William closed the video window and made sure that the video he had just watched was saved. It was undeniable proof of the confession from the man who had caused so much trouble lately. Then, William slammed his laptop shut and rubbed his face roughly, feeling too frustrated and in disbelief at what had happened. His hands clenched tightly, and his eyes glared at the photo of the De Lavigne family hanging in his office.
He couldn’t believe that Robbin, his nephew, could do something so heinous. Robbin had killed Anthony-his father and William’s eldest brother-and then, without guilt, harmed Daisy, his cousin, with such selfish motives.
He simply couldn’t believe that the young man he had always praised, the one he had loved because Anthony’s blood ran through his veins, the heir of his brother and the De Lavigne family, was a monster. A monster who wore a mask and acted out a charade. In his thirty years of life, William never imagined Robbin could be so cruel.
The nephew he had taken fishing, the boy whose innocent eyes once gazed upon the world with curiosity and laughter, had killed his own family. If William hadn’t seen the autopsy report and Robbin’s confession, he might still not believe it. Suspicious? Maybe it was because William knew that the autopsy report he had seen and held was forged. Only Robbin had full access to falsify such essential documents.
As a renowned lawyer with his own law firm, William wasn’t difficult to verify whether the documents were genuine or fake. He may not have had as much access or power as Robbin, but he had his ways as a lawyer.
William slammed his fist on the desk, remembering his late brother’s last words, spoken to him just days before his death, “Whatever happens, if you ever discover the painful truth, never forget, he is your family, Will. He is my flesh and blood, and I want you to still love him.”
At first, William didn’t understand what Anthony meant. He knew his brother was referring to Robbin. Still, at that moment, William didn’t grasp the meaning behind those words because, to him, Robbin was the perfect young man. This boy had grown into an admirable individual.
He had even been furious and accused his daughter of lying when she claimed that Robbin and his men had kidnapped and tortured her because, at that time, William had been blinded by his affection for his nephew. But now? Now that the truth had come to light, all that remained was pain and betrayal in his heart. William locked the laptop inside his desk drawer, unwilling to risk losing the evidence.
Of course, William had a backup file of the video, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He pocketed the drawer key before asking one of the servants to summon Daisy.
He waited in silence. William had to start preparing for what lay ahead. If something terrible were to happen to Robbin, William would have to take his place as head of the family temporarily until Robbin’s heir came of age and was ready to take over the position. If Robbin didn’t have an heir, a family discussion would be held, but one thing made William reluctant.
Unlike Anthony and Robbin, who had been groomed from a young age to take on the role of family head and learn the business, William, as the second son, wasn’t pressured to know those things. He loved the law and had always aspired to become a lawyer.
The law was his realm, but business? Business wasn’t his domain. He didn’t have the sharp mind that Anthony and Robbin had. So, if he had to take Robbin’s place, what would happen? Moreover, William had grown tired of the De Lavigne family. A family shrouded in darkness made him want to break free and leave. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. After permitting whoever was outside to enter, William saw his daughter walk in with a tablet in her hand. Daisy smiled and wrote something on the screen before showing it to him.
“Why did you call me, Dad? What’s going on?” Daisy asked with a curious expression.
“How was your therapy session? Any progress?” Daisy nodded quickly, offering her father a reassuring smile. Seeing this, William breathed a sigh of relief, hopeful that his daughter would be able to speak again. “Daisy, I need you to check on Juliette.”
‘What’s wrong with Julie, Dad? Did Robbin do something bad to her?’
William pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Yes, Robbin hurt her. I need you to check on her. You don’t have to do it yourself; send one of the servants. I owe that woman a debt.”
‘No, Dad, I’ll check on Julie myself. I feel guilty for involving her, but she’s the one who can put an end to Robbin’s madness. I promise I won’t get hurt. Robbin can’t do anything to me anymore in this house.’
“Alright, just to be safe, take Ryan with you. He’ll protect you.”
‘Okay. Have you told Uncle Aaron about what Robbin did?’
“Not yet. I can’t tell him right now, especially since my brother panics easily.”
‘And with Christian in trouble now,’ William thought to himself.
“Also, tell your mother that after all this is over, we’re leaving this place. I don’t want to stay somewhere that holds such terrible memories.”
‘Dad, are you sure?’
“Absolutely.”
‘Alright, I understand. I’ll tell Mom. Has Julie found what we were looking for, Dad?’
“Yes. She has proof that he forged the documents. Juliette has it stored in a safe place that only she and I know. Don’t worry.”
‘I hope all of this ends soon,’ Daisy wrote on her tablet, her sad eyes glistening with tears as she looked at her father.
“I feel the same, my daughter.” After their conversation, Daisy left to carry out her task, while William decided to rescue Christian. Robbin wouldn’t act recklessly against him. With that thought, he stepped out of his office and headed to the room where Christian was likely being held.
In his entire life, William had never set foot in the basement, and this was his first time doing so. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, William descended the stairs leading to the underground room. The dim light was the only source of illumination. He stopped in front of the door that separated the stairs from the basement and opened it slowly. Upon reaching the basement floor, William was shocked to find a hallway resembling a prison corridor. Unlike the stairs, which were lit by dim bulbs, this area was brightly lit, almost blinding. No wonder the door he had opened earlier was so heavy and thick-it was probably meant to block the light.
He walked down the hallway and stopped at one door, hearing groans of pain. William peeked through the small window in the door, and his eyes widened when he saw Christian tied to a chair, battered and bruised. “Oh my God, Christian!”
William tried to open the door but failed, cursing under his breath as he noticed the advanced lock system installed on the door. He pounded the door in frustration. But his anger didn’t last long when he heard a voice behind him, “What are you doing here, Mr. William?”
William quickly turned around and looked at the man standing behind him, and suddenly, an idea formed in his mind.
At least the man wasn’t Aldrich or Robbin himself.
And Dion was someone easy to fool.
…