As the limousine drove down the streets, Claire's exhaustion seemed to deepen, her eyes staring vacantly at the passing environs. Bryan's anger simmered just below the surface, his gaze fixed on Freda with a mixture of disgust and contempt. How could she do this to her own daughter, he thought. She clearly didn't care how she felt, her aim was to deliver just as the stiff old man had instructed. Finally, the limousine turned into the driveway of the Oscar family mansion, the gates swinging open with a soft creak. The security guards cast Bryan a weary look, nodding at Freda and Claire before whispering something into the phone.As they approached the mansion, Bryan's thoughts turned to the secrets he had uncovered about Arnold. He knew that he had to tell Claire, but he was running out of time. Freda's presence and the ominous feeling surrounding the mansion made him realize how better it would have been if Claire had heard what he had to say alone, away from her family. He wondered
The entire Oscar family waited tensely for Arnold to arrive . Grandfather Maxwell's eyes narrowed, his voice growing more menacing by the second. "Arnold should be here by now. I summoned him fifteen minutes ago!"But Freda, never one to miss an opportunity to taunt Bryan, jumped in before anyone else could speak. "Grandfather, please don't be fooled by this spiteful boy! Bryan's just trying to discredit Arnold because he knows you prefer him over him. He's jealous, plain and simple! We all know Arnold would never do anything to hurt the family, he's a young and respectful boy from a decent family."Grandfather Maxwell's face turned a deep shade of crimson as he turned to Freda, his voice low and even. "Freda, that's enough! I won't have you speaking for Arnold or defending him. I have summoned him, shall speak for himself."Meanwhile, Maxwell himself didn't look convinced, he turned to Bryan and asked, "How can we trust this evidence?!" Bryan's eyes never left Grandfather Maxwell's
The entire room was now filled with angry faces glaring at Arnold. He felt his blood run cold. Desperate, Arnold turned to Grandfather Maxwell, his voice pleading. "They're lying, Grandfather! They're trying to tarnish my reputation, to make me seem like a fraud. But I assure you, I am still the rightful heir of the Mack family and I'm worthy of your daughter."Claire shot him and ugly glare, "I'm still married, remember?” She asked slowly and hissed. But no one paid attention to her. Maxwell looked so disappointed that he began to shake his head in disgust at the man who was still making a fool of himself before the entire family. Arnold was very frantic, he took a deep breath, he was simply blurting words in an attempt to convince the entire family. "I've been living in that small apartment by choice, Grandfather. I wanted to simplify my life, to focus on building new businesses in the city. I didn't want the luxuries of the Mack estate to distract me from my aim."Arnold's eyes d
Bryan took a deep breath and with hard eyes, he turned to Arnold and pointed at him quickly, "Grandfather, the intruder is Arnold." He said. “What?!" Freda and Claire both said in unison, thoroughly shocked. Grandfather Maxwell's face turned beet red with rage, his eyes blazing with fury. He sprang from his chair, his voice thundering, “is this some sort of joke? Arnold?" He asked. "Yes, grandfather, it's all been Arnold's plan,” he replied. "You! You're the one who's been causing us so much trouble?" Grandfather snapped aggressively. Claire's eyes widened in shock, her voice trembling: "I can't believe this, you were the intruder?"Arnold tried to deny it, "No, no, that's not true! I don't know what this fool is talking about!"But Bryan cut him off with a firm voice, "I have proof, Grandfather. I've been investigating, and I have evidence that links Arnold to the break-in."Grandfather Maxwell's face turned even darker, his fists clenched. He still couldn't believe he'd been f
Claire's eyes scanned the photos, her expression growing increasingly outraged. "These are pictures of Arnold with one of the servants," she announced, her voice dripping with disdain. "They were taken on different days, but they're always discussing something in the hidden archway in the garden."The room erupted into a chorus of gasps and murmurs, with all eyes fixed on Arnold. His face turned pale, his eyes wide with shock and fear. "How...how did you get these?" he stuttered, his mind racing.Maryam's eyes blazed with anger, her voice snapping, " How about you tell us who the liar is now, what did you do to Jake? Did you try to shut him up?" she demanded, her tone accusatory. The room fell silent once more as if everyone were awaiting Arnold's response. But he seemed unable to speak, his eyes darting wildly around the room, wishing he had a chance to escape.The evidence was damning, how could he beat that? “I…she is framing me, this is just a harmless picture, it doesn't prove a
Bryan woke up to the gentle rustle of sheets and the very familiar lavender smell of Claire's shampoo. He squinted at the light peeking through the windows. Bryan rubbed his eyes, feeling the fatigue of the long night still lingering. But as he turned to his side, he was greeted by the lovely sight of Claire, sitting beside him with a tray of freshly baked muffins and a bottle of red wine."Good morning," she said, her voice husky but still melodious. "I thought you might need a little something nice after last night."Bryan leaned back against the headboard, taking the tray from her. "Thanks, Claire, breakfast is a good idea," he replied and poured himself a glass of wine, but as he raised it to his lips, he hesitated. Wine would be a good idea but that wasn't what he needed that morning. He needed a clear head, a sharp mind to meet his brother that morning. "You've been working all night," Claire observed, her eyes filled with concern. "You must be exhausted."Bryan set the glass d
Claire's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're really going to bait him with a fake contract? That's risky, Bryan. What if Josiah figures it out?"Bryan's jaw was set in determination. "I have to take that chance, Claire. I need to know what Josiah knows about my past. Something tells me that he's an important factor on what happened to me after the army,” he replied. Claire's expression softened, her eyes filled with concern. "But what if this is all just a wild goose chase? What if Josiah doesn't know anything?"Bryan's eyes locked on hers, his gaze intense. "I have to try, Claire. And um sure that it isn't a wild goose chase. I can bet good money on that. Josiah just wouldn't go into hiding if he had nothing to hide. I also know that uncle Williams wouldn't be hiding him also," he stated. Claire nodded, her arms wrapping around him. "Okay, Bryan. I'll support you. But be careful, please. We don't know what we're dealing with here.” “Thank you, Claire. Josiah knows something, I'm su
Claire extended her hand, and Josiah took it, his grip firm as they shook hands. She was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze, his dark eyes seeming to bore into her soul. He held onto her hand a fraction of a second longer than necessary, and Claire felt a shiver run down her spine as she pulled away. He had a lustful glint in his eyes that almost made her groan. “What was it and men leering at her?" She thought inwardly and for a second regretted wearing the low neck blouse which seemed to catch Josiah's attention. “It's a huge pleasure to finally meet you, we've planned this meeting for so long," he said with a welcoming smile. "The pleasure is all mine," Claire replied and mustered a right smile of her own. Josiah spoke, his voice low and smooth, his smile charming. "You're even more beautiful than I imagined."Claire smiled politely, trying to hide her discomfort. "Thank you, Josiah. I get that compliment a lot," she replied and shrugged. She looked at the man closely. S
When he arrived at Freda's house, he could hear raised voices from inside. He stormed in to find Claire and Freda in a heated argument."Get out of here, Bryan," Freda snapped. "This is between me and my daughter."Bryan stood his ground. "I know everything, Freda. There's no need to hide it anymore."Claire turned to him, eyes wide with shock and fear. "Bryan, please don't bring it up. If Grandfather Maxwell finds out what I've done..."Bryan took a deep breath, his resolve strengthening. "I'll confront the situation, Claire."Freda laughed derisively, her voice dripping with contempt. "You think you can convince Maxwell to forgive her? She’ll always be under my control."Bryan's eyes blazed with determination. "We'll see about that at the family gathering this weekend."Freda's expression turned from contempt to anger. "You have no idea what you're dealing with, Bryan. Claire made her choices, and now she has to live with them."Bryan stepped closer, his voice low and fierce. "She m
That night, Bryan woke up with a jerk. The cold sweat on his forehead same as the ice creeping down his spine. He had just had the weirdest dream. Or was it a dream? He couldn't tell. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, feeling the cool wooden floor beneath his feet. He needed water, something to qunwch his dry throat that felt like parchment paper. Yawning, he padded softly with bare feet to the kitchen, he moved through the darkened hallway, the silence of the night making his soft footfalls resound. The house was as dark as his thoughts. Speaking of thoughts, Bryan hadn't been able to keep his mind blank since the incident with Jenkins. Neither had he been able to wrap his head around all that the old man had told him. But somehow it made perfect sense. The odd stares, the way his aunt hated him but somehow loved his brother, it all made sense somehow. As he reached the kitchen, he flipped on the light and blinked against the sudden brightness. He headed for the cabinet
Bryan drove like the devil was on his tail, arriving at the classic bar Jenkins had picked out for their meeting. It was a beautiful garden bar just outside of town. As Bryan killed the engine, he pulled on his coat and baseball cap, trying his best at disguise before stepping into the place.**The garden bar was indeed a fitting spot for Jenkins, considering his love for flowers. Just as Bryan looked to the left, he saw the old man's hand guiding him to a corner table. Bryan walked over and shook his head in disbelief."I was hoping you only sounded different, but you look different too," Bryan said.Jenkins was dressed in a thick fur coat and a hat. He nursed a cup of coffee with his gloved hands."Sit down, boy. I have to be quick," Jenkins said.Bryan noticed that gone was Jenkins' stammering and broken words. He spoke fluently now, almost as if nothing had ever been wrong with him. Bryan sat down, looking at him curiously."You're running out of time. Your brother and uncle have
Bryan staggered back a little, struggling to process the jarring change in Jenkins’ voice. The old man he had known was frail, his voice barely rising above a whisper. Yet, the voice on the phone now was strong and assertive, unrecognizable as Jenkins'. He glanced around, half-expecting to see the old man materialize in front of him, but there was nothing—just the lingering sound of his own breathing and the hum of the city around him."Jenkins?" Bryan asked again, his voice edged with uncertainty. He wanted to be sure he wasn’t speaking to someone else, someone who had somehow gotten hold of Jenkins’ phone. His skepticism was palpable, though he hoped it wasn’t the case.“It’s me, Bryan. You said I should call you right? You did give me your card,” the voice on the line said. Bryan could almost hear the confidence emanating from the speaker. It was a tone of authority that starkly contrasted with the frailty he had grown accustomed to.“You sound different,” Bryan said, his laugh com
After a few minutes of driving through the busy streets of the city, he went easy on the brakes as he turned to the quiet suburban area. Peterson was always one for his space and privacy and perhaps one could say that he was the most secretive member of the team. When he arrived at Peterson's place, he met with his son, Chad just as he rang the doorbell and the maid allowed him in. “Hey, boy." Bryan said as he stepped into the house. Chad looked at him oddly and then for a second, recognition flashed in his eyes and he stepped aside. “Mr Bryan," he said with a thin voice. Bryan gave him a slight nod and moved into the living room, taking the plush seat that he was offered. “We weren't expecting such an important guest," Chad said with a smile that was obviously as fake as the Picasso painting on the wall. “I never planned to pay the visit either,” Bryan replied. Chad was eager to show him around and also asked to serve him breakfast and a cup of coffee. But Bryan was already gett
Bryan quickly tried to regain composure from the information that had just shaken him. If someone else was the supreme warlord, then it meant that the council had convened to terminate his own title and somehow found someone else worthy of such ordination. "Last time I checked, there was no one who could even compete with me. No one was worth being the supreme master, talk more of the supreme warlord. Had they suddenly dropped their standard?" He asked out loud but to no one in particular.He couldn't believe it. He was the best, the greatest, the supreme. No one could match his skills, his strategy, his leadership. He was the one who had been chosen, who had been destined for greatness.Who could even replace him? Who was worthy of such a title, the supreme warlord? Bryan snickered, wondering who could even stand behind him, he was second to none. There was no one he could think of that was even half the man he was. All his generals needed a lesson on night and courage. They couldn't
Bryan was already seething with hot wrath. How could his general even think that he'd want to hear about any territory and political bullshit when all he was trying to do was aimed at giving his life meaning? For a second, he felt stupid for even picking the call in the first place. It didn't make any sense to talk about the territory when his mind kept playing back to Uncle William's words and that of Josiah. “Hello, are you there?" Ben's voice came through the speaker, dragging him from his intense thoughts. “Stop!" He snapped suddenly, without any warning. “I've had enough of this bullshit!" He said with a fierce look. "Come up, what are you talking about!” Ben asked as his voice rose. Bryan told him that he had no interest in talking politics. He was sick and tired or running in circles. “What I need right now is a fucking compass! I need someone, something, anything, to take me to where my past is. I want to know what I am, who I am, what went wrong,” he bit out, "Not some pol
The next day, Benjamin called Bryan as early as daybreak. Bryan was still sleepy when he heard his phone ring and he rolled out of bed to grab it. "Hey, Ben, you're waking me up rather early, what's up?" He asked, his voice groggy with sleep.Benjamin first apologized for calling him up so early and asked how his previous day had gone. Bryan sighed, wondering how he could possibly recount his day to his friend. It was one hell of a year and it left him sour. "That's a long story, Ben. I don't think I want to talk about it," he replied, rubbing his eyes.Ben laughed and told him that he knew he'd gone home and he could guess that it wasn't such an easy day since his brother wasn't the most friendly person. Bryan scoffed, calling his brother unfriendly and was just trying to coat it up. Josiah was outrightly harsh, he was everything that someone would never want his own brother to do. "That's falling far from the mark," Bryan said, his voice laced with sarcasm.Ben sighed, telling him he
Jenkins laughed again, the sound a little too shrill and mechanical. "You can't choose your family, Bryan. They're stuck with you, no matter what."Bryan's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "I don't want to talk about my family, Jenkins. Can you let it go?!” He asked with a harsh tone. But for a second, he couldn't help feeling pity for him. Once again, he was clearly not mentally well and it showed. "Have you been taking your medications?" He asked with a low tone, his worry evident.Jenkins scratched his head, his eyes clouding over. "Yeah, they said life can't be the same again. I guess this is what they mean. Everyone thinks I'm insane," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Bryan's eyes bulged, he couldn't believe that he'd just made the man feel bad. "I didn't mean that at all, I was just trying to make sure that you're fine," he said, his voice softening.The old man smiled and waved him off. "Yeah, you don't have to say it, I can see it in your eyes," he replied,