13 XIII- death by Cheng

After maybe 2 hours of a ride, we finally arrived at our destination. The Butler parked the car in front of the Mansion and another one came out of the house to open the door and help me get out of the car. The house was splendid and for the first time in my life, I saw a fountain which sits in the middle of the front garden. It was night so I couldn't see the color of the flowers but they must look beautiful like this place.

"Please, Master Cheng enter the mansion, you need to rest it's almost midnight, and tomorrow Wei young master and you have a lot to do." Told me a maidservant in front of the huge door.

I did not answer and just followed her to my chamber that was on the second floor next to my brother's one as she told me. She left me alone after a brief introduction of my room and the hour I will have to be ready for tomorrow. After that, I sat down on the couch, I didn't want to sleep. Instead, I look at the rear view at the window. The house was situated near the south district of the city which is really far from the capital where I lived because of recent events.

In Fact my family owned this part of the city which is known for the vast and fertile meadows and forests that my family rented to another influential family for their own business.

Someone knocks on my door and enters without waiting for my approval. That must be my brother so I didn't pay attention to that personne.

"You should go to sleep."

"What is the purpose of coming here to tell me that? You will be with me tomorrow so go to sleep and let me deal with myself. I lived alone, you did not care about me so don't fake it now that you can use me without father being a bother!" I said I was pissed.

"It's up to you to think of me as the worst person in this world but you need to rest." He said while walking to me.

"Don't come any closer! I don't want to see you nor feel you!"

He didn't reply and left my room. I was woken up the next day by the maidservant still on the couch.

"Why didn't you sleep in your bed Master?" She was intrigued.

"I wanted to look at the city and forgot to go to sleep on my bed." I said with a little smile. "May I ask you, your name?"

"My name is Chulin master."

I snapped at her, shook by what she said, then calmed down when I saw her back off with fear.

"You have the same name as my late maidservant. It's a beautiful name." I said with a gentle smile.

She thanked me quickly and asked me to go wash while she prepared my stuff for today. My back hurts me because of this uncomfortable night. I went into the bathtub already filled with warm soap foam water and just relaxed. I didn't want to think, I didn't want to recall yesterday, that's the main reason why I didn't want to sleep.

30 minutes later I was in the kitchen waiting for my breakfast and my brother. They told me he was still getting ready and preparing files for today's work. I don't want to see him the later he comes the better.

"Good morning Cheng." This echoed behind me with this usual cold tone.

Oh My!

"Good morning brother," I answered annoyed.

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Do you really care about it?" I said looking at him.

"Non."

That's what I thought, crappy demon!

The cook served us and we ate in silence until my brother got a message on his phone.

"We need to go now."

"Where are we going?"

"Visit mother and your siblings."

"I don't want to see them!"

"Father died yesterday, we need to go otherwise the tabloïds will create rumors about his death."

"They will even though we go there!" I said pissed.

"Yes, but they will not accuse us… No, you for the crime."

"That means nothing! Why do you want to expose me after so many years of anonymity? How would this be the best way to hide your crime? Or did you want to use me as a scapegoat and thought I would be stupid enough to accept?"

He looked at me with disdain but did not reply. I finished eating and left when I grabbed my arm and pulled me to the car. I tried to escape but they threw me into the car and closed the door. I tried to open it but the driver locked it. He entered by the next door and sat down as nothing happened. I was so mad, I wanted to choke him to death.

"YOU SON OF…"

He slapped me before I could finish. I look at him shocked. For the first time in my life, someone hit me. I could not think straight, my gaze lost on his face. I was crying and trembling. The memory of yesterday's massacre flashed in my head. The death of Chulin, the bodies littering the ground, the blood, the distorted face, and the guts on the floor.

"Don't look at me like that. I can be com… Cheng? Cheng! Stop the car!"

I was trembling, suffocating, and crying. I could not stop the panic from spreading all over my mind. The last thing I remembered before losing consciousness was my brother comforting me in his arms.

I woke up in my bed, an oxygen mask on my face, a catheter on my hand, and a wet towel on my forehead.

"Oh lord Master Cheng, you finally woke up!" The maidservant said with a wide smile because sprinting out of my room maybe to tell the doctor.

I look at the ceiling my tears rolling on my cheeks. I had a horrific dream. Someone who looked exactly like me was dying in my arms. I loved this person more than anything, he gave me everything and even sacrificed himself for me. His last word was "You can't die, Cheng, they need you."

"Why are you crying?"

I look at this person startled by that voice. It was my brother. He looked pretty bad, his green eyes were bloodshot, his face filled with an untamed beard, and his hair was messy like his outfit.

"My wife died yesterday, killed by a group of four mercenaries. You slept a whole week with three days of high fever. Mother is accused of dad's death so I had to take care of our younger sister Iliana. She's sleeping now, she had a rough day."

Why is he telling me that? I don't care about this family, they can all die. I don't care.

"But I don't care about anything but you. Wei Cheng, I'm sorry. I will never hit you ever again I'm…"

I started to laugh. In the beginning, he looked at me puzzled. Then his face started to change to show his real cold and stoïc face.

" You were afraid to lose your weapon against the head family member. You falsified proves to get mom to take the blame and then what I predicted arrived but because of my panic attack I was not feeling well and you thought I would die. Then you had to take care of Iliana who is mother's favorite child she's 10 but extremely intelligent and will do anything to save her mother. So you thought of pampering me to manipulate my poor and fragile mind."

"You're really intelligent Cheng." He said with an ugly smirk.

"I will not die until this whole mess ends. I will put an end to these castes, destroy the city for my people and the news, the babies, the future of this world!" I said ready to fight for my convictions.