23 Pampering A Snake

"Uncle, I am sorry about what happened, but... trust me. I have nothing to do with this murder. I haven't even met that man ever in my life!

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TPV

How can I kill him knowing he had a family to look after? And what motive I had? We have faced many such investigations and allegations in our life. But nothing came out of it. This case was the same uncle. I didn't need to commit a sin to get out of it."

Victor heard Mason in silence, his lips pressed tightly together. He trusted his nephew more than his suspicions. He tipped his head in understanding before he looked away.

"This thing can blow out of proportion. We need to either prove our innoncence or help the police in finding the real culprit. Either way, it is our name that will be paying the price!"

And that irked him the most!

"Victor, brother, please calm down. I am sure we will get out of this toruble soon. Okay?" Julianne tried to calm her younger brother.

"I know, Julianne! I know!" Victor rubbed his forehead, closing his eyes.

Madison rubbed his arm soothingly, worried to see him so tensed.

"Where is Devon? He should be more careful now. Things may get bitter for him." Only Victor knew how much it pained him to say those words.

Madison and Julianne looked at each other helplessly. But Mason saw an opportunity there.

"Uncle please don't get angry but..." He ignored Madison and Julianne's warning glares. Keeping his eyes settled on Victor, Mason continued, "we are unable to reach Devon since morning. He is not answering his calls, nor we can get to Christine."

Victor's head snapped up, anger filled in his eyes. "What? Where the hell is he?"

"Victor please calm down. He... he is in Swindon." Madison finally told.

"Swindon?! What the fuck is he doing in Swindon?" Victor's loud voice boomed in the air.

"Victor!" Julianne used her elder sister's tone. The man blinked before his shoulders sagged a little. There was no way he would ignore her warning.

"Devon has gone to Swindon because you want that factory to start as soon as possible. He must be busy there, or there might be a network issue.

Do you think that if he knew, then he would have stayed quiet without contacting us?"

Victor exhaled a sharp breath.

"Julianne, you know the reason of my worry. These journalists and the police... they will not heistate to dig deeper and deeper until they find something worth the breaking news, whether its related to this murder or..." He couldn't bring himself to complete that sentence.

Both Julianne and Madison mirrored the same concern and pain from the past. Before they could mull over it more, they heard loud slurred curses and footsteps before a man walked through the door.

Fredrick instantly rushed by his side to hold him before he fell and hit his head hard against the floor. He signalled the security guard, who rushed to control the drunkard man to go back to his position.

"I have got this." He whispered.

The security guard left not before an acknowledging nod at Victor.

"D-Devon? Wh-wheree iss Devon? I want to.... seeee h-him." The man in the grey pants had stains of wine on the front and a dishevelled blue button-up shirt, slurred with drooping eyes.

Madison looked away, fighting the urge to crinkle her nose at the smell of alcohol from his mouth. Julianne watched her husband staggering on his feet, his thinning hair unruly and weirdly long on his head.

He looked like he had just stepped out of the bathtub full of alcohol because he didn't only reek alcohol but also looked drenched in that smell.

Mason looked away in shame, covering his nose with his hand.

And Victor... he glared murderously at Joseph Burke, his brother-in-law.

"Fredrick" He ordered the butler to take Joseph to his room, and not Julianne's room.

The butler tried to usher the drunken Joseph to his room, but the man was in no mood for that. He snatched his hand from the butler's and glared at Victor.

"You!" Joseph pointed his finger accusingly at Victor. "You motherfucker!"

"JOSEPH!" Julianne almost screamed in shock, but that only earned her Joseph's fury.

"Shut up you bitch!" He yelled.

"You!" Victor took a threatening step ahead, but Madison held him back.

"You... a-are worrrried about that.... man? But... I... I knnoww who have k-killed him. I know... I know."

Mason's head snapped in his father's way. Nervousness filled his insides.

"You know?" Julianne blurted out.

"Hmm... You! Y-you have killed him!" he pointed at Julianne.

Her eyes widened in shock, and so did Madison's. Before anyone could react, Joseph turned his finger at Madison. "You!" And then at Victor. "You!"

He finally turned to face Mason, his own son. It took every ounce of self-control for Mason to not let his mask break. He stood staring at his father with a blank face.

"You... I h-hate you! You are the r-rrreal cul-culprit! I know youuuu and your m-mother. You are j-just like your u-uncle. You all... you all are evil!"

"Joseph, please stop! You... you are hurting everyone. We are family for God's sake!" Julianne sobbed before she slumped down in the chair.

Madison was in dilemma. Who she should be with? Her husband, who wouldn't think twice before breaking Joseph's nose or Julianne, who was again humiliated, and insulted even after thirty years of marriage?

"Julianne, please don't cry." Madison tried not to move from her place.

Joseph scoffed. "You still haven't changed a bit!"

Victor narrowed his eyes at him. He sounded almost... sober.

"Dad, please-"

Joseph pushed Mason back so forcefully that he stumbled back before he fell into the couch behind him.

"Mason!" Madison watched in horror.

And that was it!

Victor didn't give her a chance to hold him back and attacked Joseph. He punched him right in the face taking out all his anger.

But Joseph didn't feel any shame. He laughed loudly, tauntingly.

"I know what... yyou have done. I knowww aaaallll of you! But... it's time... you will pay for ittt! You alll will p-paayyy for it! Hahhhaahhhaa-"

He received another of Victor's punch that tore his lower lip. Blood stained Joseph's face and his teeth and a few drops decorated the front of his shirt.

But the man was still laughing tauntingly, enjoying the reaction he received from Victor.

"Mason stop your uncle, please!" Madison pleaded as she rushed to Julianne, who tried to get between the two men.

Mason staggered on his feet before he ran to pull his father out of his uncle's clutches.

"Uncle... uncle, please stop! Please!"

"Mason, move aside. I will teach him today that he is surviving on my thrown grains. He won't get to talk like that with me or my sister. How dare he accuse all of us as murderers?"

Victor was fuming hotly. And was looking for a chance to deform Joseph's face to not see that smile on his face again.

"Uncle please calm down! And dad-"

"You stay away f-from me! D-Don't ttouch me! I feel d-disgusted by you!" Joseph's smile was gone. His bloodshot eyes moistened as he stared at his own son with such hate that Mason's heart churned.

"Dad?"

"D-Devon? Where is D-Devon? I-Is he s-safe?" Joseph's unfocused eyes began looking around frantically.

Madison, who was angry at Joseph until now, felt a deep pit form in her belly. Why did he ask that?

Why he always assumed worse whenever he didn't get to see Devon? As if he knew that Devon was always under a threat.

"Joseph? Why are you asking that?" Madison asked a little suspiciously.

"Madison, ignore him. He is just blabbering trash." Victor interrupted.

"Dad... please go to your room. We already have many troubles here and we don't want you to create another one." Mason tried as gently as he could.

"Tr-trouble? You are the trouble for th-thisss family. You all have y-your sins. Aaand.. you all will p-pay!"

"Enough of this!" Victor grabbed Joseph by his collar and yanked him to glare into his eyes.

"You think you are immortal because you are surviving like a leech in this family for the past twenty-five years?! I can fucking eliminate you any moment Burke.

The only reason I am tolerating your shit for the past thirty years is because of my sister. I don't know what evil spell you have cast on her that she still not understanding how toxic you are for her life.

But I would not let you hurt her again and again."

"D-Devon?" Joseph slurred again, his eyes closing on their own.

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Victor screamed in his face. "Don't you dare to take my son's name from your filthy mouth Joseph! He is MY SON and you have no right on him. STAY AWAY FROM DEVON!"

Victor raised his hand again to go for another hit but Mason stepped in, pulling his father again from his grip.

"Uncle please! I know this is too much to ask for but... he is my father, uncle Victor. I... I love him the way he is!" Mason's eyes glistened up, his voice came thick with emotions.

Victor looked at Mason incredulously.

"He just said he hates you, Mason!" He reminded him.

"That doesn't matter to me. He is my father and if you love me even a little then please let him go." Mason requested.

Victor gritted his teeth looking between Mason and Joseph.

"You and your mother will regret pampering this snake, Mason. Just remember my words!" With that said, Victor stormed out from there.

Joseph again pushed his son away, but this time Fredrick caught him. The butler silently dragged Joseph into his bedroom while Madison and Mason consoled crying Julianne.