Alex adjusted his dark hair, feeling the scorching heat of the sun. He regretted not bringing his hat along. His gaze fell upon the vase on display, and a wave of disappointment washed over him. The price tag next to it exceeded his budget. He turned to the salesman, seeking clarification."Is this the vase you have here?" Alex inquired, his voice filled with hope. The salesman responded with a warm smile. "No, sir. We have more vases, and they are quite affordable," the man gestured towards his left. Alex breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed the price tags next to the other vases, which were within his budget."Thank you," Alex expressed his gratitude. The salesman nodded and handed him the packaged porcelain vase.Suddenly, a voice called out Alex's name, causing him to turn around with a frown. Approaching him were some of his family members, whom he referred to as goons. "There you are," they exclaimed."Hey," Alex forced a smile, trying to maintain a pleasant demeanor. "What's
Alex stepped into the room, causing everyone's attention to shift towards him. Brielle appeared embarrassed and quickly averted her gaze."Oh, so the chicken finally shows up, huh? What do we have here, a little toy?" Brock taunted, prompting Alex to meet his gaze head-on, catching Brock off guard."Not a toy, Brock. It's called a vase, in case you didn't know," Alex countered, causing Brock to stare at him in surprise. Brock menacingly approached Alex, but soon realized that Alex was much larger and stronger than him, causing him to halt."Feeling brave now, huh? What did my sister say to you on the balcony?" Brock inquired, to which Alex simply shrugged."It's nothing, man. I brought grandma the best gift I could afford, that's all," Alex retorted. This statement elicited laughter from Brock and some members of the family."Come on, Alex. The best you could afford is basically nothing. Look at what I've got," Brock boasted, lifting another vase."This is a gift, not the toy you brou
Grandmother settled herself down slowly as Brielle approached her side."Grandma, we have a situation here. My... umm... husband claims that my brother's vase is fake. Can you tell? You used to have extensive knowledge about vases, grandma," Brielle whispered, squatting close to her and gently caressing her hand.Brielle had started to doubt the authenticity of Brock's vase, and she was becoming impressed by the way Alex had stood up to her brother.Her grandmother glared at Alex and Brock. She extended her hand, and Brock hesitated."Well," she said, and Brock reluctantly handed her the vase. She then reached out her hand to Alex, who stared at her in surprise. He nodded and handed her his own vase for inspection.She first examined Alex's vase and scowled. Brock grinned beside him, but the grandmother set Alex's vase aside and lifted Brock's vase to the light. Without hesitation, she instantly smashed it on the floor."Woah!" Brock exclaimed, and his grandmother scowled."How dare y
Alex woke up and found Brielle lying next to him, fast asleep. He focused on her face, the face that had captivated him. Ignoring her nakedness, he got up and put on a shirt. As he stood, Brielle woke up and put on a robe. They both locked eyes and stared at each other."Sorry about last night, I shouldn't have done that," Alex apologized. Brielle burst into laughter."Oh my god, you're such a wimp, Alex. I was the one who initiated it, remember?" she said. Alex nodded and walked into the main room. He poured himself a glass of vodka and sighed with satisfaction as he drank it. He poured another glass and downed it quickly."Can I join you?" a voice asked. Alex turned to see Amelia looking at him, her usual haughty expression softened."No," Alex replied, in a bad mood and not wanting any trouble. He didn't trust Amelia. "Go away," he said, tilting the vodka bottle to his mouth and finishing it. The alcohol seemed to help him forget his problems. Amelia's soft hands found their way t
Alex woke to find the bed empty; he knew Brielle must have gone to get some groceries. They were still on break because of Grandma's birthday. Sighing, he sat up and stared at the mirror before him. His dark hair had fallen to his temples, and his eyes still looked hungry for sleep—he damned well needed one.Yawning, Alex walked out to the bar stand, where he now always resorted to drinking to clear his head. He grabbed a bottle of liquor, poured it into a glass, and took a sip.“This is becoming a habit. Do you know how much it costs to maintain this lifestyle?” someone said, and Alex nearly spilled his drink in surprise.“Amelia,” he said, his voice deep, something that made her observe him closely. “Good morning,” he added nonchalantly, and Amelia smiled at him, a grin plastered on her face as she walked up to him.“Should you be drinking this early? This lavish lifestyle, I hope you know your meager salary can't fund it,” she mocked. Alex frowned, and the liquor turned sour in his
Alex entered the extravagant resort and was greeted by a swarm of people. He couldn't help but wonder why the place was so packed and why Martins had chosen such a crowded spot to meet.Feeling confused, Alex scanned the area for Martins, but it was difficult with all the noise and commotion. Deciding to step outside, he inadvertently collided with a red-haired lady, causing her to drop her bag."Are you blind?" she snapped at Alex, who quickly apologized and bent down to pick up her bag. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you coming," he explained, handing her the bag. She snatched it from him suspiciously, giving him a disdainful look."You're a thief, aren't you? I hope you haven't stolen anything yet. Is this how thieves behave?" she accused, scanning her bag for any missing items. Alex wasn't surprised by her reaction; people in the city often looked down on those they perceived as poor. He didn't dress like a wealthy person, so it was easy for them to judge him."There's no need to make a
Alex found himself in a dimly lit room, but to his surprise, he wasn't being treated roughly. Instead, he was kept in a tidy room. Before long, a servant girl entered the room, accompanied by two burly men who resembled the ones who had kidnapped him. The girl placed a tray on the table in front of Alex and then bowed slightly before leaving.Confused, Alex watched as the servant girl walked away. He couldn't understand why he was being treated so nicely when he clearly remembered being kidnapped and brought here. His gaze shifted to the meal in front of him, and the delicious aroma made his stomach growl.Curiosity got the better of him, and he cautiously lifted the lids of the covered plates. To his delight, he discovered seared filet mignon with truffle sauce, along with his favorite roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables. The anticipation of the mouthwatering meal made his stomach churn, but he couldn't help but be cautious."What if it's poisoned?" he silently questioned himself
The following day, Alex and Martins arrived at the company in a sleek, dark BMW. As they parked the car, Alex couldn't help but feel a rush of nostalgia as he gazed at the impressive and modern architecture of the building. Memories of his time spent here with his father and Sir Martins flooded his mind, and even after fifteen years, he still admired the luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere."You still remember what the company looks like," Martins remarked, impressed."Just a little," Alex replied, clapping his hands together and feeling slightly out of place in his casual attire. Despite Martins arranging a fitted tuxedo for him, he insisted on wearing his own clothes."Are you sure about this?" Martins questioned, gesturing towards Alex's choice of clothing. "We can do this another time, you know." Just then, one of the security guards opened the car door, and both Alex and Martins stepped out."Yes, I prefer it this way for a fresh start," Alex affirmed, determined to wear casua