Tom’s Mother-in-law pointed a shaky finger at him. “You pushed me, Tom! I saw you!”
Tom’s jaw dropped. “What? No, I didn’t! I wasn’t even near you!”
His father-in-law stormed into the room, eyes blazing. “What’s this nonsense, Tom?” he roared. Without warning, he slapped Tom hard across the face.
Malia, Tom’s wife, rushed in behind her father. “Dad, stop!” she cried, but then turned to Tom with tears in her eyes. “Tom, did you... did you really push her?”
Tom looked at her, hurt and confused. “Malia, you know me! I’d never do that!”
Paul, Malia’s brother, entered the room, glaring at Tom. “So now you’re calling our mother a liar?”
A woman who seemed to be the head maid rushed out to help her up, “Are you okay Madame,”
“I’m not calling anyone a liar. I’m just saying I didn’t push her,” Tom said as he waved his head trying to calm himself down.
His eyes quickly caught the surveillance camera’s, “The camera’s, yes! Let’s check the cameras. They’ll show the truth.”
Mrs. Evelyn cried out, “Oh, so now you need cameras to prove I’m lying?”
Tom took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “No, I’m just saying we can clear this up easily.”
Paul stepped closer, his fists clenched. “You think you can waltz in here, marry my sister, and start accusing our mom? You’ve got some nerve!”
Malia placed a hand on Paul’s arm. “Paul, wait. Maybe Tom’s right. Maybe we should check the cameras.”
Malia’s Father glared at Tom. “You better hope those cameras show what you say they will. If you laid a hand on her...”
Tom nodded, his voice steady. “They will, Mr. Jameson, I didn’t touch her.”
Paul snorted. “I’ve never trusted you, Tom. And now this? You’ve got some explaining to do.”
Tom’s face hardened. “I don’t need to explain anything. The cameras will speak for themselves.”
Mrs. Evelyn started to sob. “I can’t believe you’re all doubting me. My own family, and you’re siding with him.”
Malia looked torn. “Mom, it’s not about sides. It’s about the truth.”
Mrs. Evelyn looked at Paul and Paul immediately understood the assignment.
“Dad, I think if we trust mum, we wouldn’t be disrespecting her by believing this trash,” Paul said.
“Hmm,” Mr. Jameson paused.
“Yes, that’s true!” Riley echoed.
“You know what, we don’t need cameras to know what happened here,” Mr. Jameson said firmly.
Tom stared at him in disbelief. “What? Why not? The cameras will show the truth!”
Mrs. Evelyn shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “You’re just trying to find a way to make me look like the liar here, Tom.”
Malia looked at her mother, then at Tom. “Maybe the cameras aren’t necessary. We should trust what Mom says. She wouldn’t lie about something like this.”
Tom’s frustration boiled over. “This is insane! The cameras are right here. Why won’t you just look?”
Paul stepped in front of Tom, his face inches away. “Because we don’t need a machine to tell us what our mother felt. You think you’re smarter than all of us?”
Tom took a step back, shaking his head. “This isn’t about being smart. It’s about clearing my name.”
Mr. Jameson crossed his arms. “The fact that you’re so desperate to check the cameras makes you look guilty, Tom.”
Tom’s eyes widened. “Guilty? For wanting to prove I didn’t do anything?”
Mrs. Evelyn sobbed louder. “He’s trying to turn you all against me. Can’t you see that?”
Malia moved to comfort her mother. “Mom, it’s okay. We believe you. Tom, why can’t you just admit what you did?”
Tom ran a hand through his hair, “Oh my goodness, I can’t admit to something I didn’t do!”
Paul pointed a finger at Tom. “You always have an excuse, don’t you? Always trying to wiggle out of trouble. Not this time.”
Tom felt his desperation rising. “This isn’t about excuses. The cameras will show the truth, and you all know it.”
Mr. Jameson shook his head. “We know the truth already, Tom. You hurt her, and now you’re trying to cover it up.”
Tom’s voice broke as he pleaded. “Malia, please. You know me. You know I wouldn’t do this.”
“Tom, if you loved me, you’d stop trying to fight this. You’d own up to what you did” Malia replied.
“I do love you. That’s why I’m fighting. Because I’m innocent,” Tom replied.
Mrs. Evelyn whimpered. “I can’t believe we’re even having this discussion. My own daughter doubted me because of him.”
Tom’s shoulders slumped. He looked around him.
“Tch,” he sighed. “What a mess,” he uttered softly,
Paul smirked. “Looks like the cameras won’t save you this time, Tom. You’re on your own.”
“So no one believes me?” Tom looked at each of them in turn, searching for any sign of understanding, but found only cold, accusing eyes.
Suddenly, the front door opened, and a young man walked in. Interrupting the tense atmosphere, The young man entered, tall and confident beside Malia.
"Everyone, this is Dave," Malia declared, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
"He's the man I want to marry."
The room went silent for a while.
“Finally, the trash’s time has run out,” Paul whispered, to break the silence.
“Good day everyone, it’s nice to finally meet you all,” Dave said.
“It’s nice to see Malia has brought a gentleman home,” Aunt Margaret said.
“Mr. Jameson Rossi, Mrs. Evelyn Rossi. Special greetings to you both,” Dave said as he bowed.
“Welcome dear child,” Mrs. Evelyn forced a smile as she held right arm with her left hand, making it obvious that something happened right before Dave came in.
Tom's heart sank. "What?" he managed to whisper, disbelief etched across his face.
Malia's gaze hardened as she reached into her bag, bringing out a stack of papers. She tossed them at Tom's feet. "Sign these, Tom. I want a divorce."
Tom stooped down, gathering the scattered pages. His voice was strained but composed. "You're serious?"
Malia's expression was firming. "Yes. Sign them and get out."
“What’s he up to now,” someone murmured as Tom walked to a nearby table.
He picked up a pen and set the paper down. He signed the papers without hesitation and handed them back to Malia. "There. Done."
Paul jumped forward, "You're just going to sign it? Just like that?"
Tom met Paul's gaze evenly. "Yeah. Just like that."
“What? Just like that? You're not going to beg for forgiveness or mercy?” Riley screamed in confusion.
Mrs. Jameson shook her head, as she let out a smirk, "You must be out of your mind. You have nothing left."
Tom's voice was calm, almost detached. "Maybe. But I'd rather have nothing than stay where I'm not wanted."
Malia's resolve wavered for a fleeting moment before hardening again. "Just go, Tom."
Without another word, Tom turned and walked out the door, leaving behind a room filled with stunned silence and shattered relationships.
Tom stepped out of the gate to find a lineup of sleek black cars waiting for him. Each car was guarded by sharp-suited bodyguards. As he walked down the short stairs, they all bowed to him simultaneously. A woman approached, holding out a phone.
The bodyguards formed a protective circle around him. Without a word spoken, they escorted Tom to one of the waiting cars.
As Tom settled into the backseat, the engine purred to life, and the convoy smoothly departed.
For two years, Zen had played the role of a dutiful husband, all while secretly working to change his brother’s biometrics to his own. The real Tom had died 2 years ago, and the current Tom is his twin brother, Zen Diel. Tom showed so much promise as the legitimate son but ended up amounting to nothing, his brother, Zen, was thrown to the battlefield at a young age and the only name he knew from then on was his status as God of War, the name that traumatized soldiers on the battlefield, “The Monarch of Death.”2 years ago, Zen was called back from the battlefield by his grandfather in order to save the name of their family by taking the place of his twin brother who was murdered on his way to visit the Diel manor.It was a long, risky game, but it had given him access to all the information he needed and the identity of Tom. He also saw 2 years of what his brother faced for so many years. Now, with the divorce finalized, Zen felt a sense of relief. He was free to start his real missi
Zen remained silent, his expression unchanged.Celeste turned her gaze to Keisha. “And you, Why would a security personnel be taking a beggar upstairs? Did the executives request to speak with the leaders of the beggars?,” Celeste laughed.Keisha didn't respond, simply pressing the button for their floor.As the elevator ascended, Celeste continued, “It’s a shame, really. You two look like you’re headed to a costume party. The theme must be 'downtrodden and desperate.'”“I don’t think it’s a good idea to attack these people who did nothing to you,” Anna said behind the big pile of files. “You! Shutup!,” Celeste roared.“How dare you talk back? Your on coffee duty for a week,” Celeste continued.The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Celeste strutted out, still smirking. “Good luck with your errands. Try not to embarrass yourselves too much.”As Celeste walked out, Anna slowed her pace right behind and turned with the pile of files , “I would bow right now but these files are t
The grand ballroom was alive with music and laughter. People danced under glittering chandeliers.Zen stood quietly in the party that Keisha convinced him to attend. He watched the scene with a calm expression. Nearby, a group of people were deep in discussion about recent changes in the city.“Have you heard?” a tall man with a beard leaned in, his voice excited. “The owner of mega has finally shown up in Mega.”A woman in a green dress raised her eyebrow. “I thought Willow was the owner.”“That’s not possible,” another man, younger and dressed in a sharp tuxedo, shook his head. “She never said she owned Mega. In fact, she’s always been clear that she’s just a spokesperson.”“In her words, the ‘CEO’ of mega” another voice added.A woman with red hair swirled her champagne. “Maybe she’s just the face. The real power might be someone we’ve never seen.”“Who could it be then?” the bearded man asked. “Who’s powerful enough to stay hidden all this time?”“I heard a rumor,” the younger ma
Zen woke up to the gentle warmth of the morning sun filtering through the sheer curtains of the elegant room. He stretched a bit as he got up."It was so dark last night I didn’t notice how nice this place was," he murmured to himself, running a hand over the plush bedding.“When was the last time I slept so comfortably?” He thought to himself.Just then, a soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. "Come in," Zen called, straightening up.Keisha stepped in, "Good morning, Zen. I hope you slept well."Zen nodded. "Better than I have in a while. This place is... different."Keisha smiled slightly, “it’s called luxury chief,” she said as she walked towards the table to take a sit.“Very funny,” Zen replied sarcastically as he dived into the bed more."I need to ask you something,” Keisha said.“Last night, at the party, why did you heal that man? It’s unlike you to step in like that."Zen shrugged, leaning back against the headboard. "I don’t know. I just felt like it."“Let’s
The woman didn’t respond immediately, but her eyes locked onto his with a calculating gaze. "Tom, I presume," she finally said, her voice smooth and deadly.Zen nodded. "And you are?""It’s not something you need to know when your on death’s door," she replied, drawing a knife from her belt. Zen sighed. "Why does it always have to be when I’m tired? Oh well, I was a bit bored anyway."The woman lunged at him, her movements were very precise and swift. Zen blocked her initial strike, countering with a quick jab to her wrist. The knife clattered to the ground, but she was unfazed, immediately launching a series of kicks aimed at his stomach.Zen blocked each one, his eyes never leaving hers. "You’re good," he said as he held her hand and twisted it.He cracked his neck and folded his arm in a boxing pose without moving an inch. “But I don’t have all day to play cat and dog,” He added.She grunted in pain but twisted free, spinning to face him again. "You’re not bad your—“Before she co
Cyrus and Zen arrived at Robert Leon’s house. The front door was opened by a lady.“Robert’s eldest daughter, Nia.” Cyrus informed Zen.“Mr. Cyrus, who’s this?” Nia asked, her eyes flicking over to Zen, who came with no briefcase or medical tools.“This is Tom, the practitioner I mentioned,” Cyrus replied, his tone respectful. “He’s the one who helped me with my issue.”Nia’s gaze softened slightly, but there was still a hint of skepticism. “Please come in. My father is in his room, but be warned, we have a team of doctors here who have been treating him.”As they entered, Cyrus led the way and they found Robert lying on a bed, looking pale and weary. Two doctors were scattered around the room, discussing treatment options.“Dr. Lee, Dr. Morris,” Cyrus greeted the doctors with a nod. “This is Tom. He’s here to see if he can help Robert.”Dr. Lee, a middle-aged man with a stern demeanor, raised an eyebrow as he noticed Zen pull an acupuncture kit out of his pocket. “I see we have a new
As Zen and Cyrus walked toward the door, the tension from the room lingered. Nia approached them suddenly.“Mr. Zen, wait,” Nia called out. “I want to apologize for Jane’s behavior. She was out of line. I’m grateful for what you did for my father.”“Can I get your contact, so I can call you to check on my dad once in a while?” Nia added.Zen paused, his expression still guarded. “Thank you, Nia. I understand the stress you’re under. However, I don’t think it’s wise for me to leave my contact information.”Nia looked taken aback. “Why not?”Zen glanced at Cyrus before responding. “I’d prefer not to be involved in situations where I’m met with hostility. Perhaps it’s best if we keep our interactions to a minimum.”Cyrus gave Nia a reassuring look. “I’m sorry for the trouble, Nia. I understand Tom’s point of view.”“Your keys,” Zen turned to Cyrus.Cyrus immediately puts his hands into his pockets, retrieving the key for Zen.With that, Zen walked out of the house, leaving Nia and Cyrus
Zen’s eyes were locked on the photograph of Silas and Malia. Rosalia watched, beside him, her own face mirroring concern.“Why are they holding hands here? Did she betray him?” Zen muttered, his fingers tracing the edges of the photograph.“What was that?” Rosalia asked as her gaze shifted to the photo. Zen pretended like he didn’t hear her. “Silas was known for his cruelty. If he had a personal vendetta, he didn’t hold back. You said he wasn’t a friend?”Zen scoffed. “Friend? No, definitely not. He never had a friend, only toys and people he saw equal to him,” Zen said, as he made things up.“Why would my late brother's wife be holding this Silas guy’s hand in a photo?” Zen thought to himself.Rosalia fingers drummed lightly on the table as she rummaged through old files. “I wonder why a tough guy like that would be holding a pretty lady’s hand for a photo.”Zen’s eyes were fixed on the particular photo of Silas and Malia. “This is the most crucial lead yet.”“I’m confused tho, you