AN EYE OPENER

KING

I was in my private office with Gabriel and Cameron, discussing the business. Ten minutes into the meeting, I already found my brain running toward that enchanting witch with chocolate brown eyes.

She was more stupid than I thought. I gave her everything, was taking care of her every need. I even ignored how many cell phones I had lost because of her and how she once almost set the whole house on fire!

And yet, she found that incident worthy of thanking me?

Ridiculous!

She should be thankful that she was still breathing even after causing me so much trouble. Ungrateful idiot!

"King?"

I was snapped out of my thoughts by Cameron's voice.

Why do I think he was passing me strange looks today since the morning?

"Is there something on your mind?" He asked, still giving me the same look, and it annoyed every nerve of me.

I ignored him and directed my question at Gabriel. "What are the updates on Benjamin and those kids?"

Both of them looked quite surprised at my sudden question however, Gabriel replied anyway.

"King, we have got them a safe place to live with all the amenities they need. The kids have to continue their school as this is mid-semester time, and changing their school can affect their studies.

But we have taken care of their pending fees. I have proposed a few options to Benjamin with a good salary, but he is refusing to accept any.

Not only Bria but her family is also very stubborn! They are asking to meet her and are giving us a hard time."

I thought about it for a minute.

-"I knew it from the start, ok?! But I was not sure how I was gonna explain it to the kids. So, I never mentioned the killing part in front of them. But you solved my problem when you put your rule. I- I just want one more favour from you.

A personal favour for the sake of whatever the last ounce of humanity might have left in you if there is any, that is! They should never get to know about- um- whatever will happen to me after signing those papers.

I want them to be happy. I know living without me will not be a good thing for them, but at least they will live in relief that wherever I will... I will be alive. Benji is one smart old guy. He will know it. Hell, he even knew it from the start, that's why he was adamant about me not agreeing to this deal, but I am sure he will keep this secret to himself!"-

Her words echoed in my mind from the night I brought her to my place. She asked me for that promise, and I never made it.

But that was her last wish, and King always grants the last wish of his targets!

"Spoil those kids with expensive gifts and toys. It is not hard for them to forget about her. After all, they are not blood-related. Money and luxury can break the blood bonds, they can turn the father against the son, the brother against his sister!

And about Benjamin... let him decide until the end of the timeline of the deal. If he still refuses to cooperate, then prepare two graves!"

Gabriel didn't need to tell more, and he nodded his head.

"As you say King!"

*

*

*

Days after that passed like usual and annoyingly slow. Crashing of things, breaking of artefacts and kitchenware, kept adding the number on the bills every day.

I had learned to ignore the untimely bickerings over nuisance things and incessant loud blabbering at my place. The only relief I got was in my office after the same chaotic morning only to face the same in the evening.

I was busy on a call when the hard and urgent knocks fell on the door.

A moment later, it was pushed open by panicked Cameron.

"King!"

I waited for him to speak, and when he told me the matter, I was already on my feet, rushing to the parking lot.

After twenty minutes of drive, the car entered the parking lot of the City Hospital, and before it came to halt, Gabriel pushed open the door and ran straight into the building.

I and Cameron were hot on his tail. We got the right room number, and after turning the corner, I saw Fire sitting on a metal chair, staring blankly into nothing. She was drenched from head to toe, and her body shivered. But she seemed like not to care about any of that.

As soon as Nora sensed us approaching them, a panic fell on her features.

Gabriel strode directly towards Fire and pulled her harshly out of the chair. His angry red eyes glared at her dangerously as he screamed at her.

"What the fuck is this?"

Nora was quick to rush for her aid, but I stopped her. She didn't need to interfere in their matter.

The Fire looked shaken by Gabriel's outburst as she struggled to find her voice.

"What the hell were you doing when this happened, huh? Were you busy worrying about that family of yours? Or were you busy planning how to collect pieces of evidence against us to bring us down? Or was this your plan all along?

Getting friendly with Adam and then using him to take some sort of revenge? Yes! You did this to take revenge on me because I hurt your kids. But I swear you bitch, I will fucking kill each and every one of them in front of your eyes if anything happens to my son!"

I clenched my fists at my sides.

Not because of the way he spoke to her. I didn't care about it at all!

But his words created some movement inside my chest. The place was dead for more than fifteen years and I left it that way, but at the times like this, it tried to rejuvenate, moved in desperate need of breathing again, but I would never let that happen!

Never!

Fire struggled to free herself from Gabriel's tight clutches. She finally managed to push him away from her before she struck him like a flash of violent lightning on a stormy night.

"Oh, really Gabriel? Now you are blaming me? Do you think this is all my fault? You asked me where I was when this happened. Now I ask you, where the hell were YOU when this happened? Where were you all these years when your son needed you? Why is your son left with nanny or Nora or even a stranger like me when he should have been with his fucking father?!"

"Watch your mouth! You-" Cameron tried to defend Gabriel, but I stopped him.

Because the man needed an eye-opener!

She didn't heed any attention to it and continued lashing out at Gabriel. "Where were you when your son was only a year old? Where were you when he uttered the first word in his life? Where were you when your son took his first step?

Where were you when his every friend attended the school functions with their parents and Adam sat in a corner of the room alone? Where are you when he gets dreams of boogyman and wakes up in the middle of the night crying?

Were you there to ask him how he is doing? Or if he needs anything? No! You are never there for him when he wins prizes. You are never there to praise him, to pamper him, to care for him, to tell him that you are proud of him. No, you are not there ever!"

Tears streamed down her eyes as she looked no less than an angry goddess. I saw the same fire in her eyes the night Cameron called her kids as 'peoples' mistakes!'

I could never forget that rage in her eyes... never!

"Do you know that his favourite colour is green, but he doesn't like green vegetables?! He likes to colour and draw. He is learning to play the piano because his nanny told him that his mother used to play the one.

He is the brightest student in his school and way matured in his four years of age. He gets praised by everyone but his father. He learned all those things, which we don't expect from a four-year-old kid because he wants his father to feel proud of him. He even doesn't cry when he is scared or sad because his shitty father hates crying. And do you know what is his biggest dream?"

Not wavering her glare from him, she took an intimidating step toward him until they came nose to nose. Looking straight into Gabriel's eyes, she said,

"His biggest dream is to be just like his father one day and make him feel proud. But little does that boy know what kind of a ugly person his father is! He doesn't know that his beloved father is a bloody murderer, a freaking mafia guy, a selfish, self-centred coward who can't even face the reality of life. And after all of this you chose NOW to show your concern and care about your son?"

A dry chuckle escaped her mouth before she spat in anger. "I pity you, Gabriel Wilson. I really do! I might not be the best person here but at least my kids accepted me as their own and love me to death. But you.... you failed your own son at many levels!"

And with that said, she stormed out of there without another glance at anyone else.

And I could only stand there watching her retreating figure, stunned!