Chapter One – Coma. The feeling of being betrayed by your own.With fallen shoulders, Dominic Thales walked out of the hospital. He boarded a cab heading to his family house, the Thales Mansion, his eyes glued outside the window watching how places changed since he last went out.The taxi stopped and the driver asked to be paid. He paid, even though stunned how taxi rides had increased since the last time he took one, which was ten years ago going on a jolly ride with friends. He turned immediately to the mansion, the Thales Mansion, which he’d call home, but his legs froze immediately when he found himself before a hotel.What's happening? Where was his home? There was no way what happened to the Thales group wouldn’t affect his home!“Excuse me?” he ran to a security, panting heavily. Could it be what he thought? “Isn’t this the Thales Mansion? Where’s everybody?”By everybody, he meant servants and butlers who were loyal to Thales, he wasn’t expecting his grandparents anymore. T
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
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