Keifer's POV
I woke up feeling so much pain in my body. Last night, Clyde and his men attacked me. Good thing he has no clue that the password he's looking for isn't like the usual passwords for vaults.
I walk toward the shower and switch it on. Warm water runs down my body.
I still haven't come up with a solution to my problem with Clyde and Jay-jay. My movements are still limited right now since I haven't inherited my wealth yet. I can only protect Jay-jay if I'm close to her.
After my shower, I got dressed. I have to meet the Elders again—whether I like it or not.
I heard a knock on my room door."Ready, Keifer?" It was Honey.
I walked toward it and opened the door. "Ready."
Honey followed behind me as we walked toward the elevator. I didn't tell them about Clyde's little visit last night.
"What are you going to talk about with those old people?" she asked.
"Nothing new...it's still about the money in Watson bank."
But there's no money in there. It's all files of treasure and gold.
I paused for a moment. Do they even know what's inside that bank? I bet they do. They wouldn't be scrambling to take it from me if they didn't.
When we exited the elevator, I saw Mr. Ryder standing near the car. I immediately walked toward him.
"There's something you're not telling us," he said.
I frowned. "Excuse me?"
"Clyde visited you last night. What did you two talk about?"
"Same old, same old."
"What else?"
I shook my head. I didn't want to talk about it. I still haven't thought of a solution.
"Keifer, you have to tell us more about it. What did he do to you? What did he say?"
I took a deep breath. I really didn't want to talk about it because it's personal. But maybe… they can really help me.
"He's targeting Jay-jay."
Honey covered her mouth. "Oh my God... he targeted the wrong person."
I looked at her like I was about to strangle her. She wasn't helping at all.
"What?!" she asked innocently. "I'm telling the truth. Only an idiot would go up against your girlfriend."
One of these days, I'm going to fire this woman. I swear my headache is worse because of her.
I know Jay-jay can fight back—but not always. Her stubbornness won't save her. It might even put her in danger.
"Shut your mouth, Honey" I said and got inside the car.
They followed after. The car started and our conversation continued.
"What are you planning to do about Jay-jay?" Mr. Ryder asked.
"I have to get back home soon to make sure that no one will hurt her."
I also need to talk to Yuri. He and the others are the only ones I can rely on right now. I also need to speak with Angelo and his mother.
That thought kept me up last night. What if it's really him? But it's really impossible.
I used to idolize him. I even copied the way he moved, thinking I could be like him—or maybe even better. I know I'm not the only one. Aries, Yuri, and Percy were doing the same.
I also remember all the secret hangouts we had that no one else knew about. That's probably why I know more of Angelo's friends than Aries does, even though he calls Aries his brother. Maybe that's also why people used to mistake us for real brothers before.
But the idea of us being real brothers? I don't think so. That feels awful to me.
Suddenly, the car we were riding stopped. Mr. Ryder and I almost hit each other while Honey fell straight to the floor.
"The hell!" she shouted.
"Someone blocked our driveway," one of my bodyguards said.
"Can't you find another way?!" Honey asked in frustration as she tried to fix her messy hair.
The driver attempted to reverse the car, but before we could get away, someone shot our driver.
Honey screamed at the top of her lungs while Mr. Ryder and I ducked down.
One of the bodyguards stepped out and pointed a gun at the vehicle that had blocked us earlier.
The rest of the bodyguards who were following us did the same.
"What the hell! What the hell!" Honey kept yelling over and over.
"Shut up!" I snapped at her.
I peeked outside to see what was going on. The driver's seat door of the blocking car opened, and the driver stepped out with both hands raised. A man in a black suit.
He looked familiar. I was sure I had faced him before, but I couldn't remember where. I kept staring at him until he walked toward the backseat door.
"Don't move! Get down!" one of my bodyguards shouted.
"Relax! Someone wants to talk to Mr. Keifer!" he replied.
I arched a brow. If someone wanted to talk to me, they should've just said so. They didn't need to shoot my driver—if they were really the shooter.
The car door across from the driver's seat opened. One of my bodyguards pulled the dead driver out of the car.
"Let's get out of here!" I commanded.
"We can't, Sir. We're still checking the perimeter," he answered before stepping away.
"Hey! You can't leave us here!" Honey yelled.
But the bodyguards didn't actually leave us. Most of them moved to the front of the car, shielding us from any possible threat.
I looked back at the man who stepped out of the car. He had reached the backseat and opened the door. Slowly, someone stepped out.
My eyes widened the moment I recognized who it was. It was Dylan, my father's hitman. And as he fully emerged from the car, he raised an Armalite at us.
I didn't see what happened next. Mr. Ryder suddenly pulled Honey and me down, shielding us with his own body. I could hear the multiple gunshots, but I couldn't tell whose gun it was.
Honey screamed every time a bullet hit our car. The noise around us was deafening.
Is this the end of my life? I haven't even celebrated my 18th birthday. I haven't graduated high school yet. I haven't even set foot in college. And I still haven't asked Jay-jay to marry me.
No!I can't die here! I won't die without a fight.
The sound of gunfire slowly faded. I tried to peek outside, but Mr. Ryder stopped me.
I heard the screeching of a speeding car and a few scattered gunshots.
The car door swung open, and only then did Mr. Ryder release us.
"Sir! Are you alright?" one of them asked.
"Yes, we're—"
Honey screamed, cutting me off. She was crying, staring at her uncle.
My eyes widened when I realized why.
"My Uncle is bleeding! He needs help!" she cried.
He got hit... And it's because of me.
He tried to protect me—even if it cost him his life.
One of the bodyguards pulled me out of the car and forced me into another vehicle they were using.
They did the same to Honey, who was still crying.
That's when I noticed the bodies lying on the road. Most of them were my bodyguards, and one was an unfamiliar person.
I knew it wasn't Dylan. Maybe someone who came with him.
"We have to save my Uncle!" Honey screamed while sobbing.
"We will rush him to the nearest hospital!" one of them responded before closing the car door.
They started the engine and immediately drove away.
I was still speechless. Unable to say a thing. Completely shocked by what had just happened to Mr. Ryder.
"Stop the car! I want to be with my Uncle!" Honey cried, begging the driver. "Please! I want to be with him!"
I was forced to hug Honey to calm her down. She kept crying. I couldn't blame her. I knew exactly how she felt. Her uncle was the one who raised her after her parents died in an accident.
"Keifer... Please! I want to be with my Uncle. I want to be with him. Please..."
I looked at the driver. "Drive to the hospital—"
He cut me off. "But we have to move you to a safer place."
"Just do what I said! We want to see Mr. Ryder now!"
He didn't respond and simply continued driving. Honey kept crying, but unlike earlier, she was starting to calm down.
I couldn't get what just happened out of my mind.
Dylan is here—which means Dad is also here. Sooner or later, he'll show up himself.
And I'm not ready.
I can't face him yet. I'm sure he'll look for the password from me too. Dammit! He will surely use my brothers to make me say it. I don't know what to do!
My cousin and other relatives are using Jay-jay. They're using my weakness against me. And now, Mr. Ryder is in the hospital because of me. I'm not sure if I want to keep my inheritance. How will I protect those gold and treasures when I can't even protect my loved ones? Especially Jay-jay.
Does it mean I have to give up and give away those gold? But if I do that, then it's like Mom's death ended up being for nothing.
I have to think wisely.
If I give up my inheritance, my monstrous father will stop bothering me—and so will my other relatives. But my capabilities will become limited. I can only protect the people around me if I'm close to them.
If I accept the inheritance, then I'll have broader power. I can hunt down those who threatened us.
There's a bigger chance I can protect them even from afar.
I'm starting to feel headaches. Although I still have a month to think about this, I already feel too much pressure. This is exhausting. I haven't even done much yet, but it feels like my body is already giving in to the fatigue.
We arrived at the hospital where Mr. Ryder had been taken. Honey didn't wait for someone to open the door for her. She did it herself and quickly ran inside the hospital.
I immediately followed her. I caught up with her at the receptionist's desk, where she was talking to one of the nurses. One of the bodyguards who brought her uncle here was also with her.
"He's still inside the operating room. I suggest you wait for a while." said the nurse to Honey.
"You don't understand. I want to know if he's alright!" she almost shouted.
"Our doctors are trying their best to save him."
Before Honey could get into a fight, I put an arm around her and gently pulled her away.
I sat her down on one of the vacant benches in the waiting area.
"Get her some water," I ordered the bodyguard who followed us.
It was clear that Honey was trying to hold back her tears. She repeatedly tugged at her hair and exhaled deeply.
"He will be alright," I finally said.
I didn't want to say anything to her. I knew she was blaming me for what happened. Who else would they target but me? I'm the only one they'd go after.
"I am blaming you for this," she said without looking at me. "If anything bad happens to Uncle, I will never forgive you."
I was already expecting this. I feel more than guilty right now. Her uncle helped me with so many things since Mom passed away. He's not just a lawyer to me. He's also a friend.
"I think it's better if you go see the Elders now. It's not good to keep them waiting. I'll be the one to wait for the doctor and whatever he has to say."
I know she doesn't want me here. She wants me to leave. Who would want to be with the person who caused someone they love to end up in the operating room?
I didn't say a thing. I stood up and left her just like she wanted. I talked to one of the bodyguards and asked him to look after Honey for me and make sure she's safe.
They nodded, and I walked out of the hospital. I got into the car and ordered the driver to take me to the old mansion.
I have to face the Elders. I have to talk to them as they requested. Out of respect—even if I want to curse them out—I'll face them.
It didn't take long before we reached the Old Watson Mansion. I got out as soon as the car stopped. One of the house butlers met me at the entrance.
"Keifer... They're waiting for you," he said and began to walk.
I followed him. I fixed myself up as we walked. I dusted off my coat and combed through my hair.
We stopped in front of a large door that was also on the ground floor of the house. The butler opened it and quickly stepped aside to let me through.
The Elders were frowning as they stared at me.
"You kept us waiting, Keifer. What took you so long?" one of them said.
"We encountered a problem while we were on our way."
I heard the oldest among them sigh. The one who always carried a cane even though he could still walk straight just fine.
"Let's get straight to the point. We want to know what you've seen inside the Watson bank," the youngest said.
There are five remaining Elders in the Watson family. Four of them were in front of me now, while the other one was just sitting on a soft couch, reading a book. He's also the one who gave me the key to the bank.
He's the only one I found out from that none of our relatives knew he had the key. My grandfather had deliberately left it with him because he was the only one among our relatives who had no interest in the Watson fortune.
I walked toward the empty seat in front of the oldest Elder. He was sitting on a long leather couch while the other three stood not far from him.
"Can I sit first?" I asked for their permission.
He only motioned with his hand. I sat down and adjusted my coat.
The truth is, I've been wanting to collapse on the floor for a while now.Everything I've gone through feels unbearably heavy.
"Answer our question." one of them ordered.
Can't you wait?
"What do you expect to see in a bank?" I answered sarcastically.
They obviously didn't like my answer, but they tried their best to remain calm and expressionless.
"Bastard." one of them whispered, but I still heard it.
"It's what you exactly expected."
I can't give them a direct answer. It's possible they really don't know what's inside the bank yet. But it's also possible they already do and they're just trying to play games with me.
I noticed the three of them standing started smirking at one another.
"Keifer..." the oldest spoke. "I would like to ask you a question."
"Go ahead."
He took something from inside his coat. He tossed two pictures down onto the coffee table.
I tried my best not to react. The oldest really knows how to play a damn game.
"That girl is your girlfriend. Is that right?"
I almost clenched my fist. I could say 'no,' but they obviously wouldn't believe that.
"And that man is named Michael Angelo." he added.
I think I already know what they're trying to imply. I didn't expect this.
"Isn't it great, that your girlfriend and that man are related to each other? What a coincidence!" he said and laughed. "...and you know what the most amazing part is?"
I didn't answer, and he continued talking.
He smirked like he'd just won a game. "That Michael Angelo is a candidate as the missing child of your father."
Dammit!
I knew it! They know something I don't. But he said 'candidate,' which means they don't have any proof yet.
"Amazing indeed," I said, trying not to sound sarcastic.
"You knew it, didn't you? You knew that he could be your missing older brother. You took the chance to investigate him by getting into a relationship with his cousin."
Wow, just... wow.
I suddenly burst out laughing because of what the oldest said. I didn't know their imaginations were that wild—they even thought of something like this.
They should meet C-in. They'd probably enjoy each other's company.
I saw how serious their expressions turned. They didn't like my reaction. I stopped laughing after a while.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to laugh. It's just that..." I tried to hold back more laughter. "...everything that you said doesn't make sense."
"Is that so?" the youngest Elder said sarcastically. "...then explain to us who this girl is in your life and how you met Michael Angelo."
So they haven't been tracking everything that's happening to me. That's a relief—at least I can still move without them knowing.
"Angelo and his brother used to be my friends, but things got messed up and we went our separate ways. Unfortunately, his brother and I became rivals. Which means I met him first before that girl," I explained, and they looked at each other.
The oldest of them picked up the picture of Jay-jay.
I wanted to snatch it away from his hand. I know these old men have a plan—that's why they showed me Jay-jay's picture.
She has nothing to do with this!
"What is your exact relationship with this girl?" he asked while toying with the picture in his hand.
Think, Keifer!They'll use Jay-jay against me. I have to think faster.She can't be dragged into this. What if the same thing that happened to me earlier happens to her?
"She's... s-she's—"
"She's your what?" the oldest asked, as if he couldn't wait for my answer.
Think! I need to be careful with what I say.
I looked at the picture of Angelo on the coffee table. Aries's face was also caught in the frame.
Jay-jay...
"She's nothing... I'm just using her for my revenge."