Keifer's POV
I want everybody to leave," the Monster said.
But nobody moved. I also grabbed Keigan's arm, who was standing slightly to my side.
I want no one to leave but him.
"My son and I will talk privately," he added.
But again, nobody moved. Everyone just stared at us.
"K-kuya... W-what does he want?" my brother whispered. I could feel him shaking.
I couldn't help but feel furious. Why does he still have this kind of 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 Keir said.
The monster laughed. "You said so." He turned to me with a serious look in his eyes.
"Anong totoo?" he asked.
My forehead creased. Looks like he really has no intention of telling the others what we're about to discuss.
The Elders immediately began to complain because they didn't understand what my monster of a father had said. Only I, Keigan, and Uncle Kier could understand him from our side.
It's better to follow what he wants. I have no plans to tell the Elders what this conversation is about anyway.
"What are you talking about?" I asked back.
"I know Serina left something with you. Now tell me what's in those things."
"Keifer!" It was the Eldest. "What is he saying? Tell it to us!"
I was about to speak but Kier stepped in for me.
"Let them talk. Keifer will tell us later."
I turned my attention back to the man in front of me. I couldn't understand what exactly he wanted to know.
"They contain all your crap," I said straightforwardly.
He shook his head. "What about her crap? Did she tell you?"
I didn't say a word. Does he know Mom killed people? Does he also know about the plan she made for Angelo and me? I couldn't say anything—I might say the wrong thing.
"She did things for you, but I don't care about any of that. What I want to know is whether you're really my son."
I looked at Keigan and Uncle Kier, who both seemed just as clueless about what this man was implying. What is he trying to say? That Mom cheated on 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 what keeps bugging me is—who among us is your real father!" he raised his voice.
He was obviously losing his patience. And so was I—at him and everything he was saying.
"Mom would never do what you're implying. The last will clearly states your firstborn—"
"I know that part! But your mother was too smart. She wouldn't let anyone outplay her."
"HOW CAN YOU SAY SUCH THING?!"
I could no longer hold back my anger. I felt Keigan grab onto me, trying to stop whatever I might do next.
I also heard the soft murmurs of the Elders. They were probably already forming their own conclusions about what we were discussing.
"After what you did to Mom, you still have the nerve 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 from the first time I saw her. I knew she didn't like me, but I hoped—hoped for years," he bitterly smirked. "Then I found out she was doing things behind my back. I let her be, kept waiting until I got tired." His eyes turned deadly. "My suspicions were confirmed when the lawyer showed up at her funeral. They planned everything—so 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 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 Eldest interrupted.
Dad turned to him. "Same goes for you."
The oldest was about to approach him but one of his brothers stopped him. The monster turned back to face me.
"What's the truth?" he asked again.
"The truth is what's in front of you now. Even if I don't want to be your son, that's the truth!"
"You're too much, Keifer. You've surpassed me—that's why how can I not suspect?!"
"That's a pathetic reason!"
He laughed bitterly and snapped his fingers. In an instant, Dylan's gun was aimed at me. I quickly shielded Keigan behind me. Immediately after, the Elders' bodyguards cocked their guns and pointed them back.
"If you're telling the truth, 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 need me. My friends need me. And the woman I love more than anything needs me.
Dad locked eyes with me. A single blink in front of him would be a mistake. We held our stares for several minutes until he gave up.
"If I find out my suspicions are true... I will fvck your mother's corpse."
That made me snap.
Before I even realized it, we were already exchanging punches. I heard someone repeatedly calling my name. My fists landed on his face multiple times. I wasn't planning to stop, but two arms wrapped around me and hurled me back 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 up. My elbow still throbbed 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 corner of his lips. "She died because she chose to die. I could've 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.
I could no longer hide the pain I was feeling. I knew I hadn't broken anything. It could just be a minor injury, but the pain was deep—it reached into the muscle.
They brought me into a room and had me sit at the edge of a large bed.
"Tell us everything, Keifer. What did you talk about with him?" the eldest commanded.
His cane echoed loudly as it struck the floor of the room. As usual, his siblings trailed right behind him.
"Nothing that you don't already know," I answered.
The medics they summoned entered, forcing the Elders to step aside. They examined my elbow and wrapped it with bandages as first aid. But I would still need to get an X-ray.
Once the medics left, they immediately started pestering me with questions. I didn't give them any other answer except about the inheritance. I also told them Mom had left some additional information that he was looking for.
I knew the Elders didn't believe a word I said, but they couldn't do anything if I refused to speak. They were forced to leave us in the room.
Uncle Kier, Keigan, and I exchanged glances as soon as they were gone. I knew there was something we needed to talk about. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I 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 am aware that your mother had a disease," Uncle explained.
Keigan and I looked at him at the same time.
"W-what kind of disease?" my brother asked.
"She never mentioned."
Both our shoulders slumped. There were still things we didn't know. How can we fight back if we're still missing pieces of the puzzle?
I tried to go over everything Mom had left me. But there was nothing—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 shook our heads. Mom would never do that. She was smart, and she knew that if she ever did something like that, it would affect the plan.
"That is nonsense," Uncle said firmly.
"Just a w-what if. It means I—I'm his firstborn child," he said anxiously. His hands began clutching at his hair. "N-no! I can't! I don't want to!"
I quickly approached him, but he backed away. He was having an anxiety attack. I had to calm him before he hurt himself.
"It m-means I'm the h-heir—No! I don't w-want to be—"
"Keigan! I'm the eldest!" I shouted at him.
But he didn't listen. He kept pacing, tugging at his own hair. I tried to reach for him, but having only one usable 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, eyes lowered.
Rape and kill?
"Keigan!" I called out and tried to grab him again. "Did he force you to kill someone?"
He backed away again. He accidentally bumped into a table with a flower vase on top. It crashed to the floor, the sharp sound of breaking glass echoing through the room
He moved away from the broken vase and suddenly burst into tears. Then he started 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 froze for a moment, staring at him. I can't believe I'm hearing these words from him. Are these the things he's been told? Or the things he's been made to believe?
"Keifer! Stop your brother!" It was Uncle Kie, snapping me back from my trance..
I rushed toward Keigan and tried to grab him, but he pulled away. I had no choice but to wrap him in a tight hug. My left arm was making it difficult to hold him properly.
He continued struggling until he grabbed the arm with the bandage. The sudden, sharp pain made me shout.
"K-KEIGAN! STOP!"
"Keigan is useless! Keigan deserves nothing!" he kept shouting.
I was forced to let him go because of the pain in my arm. He immediately broke free and moved away. I collapsed to the floor from weakness.
Keigan was about to hurt himself again when Uncle Kier slapped him. The blow was so strong he fell to the floor.
"U-uncle!"
"He needs to wake up!" Uncle said as I helped myself stand.
I approached my brother—and to my shock, I saw blood on his arm. He had been cut by the broken shards of the vase. He wasn't moving, just staring into nothingness.
"Keigan, let me help you." I said as I assisted him with my one good hand.
He stood up, but still showed no reaction. His eyes were lifeless. I sat him on the bed and looked for something to wrap around his arm.
Until Uncle handed me his handkerchief. He looked at me and my arm. He must've realized I'd have a hard time tying it, 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'll definitely ask questions I don't even know how to answer.
"I'll leave you here," he said and walked out the door.
When I heard the door close, I sat on the other side of the bed. Keigan was sniffing—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 sound like I was accusing him.
He still hadn't told me what happened when that monster took him away. I doubted he would tell me anything at all. But for some reason, he began to open up.
"He asked me to… but I didn't do it, so he hit me until he felt satisfied."
My fists clenched. I knew he had done something to my brother, but I never imagined he would force Keigan to become just like him.
A monster.
"He also… raped women in front of me." He began to cry again. "I remembered how they cried and begged for help."
I rushed to him and pulled him into a hug.
"...but I couldn't do anything."
I let him cry, just like he used to before. My brother needed help—he needed it more than I did.
"I'm sorry for not being there."
He suddenly pulled away from my hug. He wiped his tears and took several deep breaths.
"Listen to me, Kuya, I—I have something to tell you," he said, as if he were in a hurry.
I looked at him and waited for what he was about to say. His hesitation was obvious.
"T-there is—inside m-me." He was having trouble speaking. "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 quickly moved toward him, but then I saw the sudden shift in his expression—and in his eyes.
A strong shove sent me flying. My head hit something hard, and everything followed with a loud crash as I collapsed.
"K-Keigan." I called his name.
My vision slowly blurred and turned dark. All I knew—and remembered—was that it was a different Keigan who pushed me.