Keifer's POV
"I want everybody to leave." The Monster said.
But nobody moved. I also held Keigan's arm, who was slightly beside me.
I want no one to leave but him.
"My son and I will talk privately." He added. But again, nobody moved and just stared at us.
"K-kuya… W-what does he want?" My brother whispered. I could feel him shaking.
I couldn't help but get angry. Why does he still have this effect on my brother? What did this monster do to him?
"No one will leave this room. If you want to talk to him, do it in front of us." Uncle Kier said.
The Monster laughed. "You said so." He turned to me with a serious look in his eyes. "What is the truth?" He asked.
My forehead creased. It looks like he really has no intention of letting them know what we're going to talk about.
The Elders immediately complained because they didn't understand what my monstrous father had said. Only I, Keigan, and Uncle Kier understood him on our side.
It's better to follow what he wants. I have no plan on telling the Elders what our conversation is about anyway.
"What are you talking about?" I asked back.
"I know Serina left you something. Now tell me what's inside them."
"Keifer!" It was the Eldest. "What is he saying? Tell us!"
I was about to speak, but Kier did it for me.
"Let them talk. Keifer will tell us later."
I returned my attention to the man in front of me. I don't understand what he wants to know.
"It contains all of your deceptions." I said straightforwardly.
He shook his head. "And her deceptions? Did she tell you?"
I didn't say a thing. Does he know that Mom had people killed? Does he also know about the plan she made for Angelo and me? I couldn't say anything because I might make a mistake.
"She did things for you, but I don't care about those. What I want to know is if you are really my son."
I turned to Keigan and Uncle Kier, who also had no clue about what this man was saying. What is he trying to imply? That Mom was unfaithful to him?
Bullsht!*
"You've really gone insane."
He laughed humorlessly. "I know you're a Watson. That's clear from the moment you were born. But the big question for me is, which of us is really your father!" He raised his voice.
He was obviously losing his patience. I was also close to losing mine with him and everything he was saying.
"Mom would never do what you're implying. It's in the last will that your eldest—"
"I know that! But your mother was too smart. She would never allow herself to be outwitted."
"HOW CAN YOU SAY SUCH A THING?"
I couldn't hold back my anger anymore. I felt Keigan's grip on me, trying to restrain me from doing anything.
I also heard the Elders murmuring. They were probably drawing their own conclusions about what we were discussing.
"After everything you did to Mom, you still have the audacity to doubt her now." I added.
"I have the right to." He said calmly.
For the first time, I saw pain in his eyes. But it immediately turned cold.
"I fell in love with her the first time I saw her. I knew she didn't like me, but I still hoped for years." He bitterly smirked. "Then I found out she was doing things behind my back. I let her be, I kept waiting, until I got tired."
His eyes turned deadly.
"My suspicions were confirmed when the lawyer arrived on the day of her funeral. They planned everything so that the inheritance would go to you."
"Because you don't deserve it."
"I deserve that money. I worked hard for this family. But these Elders and your grandfather never gave me a chance to prove that I was worthy of it. And they used your Mom—the woman I loved the most."
"You will never be worthy of that money." The oldest interrupted.
Dad turned to him. "Same with you."
The eldest was about to approach him, but one of his brothers stopped him. The Monster faced me again.
"What is the truth?" He asked again.
"What you see in front of you. Even if I don't want to be your son, that's the truth!"
"You're too much, Keifer. You've surpassed me, so how can I not have doubts?"
"Your reasoning is shallow!"
He laughed bitterly and snapped his fingers. In an instant, Dylan's gun was pointed at me. I immediately shielded Keigan behind me. He gripped me tightly, and the Elders' bodyguards cocked their guns in response.
"If you're telling the truth, then give me the documents Serina left behind."
"I won't give you anything." I said, trying my best to stay calm.
But my heart was pounding wildly. Nothing bad can happen to me here. My siblings, my friends, and the woman I love need me.
Dad and I locked eyes. It would be a mistake to blink in front of him. We stared at each other for several minutes until he finally gave up.
"If I find out my suspicions are true, I will f*ck your mother's corpse."
That made me snap.
The next thing I knew, we were exchanging punches. People were shouting my name from all directions. My fist connected with his face multiple times. I had no intention of stopping, but suddenly, two arms grabbed me and threw me with full force.
I screamed when my elbow hit the floor first. Keigan and Uncle Kier immediately rushed to me.
"You son of a b*tch!" The Monster shouted while trying to stand up.
I did the same, with Keigan helping me. My elbow was still in pain, making it hard to move my arm and hand.
"Don't you dare disrespect her. She died because of you!"
He wiped the blood from the side of his lips. "She died because she chose to die. I could have saved her! But she chose to leave us rather than be with me!"
"Because you're a monster, and she loathed you!" I shouted, pointing my finger at him.
He paused for a moment before pulling himself together. He looked at all of us.
"I will find out the truth, Keifer. I will." Those were his final words before turning his back.
His men followed him. As soon as the door closed, the Elders' bodyguards immediately moved. They also called medics to assist me.
I could no longer hide the pain I was feeling. I knew I hadn't broken anything, but it might be a minor injury, and the pain seeped deep into my bones.
They brought me to a room and sat me at the edge of a large bed.
"Tell us everything, Keifer. What did you talk about with him?" The oldest commanded.
The sound of his cane hitting the floor echoed in the room. As usual, his brothers followed closely behind him.
"Nothing that you know." I answered.
The medics entered, forcing the Elders to step aside. They examined my elbow and wrapped it in bandages as first aid, but I still needed an X-ray.
After the medics left, they started pestering me again. I only gave them answers about the inheritance. I also mentioned that Mom left additional information he was looking for.
I knew the Elders didn't believe me, but they couldn't do anything if I refused to speak. They had no choice but to leave us in the room.
Uncle Kier, Keigan, and I exchanged looks as soon as they were gone. We knew we had something to talk about.
Silence filled the room for a few minutes before I finally asked,
"What does he mean?" I asked, and they both looked at me. "I know you heard him."
Keigan shook his head, while Uncle Kier remained silent.
I turned to him. "Uncle, please."
"I'm sorry, Keifer. I don't know anything about what he's asking you. But I'm aware that your mother had a disease." Uncle explained.
Keigan and I both looked at him.
"W-what kind of disease?" my brother asked.
"She never mentioned it."
Both Keigan and I felt our shoulders drop. There were still things we didn't know. How will we fight back if we still have a missing piece?
I tried to recall everything Mom had left me. But there was nothing about her having a disease or about me not being that monster's real son.
"W-what if he's t-telling the truth?" Keigan suddenly asked.
Uncle and I both disagreed. Mom wouldn't do that. She's smart, and she knew that if she did such a thing, it would affect the plan in the future.
"That is nonsense." Uncle said with authority.
"J-just a w-what if. It means I-I'm his firstborn child." He said anxiously, his hands starting to grab his hair. "N-no! I can't! I don't want to!"
I immediately moved toward him, but he stepped back from me. He's having an anxiety attack. I need to calm him before he does something that will harm himself.
"It m-means, I'm the h-heir—No! I don't w-want to be—."
"Keigan! I am the eldest!" I shouted at him.
But he didn't listen to me. He kept pacing and pulling at his hair. I tried to grab him, but using only one hand wasn't helping.
"H-he will kidnap m-me again! He will force m-me to do t-things! I-I don't want to r-rape women! I d-don't want to k-kill!" He said while looking down.
Rape and kill?
"Keigan!" I called him and tried to grab him again. "Did he force you to kill someone?"
He stepped away from me again. He had already bumped into a table with a flower vase on top. It hit the floor and created a loud noise before shattering into pieces.
He backed away from the broken vase and suddenly started crying. Then, he began hurting himself.
"Keigan!" It was Uncle Kier.
"I deserve this! I'm a failure!" He slapped his face while crying. "Keigan is not like Keifer! He's useless! He's no use! Keigan is nothing!"
I was frozen for a second while staring at him. I can't believe I'm hearing these words from him. Are these the things people told him, or are they the voices he hears in his head?
"Keifer! Stop your brother!" It was Uncle Kier's voice that pulled me back to my senses.
I ran and grabbed Keigan, but he moved away. I had no choice but to hug him tightly. My left hand was giving me trouble holding him.
He kept struggling until he suddenly grabbed my bandaged arm tightly. The intense pain made me shout.
"K-KEIGAN! STOP!"
"Keigan is useless! Keigan deserves nothing!"
He repeatedly screamed.
I was forced to let him go because of the pain in my arm. He immediately broke free from me and moved away. I collapsed onto the floor, my strength failing me.
Keigan was about to hit himself again when Uncle Kier slapped him. The slap was so strong that Keigan fell to the ground.
"U-uncle!"
"He needs to wake up!" Uncle said, and I helped myself stand up.
I approached my brother, and I was shocked when I saw that his arm was bleeding. He had been cut by the broken shards of the vase. He wasn't moving and was just staring into nothing.
"Keigan, let me help you." I said as I helped him using my one hand.
He stood up but still had no reaction. His eyes looked lifeless. I sat him down on the bed and searched for something to wrap his wound.
Until Uncle handed me his handkerchief. He looked at me and my arm. It seems he knows I'll struggle to tie it around Keigan's arm, so he did it himself.
"I already called my butler and asked him to call an ambulance." He said after helping Keigan.
He looked at me and my brother. I looked down in disappointment. He will definitely ask me questions that I don't even know the answers to.
"I'll leave you here." He said and walked out of the door.
When I heard the door close, I sat on the other side of the bed. Keigan was sniffling, and he was probably back to his normal state.
"I-I'm sorry, Kuya. I got scared." He said in a low voice.
"Did you kill someone?" I asked, trying not to accuse him.
He still hadn't told me what happened to him when that Monster took him away. I doubted he would answer me or share anything. But for some reason, he started to open up.
"He asked me to, but I didn't do it, so he hit me until he felt satisfied."
My fist clenched. I knew he did something to my brother, but I never expected that he would force Keigan to become like him.
A monster.
"He also raped women in front of me." He started to cry again. "I remember how they cried and begged for help."
I immediately moved closer and hugged him.
"…but I couldn't do anything."
I let him cry just like before. My brother needs help. He needs it more than I do.
"I'm sorry for not being there."
Suddenly, he pulled away from my hug. He wiped his tears and took deep breaths several times.
"Listen to me, Kuya. I-I have something to tell you." He said as if he was in a hurry.
I looked at him and waited for what he was going to say.
I could see the hesitation in his eyes.
"T-there is—inside m-me." He was struggling to speak. "I-I—!"
Lost for words, he started to panic.
"S-some—h-here!" He pointed to his chest.
"I don't understand. Please calm down."
"A-another—Keigan! H-here!"
Damn it!
I immediately moved toward him, but I saw the rapid change in his expression and eyes.
Then, he suddenly pushed me hard.
My head hit something forcefully, and the next thing I knew, I was falling.
"K-Keigan." I called him.
My vision slowly blurred and turned dark. All I know and remember is, it was a different Keigan who push me.