The Last Heir Of The Bastien Empire

Chapter 3.

As the bus began to move, Brad's mind started to grow confused as he wondered what in the world could be happening to him at the moment. 

Kidnapping in broad daylight?? Well maybe it had been during the early hours of the evening, but still! It was so unlikely. 

Who were those guys? Why had they abducted him? For what reasons! 

Brad had no money at all. He decided that perhaps if he could plead with them... but that would probably not change anything at all. 

What if they asked him for a ransom? How would he pay them? 

Not any one in the entire universe besides his wife would care. He sighed, wheezing in as the air choked around him. 

No, Brad. You have to be calm, he thought. 

After a while, the car pulled over. 

Brad had been led into a house and upon taking down the bag, he saw an old man coming his way. 

His vision still blurred a bit, but he was certain that someone had been walking down his lane. 

He stole a quick glance at his environment and to his utmost surprise, realized he'd been standing in paradise! The entire vicinity was a mansion. 

A very exquisite one like those ones he only saw in movies and read from novels. 

The old man reached his side and even before he got close, he yelled out from furious looking set of eyes, “How dare you treat our young master this way?”

Young Master? What did he mean?? 

✩★✩

Brad was led into a narrow hallway that revealed a long room nearly almost as fancy as a castle with mighty windows and a magnificent chandelier at the center. There was a bright rug that reached all the way over to the end. 

Then, the door at the ending led to an exquisite sitting room with a complete set of television sets and expensive looking furniture. 

He was asked to take his seat, and he did, his butt resting nicely on one of the sofas. Brad never realized there could ever be something as comfortable as that seat. Ahh, he felt so...relaxed.

It felt familiar. Everything down from the luxury, to the breathtaking view and wide area, then the breathable aura of atmosphere that filled the whole room, like the scent of Lily mixed with Rose. Soon, the old man that came down to his rescue was seated before him. 

There was just an air of familiarity he couldn't place his fingers on. 

He was not that old as Brad took a moment to observe him now. At least in his fifties, he was a portable man of elegance and his accent had been something out of this world. 

So put and tush, nearly like a medieval king. 

A lot of things sounded so fictional to Brad that particular day. 

The old man introduces himself as Harry Stewart, and he claimed to have been the butler of Brad's family.

"See, I used to be the young master of a very big and famous family." Harry went on to explain, "but uh, sadly, the family was betrayed. The whole family was destroyed and broken down overnight." His expression consorted into a frown, and Brad waited patiently for him to be done before he could begin throwing his questions. 

"My young master was too young back then and he never knew who he really was. And that alone was sad for us all. But now, I have decided to find him after many years, and make him reclaim all of his lost glories and fortunes and games. I have found myself over to you, young master." After his brief story, Harry lowered his head to give a slight bow. 

Brad on the other hand, he only stared in complete shock. Then after a whole whopping five minutes of total silence, he bursted out! "Me? Young Master? Brad Jones Bastien, the useless son-in-law is a young master??" He scoffed in disbelief. 

"Well, not only the young master. You are the heir to all of this fortune. Sire." Harry added and this only brought more confusion to his young master's face. 

"Wait wait wait, hold on a minute. This doesn't cut off the explanation! I need an authentic reason. I mean, you just sent some men to kidnap me. Isn't that illegal or something? I should sue you... I can do that, right?" 

"It was because we had no other choice, young master. Your family left all of this inheritance for you, and now, the family business is dying. All of our potential shareholders are ready to withdraw their support right now if you don't come back to the company. We had no other option than to bring you here forcefully." Explained Harry. 

Brad still wasn't convinced." Okay, I will pretend like I actually believe all of that. But what's the catch here, uh, Mr Harry--"

"--please, call me Harry." Corrected the old man. 

"Okay, Harry. What's the catch?" 

Harry frowned. "Uh, I am quite afraid I do not understand what it is that you mean, young master. A catch?" 

"Well obviously this is all too easy! There has to be a catch!" 

Harry sighed. "Well how about I begin with a story?" He asked and the young man's face brightened up a little. Then Harry began, "your family used to be the most powerful household in the whole of New York city, and that alone attracted a lot of enemies. But they didn't seem to be bothered. Instead they kept on living their best lives, and helping the people around them gain the best lives they could get too. They were basically heroes. They saved me when I was on the verge of giving up, then, they helped the Wilson family rise into power."

When he heard the name, 'Wilson', he had been hoping that the old man meant another sort of Wilson. "The Wilsons?" He asked, hoping to get laughed at by the old man, but instead, he only nodded. 

"I don't understand, the Wilsons knew my family before?" Brad's brows ceased. "The same Wilsons, the family I'm married into??" His question brought yet another nod from the old man. 

A simmer of anger began to stir up inside Brad. He needed answers. Honest ones! 

What fate did he have to share with the Wilsons family? What was his real story?