggest you make the Payment before it's too late to save your sister." She added with distaste. Upon closer look at the man's choice of clothes which were old and obviously overwashed coupled with his reaction upon mentioning the deposit, the nurses attitude towards him changed as she looked at him with disdain.Just when Mason wanted to open his mouth and clarify the relationship he had with the patient, a voice so cold that it made him shiver resonated in the hallway."Since when did a mere nurse of Hope's hospital have the right to dictate when the young miss of the Smith family gets to be treated or not?" Mason turned to look at the direction of the voice. An old Man accompanied by almost ten bodyguards dressed in black marched to the hospital. The look on their faces was enough to inti
Samantha was in her office when a notification sounded on her phone. She was preparing herself to meet William Carter to discuss the partnership of the two companies.Tapping the screen lock, it was a video from Sandra, one of her good friends."What could Sandra be sending me?" She murmured."Maybe some town gossip." She said, unlocking her phone and tapping on the video.A man appeared, covered in blood as he carried a woman in his arms intimately as he rushed to what seemed to be the entrance of a hospital.Samantha watched the video, wondering why Sandra would send her a video of a random man on the streets. That's until she read the message that came with the video clip."Didn't know your scum of a husband has a mistress while married to you."Samantha could feel her blood boil at the message, clicking the video again, she watched it.Indeed, the man in the video was none other than her good for nothing husband.She couldn't believe he could dare cheat on her with a random woman
As he walked down the pathway leading to the gate and out of the Huttons family gate, Mason was still in disbelief that Samantha could actually accuse him, ask the guards to heat him and throw him out of the house after forcing him to sign the divorce papers. As he limped away, he could not control the scoff that left his mouth."Mason oh Mason, look at your pathetic self. Even you cannot defend yourself in front of your wife." He belittled himself."No, she's actually my ex-wife! I am now a divorced man." He chuckled bitterly.It had been three years. Three years of him suffering in the hands of the Huttons.In those three years, he had lived a life worse than a dog's. At Least a dog gets to be fed by its owner and sleep in a good house. He on the other hand would only eat after he has worked for it. He could also count the number of times he would get a decent sleep without finding his bed drenched or forced to stay outside the house.Those three years have taught him that in thi
The memories of how he came here to Carlifonia to have a peaceful talk with their rival group only to have them ambush him on his way back.The snake tattoo identified their rival group. Seeing the tattoo stimulated him to have his memories back.He recognized himself as the rumored devil in the underworld, the leader of the wolves, a powerful and formidable Mafia group from Washington DC.He remembered his lovely younger sister, the same lady he had saved in the morning.The old man in the hospital turned out to be the old Butler of the Smith family and his grandfather's right hand man.Mason saw red, his anger building up to uncontrollable heights.He was the Most feared leader of the wolves, the devil so how could he allow others to sacrifice their lives to save him.With a new surge of energy, he moved. Like an arrow, he shot up high, landing next to the approaching assassins.In less than two minutes, there was not even a single assassin standing.His men watched in awe as their
Mason was known to be ruthless and cold-hearted except to his sister Sophie. Despite her clingy behaviour, he loved and adored her so much. Only she and his grandfather knew about this gentle side of him.His parents died when Sophia was young so she leaned more on him as she grew up.He was sixteen years old when their parents died. Although his grandfather lied to him about the cause of their death, Mason was not stupid enough not to realise that one of his uncles was actually responsible.The old man didn't want the hatred and revenge to cloud his senses so he hid the truth from him.He did his investigation when he took over his family's business and identified the culprit.He didn't want his grandfather worrying about him with his poor health so let them be. Not like he would forever do, he would wait until the old man was no more so that he could avenge the death of his parents. Family or not, he was never a forgiving person. He liked to see his enemy bow down and beg for mercy
“Are you alright? You must have been startled” Mason inquired, pushing back the strands of black locks that fell on Sophia’s face behind her ears. Sophia avoiding eye contact responded, “I’m okay”Mason let out a huge sigh of relief, “That’s great”.Retracting his hands from the back of Sophie’s ears, he turned towards his men; regarding them with a fierce expression. “Now, tell me about this memory loss of mine. What on earth happened to me?”A man In black suit and brown curly hair, who goes by the name Leo, spoke up first, “The last time we were with you, you said that you had a meeting with your uncle”Mason furrowed his brow in confusion. Why would he have a meeting with his uncle Markus? The same uncle that was responsible for his parent’s death. “A meeting with my uncle? Are you sure?”“A hundred percent, capo”Mason still found it hard to believe especially since this information didn’t seem to trigger any memory, “And what happened after that?”“I don’t really know all the d
Mason adjusted in his seat, his back straight and his shoulders squared. He knew that this was a moment that required him to be at his most intimidating, to assert his authority.He took a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of cigar smoke that hung in the air, and slowly exhaled, letting the tension settle in his chest. With every exhale, his fingers clenched.His eyes, sharp and penetrating, narrowed as he fixed his gaze on the people before him. He allowed a subtle, predatory smile to curl at the corner of his lips, a calculated display of the power he held over them."What next?" He asked nonchalantly like he wasn't planning murder."What next?" Drake asked in turn. "Don't try to act like she isn't your whore, I know all about your little love story."Mason's anger rose at the mention of the word whore but he remained composed."I'm glad you have every detail of my life like the back of your hands but here's something you don't know, you have the wrong girl. I don't know this one
The chair revealed Mason dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, he leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed casually over the other.He reclined comfortably, his fingers idly tapping the armrest, and his gaze was fixed directly on the two men who stood before him, their expressions frozen in disbelief.William, his voice trembling, finally managed to speak. "You... you were here the whole time?"Mason's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile as he replied, "Yes, I was. It's always interesting to see what people say when they think no one is listening."Drake recomposed himself, trying to play it cool but deep down he was terrified. "What are you doing here, Mason? Shouldn't you be.." he looked him dead in the eye, "at least six feets below the ground?"Mason raised an eyebrow, "aren't you happy to see me, hm?"Drake rolled his eyes, fear building up inside him, "I want you out of here."Mason stood up, his hands hurried into his pockets as he looked at the books on the bookshelf
The atmosphere in the room was charged with tension, a palpable sense of urgency hanging thick in the air. High-ranking members of different companies had assembled hastily for an emergency meeting, and anxiety ran deep among them. At the head of the long, polished table, Drake sat in a chair that radiated authority, his countenance was a mask of calculated composure.His dark, penetrating gaze surveyed the room, taking in the grim faces of those who had gathered. Despite the caliber of people gathered, Drake's demeanor remained calm, his fingers lightly drumming against the polished wood of the table. His confidence was unwavering, an evidence that he was not intimidated by their presence.As each representative presented updates and discussed potential courses of action, Drake's responses were measured and deliberate, his voice calm and collected. It was as if the emergency meeting were a routine affair, not a crisis that threatened his company.The meeting was called because o
The room was filled with tension as Sandra paced back and forth in her bedroom in agitation, her cell phone clutched tightly in her trembling hand. Her face was flushed with a mix of worry and anger, and her voice quivered with frustration as she dialed a number.With each ring, her anxiety seemed to intensify, and she muttered impatiently under her breath. Finally, a click on the other end, and a faint, weak voice echoed through the line."Hello?""Sam!" Sandra practically exclaimed, her words rushing out like a tidal wave. "Are you alright?"Samantha sat still on her bed, still trying to recover from the fact that Mason could still be alive, her phone pressed to her ear as she heard the urgency and softness of Sandra's voice on the other end of the line. Her brows were furrowed in confusion, and her fingers idly twirled a strand of hair as she tried to respond. "I.." her voice quivered."Have you seen the news? You won't believe what's happening in the media!"Weakling Samantha as
As the soft morning light filtered through the curtains, Samantha lay in her bed, her gaze fixed blankly on the ceiling above. The room was hushed, the sounds of early morning barely reaching her ears. Her eyes, usually vibrant, now held a distant emptiness, as if her thoughts were lost in the expanse above her.Her tousled hair spilled over the pillow, a curtain of strands framing her face. The creases on her brow hinted at a mind preoccupied by something beyond the room's confines. The gentle rise and fall of her chest marked the rhythm of her breath, a rhythm that seemed to be the only indication of life in her stillness.She stared at the ceiling above with no meaning. Her mind was adrift, carried away by currents of thoughts that were invisible to anyone else. The events of last were still fresh in her mind.A sense of vulnerability lingered around her, the vulnerability of a mind grappling with its own complexities. It was a moment suspended in time, a moment of introspection.
An hour after the scolding by Butler Martin, Mason realized what was at hand. He hadn't planned out his attack on the Huttons, Drake, Williams and Uncle Roger.The soft glow of the vintage lamp cast a warm illumination over the room, emphasizing the seriousness of the task at hand.Masons fingers drummed rhythmically on the polished surface of the desk, his mind a swirling tempest of thoughts and calculations. The various paper spread before him depicted a web of business connections, corporate rivalries, and the potential paths to achieve his ultimate objective, the destruction of his enemies' companies.His sharp, calculating eyes scanned the reports and financial records, each line a piece in the puzzle of his meticulous plan. He leaned back in his leather chair, the creaking sound echoing the weight of his contemplation. Every move he made had far-reaching consequences, and Vincent was a master of orchestrating chaos from the shadows.A map of the city adorned one wall, with ma
The soft glow of chandeliers bathed the entrance hall in an almost mystical light, illuminating intricate details that told stories of wealth and dominance.Mason's gaze moved across the surroundings with an air of familiarity, as if the mansion was an extension of himself. He removed his fedora, revealing the sharp lines of his face and the enigmatic gaze that seemed to penetrate the very depths of those he encountered.The sound of his footsteps echoed through the hall as he moved further into the house. Paintings that depicted scenes of power and authority adorned the walls, their subjects seeming to watch over him with a mixture of reverence and fear.Reaching his private study, Mason's shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly. His study was his sanctuary, a place where he could shed the armor he wore in the outside world. The mahogany desk bore the weight of documents and strategies, a reminder of the constant battles he waged in the shadows.As he settled into his chair, his fi
Mason leaned against his sleek black car, a sinister grin tugging at the corners of his lips. He recalled the look on Samantha's face when his eyes were fixed on her. The predatory glint that flashed in his eyes as he watched her, he made his intentions clear.As he was bathed in the darkness of an alley, still leaning against his car, the warmth of the cigarette between his fingers spread across his body. The tendrils of smoke that curled from the tip of his cigarette seemed to mirror the smoldering intensity of his presence.His dark eyes, heavy with the anger and hunger for torture. He wanted to torment everyone who threw his name in the mud. The faint scent of tobacco mingled with the night air, creating an intoxicating blend that seemed to linger, much like his reputation.The rhythmic inhales and exhales of his cigarette seemed to mimic the cadence of his thoughts, each plume of smoke a silent testament to the secrets he held and the plans he wove. Before he was humiliated by
Samantha's face was a canvas of emotions. Her eyes, wide and unblinking, held a mixture of disbelief and fear, as if they had just borne witness to something beyond comprehension. The color had drained from her usually vibrant complexion, leaving her skin pale and almost translucent in its fragility.Her lips that were adorned with a gentle curve smile that never seemed to stop smiling, were now slightly parted in a wordless expression of shock. As her trembling hand lifted, fingers lightly touching her lips as if to reassure herself that they were real, the unease in her eyes deepened. It was as if the weight of the moment had left an indelible imprint on her soul, and her gaze seemed to pierce through the veil of reality, as if searching for answers that remained just beyond her reach.Her posture, once poised and joyful, now seemed to have crumbled under the weight of her emotions. Her shoulders hunched slightly, she appeared to retreat within herself, as if trying to shield her