Chapter Two:
A car drove past with blinding speed, catching Dominic’s attention. He stood up to watch where it was headed. A protest was ongoing.
The car drove stopped besides the open place where the protesters were.
“Pay your workers, Allen Group! Pay your workers!” the protesters raised placards. It was a peaceful protest, no one attacked any one.
Until, the driver of the car stepped out and there was a cold air in the environment. It was a master Allen, leader of the Allen group.
The protesters didn’t speak under his intense glare.
“Arrest them! Beat them up!” master Allen commanded and the officers dived at the protesters and began attacking them.
Dominic hid behind a bill board watching this. The situation turned to a fight and more policemen were called.
Dominic left the scene before it escalated. “The Allen group keep on making enemies for themselves.” He mumbled under his breath.
He had to do what he can to rise back to the top. It was unfair. He couldn’t keep living like this.
Thankfully, he secured a job at a local diner under the name Sylvain Savage, a nickname from his old friends.
Since he awoke, his body hadn’t recovered from malnourishment and muscle atrophy. His once vibrant blue eyes were a shade of blue.
His long hair had been cut to a punk and lost it’s bounciness. His muscular stature had become a bony structure with flesh at some parts.
From a vibrant young man to a disheveled lean poor nothing. How’d it get to this?
He only handled part of the company so why did the company fall with him? Why did his family get disoriented after his coma?
Why did his in-laws do that to him? He needed answers and fast. Perhaps he’d need to see Brielle, maybe she wouldn’t have given up on him and he’d get to see his boys.
“Mr. Sylvain! Could you please help me here?” a coworker called out to him from the kitchen.
“I am coming, Mary.” He responded and ran into the kitchen. He’d remain low-key till he’d find trusted alliances.
He had exhausted all his money on finding Lucas and his new family. If he had his cousin, then he’d be encouraged to take on many steps.
He needed to find their old butler too, surely not all of the Thales group wealth was gone. And his mother’s inheritance he was entitled too?
His mother came from the legendary Duncan family. He had no wealth from there? Surely they’d be something to hold unto.
Returning home from the diner by evening, Dominic noticed cars speeding past him.
They were black and looked like convoys, only they weren’t following any car. They seemed to be searching for something, someone.
“Can I have bread, please?” Dominic said to the baker, pointing at the bread he intended to buy.
He turned to the cars perambulating then leaned towards the baker, “Did something happen?”
The baker looked up at the cars and shrugged. “It happened again. The Allen twins. Stubborn boys. They must have ran away again.”
Dominic raised a brow. Allen twins? Did Brielle’s elder brother finally get married and have children? A lot had really happened.
He turned again to the cars and saw tiredness on the faces of the drivers. They weren’t making much effort to find the children.
“Last time, they were nearly kidnapped by a man claiming to be their father who claimed to be their father.” The baker continued.
A smirk came to Dominic’s lips. Brielle’s brother might not be the actual father to the kids then or why else will someone try to claim then.
He faced the baker, took his bread and dropped a dollar note. “Well, they won’t be lost for good.”
Rich children could be really stubborn, he’d know. He wished to find a way to contact Brielle but those drivers looked uncooperative.
Deep down, he didn’t want to face his wife or his in-laws in his current state of owning nothing.
Alley dogs barked angrily at him as he walked down to an incomplete building he called home.
“Hey there!” a hoarse voice called him out. He fastened his steps, knowing who it was but the person’s steps quickened, as well.
A kick went to his back, making him fall face down. He swiftly placed his newly purchased bread under him and coiled himself.
“Oh, that’s how you want to play, right?” the man grinned before kicking him repeatedly.
Dominic pressed his lips together, enduring all the treatment if it meant to have something to eat for dinner and breakfast.
“Nothings like you shouldn’t have been born!” the man barked while hitting him. Dominic smiled painfully in his heart.
When he was born, there had been a feast and many wished they were him, a small helpless baby born to a billionaire family, Thales, and son of Lady Diana of the legendary Duncan family.
There was no ‘nothing’ attached to his person, the only ‘nothing’ was, ‘he lacked nothing’.
The man soon tired out and left him alone. Dominic stayed there sprawled on the ground, having no strength to move.
If he stayed long enough, he could sleep past dinner and just have the bread for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. Or the alley dogs would have it.
His eyes closed, tired of seeing the miserable world. When they opened again, he saw the miserable walls of the incomplete apartment.
He summoned the strength to sit up from the soft bed he laid on, he had to buy a soft bed or else he wouldn’t sleep.
“How did I get back home?” he walked around the house. “There’s no way that bully would have brought me home out of pity.”
A box of pizza, laying on his table, caught his attention. He hurried towards it and tore it open. It was filled.
Surely, a good Samaritan had brought him home and left him something to survive starvation.
Finally feeling hope in his situation, Dominic decided to meet with Brielle with or without a wonderful status.
She married him because she loved him, that’s what she said at the hospital. If she was truthful, then she’d accept him and help him get the Thales group up and striving.
Chapter Three: By the next day, Dominic hastily prepared to move out. It was the day – the day he’d meet up with his lovely wife and kids.No matter what his family had become, he was still her husband and father of her kids. He wore the shirt and shorts he owned, the exact ones he wore during the accident four years back, the most expensive clothes he currently owned. As he left the building, he sighted the door mat, a small ragged cloth, washed and kept to dry on a wall. Was it also done by the good Samaritan? A smile came to Dominic’s lips and he marched to the Allen’s company. “I’d recover all. Brielle, for what you’ve been through, I’d get back enough money to wipe your tears.” Passing a glass door of a shop, he stopped to look at himself. Would she recognize him? His voice now sounded scrawny like twelve year old’s. Shouldn’t she have known he was discharged? Why didn’t she come to pick him up? Questions and doubts were filling his head and he left the glass door and hurr
Chapter Four – Determined. Seeing his wife he loved so much, shoot him daggers at him was enough to break Dominic’s heart. And his sons were hiding from him? Why exactly were all these happening? “I said, I’m Dominic Thales and I recovered from the coma. Can you stop acting this way in front of our sons?” his voice wasn’t very audible. “Did I hear you say ‘our sons’? You're retarded, young filth!” Lady Allen rose from the car. “How dare you address my grandchildren as yours…” “Rebecca! Just shut up! I’d engage you when I’m done with Brielle!” Dominic scolded her immediately, using her first name. Brielle was stunned and looked from her mother to the man. Did they know each other?Security ran towaeds Dominic held unto him before he could resist.“Brielle, it’s me. It’s really me!” but he slapped across the face by a security man. “Even if you’re her husband, you don’t have a place here. But you’re obviously not! Don’t you protesters tire of pranks!” Lady Allen yelled. Pranks?
Chapter Five – Clash of Caliber.Brielle barged into her office, seething and cursing after just lashing out at her employees. Her twin sons followed behind her. Lucian had a disgusted face looking at his brother, Dorian picking his nose. Brielle shook her head, slumping into her chair.“Dorian, you’re being an animal.” Lucian said. “Just like mommy was yelling at people.”His mother shut her eyes. The child spoke a lot like someone she disliked. Master Thales, his grandfather and the man who raised Dominic. Brielle’s mind went to the prank that happened. That man seemed to know her mother and acted out the prank like he was indeed Dominic. She reached for her phone immediately. “Could Dominic really be awake?” she whispered to herself while calling the hospital. “The doctor clearly said he may never awake for the next ten to twenty years but, what if…” the line went through. “Hello, Doctor Phil?” “It’s Matt, my love. How'd I help you, milady?” Brielle internally cringed. The
Chapter Six – United Two months passed since Dominic had been hosted in Selene’s apartment. His mental health had regained stability. His physical body was nurturing but his emotional wellbeing had been shambling upon shambling. New discoveries about what the Allen family had achieved while he was in coma dug holed in his head. “They now have three branches abroad?” The Allen’s group could barely be known in their home country if not for him, then how did they attain some popularity? Well, it wasn’t surprising. Some slander had been placed on the Thales family. Slander used by the Allen’s family to chase clout. An accusation that Master Thales, Dominic’s grandfather, had killed his daughter and son to have the company to himself. Also, his grandson, Dominic was kept in a vegetative state because of him. It made sense why Master Thales ran away and why the company fell because of disappointed and gullible supporters.Also, before that, Allen’s group made Brielle withdraw a huge
Chapter Seven – Embarrassed Rekindling old friendships, fine. But rekindling old business connections, no. Dominic kept on swiping left to all the business owners his grandfather had worked with. Many of them had jumped on the Thales slander and fueled it, many also worked with the Allen’s company while knowing they betrayed him. “No second chance for scums.” That’d be his new motto. He sat back and glanced at his watch. It was almost 3pm. He’d have to pick up Suzy and Lucas at school. Selene was busy handling his company’s cases so the least he could do was pick Suzy up too. Dominic gulped down fruit juice on his desk and then left the table. “I should pick them up now.” Walking through the hall, he remembered when the place bustled with workers and machineries. The machineries remained but none to manage them. They were like vegetables, as he had been months ago. “Don’t worry, you'd run soon.” The car he rode to Suzy and Lucas’ school was one of Jamie’s he bought from him,
Chapter Eight – KidnappedThe environment was pitch black and low police sirens could be heard. Dominic slowly moved his head but a sharp ache made him put it down. Where was he taken to? He remembered the accident and then being taken out from the car.The men in black suits left Lucas in the car and it worried him because he didn’t know what injury Lucas had sustained. Light pierced into his eyes, interrupting his thoughts. “Oh, you’re awake now?” a familiar voice said, followed by a snicker. Dominic tried to work his brain to identify the voice. He couldn’t see the person’s face clearly. “I almost had PTSD when I heard you awoke. You are supposed to be dead, how did you live?” the man sighed. He was supposed to be dead? It made Dominic wonder if the accident that happened was more fatal than he thought. “Where’s Lucas? If you want just me, then leave him alone.” “He’s still a Thales, you know. But yes, I’m not interested in killing him. Don’t worry.” The man replied. Kill
Chapter Nine – At the ward. Again? “What do you mean?” Damien wasn’t stunned Allen family wanted him dead, he’d be hurt to know but at the point, he had given up. But what did ‘again’ mean? “Your accident four years ago. Didn’t you realize they were involved with it? My father precisely. My sister knew nothing.” Bethel explained. Dominic’s heart pounded heavily in his chest. Four years ago, he almost died but luckily or unluckily fell into coma. Sir Allen did that? “Of course, you don’t need to know the reason why…” “I can guess.” Damien interrupted, darkness filling his eyes. “He only wanted Brielle to marry me for my wealth. It planned a long time ago.” Bethel watched him intently as his voice lowered, he looked away. “It’s an inner strife by my father and your grandfather decades back.” Dominic’s head rose. “A decade long strife?” Why'd he never heard of it? Did his grandfather know the Allen family before he married Brielle? “Yet, that’s what led to the unnecessary
Chapter Ten – I’d pay “To give an advice or two.” Sir Allen replied with a calm demeanor, still sporting his fake smile. Advice? Dominic stared, hopelessly, at the man. He wanted to smash his head to a wall but that’d cause a messy scene. But he didn’t want to care. The man caused his life to be such a mess yet he came with an advice? Why were the Allen’s so fearless in taking him on. He knew Sir Allen was only there to threaten but after coming from his son’s place, Dominic was fed up with any Allen telling him what to do. “Get out while I’m still sane! I’d likely not repeat myself again.” He showed him the man the door. Sir Allen shook his head. “This will help you, you know. After four years and returning to the business world, you’d need some…” The man’s neck was dragged and his smile fell. His face was closer to Dominic’s. “Allen, you took my wife from me and then my sons, unless when I want to finish you, I don’t want you showing up in front of me!” Sir Allen