“I killed Leonard… I really killed my brother without a second thought… I pulled the trigger… He wasn’t going to kill me, but I did it anyway… Or maybe he was going to kill me… I’m a murderer… I’m a fucking murderer who killed his own brother in cold blood… I killed someone—”
Rafael panicked, running his hands through his hair, pulling at it. He was losing his mind over Leonard’s death-because of him. The scene of pulling the trigger, Leonard falling with blood spilling from his chest, Leonard whispering that he didn’t want to die, and taking his last breath-played on repeat in his head.
“I killed him… I’m a fucking murderer,” he whispered again, fidgeting in his seat and pulling his hair harder. “I fucking killed him! I killed him!” he yelled, standing up and punching the wall.
“I killed him!” he screamed again, punching the wall over and over until his fists started to bleed, staining the floor.
The door opened, and he abruptly stopped.
“What the heck are you doing?” came a familiar, cold voice from behind. Slowly, he turned to see Silence standing by the entrance.
“Nothing…” Rafael muttered, his face a mix of horror and depression as he kept his gaze lowered.
He noticed Silence stepping forward from the corner of his eye, making him shift back in fear.
Silence halted and scoffed. “You’re scared?”
Rafael bit his lip, his eyes slowly shifting to the man with piercing blue eyes.
“Who are you?” Rafael had asked the question several times, but the man always replied the same.
“I’m Silence.”
Rafael gritted his teeth in frustration, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Don’t you think I already know that? What do you want? You made me turn my family against each other. My real father is being tortured, my mother is dead, and my brother…” He choked on the words. “You made me kill my fucking brother. You made me a murderer. I should have listened when you told me not to trust you… but instead, I let you get into my head and… into my family.”
“Family?” Silence cut in with a sigh, his eyes flashing with irritation. “You’re getting on my nerves, Rafael. You said it yourself-they aren’t your family. You wanted them gone so you could be yourself. I was only helping you, Rafael.”
Rafael scoffed. “Helping me?”
“I know this is your first kill. I threw a tantrum even worse than this. I swore to end my life, even attempted it, but my sister stopped me. ‘You did it because you had to,’ she said,” Silence muttered.
“You had a sister?”
“She’s dead,” Silence replied, advancing and gripping Rafael’s neck. “They called you weak, bullied you, tore you apart. They pretended to be your family, hiding their devilish sides behind smiles. Do you know how many people’s lives they had destroyed? They lied to you your entire life. They would have killed you because, to them, you’re weak… but I see a stronger Rafael. The one who would do anything to achieve his desires. You just needed a spark-and I am that spark, Rafael.”
Rafael swallowed the lump rising in his throat. “Then… if you hate them so much, why do you want to ally with them?”
Silence chuckled. “I needed to clear the dust.”
Rafael frowned, trying to decipher his words. Did he mean clearing away those who might cause trouble for the alliance and empire in the future? Could Odessa and Tristan have been planning to overtake the empire?
But no matter how Rafael thought about it, it still didn’t make sense why Silence wanted to ally with Maximus.
“Do… do you have a family?” Rafael asked, his voice barely audible.
Silence stayed quiet for a moment, locking eyes with him. “Would you like to meet my son? He’s waiting for us in the dining room.”
Rafael’s eyes widened. “Your son?! You… you have a son?”
“Hm… he’s all grown up. Freaking handsome and very cold. Damn, he’s my carbon copy,” Silence chuckled.
One moment, he was cold like a devil, terrifying… the next, he’d smile-not a genuine one, but a dark one that would confuse you. Silence was truly unpredictable.
As they stepped out of the room, Silence led Rafael to the dining room, where a figure was seated, waiting for them.
When Rafael saw the man’s back, clad in a white shirt, he found him familiar. He walked closer, and his face fell at the sight of him.
What the heck?!
“Mr. King?!” Rafael exclaimed in shock and quickly covered his mouth.
Cassius glanced over at him, frowning. He cast a questioning look at Silence.
“Let’s eat, shall we?” Silence shrugged.
Dinner was served, and the tension in the air grew as Cassius kept his eyes locked on Silence, who casually grabbed a piece of chicken and started eating.
“What is Maximus’s son doing here?” Cassius asked, breaking the silence.
“Correction: he’s Tristan’s son,” Silence replied, and Cassius’s brows furrowed harder as his gaze shifted to Rafael, who bit his lip.
“And he is my apprentice. Quite effective.”
“I… I thought… I thought Mr. King was your ally’s enemy. How in the world is he your son?” Rafael muttered.
“Long story.”
“Long story?” Cassius scoffed. “Long story, my ass.”
Silence pointed his chicken at Cassius. “That’s no way to speak to your father.”
“You’re not my father. And you’ll never be!” Cassius almost yelled, his voice cold.
“I was with your mother the day you were conceived. I’m pretty sure of that.”
“Don’t talk about her,” Cassius snapped. “Do you know the pain you caused her?”
“I wasn’t Karin, or Williams, or Holden… I was just a man looking for a woman to fuck that night. Just like you, on the day your mother had an accident. Fate just hit differently,” Silence replied.
“Tsk… How sweet,” Cassius muttered sarcastically.
“I only realized she was the one when I visited Holden’s empire. I caught a glimpse of her in her room, knitting. When I had my assistant look into her, I learned about that night and about your existence.”
Cassius couldn’t fathom the man before him. Was he evil or good? It was impossible to tell. The way he spoke, devoid of emotion, with an unreadable expression-it was unsettling.
Then Silence’s lips parted as he blinked. “Wait a minute…” He gasped lightly, an idea forming. “If I marry Maya, your wife’s sister, that makes your wife my sister-in-law. And you, Mr. King, my brother-in-law. If I have a son with Maya, then he’ll be your stepbrother and also your nephew… Then Dylan, my grandson, is also my nephew? Or nephew-in-law?” He sank back into his chair with a sigh. “Such a complicated family connection.”
Cassius clicked his tongue. “Do you really think I’m here to joke?”
“Then why are you here? Why did you let me capture you?” Silence asked.
“To know what you want… I’ve heard stories from a friend. You’re dangerous, sneaky, and ruthless. I never thought you of all people would be my father.”
“So, are you here to persuade me not to join Maximus’s empire? Or to get to know your father?”
“Both,” Cassius said, crossing his arms.
“Then you shouldn’t waste your time, son. You’ll get nothing.”