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 mission: finding who killed his brother and also free to take revenge on the ones who mistreated his brother.
Zen looked out the window as the car sped away, the city lights blurring into streaks.
“The man who scares the battlefield with just the mention of his nickname, the monarch of Death,” His assistant uttered, breaking the long silence.
“A master tactician, his strategies were studied in military academies around the world. Soldiers spoke of his legendary precision in combat, his ability to turn the tide of battle with a single command. His skills in hand-to-hand combat were unmatched, and he had a keen eye for reading enemy movements, always several steps ahead,” she continued,
“He had led countless missions, each more dangerous than the last, emerging victorious against overwhelming odds. His loyal men, known as the death squad, would follow him into the depths of hell. To them, he was not just a leader but a symbol of invincibility and strength,” She added and turned to look at him,
“That’s the man you are, Chief,” she said.
She continued, “But that same man was convinced by his grandfather and made to take his murdered brother’s place. He was maltreated and made to clean and wash for 2 year—“
“Keisha, what are you to me?” Zen interrupted her,
“Your assistant, sir,” Keisha replied.
“Don’t you have things to assist me with? Why are you narrating my life story,” Zen said,
“It hurts me that you had to endure all of that torture for so long, sir,” Keisha said.
Zen rubbed his nose with two fingers as he turned to her, “It was nothing compared to a month of what I faced in the military,” he added.
“That was what your late brother passed through for many years before he died,” Keisha added.
“Enough of that, update me,” Zen said.
“Yes, sir,” Keisha replied,
“While you spent your years in the military, we had established many companies as per your commands. Putting everything together to form something bigger, Mega was formed” Keisha said.
“Mega dominates the city's business world, rooted in real estate with luxurious high-rises and urban condos. We own Starship Productions, an indie film and music powerhouse, and UrbanEats, the go-to for trendy eateries and gourmet food trucks,” Keisha added,
“Mega shapes the city’s skyline, culture, and culinary scene, making us an unstoppable force in urban life,” Keisha continued.
“I see that you took ‘Take control of the city’ a little too serious,” Zen said, looking out the window.
“I’m more interested in the real estate side of Mega,” Zen said.
“Our estates are no doubt the best in the country and absolute best in the city,” Keisha replied,
“If Mega owns several companies, why is—“ Zen paused to look at the two men sitting opposite him in the limo,
“And why are they silent?” Zen asked,
Keisha closed her eyes and softly bowed, “Because you haven’t given them the permission to,” Keisha replied.
Zen turns to look out the window and Keisha stares at him for a bit before Zen eventually breaks the silence,
“Who are they?” Zen asked,
“The first one is the Managing Director of one of your numerous companies and the second is my personal assistant,” Keisha replied, with a calm gesture as she closed her eyes and bowed.
Zen looked towards the first man and noticed how hard he was trying to hold himself from talking, “Speak,” Zen uttered, in a soft commanding voice.
“Yes sir! ..I am a very big fan of your exploits chief, I have followed each and every one of your achievements. My son is also a big fan. My son joined the military just to be like you and it is God’s blessing to my life that after so many years, I finally get to breathe the same air as you,” the first man finished and gasped for air.
The car was silent, with no reply from Zen.
Zen looked at him with no emotion on his face, before finally letting out a soft unnoticeable smile as they continued the long drive
“Looks like those 2 years in the Rossi’s mansion has made the monarch of death soft,” Keisha thought to herself as she stared at him.
As the car reached a complete stop, the two men were signaled to get down from the car and as they did, just before the door was shut from outside, Zen called out, “I’m just getting back into society and I’ll definitely need some people to run around for me.”
“Send details about your son to Keisha,” Zen said and the security shut the door immediately.
The Man’s face lit up and he fell to his knees, “Thank you so much chief!!” He screamed as the fleet of cars zoomed off.
___
The cars parked in front of a tall building standing magnificently,
“Welcome to Mega, sir,” Keisha said. The doors were opened immediately and Zen stepped out, taking in the cool breeze.
“Uhm, Chief— your clothes,” Keisha managed to talk,
“Oh,” Zen finally noticed that he was still in the cheap clothes he used to clean back at the Rossi mansion.
“Get me some new clothes,” he ordered,
“Keisha, lead the way,” he added.
Keisha lead the way into the Mega’s Headquarters.
“They did a nice job with the interior,” Zen said as he looked around while they walked.
“You also own the company that was incharge of the designs,” Keisha mentioned,
“Is that so,” Zen said, still looking around as they made their way to the elevator.
“Well, they sh—“
“You know,“ Zen was interrupted by the sound of two females heading towards the elevator. “Make sure nothing falls, if even a single paper drops, I’m going to drop you just like the paper,” One of the females reached the front of the elevator, with the other barely holding a bunch of files as she followed the first woman.
“Madame Celeste, please could you walk a bit slower,” The woman carrying the files begged,
“Are you ordering your superior around? Seems to me like you're tired of your job,” Celeste said, bringing out a lipstick from her bag.
Zen and Keisha watched the little drama as they all stepped into the elevator immediately the door opened. As they all stepped into the elevator when the doors opened.
“Madame Celeste, are the files really necessary, I can wa—” The woman carrying the files tried to speak out but was interrupted by Celeste.
“Uhm. Ari— Alic— what was that your name again?” Celeste asked as she applied her makeup.
“Anna,” she replied,
“You're really getting on my ne—,” she paused as Zen entered her field of vision.
Celeste glanced at Zen’s clothes and spoke loudly, “When did Mega start letting the beggars inside?”
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
“Who are you!?” Silas screamed.“Why don’t you look closer,” Zen said with a smirk.Silas squinted for a bit and slowly, his eyes widened. “No way,” he uttered.“Yes, way,” Zen smiled.“Tom? Is that you?” Silas asked.“I don’t believe it! Tom is a loser! You can’t be Tom!” Silas roared.“Thought you could avoid facing consequences?” Zen said.Silas looked up, fear evident in his eyes. “Please, Tom, we were classmates in college, we were all so young. Everything that happened was because of how young we were.”Zen’s expression remained impassive as he seized Silas by the collar and pulled him to his feet. “You think apologies can undo the damage you’ve done?” His voice was controlled but seething with anger.“I’ll be the one asking the questions here, and if you tell a single lie, you're not going to make it out of here,” Zen said as he threw Silas back to the chair.“What happened with you and Malia?” Zen asked.“I-I thought you knew everything? Why are you—“Before he could continue,