The Heir's Masquerade

Chapter 1: Jackson, a servant

In the city of New York, there stood a mansion, with enough rooms and land way too much for anyone. The word mansion is used but honestly, it was more of a place containing beautiful gardens, sculptures, and rooms. 

Anything that looked elegant could be found in this mansion. This was the Starkwood mansion home of the Starkwood family owners Starkwood Motors the world's greatest Manufacturers with over a hundred-year legacy on their shoulders

In one of the rooms was a man in his early twenties, with black hair and dark eyes making the bed that looked to be able to fit twenty people. “Hey Jackson you’re doing It wrong”, a man with blonde hair said standing in the doorway. “How exactly am I doing it wrong Master Blake”, the dark-haired man asked. 

The blonde man jumped on the bed and started wriggling. “See, there are still a lot of rumbles everywhere, It’s like you’re not even trying, do better or I’m going to ask Father to replace you”, Blake said.

The dark-haired man clenched his fists and gritted his teeth then forced a smile. “I will surely try to master Blake”, the dark-haired man said, “See to it, that you do”, the blonde man said with a smirk on his face when leaving the room, loud laughter could be heard. 

The dark-haired man was Jackson and the blonde-haired man was Blake. Blake was Jackson’s master and Jackson was his servant. Thinking about the situation made Jackson sick, but that is what Blake’s parents had hired him for Four years ago when he was 17. 

Jackson was about to get kicked out of the orphanage for being too old with only a high school diploma from an underfunded high school. Jackson was desperate and this desperation was perfect for the Starkwwod family because they needed a servant for their troublemaker of a son. Blake Starkwood, the sole heir of Starkwood Motors, treated all the servants pretty poorly so much so that the majority quit within just a month of serving the young master. 

So Jackson was hired to be Blake’s sole servant, meaning doing whatever Blake needed, a cleaner, an errand boy, a driver, or just his personal toy to mistreat to his heart’s content.

“I can’t take it anymore four years of this crap It’s a miracle my sanity is still intact just because he was born with, money and power while I was born with nothing not even any parents doesn’t mean he can treat me like dirt”, Jackson thought clenching his fist and frowning. Although Jackson thought about this he knew it wasn’t true, Blake could get away with almost anything he had two parents who’d give him anything on a whim, he had a great future where the world was in his hand, and what did he do to deserve all that just being born.

Jackson unclenched his fist and started making the bed once more. There was no use thinking about it all that would do was get him depressed. This was his reality the sooner he accepted it the sooner he could get on with his day.

A few moments later Jackson was carrying a bin of clothes, they all belonged to Blake and he was heading to the laundry room. “I don’t wanna go, can’t the two of you just go without me as always”, a voice rang in the hallways. It was Blake’s. Jackson hearing it took a peek at where it came from. 

Blake and his parents were in the living room, Jackson decided to eavesdrop. It's not like Blake didn’t yell at his parents on the contrary it was practically but this time his parents seemed stern not giving in to his childish behaviour now that was a rare occurrence.

“Darling It’s the company’s hundredth year anniversary party. How would it look If the sole heir doesn't show up? It’s bad enough that you refuse to take any role in the company but not going to the party which only reinforces the idea that many in the company think. That you are not worthy of taking over”, Mary StarkWood said. 

She was a woman in her fifties but looked to be in her Thirties, which wasn’t that surprising after all he had the best skin treatment that money could back. 

“Listen to your mother son, Starkwood Motors isn’t just a company It’s a family, and every employee will be there, I want you to be a part of that”, Daniel Starkwood said. He was a man nearing his sixties and he certainly did look like his age; he even had a cane with Its handle shaped like a wolf’s head.

The party’s tonight I want you dressed, ready to leave, and on your best behaviour understood? Daniel Starwood said in a serious tone raising his cane toward Blake. Blake looked frightened and hesitated a little before speaking, “I understand”

What a sight to behold, this was the first time Jackson was seeing Blake be scolded. “Wait tonight? I'll be able to get a break from him, it's been so long since I had a break from all of them. Today just keeps getting better and better”, Jackson thought with a grin on his face. 

“That reminds me, Dear, It seems our driver has fallen Ill he won’t be able to drive us to the party”, Mary Starkwood said. “Shame and we don't have another one I suppose we could always rent one would make us look tardy not to mention I wouldn’t trust anyone I don’t know driving one of my vehicles”, Daniel Starkwood said.

“What about Jackson, he has a driver’s license doesn't he? ”, Mary Starkwood asked. “Nooo!”Jackson screamed internally. What she was saying was true he did have a license, he had to get one not for himself but for driving Blake and his friends anywhere they asked him to, they were usually parties, bars, clubs basically anywhere that sold plenty of alcohol, they’d all get up drunk, noisy and vomiting on the car which he’d had to clean the next day.

“Excellent idea, Jackson, Jackson!”Daniel Starkwood called for him. Hearing this Jackson dropped the bin and waited for five minutes before he entered the living room. If he entered too quickly it would have been obvious he was eavesdropping on them.

“Yes Sir?”, Jackson asked, pretending to be oblivious to what they would ask him to do. “You will drive us to a company party tonight, It starts at 9 pm so we’ll leave by 8 pm, be ready and wait by the car”, Daniel Starkman said. “Of course sir”, Jackson said

Hours later Jackson was waiting by the car wearing a peaked cap and a driver’s uniform, he was frowning he had to when he had the chance he’d fake a smile when the starwoods were always near him though.

In the middle of his brooding, the Starkwoods were seen descending the massive steps of the mansion, they were all perfectly dressed, Daniel StarWood was wearing a grey and black suit, Mary Starwood was wearing a red dress and Blake was also in a suit but it was all blue. Jackson opened the back door for them and began driving.

About ten minutes into driving Blake had opened a bar can. “Darling, are you serious, we haven’t even reached the party yet and you’ve already started to drink”, Mary Starkwood asked. “Might as well start now the party is destined to be boring as hell and all those fancy wines barely have any alcohol in them”, Blake said in a condescending tone.

Wonderful, he’s at it again,” Jackson thought. He tried stepping on the brakes, but the car kept moving forward, frightening him. The brakes had been working perfectly before, but now, despite his repeated attempts, nothing happened. The car continued to accelerate with no way for Jackson to stop it. They were on a hill with guardrails, and Jackson struggled to steer the vehicle. Suddenly, the car burst through the guardrails, and they tumbled down the hill.

“We’re losing him”, a voice said. “There’s massive internal bleeding. We need to get him to the OR immediately.”, “Heart rate is erratic. We need to stabilise his rhythm.” These were all words Jackson was hearing, he didn’t know what was happening he was fading in and out of consciousness, seeing people in white standing over him.

He finally opened his eyes to find himself in a hospital room, a lavish one, he heard a beeping sound. Saw an IV on his arm and was in patient robes. “What happened, how did I get here?”, Jackson thought. He suddenly remembered the accident. “I survived that? It’s a damn miracle”, Jackson thought.

A nurse walked into the room as soon as she saw Jackson she rushed out. “Doctor Ambrose, the patient is awake” the nurse shouted. Minutes later a man wearing a lab coat looking to be in his forties walked in the room and sat next to Jackson.

“It’s good to see you finally awake, I’m sure you have a lot of questions. You were in a car accident, you’re currently in the best hospital in the city and you’ve been in a coma for a few months. I’m sorry to tell you this but you were the lone survivor, everyone else is dead, take your time to let it sink in, It’s okay to cry”, the Doctor said.

But Jackson didn’t cry or feel sad. Sure he’d known the StarkWoods for some time but they were just his employers although he didn’t have any grievance with Daniel and Mary he couldn’t say the same for Blake. Honestly, he was somewhat glad he’d never had to see his face ever again.

“There’s more, your face was severely burnt during the accident when you were brought here you were hardly recognizable as a person so we had to use photographs of you to reconstruct your face, we did our best so don’t be too disappointed ”, The Doctor said.

The Doctor gave the nurse a look, she brought a rectangular mirror and handed it to Jackson. Jackson. Jackson took a mirror and looked into it. He dropped it instantly, he started panting uncontrollably. “Sir, is everything alright?”, the doctor asked.

“How … how is this possible”, Jackson thought. He picked up the mirror and looked into it once more. Maybe he was imagining what he saw. He wasn’t, he didn’t see the face he had looked at his entire life he saw the face of someone he truly deposed.

“Why … Why do I look just like Blake?”, Jackson thought horrified.