Chapter Text
The narrow yet exemplary hallway stationed by multiple servants stood motionless. They all ceased to continue with every errand and task they had been hired to do, as they straightened their posture, hands nervously hidden behind their backs in unison as if they were soldiers waiting for a commander to pass by.
Everyone held their breaths, knowing the only person who would come by the master’s office unexpectedly so early in the morning, that too at the beginning of the year. All of them wondered why he was up at such a time when he would usually wake up no later than the afternoon, never to be seen leaving his room. However, all of them had the same line of thought as to why this individual was out right now. It most likely had to do with something that happened online all over the world of social media.
The atmosphere was sullen, it didn’t help that the first week of January was still freezing cold. Although they were eerily quiet on the surface and looked like they were minding their own business, it was just the tip of an iceberg, as their minds could not leave the hot topic that had supposedly transpired a few weeks back, and had been the crazed talk ever since.
As they maintained their posture, thinking of the scandal that had raised quite the ruckus for a few days starting from Christmas Eve, and until now had not shown any signs of dying down. The servants could hear the subtle sound of heels clicking, sounding louder as it approached their direction.
Some of the experienced staff members, who had already become acquaintanced with this person’s demeanor, paid no qualms and created no fuss. Well, of course, they knew who the person walking was.
They could all see him wearing a simple white yet luxurious-looking long-sleeved shirt, dark brown leather shoes that were most definitely more expensive than all of their monthly salary combined, and of course, the dashing and impeccably striking red hair which would only belong from the only individual left that held such a trait in the household that they were working in.
Cale Henituse.
The first-born son of the wealthy Henituse household, known for its billion-dollar marble and wine company.
Such a person strode across their sight with ease, walking elegantly as if nothing like a scandal involving him as the main subject ever occurred. Each worker maintained their signature professional faces without a pique of interest flashing among themselves. Their heads were down the moment their young master walked past them.
However, they could hear a click of his tongue as he steadily approached the main entrance that led to the patriarch’s office, making all of them flinch simultaneously. The door opened and the sound of it lightly closing allowed them to finally breathe again.
The servants had always tried to avoid the eldest son, Cale. It was a fairly common occurrence.
They had never seen the boy smile in all of their time working for such an affluent household. They wouldn’t even dare look at him straight in the eye, scared of getting hit by bottles of alcohol.
All sorts of rumors have circulated around this young master of theirs, it had been circling for almost the longest time for the newcomers. However, he was not only known for being just a rich son.
Cale Henituse, infamous for being the ‘Trash of the Henituse Family’. It sounded like a satirical title to give someone as if it was framed to mimic the way nobles usually introduce themselves.
Their minds quickly darted on another fact, heaving a big sigh of relief, knowing that this trash of a young master will finally be out of their hands.
That’s because just like any normal kid, even if you’re a child of one of the wealthiest families in all of the western region of Kroea, he was at that age already.
He was at that age to go to college soon.
The room was filled with classic antiques and expensive trinkets. A semi-dark walnut wooden bookcase lined the entire left side of the wall of the interior. A leather sofa with a grey fur rug over the back and an Indian blanket draped over both arms of the seat in the center. The far wall had a large fireplace and a mantle dominating the center, with bookshelves lining it on either side.
Cale was used to seeing such an insanely expensive room, however, it was his first time seeing the fireplace. ‘Did he renovate his office recently? Why did he add a fireplace?’ He continued to ponder on the conundrum before brushing off the thought.
He walked around the central furniture, taking a quick glance at the antique clock on the mantle. ‘It’s already 8, I should check my email once I’m finished here.’
As he stepped closer towards the center, Cale could see a dark-brown oak corner desk with metal legs, a high-back leather chair, and a laser and inkjet printer on the side table on the opposite wall. A Macintosh word processor sat on a corner of the cabinet table that was hooked to the laser printer on a small end table beside it.
Cale could also spot a mini shelf at the left corner that was filled with a jazz collection from the 1900’s which was also collecting lots of dust. Hanging on the wall above it was an abstract painting of multiple jazz musicians. The man he was going to meet had peculiar taste in music, but Cale never really tried to question it. After all, he couldn’t really say what was normal to like and what isn’t.
Silence filled the room the moment Cale paused right in front of the table. It was a large oak piece — rather imposing, with glass over the top. The only sound which dominated the area was the white noise of the ceiling fan that would most probably be replaced soon.
Cale could finally see the captain-style black leather seat turn back to face him. He could see a dandy looking middle-aged man with brown hair and a clean-cut beard on his chin. Before he could greet the person who looked at him from his seat, the older man was quicker.
“Good morning Cale. How was breakfast?” The man spoke in a low baritone voice.
“Breakfast was fine as usual, father. Beacrox makes excellent food.” Cale answered the man, his father, who always had a habit of starting off with the typical small-talk before they would mention the more important matters. Not like he cared.
“Is that so? Ron and Beacrox must have been serving you well then.”
“Yes, they are capable servants.”
“I should give them a raise...” The older one murmured before he heard a beeping sound from his monitor.
Beep beep beep
Cale could see him pulling out a remote from under his desk and pointing at the fireplace on his side which didn’t really surprise him. Naturally, a wealthy family like them would obviously own expensive techs like these. Cale found the warm temperature soothing even amidst the coldest month of the year.
‘Ho?’ Cale gasped internally. ‘A modern heater... Should I get one for myself as well?’
‘I even renovated the room to build a fireplace so he wouldn’t get cold visiting my office… It’s only at times like these where he visits at his own volition that it’s useful.’ The middle-aged man thought as his hands were placed together on his desk.
Cale watched his father, Deruth Henituse, speak to him in a gentle manner, however, he knew that this man, who was one of the richest business tycoons of the western region, was already aware of the reason for his visit.
‘No, never mind that. There was no need to do that anymore.’ Cale thought before his eyes changed to that of a serious gaze.
“Father,” Cale didn’t want to beat around the bush anymore so he said straightforwardly, “I was serious when I said I do not want to take hold of the business.”
Deruth’s eyes clouded over for a second, even so, just as Cale thought, he already knew what this discussion would be about.
The first-born son of any wealthy company was deemed to be the heir of their family's businesses, and Cale was no exception. However, he announced that he would step down his right and pushed it to his step-brother, Basen, as he said that he was a much better fit for the job.
Gossip would naturally revolve around him after such a sudden proclamation of the withdrawal to his rights as the heir. A juicy topic like this, which had also taken place at the last year’s annual Henituse banquet during Christmas eve had caused quite the commotion which has spread all across the region. That was why Deruth Henituse, his father and the CEO of Henituse Corp, paid a whole sum of money to keep the news from spreading and escalating even further.
However, that was still hard to do when the media was involved in the mix.
Nobody knew the real reason for such an impulsive declaration to transpire. Not even Deruth. However, he did not want to pose as an obstruction to stand in between what his son wanted. Deruth even thought about wanting to buy the media company involved and make them bankrupt for all that matters.
"Cale, are you sure about your decision?" Deruth looked at him in concern but met the same eyes that were clear as dawn.
Deruth flinched the moment he saw Cale’s confident and strong gaze, He already knew the answer but had asked anyway. It reminded him of his first wife.
"Yes, father."
It had been a long time since Deruth saw his son smile genuinely like that. It had been so long that his heart could only squeeze at such a sight. His smile perfectly mirrored that of his first wife, especially their hair colors.
He knew he wasn’t the best father for him, despite the promises he had made to his wife saying he was always going to be for Cale. Still, at the very least he wanted to try to care and talk to him again.
“I already paid the press to keep their mouths shut and ordered someone to take down those blasted articles." His eyes turned cold as he recalled the numerous articles that badmouthed Cale he found on the internet before he spoke again, "So why don't you think about this more thoroughly? Hmm?” Deruth pleaded and paused for a moment before looking at his son.
Cale’s eyes were filled with a red brownish hazel touch, so similar to the eyes of the person Deruth still yearns to see until now. He still sees his late wife every time he looks at the same red strands of hair from his son.
No matter how many years have passed, he still wasn’t able to forget that night when he suddenly received a call from his office where he had a meeting with the other board members.
Drew, his wife, who went back home to the mansion after delivering a surprise-packed dinner to Deruth’s office was found in a car accident. Immediately, as if time had ultimately stopped for him, he didn’t care anymore about the business deal that he was supposed to attain to get him 20% of the shares.
He ordered the driver to drive fast towards the hospital, navigating through traffic in the pouring rain was not helping him one bit.
Deruth was frantic that night inside his expensive car because it was not only Drew who was inside the vehicle they were riding on.
‘Cale!’
There were two passengers riding in their family car. His wife and their only son Cale who was only 8 years old at that time.
Once he arrived in the hospital and into the emergency room, he could only see a white sheet covering two of the people. Sweat, droplets of rain, and his tears made him look like a drenched chipmunk. But he doesn’t care about his appearance at all.
There were three people who died that day.
One was the driver of their family car. His family was already weeping on the side as they kept calling onto his name, however, there was no more response.
The other two were an adult and a child.
His heart sank the moment he walked closer to the bed that was covered with the white sheet. He hoped and prayed that it would be the other driver of the truck that he heard from the nurses. He didn’t want to go near it, too afraid of the reality he didn’t want to be real. He convinced himself that this was all just a dream.
No— a nightmare.
He wanted to wake up at that moment.
His hands were vigorously shaking, eyes completely watered and eyes were pure brown at the center and bloodshot all over. He couldn’t believe the sight of his wife, lying, cold and dead on the hospital bed.
Deruth wailed. He wanted to scream but the saliva made him croak and he had a hard time breathing. He looked utterly miserable as he was now the same as the family of their driver.
Kneeling down with their entire body giving out.
Slamming the bed for some sort of miracle.
Crying as if their whole entire world has ended.
Chanting the names of their beloved that had already left this world in a flash.
Deruth was just with her, in the office smiling, and stole a kiss without anybody looking except for their son—
His son.
‘Cale!’
He jolted and tried to stand up, his knees were weak and his mind was all over the place. He couldn’t handle another loss. But based on the stature of the small individual, also covered in white, it was the size of a boy.
‘N-no… no.. NO!’
Deruth looked like a mad man. It was as if he was pierced by ten thousand arrows. His whole body trembled as he continued to silently cry as his voice wasn’t able to call out anymore.
His eyes were seen with dark pools of fear. He clenched his fists until his fingernails dug painfully into his palms. Heaviness, a cloud of anxiety and weariness, seemed to draw all of Deruth’s features downward. He could feel the weight of his step as he walked closer to the bed.
He finally gained the courage to move the sheet. He was hesitant, but he still did it anyway.
His eyes shook.
The first thing he saw was a different hair color.
‘He’s not Cale…’ His eyes clouded again as the realization seeped in and shifted instantly as he tried to find a doctor.
But to his surprise, the nurse behind him had been trying to call him for the past minutes.
“Sir, are you the father of a boy with red hair?” She asked.
Deruth, who was so out of himself, grabbed the lady’s shoulders and frantically asked, “Where’s my son?! I-Is he here? Is he alive?!” His breath came in ragged gasps.
“Sir, please calm down, your son is in that other partition over the—” But before the nurse could finish her sentence, she was pushed away by the man who ran in the direction that she pointed.
Deruth, who was completely out of breath, could see him. His son, was the only remnant left by him and Drew.
His face looked towards the doctor beside him who nodded, it was the answer he gave based on Deruth’s miserable expression. “He’s currently unconscious but he managed to survive the impact.” The doctor explained before he added another thing, “He was protected by his mother from the collision.”
The moment Deruth heard that, he kneeled on the floor once again. Losing the strength of his legs made him flop to the ground so harshly, yet he didn’t mind the pain any longer.
“Cale... Y-You…. You’re still..hic...hic… Cale..” He spoke in a hoarse whisper. Deruth couldn’t stop the emotions that pricked his heart. Anger, sadness, relief, fear. He saw his only child, on the bed with his eyes closed shut, seemingly never to open again.
Deruth crept closer and tried to reach his trembling hand to the small ones. The warmth reassured him that he really was there.
His son didn’t die.
His son survived.
His son was still alive.
It took three days for Cale to wake up and about a week for Cale to get discharged from the hospital, but something about him changed. Deruth couldn’t put a finger to what it was but just blamed it on the accident that made him that way.
The whole week felt like a year for Deruth as he processed the funeral, the expenses to the family involved with the accident, all while looking after his 8 year old son.
The drunkard driver was caught and was immediately placed behind bars. But that never satisfied him, for the love of his life and the mother of his only son left the world before Cale even got to go to school, be in college, get married, and have kids.
The driver took away his most precious person and almost took away their child. He would never forgive that man. The bastard didn’t even feel any remorse when he was told that the child that he was with had died.
He was unforgivable, and Deruth will do any means possible to keep him in prison.
He wanted to kill him at one point. But he didn’t want to give him an easy death. He needed to atone for his sins.
On the day of the funeral, he wondered what he was going to do now, feeling the hopelessness come seething deep within his heart, for the loss was quite heavier than he imagined.
He stared at the coffin where his wife was laying down on a bed of red roses, still so beautiful even as death welcomed her with open arms. It was as if she’s sleeping, and any minute now, she might as well jump and surprise him by saying, “Did you cry? Did I finally get you!?”
He loved the color red because it reminded him of her because it was her color. But he also hated red, because when she left, the pain he felt was as if he was drowning forever, suffocated…
It was maddening.
If he could, he would erase that bloody color from the face of the earth. But he couldn't, for there was still that one little red that she left behind for him.
Their red.
Their little Cale.
The last remaining source of happiness and the last sole reason for him to continue moving forward.
But still, grief was inevitable no matter how hard he wanted to man up.
All sorts of thoughts accumulated in his mind. He then felt a warm touch on his side, which immediately snapped him back from his deep thoughts of agony. He turned around and saw Cale, clutching to the hems of the onyx colored black suit he wore as they were still at the funeral.
Deruth finally noticed his surroundings the moment he felt his son’s warmth.
Eyes were dreadfully locked towards the two of them.
It was as if they were being monitored by the public, even if the funeral was but a private one with only his close relatives and friends invited.
But still, that doesn’t change the fact that his household was wealthy enough for the masses to dwell on the sudden accident for days.
If he didn’t manage to keep the news of his wife’s death as discreet as possible then things would be hard for Cale once he started going to school.
That was why Deruth tried to get his act together.
No, he has to.
He was worried that Cale wouldn't be able to understand what was happening. He was only a young child, who no longer had someone who he could call 'mom'.
He focused on his son's eyes to see if there were any signs of tears, yet unexpectedly he only saw clear brown eyes and his reflection.
He looked so calm but that calmness made his heart hurt so badly.
It was a calm face that he hated, he wished his son would cry instead, he wished his son acted selfishly like a kid he was.
He didn’t need to put on this act and be all strong. There was no need for that at all.
Deruth crouched down and opened his arms hinting for permission to hug his feeble-looking son. He wanted to tell him in a whisper that he was allowed to cry. That it was alright to be a selfish 8 year old boy.
Cale stepped closer, seemingly hesitant, for a moment. He stared brazenly into his father’s eyes and a second later, he pulled Deruth into a hug as caressed his back carefully as if to console him and not himself.
"It's going to be okay." The boy whispered in his ears instead.
Deruth's eyes clouded, and returned with a tight grip, ignoring the whispers and sheer judgment of his relatives surrounding the both of them.
The shared warmth he had with this little boy made him feel as if Drew was there, looking over the both of them somewhere right now.
He closed his eyes as it stared sightlessly into the darkness from his eyelids being shut. The sound of the vicinity gradually became silent in his own state, as if the whole week of trying to be strong enough for Cale suddenly vanquished out of existence.
The walls he managed to build came crashing down and his sense of hearing vanished for a moment. He couldn’t hear the whispers any longer, he couldn’t smell the scent of rain and the smoke of the incense roaming around the dim room, he couldn’t even taste his meals for the past few days.
However, the only thing that was left was his sense of touch.
Plop plop
Tears fell towards Cale's left shoulder but he didn't squirm away from discomfort. He stood still as he comforted him despite being only eight years of age.
"—Father. There is no need for that."
Deruth came back to his senses. He gazed at the little boy— no, the 8 year old boy that he knew was already gone. He gazed at the fine young man that his son had become, who had just turned 18 last year and will be turning a year older in a couple of months from now.
He held back a sigh.
He turned to the side and glanced towards the family portrait hanging on the wall. There were now a total of 5 people in the family.
Compared to before, there was more.
A lot of things could happen in a span of 10 years.
As Deruth leaned forward from his leather chair, he straightened the items on his desk. He made sure that everything was square and properly lined altogether. There wasn’t much on it. All Cale could see was a black phone that was set up to only receive business-related calls from the other branches of the company, a legal-sized lined yellow pad paper, a sleek Montblanc fountain pen with a golden ring as the only simple design, and a melbourne obsidian frame with a picture of his family right beside a rubix cube that probably would never be solved by his father.
Cale was naturally in the picture, however, he knew that it looked a bit disoriented, with him being the one to ruin a perfectly happy photo of a loving family. He thought that there wasn’t any need for him to be included.
Of course, his step family and father never really told him off or said something bad right in front of his face, even so, Cale knew that it would be better off without him in the mansion. He doesn’t really mind, in fact, he likes it that way.
To be clear, Cale got along pretty well with his step-family. However, for some reason, a part of him wanted to place some distance from them. He didn’t know why.
Knock knock
Both of their ears perked from the sudden knock on the door.
The wooden oak creaked from behind and Cale could see a teen with light brown hair that was similar to his father peeking out.
"Father, may I come in?" Even without waiting for a response, the 15-year-old Basen had hurriedly gone inside the room.
"Basen, I told you to wait after I'm done talking with Cale." Deruth sighed, he knew how much Basen cared for Cale. But as a father, he can’t deny both of them the things they wanted.
"Hyung-nim." Basen paid no attention to his father who was speaking to him as he strode along the office, avoiding the furniture by walking around it.
He had a feeling that Cale was going to discuss what he proclaimed during the Christmas banquet with their father. But he had a lot of questions he needed to know why his older brother, whom he hasn’t really conversed with all throughout the years, said that.
Basen focused his vision on the red-haired man and attempted to tell him his thoughts. But before he could do that, his brother was much faster.
"Basen, I leave the company in your hands. I know you'll do well, me, father and everyone in the family knows that you can make this business prosper." Cale said, voice full of conviction.
Basen clenched his hand before letting it loose as if being defeated. "Hyung-nim, I don't deserve to take what's meant to be yours! Why must it be me who doesn't even have the same blood as father?"
"Basen Henituse.”
The younger one flinched at the cool tone of his brother. Deruth just remained silent at his two son’s exchange of words.
“That is your name, is it not?" Cale asked in a serious manner, ending it with a sigh. He could not believe what his brother was saying about himself.
"Yes, it is but—"
"If it's you, you can do it. You're a Henituse after all." Cale smiled as he looked towards the boy who gave a complicated expression then to his father who had the same look as well. "Father, I wish to make Basen the heir. I am also planning on moving out—"
The two of them jolted the moment he heard him say his sentence.
Basen exclaimed in a loud voice, "Hyung-nim you can't leave us!"
'Cale, do you hate living with us that much?' Deruth could not bring forth the words that were lumped in his throat.
He thought about it, but he figured that someday Cale would want to leave the family. He had sensed that Cale placed a bit of distance over the few years. Hence, it was inevitable. Still, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t feel bothered about it.
He felt guilty to his firstborn, who was only 10 years old when he introduced Violan and Basen as his new mother and younger brother at such a young age.
He expected Cale to throw a tantrum or maybe even shout in disapproval, for thinking that he was trying to replace his mother but he didn't.
He never did.
And that made him feel even more ashamed for being the weak father that he is.
"I only want to be closer to the university, and I had been interested in living alone independently for quite some time now. I hope you will approve of this Father. This is the only thing I will be asking." Cale gave a serious look, showing no hesitation. He said what he needed to say, in hopes that it would be approved.
"Okay." Deruth said without batting an eye.
"Father!" Basen, however, was shocked to hear his father agreeing so easily.
"But you have to at least visit us during holidays and special occasions. Furthermore, we will help you with moving out and looking for an apartment to stay in. Don't worry about the necessities, I got it covered so you don't have to do a thing."
"Yes, thank you, father." Cale bowed to Deruth and then glanced at Basen. "Basen, I will come and visit the mansion soon, so don't worry. Take care of your sister and mother for me."
Basen couldn’t do anything about it anymore because of the expression on Cale’s face. He looked as if he really wanted this. He shouldn’t try to meddle in his happiness even if it was going far away from the family.
The only regret that he held was that he should’ve tried harder to mingle with Cale.
"Okay, Hyung-nim..." He replied in a quiet tone.
They both watched him leave the room with complicated eyes. Cale’s back turned against them gave them a bitter feeling.
Both of them had different thoughts on how Cale’s back looked like. The other saw that it was big and that it looked like he had a lot of responsibilities weighing on his shoulders. The other found it small, he wanted to protect them from ever being hurt ever again.
---
Cale let out a happy hum as he arrived back at his room. His eyes wandered through his expensive and high ceilinged bedroom.
Velvet drapes framed the windows, the lace inner curtains remained drawn, allowing daylight to enter while rendering the heart-stopping view over the forest from the other area. Polished wood floors with the center covered with a persian rug covered a high quality made carpet. Beautiful carvings adorned the ceiling with expensive patterns of the fabric-back vinyl that decorated the walls. Furniture that was expensive enough that it could buy two condo units and there still would be change.
Cale was going to miss his room, but he could always visit from time to time. He just wanted peace and some alone time and he needed to get ready for college.
He had been preparing for this moment for a while now. He already finished general admissions a little over a month ago. The academic year in Kroea begins during March and ends in the middle of July. He still has a few months before he goes to his university and move his things out of the mansion.
'It's great that I don't need to do anything anymore~ At least I can settle down in peace.' He pleasantly thought in his mind as he comfortably laid on his bed, both hands behind his head with his long legs crossed together.
Suddenly, there was a subtle knock on the door but it was loud enough for him to hear. An old man's voice was heard from the opposite side. "Young master-nim may I come in?"
Cale immediately sat straight up as he placed both his feet on the floor. "Sure."
The door opened with a slight creaking noise and a tray, with the sweet scent of cookies and the sour aroma of lemon tea hovering over it, could be seen from the hands of the old man, perfectly balancing it with only his one hand.
"Young master-nim, this old man has brought you my son's cookies and your favorite lemon tea,” The butler said with a benign smile.
Seeing him smile like that sent shivers down Cale's spine as he looked towards this seemingly harmless yet vicious old man. 'Favorite lemon tea my ass.'
Cale clicked his tongue before gulping down the wretched lemon tea his butler gave him every morning. 'At least when I'm gone I won't get to drink this anymore. I guess I'd still miss it, and Beacrox's cookies too.' He nonchalantly thought.
However, as if the old man could read his mind, he answered in a way that made Cale flinch for a moment.
"Don't worry Young master-nim. I will pack you the ingredients to make the lemon tea you love so much including Beacrox's chocolate chips. Hohoho."
'Dammit, this old man.' Cale held back a frown from forming his face and remained calm.
"Young master-nim..." The butler said as he took back the teacup from Cale since he was finished drinking it in one gulp.
"What." Cale tries to hide the annoyance as he responds with an expressionless face.
"Would you like me to find you an apartment to your liking?" The older man asked.
Cale smirked and said, "There's no need for that Ron. I can manage. Besides, I think I already found one that I like. I already sent an email to the landlord and will probably get a reply in a few days."
"As you wish Young Master-nim, then I shall be on my way." Ron bowed his head and then left the room.
Finally, Cale felt like he could breathe again. He lazily stood up. He stretched his arms and rotated one of the sides of his shoulder. He went to his desk table on the far side of his bedroom, right next to dark pine bookshelves filled with numerous books of novels ranging from different genres.
He opened his mac laptop and checked his emails to see if there were any responses.
"A lot of people have filled out this year's online rental application again. Feeling smug at how popular you are now?" A woman, almost in her 30's was looking at the blonde man across the office room as she stacked the papers she was holding all together. She took the coffee that was right next to the white printer on the side.
"Aunt Tasha, it's still early in the morning and you're already nagging about how good-looking your nephew is. It can't be helped that I'm so handsome." the young man shrugged his shoulders, sarcastically gave a reply without even looking at her.
Tasha scoffed after hearing his only nephew's narcissistic response as she went nearer, not making a sound.
"Besides, weren't I always popular- Ow!" Alberu felt big stacks of documents hit the back of his head.
"Now now, dear nephew, you still have too much to do, so instead of using your mouth why not move your hands." Tasha gave a piercing gaze back to the handsome lad who was surrounded by mountains of stacked paper that she wished he'd thrown away.
"I get it, Aunt Tasha, don't worry, I'll get this done soon… but did you really have to hit me?" Alberu finally made eye contact with her pupils that were dark as a black jade.
"Yes, I did.” Tasha placed the paper in her hands right next to the pile of brown envelopes on his desk. “You better, you should eat dinner once you're finished. Since I need to head over to Shawn's place again so I won’t know if you're eating properly or not."
"You visit his place a lot these days." Alberu grins. "Is there something you're not telling me, Aunt Tasha? Hmm? When are you finally going to start dating?" He took a mischievous glance at the side, making Tasha’s brow twitched.
"Before you ask questions about someone else's love life, you should think about yours, Alberu." Tasha ignores the annoying grin radiating from her nephew's face. "Anyways, there were some interesting applicants this year. You can choose who'll get in based on their profiles from the list I sent you via email. But I also gave you the envelope for the last batch."
"Alright, I got it. You can leave now. Be careful on your way out. Say hi to your beloved Shawn for me~" Alberu chuckled as he saw Tasha looking at him with a disgruntled stare.
"Ungrateful kid, just wait till the day you'll get yourself a partner of your own, hmp." Tasha closed the door, and it didn't take much time for the room to go back into silence again.
Alberu scoffs internally at the thought of him getting a partner. He was already busy as is. He had no time for that when his position as the heir of the Crossman Household had been shaky ever since he lost favor from his father. Now he would have to compete against his step-family, who would do anything to get him out of the picture.
The sounds of typing echoed in his private office. It took Alberu a few minutes before he checked the time on the grey wall.
The hand on the clock had passed 10 which made him realize that he had forgotten to eat dinner.
'Well, Tasha wouldn't be able to know about it anyways.' Alberu sighs while thinking that he would need to stay up late again. 'Ah, I still need to check the list of applicants.'
"Haaaaaah.." Alberu scrunched his nose and touched his temples as he needs to do additional work tonight. He took the envelope with the text, ‘12 batch of applicants’ skimming through each profile one by one.
'Tasha said there were interesting applicants, but they don't seem much—'
"...Cale Henituse?"
Alberu mumbles the name that had been the hot topic of every article on the web these past few days. Alberu would know about this famous young master from a wealthy company. He used his network to know about all the children of high-ranking politicians to grandchildren from powerful tycoons to sons and daughters and relatives of prominent clans all over Kroea with sturdy backings.
He had to know the power players to use them later on.
'Cale Henituse, 18 yrs old, hmmm okay... his application form was well written. No pets, birthday...November 8..' His eyes ran through the details and skipped some other parts. "Looks pretty normal."
"...."
'No.' Alberu paused right after while he shook his head, "This bastard's not normal."
Alberu Crossman, being the meticulous guy that he is, had read through the articles in his spare time.
It wasn’t that hard not to know because the news about it was found everywhere. Although it did suddenly die down, he deduced that the Henituse family had something to do with the flow of the media, because it took one to know one. He would’ve done the same if that had happened to him. It wasn’t all that difficult if you’re part of an affluent family.
Alberu was surprised at what this crazy bastard announced. He found it amusing that he stepped down his rights as the heir and gave it away to his step-brother. They were both oddly similar yet different at the same time, or so he thought.
They had so much in common after all.
'We're both the eldest from distinguished households who held titles as the heirs...and we both have step-families-' Alberu stared at the picture of the red-haired man at the cover of the article.
"But the only difference between you and me, is that this guy declined a better future that was already set in front of him, only to give that opportunity to his step-brother.” He found it ludicrous because it was something he would never do.
Alberu has always been a careful person. Ever since he lost the favor from his father— ever since he lost his mother, he did everything he could to make no mistakes so that he can survive the dirty and brutal fight for power. With nobody supporting him from behind, he had nothing, so to make up for his worth, he had to work extra hard to not be trampled on and looked down upon by his stepmother and half-brothers.
Alberu mumbles, "I guess we both lost our moms at a young age too huh.." before turning away from the paper he was holding.
He turned and closed his laptop with no movement wasted. He felt the need to rest while thinking about all the important errands that he needs to do when he headed over to the campus in a few days.
'But still… Cale Henituse, was it? What an interesting bastard.'
Without realizing this, Alberu was smiling as he chuckled, thinking that it could've been more than just a coincidence. But he paid no attention to it any longer. He needs to take a break even if it was just for a few minutes.
Three days later, in the early morning Cale squirmed from his sheets and grumbled. His eyes still haven't adjusted yet as the harsh morning light befallen to his face. He wondered how the curtains were opened.
'Yaaaaaaaaawn' He opened his eyes, feeling a shadow cast before him as he did a big yawn.
Cale jolted at the sight of the old butler's benign smile whose presence he didn't notice, was now in front of his bed bringing over the laptop that he left on the desk last night.
"Young master-nim, On and Hong heard a notification ping when they tried to wake you up a while ago but you wouldn’t wake up.”
Cale suddenly thought that the kids were probably the ones who left the curtain open as it was a habit they would usually do to try and wake him up. It works, but some days he was just used to it.
Ron continued, “I brought it over to you as quickly as I could after they told me about it. You were still sleeping even with the windows open so I just waited until you woke up." Ron's sly smile made Cale's stomach churn, secretly wondering just what kind of old man can casually give him chills.
As a person who has nothing to fear or lose, even he can’t handle Ron’s services.
"Mm, give it here, Ron. And bring breakfast in my room." He said while hiding his intentions. 'Yes leave quickly, you scary old man.' Cale just wanted him out. He sat straight up as he waved his hand in a lazy manner, shooing away his butler.
Ron politely bowed after handing him his laptop that was already open. Cale could see the notification bar on the side of his window. He smiled and spoke just before Ron headed outside his door frame, "I passed the application process."
Ron turned his head at the sound of his voice.
"I'll be heading there to sign the lease in three weeks. Ron, make sure to pack everything I need."
"This old Ron will do as you command, young master-nim."