Freda stood outside the hall of the Oscar estate. She was right beside her daughter who was dressed in a thin robe that flowed down to her ankle, made with the best fabric she could find in the market. "Mother, I've told you that this fabric is itchy," she repeated herself for the seventh time within the hour and Freda looked at her the San away she had for the six times that she'd mentioned it. "I don't know why I have such a dull daughter! Others are trying to make the best out of their children and my only child is trying so hard to be mediocre," she snapped angrily this time and glowered at her. "But mother, this dress isn't even pretty. It makes me look old and the fabric doesn't suit my skin color. Not to mention that it irritates my skin," she complained bitterly. Freda looked at her with an arched brow and asked, "What would you rather wear? These old dresses that you already wore?" She asked with a stern look. "Mum, because I've worn the clothes twice does not make them o
Grandfather Maxwell walked into the rooms and everyone fell silent. Freda shifted even closer to his chair and urged Claire to do the same thing. Bryan watched as most of them began to smile sheepishly, even if it was a fake smile. He'd never seen a family filled with more sycophants like the Oscar family. "Grandfather, welcome back to the estate, how was your trip to the Islands?" One of the women asked with a bright smile on her face. Maxwell simply nodded at her with a warm look, "It was quite fine, thanks. I didn't let a lot of people know about my travel, I'm slightly surprised that you found out," he says. The woman smiled pleasantly and replied, "Oh, it's because I care about you, master and I am interested in knowing about your well-being," she replied, "Not to mention that my son was the co-pilot on the jet," she added. Maxwell nodded and smiled at her, " I didn't know you had such an accomplished son," he said. Tom also cleared his throat and quickly told him about hi
Bryan marched out of the Oscar family estate and directly to his car. But he was holding the handle of the vehicle when he heard his name from behind and he turned to look at Claire who was running after him. He felt his heart plunge as she ran right into his arms and her floodgate broke. "You won't be coming back, will you?" She asked. Bryan gritted his teeth. She couldn't even hide her regrets and lack of trust in him. "You think that I'd give you up?" He asked. Claire shook her head, not knowing what to say. She could see the vicious eyes of her mother trailing her even as she stood outside the building. How was she going to explain to everyone that her husband had been the one to bring the family down? He'd once again be the reason for shame and ridicule upon herself and her mother. "This isn't the best kind of thing to say right now. I need you to be strong, Claire. I need you to be strong and not question my abilities too, Claire," he advised. Claire looked up at him with w
Bryan watched as all the men around him stared at him with wide eyes. "How did you get in here?" One of them finally decided to ask, mirroring what was in the kind of everyone else in the large hall. "That doesn't matter, do I have a deal?" Bryan asked loudly. He could see that from the way all the men were staring among themselves they knew something but didn't want to say it. "How about you tell us something juicy and we might help you find your friends?" Someone started from the crowd. Bryan looked at the man, he was round and portly and he had a face that could give a child nightmares. "Yes, you can't just come in here and begin to tell us what to do, what do you have to offer us?" Another man asked. Bryan arched his eyebrows at him, "Do you have any idea what you're asking for?" He asked.The man shrugged and replied, "We don't owe you anything, we don't have to tell you jack, are you going to keep to our rules or shall we show you the way out?" The thick man asked. Bryan h
Bryan walked out of the brewery with Derek propped up on his shoulders. He couldn't hold his weight for much longer and he quickly made him lean by the side of the building. Derek seemed to be weighing a ton and this was testament to the fact that he had been drugged just like the man had said. Bryan could see that the men from the upper floor were still staring down at them from a vantage. He wondered how easy it would be for them to find out that Bryan's army (like he threatened) were actually not outside and he had been bluffing.Without looking up anymore so as not to give himself away and put them both in danger, he turned to Derek and said, "We have to hurriedly get the hell out of here." Derek nodded in very slow motion and then tried to get off the wall but he stumbled back and nearly dropped to his knees. At once, Bryan propped up against him again to keep him steady and stop him from falling over. "What did they give to you?" He asked and the lord shook his head. It was cl
Bryan looked at the bridge that loomed at the distance, he snapped his seatbelt in place and looked at Benjamin as he did the same. The bridge was the shortest route back to the suburbs and it was just a few minutes away from the Oscar family estate. "Let's do this!" Benjamin cried out as he heard the engine of the car rumble and he leapt onto the bridge. The weak wood gave away under him and as he drove, he could hear the crushing of the wood under the string tyres of the car.Bryan yelled out as the ace almost somersaulted right at the edge of the bridge just before he got into dry land. "Fuck!" He swore loudly as he heard the screeching of the brakes, signifying that he'd just gotten to dry land.He took a turn and with a sideways view, saw that the bridge had collapsed under the weight of the car. The other SUV was still at the other end. There was no way they could make it across the bridge - there was no other bridge as a matter of fact. "That was insane," Benjamin said as he l
The Hall was quiet once Bryan walked in. All the members of the family were just as he had left them, fuming, angry, and trying to drag his name in the mud. Freda was speaking as Bryan walked in and he could hear her trail off at the sight of him. "I don't know how I ever met a man like him! I regret the day that I gave my daughter to__" But that was all she could say before she saw the man that was walking behind him. Her mouth hung open and she couldn't help but frown at the scene before her. "Is that...lord Gudling?" She asked with a stunned tone. Derek, who was now fully recovered from the drugged stupor, thanks to the antidote that was given to him, walked to the head of the table. Maxwell who never stood up for Shine was suddenly at his feet and he growled at one of Claire's uncles to get up and offer his seat to lord Maxwell. "Let the master of the Gudling family sit, how dare you make him stand when you're occupying a seat?!" He snapped. He hissed as the man got on his fee
Maxwell visibly deflated in his seat. How could such a word be said in the presence of his entire family? He had a reputation to keep and that reputation had been upheld all through the many years that he was the lord of the Derek family because he didn't let anyone tell him what to do. "What's going on? Why would you try to defend a nobody like him?" Freda asked in a high-pitched voice. Maxwell snapped at her at once to keep quiet and not disrespect or question their guest. "You can't ask the lord silly questions, Freda. He has the right to do whatever he wants!" He snapped. Freda had to keep quiet and lean back in her seat but her eyes remained fiery. "I will make sure he is taken out, he has to be banished!" She whispered harshly to Claire who was already getting hopeful. Maxwell sighed heavily, it was clear that he was hesitating and didn't want to send Bryan off. Maxwell did not need to be reminded to punish any disobedience. He didn't also listen to any pleas when it was tim