Chapter 1 A nightmare

The sound of laughter, chit-chat, and classical music echoed in Zane’s ears as he walked into the hall, behind Damion Briggs, his wife, Deborah Briggs, and his brothers and three kids. The moment they arrived and stepped inside, Zane could feel others' eyes on him, but he kept his gaze ahead, ignoring the whispers as people's eyes followed him. When they reached a couple of well-dressed guys, Mr. Briggs stopped, forcing a smile as he said, “Arthur, Cyrus, Theodore, and Christopher, it's good to see you four.”“You got an invite to Mr. Alfred's retirement party? How lovely,” Arthur said with a dash of sarcasm in his tone. Looking over at the Briggs family, a foreigner who had recently entered the country and established his company there, said with a genuine smile, “These must be your children-”“Yes. This is Theo, Sophie, and Leon Briggs.” Damion said with pride in his eyes. When Zane subconsciously locked eyes with Christopher, he sighed and calmly uttered, “Zane... I am Zane Briggs.”“Yeah, that's Damion’s Bastard,” Arthur added with a smug. “He just returned to the country.” A faint laugh broke out between Arthur, Cyrus, and Theodore as they stared at their business rival’s face, and Damion frowned at the cocky smirk they were giving him. But since they were at the retirement party of the most powerful business Tycoon in the country, Briggs knew not to scold his son in public since they had enough rumors going around as it was. “Where is Mr. Alfred anyways?” Mr. Briggs casually asked to change the subject. “The old man does not feel too well... At least that is what his secretary told us.” Christopher replied. Before anyone else can respond, Arthur interrupted, “After ruling the world of business and politics for so many years, I can not believe that poor health is what finally took him down.”“That doesn't change the fact that he still holds so much power. Even without him sitting in an office, his status makes him an influential figure around the globe and his reputation is still powerful as before.” Cyrus injected into the conversation. The feeling of people's eyes on Zane made him uncomfortable, and the way he felt invisible as Mr. Briggs, Deborah, and their children broke out into a conversation with Theodore and the others made the feeling of discomfort worse for him. So, he casually shoved his hands into his pockets and walked out, annoyed that he even forced his father to let him come, thinking it was going to help him get more business connections. As Zane went outside to look for some fresh air and quiet, he found himself looking at the sky, where he saw a shooting star that quickly disappeared into the clouds and then he heard a calm voice behind him, “Young man, is the party that boring?” Startled by those words, Zane gazed around, and finally, his sight rested on a wheelchair, and sitting in it was an old man, his hair and beard were almost silver white, with eyes that were a clear blue color, dressed in an expensive looking black suit. Knowing the rumors of exactly who the host of this Party was, Zane didn't want a stranger to think that he was looking down on Mr. Alfred event, and immediately bow slightly, saying humbly, “The party is perfection, but my personal problems won't let me enjoy such a magnificent event that has been planned.” The old man chuckled lightly before speaking, “The night is calm, but it's lonely out here, so humor me with these problems of yours that have distracted you so much from having fun.” The old man had this gentle look on his face that made Zane feel a sense of sincerity from him, so he sighed, mumbling, “Are you sure that you are okay with me boring you?”“I am already bored. It doesn't get worse than this.” The old fellow chuckled,  making Zane laugh a bit himself. Then it went silent for a moment between both men before Zane said, “I was sent out of the country at a young age, and I came back two weeks ago, only to get labeled by my father, his wife, my half-siblings, and uncles as Damion Briggs’ bastard.”“Oh, you are Mr. Briggs’s bastard that has caused such an uproar of rumors in the business world recently?” The old man said, sarcasm dripping from each word. “When I heard that Briggs had another son that we all didn't know about… I was like, ‘That’s something you don’t get to hear every day.” When Zane looked at the old man, he knew that he couldn't feel anger toward him because he understood the man didn't mean anything bad about it. “How old are you, boy?” The old man asked. “Twenty-four,” Zane answered to be respectful. “How come no one knew about your existence until a week ago when your father acknowledged you? Have you been living under a rock?”“Because...!” Not wanting his anger to ruin the atmosphere, Zane stopped himself, and instead spoke calmly, trying to remain composed despite feeling irritated and hurt inside. “I was five when my mother died. I remember her being sickly all through that stage of my life. So she and I never left the house, and Damion never used to let outsiders see me or allow me to go out, not even to attend school… Like I was this secret he was scared of people knowing about.” Zane paused. “My mother couldn't do anything about it... She couldn't even feed or do anything for herself.” Silence fell upon them once again, as Zane turned his head away from the elderly gentleman, who was observing him quietly. “Just a few months after her death, my father brought in his secret mistress and their two sons. Afterward, I suddenly caught an sickness that seemed incurable , and I had been on bed-rest for most of my teen years…” Zane paused before chuckling bitterly, as tears started to roll down his cheeks slowly before he wiped them. Sniffing back his tears as Zane's face turned stone cold, he continued, “I was invisible to Damion just like my mother was for all those years. Finally, after years of agonizing pain, he sent me abroad because I was too much of a burden to him and his perfect family. I was left to die in an unknown country while Damion and his mistress enjoyed their life, and I would have if doctor Ben had not treated me back to health…” A faint, bitter laugh left Zane’s lips as he ran his hand through his hair, saying, “Just for me to return to the country recently to find out that they have flipped the script, making me the bastard when my mother was legally married to Damion all through before her passing… She wasn't using Grimes as her last name, but Briggs...” As a sigh passed his lip, Zane gazed at the sky and mumbled, “I don't know much about my parent's history because my mother could barely talk, but I saw the wedding photos when they eloped, and her ring stayed on her finger till her last breath.”“You are a Grimes?” The old man suddenly asked in a serious tone. It took Zane a moment to hold back his emotions and then nodded his head, saying, “Yes.” Another moment of silence passed between them until the old man finally spoke, “Who’s your mother, boy?”“Rosalie Grimes,” Zane responded. Suddenly, something flashed in the old man’s eyes, and he looked away from Zane, gazing at the cloud with a sigh. Feeling the shift in the atmosphere between the old man and him, Zane sighed silently, and then said, “It was nice talking to you, sir. But I should head inside. Excuse me.” Taking the old man's prolonged silence as an answer, Zane turned on his heels and headed into the mansion, walking past a slender-looking man, who gave him a side-eye before walking off in another direction. The silence in the Briggs mansion was broken a couple of hours later when the front door opened, and Damion walked in, rage glowing in his brown orbs. The last person to step through the doorway was Zane, and the moment he shut the door, he heard Deborah mumble in frustration, “I can't believe we didn't get to meet Mr. Alfred. How are we going to-” The harsh look from her husband made her stop mid-sentence, and Mr. Briggs darted his eyes on Zane, his expression even harsher than before. “Why don't you know how to shut your mouth?! Huh?!” He lashed out, but Zane didn't flinch under his intense scowl, just glaring right back at him. “When are you going to learn your place in my damn house, as a bastard, and only that!” The number of times Zane had heard that word within just a spin of a few days had made him numb to it, and he just stood there, staring at his father blankly, with the coldest of looks on his face. Like their father had paved the way for them to ridicule their half-brother, Leon frowned as he sneered, “That’s why we warned you against allowing him back into the country...” Narrowing her eyes, Sophia taunted, “Why didn't you stay overseas? Instead, you had to force yourself back into our family. Introducing yourself as a Brigg. What a leech… sticking on our family name for our wealth like a golddigger.”“Honey, you see how people are mocking our family now. I know you first went against all of our pleas to not acknowledge him as yours if he came back... But don't you think it's time that you have a different opinion on this matter?” Deborah said softly with this pitiful look on her face. “Honestly, all he has done so far since you recognized him as your son is to cause problems for this family and bring shame and dishonor to our whole name.” Theo scoffed. “You saw the way that jerk Arthur mocked my brother in front of his business rivals because of his unruly attitude tonight,” Jason said, Damion’s brother in a sympathetic tone. “He and his absurd behavior is the reason ridiculous rumors of our family are flying everywhere,” Austin, Mr. Briggs’ second brother complained. “We don't even know what more they are saying behind Father's back if they are bold enough to laugh in his face?”“Zane!” Mr. Briggs suddenly yelled, causing the room to fall dead silent after his outburst. “Get out of my house! I don't want to see your face until tomorrow morning!” Looking over at his wife, Mr. Briggs scowled and lashed out, “Tell the servants that he's not allowed to sleep in the worker's quarters either!”“Yes, honey.” Deborah hastily answered. When his glare met Zane's calm eyes, Damion shouted again, “Get the hell out of my house!” Silently, Zane turned on his heel and walked out the door, heading for the gate as he tried to get an Uber to come to pick him up and take him to a hotel. The loud rumble of thunderstorms made Zane look up at the sky darkening, and then a drop of water dipped on his face, making him frown. immediately, he dialed the Uber while hurrying for the gate, but when he got there, it was closed and locked and the gatekeeper wasn't outside. “Dicken!” Zane screamed, running to his quarter, and then started beating on the door. “Open up! I need to leave!” Even though Zane knew that Dicken was inside, he got no response, and the rain continued pulling down heavily, soaking his hair and clothes. Suddenly, lightning lit up the sky, and the sound of thunder echoed, making Zane clench his fist, and he growled, cursing under his breath. As the rain beat upon his body, Zane gazed around the yard, desperately looking for somewhere to take refuge for the night, realizing that he had caged himself in a nightmare, and yet, he wasn't really to wake up from it just yet, not until he had done what he came for.

Chapter 2 What’s the plan here

The morning light met Zane sleeping on the hard, dirty floor of the mansion's front porch, hugging onto his body to keep warm. Suddenly, he felt someone kick his legs lightly once and then harder the next time, causing a sharp pain to run through his bone and he instantly jumped from his sleep, his face turning white. As soon as he woke up fully, he looked up and met with one of the mansion cleaners, Paul, and he earned a scowl from him. “You can't sleep here. You need to get up and go somewhere else.” Paul commanded, pointing at Zane with his broom in his hand, and he glared at him when he refused to budge even an inch. “Did the cold air lock your ear?! Move!” Frowning, Zane forced his aching body to stand up, wincing in pain as he put weight on the wrong foot while limping toward the front door. When he grabbed the doorknob and turned it, it was locked, and he turned to look at Paul, but the guard disregarded his stare and started sweeping. ‘If you think this is going to make me give up without finding out the truth and return to Houghton, you  are wrong.’ Zane thought determinedly, leaping away from the door as Paul started sweeping the dusk and dirt on him. Without a care in his expression, Paul continued sweeping, ignoring how badly Zane was hurt due to the freezing temperature he suffered, and he didn't stop sweeping dust his way until Zane leaped down the stairs. Finally, after standing in the morning air for a couple of hours, the mansion's front door opened and Zane leaped back up the stairs, only to get stopped by the head servant. “You are not allowed to enter the house yet until Master Damion gives the go-ahead, so stay out!”  The head servant ordered sternly. With a huff, Zane turned around to the shut gate and then said, “Can one of you get Dicken to open the gate for me to leave then because I think he's deaf to my voice.” Without saying a word, the head servant walked back into the mansion and Paul continued his sweeping, acting like he hadn't heard what Zane had said. The chill Zane felt began to intensify and he was slowly beginning to feel very hungry too. However, despite that, he leaped on his stiff leg back down the stairs. After a couple more hours, Zane finally saw the head servant return, glared at him, and said, “Your father has given the go-ahead for you to come in.” Frowning slightly, Zane tried to muster up the strength to push his aching body forward, and even though he was in pain, he still managed to climb the stairs, heading straight into the mansion and to his room. After taking a hot shower, Zane returned to the kitchen, hoping to grab a snack, but only to get a slight shove in the chest by the chef, halting him in his steps. “What do you think you are doing?” The Chef asked sternly, looking up at him. “I'm hungry... Can I get something to eat please?” Zane asked, keeping his gaze fixed downward as the other man stood beneath him, his face hard and his lips pressed together into a line. “No. These dishes are for the madam, Mister, and his children-”“I am his child too-”“You are nothing but a bastard! It's not the same! Now get out.” Frustrated, Zane stomped out of the kitchen, searching around until he found his father in the study, and he bashed inside, closing the door behind him. “What’s the plan here, dad... Imprison and starve me to death, huh? Are you going to treat me like an animal now?” Zane calmly uttered. “Go back to Houghton to stay with Doctor Ben.” Mr. Briggs said, not looking away from his document. “There is nothing here for you.”“Nothing?”“Your mother is dead. What more do you think you have here, huh?” Silence settled between both men as Zane glared at his father until Mr. Briggs felt his intense gaze burning holes through him, making him look up from the document and stared back right at him. “Go back. There's no place for you by my side.” Mr. Briggs's calm, yet cold voice said. “Then make space because I am not leaving.” A faint scoff escaped the older man’s mouth before he sighed and looked back at his documents and said, “Suit yourself.” For a moment, Zane glared at his father, and then he turned to leave, stopping in his steps when he heard his dad say, “We need extra hands at the company today, so you are coming along.” Shutting his eyes, Zane took a deep breath before he turned around again and looked his father directly in the eyes, and told him with a serious tone, “Okay,” The building of NewEra Co. was a huge blue skyscraper, and when the vehicle finally came to a stop in the parking lot, Zane eyed his father in the front passenger seat before turning off the engine. Even though Zane knew going in there was going to be him caging himself in another misery, he was prepared to face it because he could do anything to find out the truth. A moment later, the second they walked into the lobby of the building, eyes started falling on Zane, everyone knowing of the son Mr. Briggs kept a secret for years. But Zane kept his focus straight as he followed Mr. Briggs, Jason, Austin, Leon, Theo, and Sophia walking ahead of him, toward the elevator. When they got to the top floor, Mr. Briggs led Zane to a telephone on the wall, saying, “This is your station. Your job is to stand by this telephone and answer whenever it rings and do what would be requested of you. Do you have any questions?!”“No,” Zane said, and suddenly his stomach rumbled, causing both his dad and him to look down at his shirt. Then Mr. Briggs snorted faintly before walking off, shouting back, “Do not leave your post until twelve. That's lunch break.” As the sound of his office door opening got Damion's attention from the document on his desk, he stared at Jason walking through the doorway and then shutting the door behind him. “It’s been weeks now. That boy should be gone from here.” Jason stated as he approached Damion's desk. “Why are you playing with fire by keeping him around?”“That bastard is stubborn and unruly. I can not use intense force to move him because people may see me ugly for doing so. All I can do now is push him to the edge until he leaves on his own.” Mr. Briggs explained, leaning back in his chair, and folding his arms. “Then push him a bit harder. The quicker he leaves, the safer it is for all of us.”“I know.” A yawn left Zane’s lips as he tried to keep awake, but sleeping on the ground all night, in the cold air, and not having any breakfast this morning was making him sleepy. His eyes were blurry as his head got heavier, and he just wanted to go home, but he wouldn't dare leave, so he sat down on the floor, resting his back against the wall. When sleep finally started to pull him under and he began feeling drowsy, the phone rang loudly, startling him awake once again. Groaning, Zane stood upright, trying to wipe his drooping eyelids with the back of his hand before reaching out for the phone. “Hello?” He questioned groggily into the phone. “Yes father, this is Zane.”“We are about to start a conference. You need to buy coffee for twelve people with snacks. Now go to each office to ask for their orders.” Mr. Briggs's voice echoed in his ear. “Can they just text their orders to me,”“If you can’t handle something as simple as collecting people's orders. Then maybe you should leave!”“Fine,”“You are leaving?” There was a brief pause as Zane  listened to his father's breathing, then he replied, “Yes, I am leaving to go get the orders as you have requested.” The call abruptly ended in Zane's ear, and he smirked, mumbling, “You are not getting rid of me that easily.” The walk from NewEra to the nearest coffee shop left Zane feeling even more  tired, but somehow he managed to reach his destination without collapsing and walked toward the counter, and said, “Excuse me.”“How may we help you today sir?” The lady behind the register asked politely. “I want to purchase Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, Apple Crisp Frappuccino, Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino, Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino, Chocolate Almond Milk Shaken Espresso, Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso, Iced White Chocolate Mocha, Cold Brew Coffee, Iced Blonde Caffè Americano, Iced Caramel Macchiato, Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, and Caffé Americano with Doughnuts, Apple pie, Chocolate brownie Cake, Cheesecake, Baklava, Tiramisu, Apple crisp, Banana pudding, Black Forest cake, Carrot cake, Chocolate cake…”“Please have a seat, sir. We will have your order  shortly.” After nodding, Zane turned to walk off when his nose started feeling itchy, and before he could hold it in, he sneezed loudly into his elbow. But as soon as Zane brought his hand down, he got smacked hard in the face, and for a moment everything was confusing as he listened to the sound of people grasping around him. Finally, his gaze settled on the two ladies, suddenly the one in the yellow summer dress bowed slightly, and cried hastily, “I am sorry Mr. for what my cousin just did to you! Please forgive her.”“Emma, you are embarrassing me, and stop apologizing already!! He should be the one who should beg for a pardon here!!” The cousin said, and then she glared at Zane, commanding, “Now, apologize for trying to get me sick with whatever disease you breathed out in the same space as me!!!” Noticing how many people's eyes were on him, Zane's brows furrowed slightly, and he drew a breath before quietly walking past the cousin, but she suddenly yelled, “Where is the manager of this establishment?!” Immediately, Zane stopped in his steps, turning to stare at her in disbelief, wondering where he went wrong. “Ava, stop, you are creating a scene over nothing,” Emma whispered, meeting Zane's eyes for a second, “Let's just leave please.” When she grabbed her cousin's arm, Ava yanked her hand out of Emma’s grip, pushing her off her, and she lost her balance, falling back. Instantly, Zane reacted and rushed for Emma, grabbing her arm, and pulling her toward him a bit harder than he intended and her head banged into his nose. “Fuck!” Zane shouted, dropping her arm and putting his hand onto his nostril, blood rushing through his veins. “I am so sorry!” Emma cried, worriedly rubbing her arm while staring wide-eyed at him. “Are you okay?!” Suddenly, a guy came from the back of the shop, asking, “What’s going on here?” Rolling her eyes at her cousin and Zane, Emma scoffed, shaking her head, and then she faced the man, asking, “Are you the manager?” It took him a second, but the moment he recognized her face, he immediately bowed, saying, “ Yes, Miss Taylor. Is there anything I can-”“How can you allow a disease-infested thing to walk among normal humans?! Are you trying to get us all infected?!” Emma demanded. The manager opened his mouth, probably to answer her question, but instead, he shut his mouth as his eyes wandered around the room, his body visibly tensing, afraid to say the wrong thing that would offend her more. Seeing how uneasy the manager had become under her cousin's glare, Emma softly smiled at him and said, “It’s nothing serious-“ “Shut up, Emma!” Ava snapped, causing Zane to turn around and stare at them both. “If you are not going to have my back, then just don’t talk.” Knowing the power that her cousin held in the family and not wanting Zane to get in trouble over a sneeze, Emma tried to reason with her cousin, saying, “You know that I have your back, Ava, but-“ “Shut it!” Ava shouted, glaring at Emma before scowling at Zane.

Chapter 3 Four security guards

Embarrassed, Emma lowered her head, averting her gaze, her cheeks flushed pink when she subconsciously glanced at Zane, and he could see her holding back tears. “Miss Taylor, please tell us whatever you need us to do to fix this, we will do so without complaint.” The manager apologized after swallowing harshly. Glaring over at Zane, Ava snarled, “Kick him out! He’s sick and should not be among other people!”“I am not sick.” Zane tried to defend himself. But the Manager frowned at him and said, “You need to leave, now.” A look of disbelief settled on Zane’s face as the sound of faint mumbling grew around him from other customers, and a mixture of embarrassment and anger rose in him. “I am not sick,” Zane tried to explain. “I just sneezed-“ “Security, can you escort this guy out? He’s harassing a customer and making others uncomfortable.” The manager ordered. Stunned, Zane frowned, staring in confusion at the manager as the two security guards stepped forward, grabbing his shoulders roughly. “My orders!” Zane raised his voice. But they ignored him and dragged him away, dismissing his attempts to explain that he needed to get his food and drinks, and the security threw him out and slammed the door after him. “Hey!” Zane shouted after them, his anger rising once again. “Is this how you treat your customers?!” Suddenly the door opened and the manager came out, looking pissed, and said, “If you don't leave the front of the shop, I will call the police on you.”“You must be kidding,” Zane snorted. “No, I'm not. This will be your only warning and I wouldn't be repeating myself. Now, move along, and it will be advisable that you don't come back here again!”“So that's how it is. I get kicked out because a lady sees me unfit-”“Not any lady. She's Logan Taylor’s daughter... So yes, I rather offend Mr. Briggs bastard, than the lady of a reputable household. Now, leave. There's a coffee shop four blocks from here. You can go there.” As Zane was about to give the manager a piece of his mind, he walked back into the shop, leaving Zane's bottom lip hanging loose as a look of disbelief settled on his face. The sound of his ringtone snapped Zane out of his feelings, a moment later, and he quickly pulled out the device from his pocket and frowned at his father's name displayed on the screen. As he was about to answer, the cafe door abruptly opened again and Emma stepped out with four plastic bags in her grip, smiling softly at Zane, and said, “I hope they got your drinks and food correctly.”“You got my orders for me?” Zane mumbled, looking surprised at her, but a smile tugged on his lips as he stared at her. “Yes. It's the least I can do to apologize for what my cousin did to you.”“You are a Taylor, right?” Surprised that he knew her, Emma nodded slowly, and said, “Yes. Honestly, I’m stunned that you know who I am.” Even though Zane didn't know who the Taylors were until the manager mentioned them, since he was new to the country, he held back telling her that he was just guessing and asked instead, “Why is that?”“Because I am the black sheep of the family. My mother had me out of wedlock by a dude no one knows… and she left the earth the moment she pushed me into this world... So, my grandfather doesn't recognize me as hers and tells everyone I am adopted...” Emma explained before her eyes widened like she had said way more than she wanted to. Then she lowered her head, pushing the four plastic bags toward Zane, saying, “ Sorry about your nose.” Chuckling faintly, he took the bags out of her hands and watched her hurry back into the shop before he could say, “Thanks,” A moment later, after heading to his father's office and getting told by his secretary that Mr. Briggs was already in the conference room, Zane hurried down the hall, ignoring the rumbling from his stomach, the pain in his body, and the anger burning inside him. Finally reaching the room, he pushed open the doors, revealing several people sitting around the table, most of whom were familiar faces to him, like Sophia, Theo, Jason, Austin, and Deborah. “Why have you been ignoring my calls and so late with our orders?!” Mr. Briggs asked, giving his son a piercing glare. “Sorry, Dad… But there were some complications.” Zane said as he hastily took out the cups, placing them on the table. After getting the food and drinks out of the plastics and onto the table, he took his time reading each note he made for each order. “Sophia, here's your Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino with Cheesecake...” Zane finally said, looking at his half-sister. “That’s not what I ordered,” Sophia complained, glaring at her brother. “Go back and get me my green tea with chocolate muffins.”“But this is what you asked me-”“Zane, I am not drinking or eating that. So, go back and get me my correct order!” Sophia coldly commanded. Silently, Zane glared at her, his brows furrowed, annoyed to the point that his mind went blank. Then he sighed as he opened that box, took out the slice of cheesecake, took a seat at the table, and started eating it, ignoring the feeling of other eyes on him. “Dad!!” Sophia cried like a two-year-old about to throw a tantrum. “Tell him to get up and go buy me my order now! I am hungry!” When Mr. Briggs slapped the table, Zane didn't flinch and met his father's eyes with a hard stare. “What do you think you are doing?!” Mr. Briggs asked in a stern voice. Without saying a word, Zane reached for the coffee cup and took a sip. After gulping the hot beverage, he put the cup down and ate the rest of the cake. Everyone around the table just glared at him, stunned as he continued to eat until nothing was left, and then he relaxed in his seat, his jaw clenching shut as he stared back at them. When Mr. Briggs finally got over the speechlessness that kept his tongue tied, he stood up, his fists clenched, and his eyes darkened as his gaze rested on the bloodstain on Zane's nose and shirt. As he was about to unleash his rage, the room doors bashed open and Theo stormed in, his expression grim as he eyed Zane before turning his gaze to his parents, and he said, “After standing outside the building for hours waiting for security to let me in to see Mr.  Alfred, they turned me away in the end, saying that he was not there building! But I knew he was because his car was in the parking lot.”“What?!” Mr. Briggs barked, “What is that supposed to mean? Why would they turn you away?!” Tossing the business proposal in front of Zane, Theo popped down in a chair beside him and sighed, “I don't know... We have been chasing this project for months, and I don't think Mr. Alfred wants to do business with NewEra... After all, rumors have it that he's a picky man and only the top elites in the business world work with him.” After going through the three stages of grief within the span of one minute, Mr. Briggs sighed in defeat, but then his sight rested on Zane. “Blueprint Tech Inc.” building is not an easy access place, no one enters the building without an appointment with Mr. Alfred, and if you don't have one, you have to stay outside the company until Mr. Alfred confirms your entrance. Knowing that, Mr. Briggs frowned at his son and said, “Zane, take the proposal and go to Blueprint Tech Inc. and if you don't meet up and discuss the content of the document with Mr. Alfred, do not come home.” When the taxi came to a stop at “Blueprint Tech Inc.” Zane looked out the window at the giant, silver Towers and sighed heavily. Then he paid the driver, collected the file off the car seat, and walked toward the building, knowing that his father only did this to humiliate him, but he was determined to show him that he wasn't going to back down, not in the slightest. Upon arriving at the glass door four security came up to him before he could grab the handle and made him halt in  his tracks. They looked at him suspiciously before one of them said, “What do you want?”“To speak to Mr. Alfred,” Zane replied, trying not to make any sudden moves because they looked like they were skeptical of him. One of them raised his eyebrows slightly, “Do you have an appointment with him?”“Yes,” Zane said before he could get a grip on his tongue. There was a long pause while the guy seemed to study him, and then he looked back at his buddy, and then they busted into a wild laugh, throwing their heads back and letting out loud guffaws, leaving Zane frowning at their maddness. “Bum, what do you take us for?! A fool?! We know who your ass is.” One of they said between laughs. Still wanting to push his luck with the guards, Zane ignored their absurd laughter and asked, “Can you guys inform him that Zane Briggs is here to speak with him?”“No, fool!” Another one said, his laughter dying out quickly as he glared at Zane. “Your half-brother, Theo was here and Mr. Briggs refused to meet him. What makes you think a bastard like you can accomplish what a full-blooded Briggs couldn't, huh?” A guard  said in a cold tone as he crossed his arms against his chest with a sneer on his face. With those words coming out of the guard's mouth, the rest of the guards burst into laughter, leaving Zane blankly staring at them. “Leave,”  The guard stated, giving him a warning stare. Feeling that they were not going to budge, he turned on his heels and walked off, hearing the guards’ faint laughter behind and after walking ten feet away, he stopped, looking over at the security shock faces. Even though Zane didn't know when Mr. Alfred was going to clock out from work, he waited, and waited, the seconds becoming minutes and then hours as he did. Finally, the glass door opened, and Zane quickly woke from the sidewalk where he sat and hurried toward the building, a slight sense of hope crowding his heart as he recognized the old man walking from the opposite direction with a cane as the gentleman he had that conversation with the night of Mr. Alfred party. Since he did not know his name, he kept shouting, “Excuse me, sir... Sir, please wait for a second!” As the security around the old man was about to react defensively, the old man mumbled, “Let him come to me.” When Zane reached, he was out of breath because of the little energy in his body and he took a second to catch his breath, holding his hand to his forehead. “Are you okay, boy?” The  old man asked, a worried look painted on his face. “No, I am starving...” Zane absentmindedly mumbled before realizing that he said those words out loud. Frowning slightly, the old man met Zane's eyes and said, “If you are starving as you claim, why wait out here, instead of finding something to eat.”“Because...”Zane said, looking at the security around the man with hesitation. “I am not allowed to go home if I don't meet Mr. Alfred and discuss the content within this folder with him.”“Such absurd rule.”“Well, my father is an absurd man... so can you please help me get inside the building to see Mr. Alfred? Please! I have this proposal that my father wants me to page to him.” Silence settled betweenZane and him  as the old man stared at the folder before smiling warmly and said, “You are out here, waiting on a man whose face you do not know?”“Well... I am new to town, so I was hoping that the guards would be helpful enough to take me to see him.” Zane said, a bit embarrassed. “How long have you waited out here for?”“Well, Umm... I came by ten o'clock, and now, it is-”“Six PM.” Looking back at the four security guards, who had been standing watch at the entrance all day, he asked them, “Why didn't I get notified that Zane Briggs was here to see me?”

Chapter 4 Rain down hell

The looked of terror that settled on Zane's face when he realized that the old man was Mr. Alfred was raw. The guards immediately started panicking, and one of them spoke with his ego instead of his head, “You turned away Theo Briggs, so we thought you wouldn't want to see Zane either... After all, he is not someone  worth wasting your valuable time on...”“You four are fired!” Mr. Alfred firmly said, and then he looked at Zane, continuing, “You... Get in the car. I am taking you out for dinner.” The guards were speechless as Zane was, and before they could get over their surprise, Mr. Alfred and Zane had gotten in his car. When they finally woke from that stunned feeling, the Modernized H2 Hummer had already sped up with the two security details SUVs, following it, and still, the four security decided to chase after the cars, knowing how much their pay was, and screaming, “Mr. Alfred, we didn't know he was someone you know!!” Soon they were chasing the cars’ dust because the three vehicles had vanished into traffic, leaving them breathing like pigs that had asthma. As Zane and Mr. Alfred sat in the private room of Royalty Restaurant, Zane's eyes darted from the crystal Chandeliers, hanging above them, to the paintings, sculptures, vases, and then the table covered in food. “Do you know what the cause of your mother’s death was?” Mr. Alfred abruptly asked, cutting into his steak, and Zane immediately focused his gaze on him. “My sickness was not due to natural causes. It turned out that I was slowly being poisoned with very tiny doses of Botulinum in my food occasionally…” Zane said. Then he reached for the glass of wine and sipped it slowly, his mind remembering the terror of his childhood and then he said, “Doctor Ben said that symptoms of botulism usually start with weakness of the muscles that control the eyes, face, mouth, and throat. The weakness may spread to the neck, arms, torso, and legs, and the poison weakens the muscles involved in your breathing, which can lead to difficulty breathing and even death.” Holding back his breath, Zane shut his eyes as his jaws tightened and his fists clenched tightly at his sides while the memory of his Mother's death flashed in his mind. “My mother and I had the same symptoms… I know that because I watched her die slowly, struggling to catch her breath until she just stopped.” Zane choked out. The silence was all that followed his words, and when Zane raised his eyelids, his wet eyes rested on Mr. Alfred's tear-stained face. “If I knew... I never would have allowed her to walk away from me that day, when she rejected my feelings, claiming she was in love with another man and couldn't accept the arranged marriage her parents had made with mine.” Mr. Alfred cried, his face red and contorted with emotion. Silently, Zane couldn't bring himself to look away, seeing that the old man was tearing up like a child, and then he finally pushed himself to ask, “You knew my mother?”“Rosalie Grimes, your mother is not from here. She's a citizen of Oceania... The sole heir to Mr. Alexander Grimes and Mrs. Rose Grimes. We were arranged to be married as the heirs of two of the wealthiest families in the country, but...” Mr. Alfred trailed off. After he finished wiping his tears away with a tissue, he took a deep shaky breath, looking Zane straight in the eyes. “I loved your mother from the very moment I rested my eyes on her, but she had fallen from another man, a foreigner... that was all I knew of your father back then... and a few days to our wedding, she eloped out of the country with him.” Mr. Alfred said. Hearing how his voice broke along with the last word as his eyes stared down at his plate, Zane could tell that what Mr. Alfred felt for his mother still lives in his heart till this very moment. “Rosalie left me alone without so much as a single goodbye, so I tried my best to find a way to bring her back, but the longer she was gone, the less I found hope of ever seeing her again. Then her parents passed, and since she was their only heir, I fought to take over their companies and properties... to save them all for when I found her, but...” Mr.  Alfred continued. “But...”Zane whispered. “I never found Rosalie... The last tip that I got about her whereabouts was that she was here, in Florin. So, I packed up my things, moved from Oceania, and established here, in all hopes to find her. I never did... But I always believed she was happy with  the man that she chose. Who knew-“ “She wasn’t. She was miserable and helpless till her very last breath, and I want to know why... why Damion treated her the way he did, and who was behind her death.” After a couple of minutes of silence, Mr. Alfred met Zane's eyes, saying, “I was too late to help your mother, and I am too old now, death could knock on my door anytime. But I am happy about this second chance... I want you to be my heir since I have none. After all, half of my wealth belongs to your mother.” With this determined look on his face, Mr. Alfred  reached over and grabbed Zane's hand. “So please, give me the opportunity to repay my debt to her. Let me take you under my wing and make you the greatest bastard alive... And when you find out who dared to hurt Rosalie, I want you to rain down hell on his or her name. Do you understand me?”“Yes, sir...” Zane said. Smiling through his tears, Mr, Alfred patted the back of Zane's hand and said, “Good. Now, let me see what's in the file.” The dining hall of the Briggs mansion was peaceful as Damion, Deborah, and their kids, Jason, and Austin ate quietly. But the moment the sound of footsteps, approaching the room, echoed in their ear, everyone tensed up with worried, confused, and angry faces. Like they all anticipated, Zane walked through the doorway, and all of their faces grew cold like they were ice sculptures. Seeing the shift in their expression, Zane smiled at them as he held his hands high with the folder in between his fingers and said, “Mr. Alfred is going to sign over the project to us. NewEra has been chosen to authorize the electrical engineering design of Blueprint Inc. new software.”“You are lying.” Sophia sneered at Zane. But he ignored her, dragged a chair out, and sat down, relaxing in his seat as he counted in his head, ‘Five, four, three, two-‘ Immediately, Mr. Briggs' phone started ringing, and he glared away from his son, staring down at the unknown number on his screen. Hesitantly, he picked  up the phone, answering without any greetings, and then he heard, “Mr. Briggs, this is Mr. Alfred. I would like a meeting with you tomorrow to further discuss the terms and conditions for signing the contract for Blueprint Inc. Can you be available at ten tomorrow morning?”“Yes! Of course, Mr. Alfred, I will be there .” Mr. Briggs said before the call ended. Then he darted his eyes around the table, at the faces of everyone, and then lowered his gaze as he mumbled, “We got the project.” The room went cold like death news had been announced, instead of something that was about to make them millions of dollars. Suddenly, Mr. Briggs stood to his feet quietly and walked out the dining hall, heading to his study. A couple of minutes passed and then the room door opened, revealing Jason as he walked inside, and then he closed the door behind him. They all exchanged looks and then, Damion sighed, mumbling, “I know… I got to get rid of him from this house and give him something else to distract him with.”“But what?” Jason asked, crossing his arms over his chest. The moment Zane stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, his father bashed into his room, frowned at him for a moment, and then said, “Get dressed. We are going out!”“Just the two of us?” Zane asked, skeptical of  his father's sudden decision. “Yeah! You and me.”“Why?”“Stop asking so many damn questions and put some clothes on.” A couple of minutes later, Zane sat in the backseat of the car with Damion, running over ideas in his head of what his father was up to. Soon, the driver brought the car to a stop at a white mansion, parked by a large fountain, and Zane exited the car with Damion. Calmly he walked after his father, keeping alert of his surroundings, and eventually, they arrived in this enormous living room occupied by a bunch of people Ethan didn’t know. But then his eyes rested on Emma, and he froze, looking into her nervous eyes with shock. “Mr. Briggs, what is so urgent that you would call me and leave your house at such an hour just to talk business with me?” Mr. Taylor exclaimed. “Well, Vex Co. has been trying to collaborate with NewEra on a project for the longest time, and I have the perfect project on hand. Blueprint Tech Inc...” Mr. Briggs boasted. “You got the contract?!”“Yes. Mr. Alfred called me directly to inform me about his desire to work with NewEra, and I was thinking about bringing you on board. You know that any company that works with a corporation like ‘Blueprint Tech’ is bound to have a brighter future.” Silence fell upon the room, and then Mr. Taylor's gaze met Damion’s eyes and asked, “What’s the catch?”“An arranged marriage between my oldest son and any of your granddaughters and for you guys to accept him and take him under your roof as your son-in-law.” Mr. Briggs stated bluntly. ‘Taking your trash and throwing it over to us, I see.’ Madam Taylor thought, scowling at Zane. The fact that his father was abandoning him with another family in the name of marriage left Zane speechless, and yet he didn't hate the idea. After thinking things through for a while, Mr. Taylor sighed and said, “My granddaughter Ava is of age to get wed.” Ava, who had been glaring at Zane the whole time, scoffed and was about to reject Zane when he beat her to it and said, “If I am to marry a woman in your family, I want the hands of your granddaughter, Emma.” The room fell silent, and Emma could feel the eyes of her family on her as she cried in her head, ‘Why would you say that.’ “Emma is still young... A nineteen-year-old girl will make an amateur bride and would be nothing more than a burden, than a wife.” Mr. Taylor responded to Zane, not even bothering to glance over at Emma. “Grandfather, please don't marry me off to this waste of space. He is just a lowlife that is sick, carrying diseases around, and being gross!” Ava  said, getting more and more enraged with each word coming from her mouth. “That's enough! Ava, stop that right now!” Mrs. Taylor said. “Don’t order your grandfather!”“If you insist on giving Ava to me, I would walk out of here now and never look back. A woman like her is not something that interests me.” Zane said, his voice steady as he met the old man's eyes, his words pissing Ava and her parents off. After an intense staring contest between Mr. Taylor and Zane, the old man sighed, looked over at his granddaughter, and said, “Emma, what do you say to this?”“If it will help our family's future, then I am willing to marry him,” Emma said, knowing she couldn't defile her grandfather, not in the slightest. “Then it is settled. Emma and my son will get married a week from now, and our families can become one on this project.” Mr. Briggs announced with a big smile. Staring at his father, a faint, half-smirk carved on Zane's lips as he thought, ‘Think you can get rid of me. You are in for a treat, old man.’

Chapter 5 I am taking you to the hospital

The wedding hall seemed crowded with hundreds of people, but none of these folks were there to cheer the groom or the bride on. They were people that Zane had no relation with, people that had nothing to do with him, and they were people that the Taylor family knew. "Everyone, please stand for the bride's arrival." The officiator announced. Soon, everybody in the hall quieted down, then the guests woke from their seats, staring at the wooden door, waiting to see Emma. The news about her marrying the pathetic, illegitimate son of the Briggs family had been no secret for a week, and people were already gossiping among themselves. When she stood in the doorway and her grandfather didn't approach her, after a while, Emma's face remained as calm as always as she stared at the faces, gazing back at her, and her fingers tightened around the white roses and she marched down the hallway. A faint smile curved onto her face, although no emotion was in her eyes, as she kept her head high, heading gracefully toward the altar. Although Ava hated the sight of Zane, she still felt aggravated that her young cousin was getting married before she did, and it hurt her ego, even if it was to a man she thought of as nothing but a scumbag and a lowlife. "Why is the Briggs family not attending my cousin's wedding?! We know Zane is nothing but a bastard and is no better than a dirty rat..." Ava uttered loudly, making sure the entire room heard her. "But that still doesn't excuse him from asking his family to be here. What a coward!" Her words stirred up a loud commotion, and people started gossiping about Zane, not even caring to lower their voices or about Emma's feelings. A sense of hurt washed over Emma that her cousin was doing something like this on her wedding day to humiliate her. Desperate for the mockery to stop, Emma stared at her grandfather for help, but Mr. Taylor didn't show any sign of caring about what was happening, so she sighed and kept escorting herself to the altar. Smirking at the sound of mumbling from among the crowd, Ava continued loudly, "Even if he's a useless child to his family, doesn't he have any respect for us Taylors? At least, even if they look down on him, they shouldn't overlook us-""Ava, can you shut up, huh?! Who do you think you are to say nasty remarks so freely? Don't you know how disrespectful and insulting your behavior is to our family?! Or you don't know when to act properly, or how to speak respectfully, and how to behave yourself." Emma snapped as she glared back at her cousin, finally having enough of her nonsense. The room immediately went silent. Everyone watched Emma, and no one dared to utter even a single word afterward. Suddenly, the doors opened, and Zane entered the wedding hall, annoyed that he was late to his own wedding because his father and the others refused to agree to attend the ceremony. Everyone’s jaw immediately dropped as they stared at him, their eyes widening in disbelief. "Isn't that Zane? The illegitimate son of the Briggs family?" A woman whispered to her friend, still shocked at how breathtakingly handsome he appeared. "Hmm, that's Briggs’ bastard. But, wow! He is so gorgeous!" The other girl said, awestruck by his look. "That suit…! OMG! I am so jealous! I never imagined that he could look this perfect, especially in those expensive clothes!" Immediately Emma looked back to see her soon-to-be husband, standing in the doorway, wearing a sleek, slim-fit three-piece white and gold suit. His hair was styled in a quiff, his skin looked flawless, his lips were nude pink, and his hazel brown eyes seemed to hold a mysterious power over the audience, making them unable to tear their eyes away from him. For a moment, Emma speechlessly stared at him, her mind completely blank, not knowing where to look and how to react or believe that this was the same awkward man she had met at the cafe. But she was not the only one confused since Ava could barely believe her own eyes either, that this was the man she turned down marrying. When she finally got over her shock, Ava stood from her seat as Zane walked down the aisle, and she made her way toward him, not caring about the eyes of others on her. "Zane, hey..." Ava sweetly said with a forced smile on her face. "I must say, you look extremely dashing, and-" The rest of her words died in her throat as Zane walked past her, heading straight for Emma, who was still staring at him in absolute silence. When Zane arrived in front of her, he bowed slightly and whispered, "I am sorry for attending our wedding so late. I hope you can forgive me,” His words snapped her out of her trance, and Emma managed to weakly smile at Zane before mumbling, "It's fine. You are here now, and that's all that matters, isn't it?" Suddenly, Zane extended his arm toward her, and she held it gently, her eyes fluttering for a brief second as she glanced up at him, and then he escorted her down to the altar. When Zane turned with Emma to face the officiator, her gaze subconsciously rested on a brooch on his jacket. The brooch seemed made of thin stones that got cut into the shape of a crescent moon, and inside of it lay a small gemstone, and Emma immediately recognized them as diamonds, and she suddenly realized a brooch like this cost two million dollars. 'Isn't he supposed to be a poor lowlife man because the Briggs family doesn't trust him to run any of the company or have shares in it?' The thought crossed Emma's mind as she frowned at the brooch, and when she raised her glance, her eyes met Zane’s calm gaze. Although Emma was hesitant to ask, the fact that Zane wore such a brooch was just not something she wanted to ignore so she asked softly, "Where did you get this brooch?" Studying her eyes, Zane noticed that although her voice was quiet and gentle, there was a slight tint of irritation to her tone and that made him smirk. Not losing his composure for even a second, he leaned in closer to her ear and said in a deep, husky voice, "This cheap thing. I borrowed it from a friend. It's not real." Goosebumps rose all over Emma's body as Zane's breath fanned her neck, making her shiver, and she immediately moved away from him, took a few steps back, and stared at the officiator, blushing. The officiator smiled at the sweet moment before he cleared his throat, and said, "Let the wedding begin." The ceremony lasted for a while, and then the officiator made his final declaration, "I present to you all, Emma Taylor and Zane Briggs, newlyweds. You may kiss the bride." As soon as he said those words, Zane pulled Emma close to him and kissed her, holding her in a tight embrace, savoring every taste and the feeling of her soft lips against his. The feeling was still surreal to Emma that she was married to Zane Briggs and that she was now a wife to a man she barely knew, but as she gazed into his deep brown eyes which were looking at her lovingly, she was not that nervous anymore about the whole ordeal. Later that day, at the reception, the Grand hall of the hotel was designed with a high ceiling, decorated beautifully with chandeliers, and since the wedding theme was “simple but elegant,” the tables and chairs were decorated with beautiful white roses that contrasted nicely with the red carpeted marble tile. The whole place smelled amazing with hints of appetizer aromas, champagne, and expensive perfumes, and the atmosphere was calm as a band began playing some classical music while waiters in waiter uniforms passed us by offering appetizers or other drinks. Taking in the stunning sight of the architecture of the room, Emma stared around for a while before finally stopping at the large, round buffet table filled with so many possibilities of food options, some of which she hadn't tried yet. “Emma,” Ava's voice startled her, and she looked away from the table of food to stare at her cousin. Mad about what her cousin did to her, Emma tried to hold off her anger and said, “What is it?” “Still annoyed with me?” Ava asked in a childish tone. “You tried to humiliate me at my wedding... So you tell me!” “I am sorry.” The look of shock on Emma's face to hear her cousin say those words were priceless, and she was silent for several seconds, trying to figure out whether Ava was lying. “Where’s your husband?” Ava said, staring intensely at the buffet around her. “He’s talking with grandfather.” Emma mumbled. “Excited about your wedding night?” “Ava,” When her cousin winked at her, Emma busted into a faint chuckle, and then she mumbled, looking over at Zane a couple of distances away from them, “I barely even know  the guy. But I do like him. He seems nice.” “Here,” Ava said, handing Emma a glass of cocktail. “You should drink and get wasted before tonight, so you won't feel it.” Giggling at her cousin's sudden friskiness and taking the glass, Emma said, “Thanks.” Then she took a big sip of the drink, squeezing her face as the alcohol burned its way through her mouth and throat, and she hastily put the glass back down on the table. “Why does it taste funny?” Emma asked, turning her gaze at her cousin. “You are so wet behind the ears.” Ava said, making Emma’s pout. “Anyway, excuse me.” Not knowing much of the people here, after her cousin left, Emma hugged her arm, feeling lost and uneasy. Suddenly she grabbed her abdomen when she felt a cramp coming on, wondering if her stomach was upset from the spicy drink. But soon, her face started itching, and she raised her hand to scratch her skin, and that’s when she noticed hives on her skin. Her face started feeling weird and her eyes lid began to draw together making it hard for her to see, and her breath  quickened. A while later, whispering grew around her, and Emma could hear faint chuckles, but her eyes and mouth were so swollen that it was making it hard for her to see that well, but she quickly grabbed the silver tray and forced her eyes to see her reflection, and the moment she did, the tray slipped from her hand, hitting the tile with a loud, “Clunk!” When Zane heard the noise, he turned away from Mr. Taylor and his eyes grew wide with panic when he saw her entire face swollen. Immediately, he rushed over to her, pushing through the crowd that was surrounding Emma, holding back his anger when he heard the faint sound of laughter and whisperings around her. When he reached Emma, a sharp pain stabbed through her stomach, making her bend over and clutch her abdomen, moaning in agony, and he grabbed onto her shoulder, asking, “What’s wrong, Emma?” Her vision grew even more blurry as tears rolled down Emma's cheeks and she clutched at her stomach, screaming out in agony. Fear glowing in his eyes, Zane lifted his wife, carrying her in his arms, and as he ran with her out of the reception hall, the traumatic memories of his mother's death instantly flooded back into his head. Just thinking about it was enough to make him lose control as the tears started streaming down his face, dropping on Emma as he pushed his body, speeding like a madman through the hotel. When Zane got into the parking lot with her, he rushed for his car, carrying Emma inside and laying her carefully on the passenger seat, closing the door in a hasty. "Hold on, Emma... I am taking you to the hospital!" Zane assured her after getting behind the steering wheel. Then he stepped on the gas pedal and sped into the street, ignoring everyone who was yelling at him for driving recklessly. The moon was lit when they got outside the parking lot of St. Mary's Hospital and the light illuminated his face as Zane rushed with Emma in his arms towards the building, holding her close to his broad chest, and his strong arms wrapped securely around her. By the time they arrived at the front entrance of the hospital, Emma's eyelids were completely shut together, swollen, and she shivered violently as he pushed the door open, shouting, "I need a hand!! Help!"