Chapter 85: The Bloodline Continues

It was quiet as the information settled in. Stacy was especially focused. She didn’t know why but her heart twisted in pain. There was no personal feeling towards the two women mentioned. She had no memory of them, nor of the man sitting opposite her. She was just getting to know them, listening to the narration of the story she’s supposed to be a part of but had no recollection of any of them.

But the physical body is honest. It recognized the pain, the sorrow and the loathing, of what should have been and what actually happened. Chad reached out to hold her hand. “How are you feeling?”

“I don’t know, like a few knives are going straight for my heart,” her face remained expressionless and her tone didn’t reveal anything she mentioned.

Will stood up abruptly. “I think it’s enough. This is a bad idea to begin with.” He marched to the front of the room and held Stacy’s arm, tugging her up. “Let’s get out of here,” he looked at her confused expression and was even more determined to do what he was doing.

“What are you doing?” Chad stood up with the aura of an authoritative figure. His voice was calm and low as he met Will’s eyes. “Have you asked her if she wants to leave?” Will tugged Stacy nearer to him and placed himself in between her and Chad. “She doesn’t remember any of it. She doesn’t know the intensity of the whole situation. You are supposed to protect her. She walked into this because she didn’t know any of it. What about you? You knew all along, and yet, you let it happen. How could you say that you care for her?”

“Stop assuming when you took no part in it,” Chad’s words came out in a low growl.

Will was about to say something when Stacy pulled away from him and pushed her way in between the two men. “STOP!”

Her voice echoed in the room as it plunged into silence. “You!” She poked Will with her index finger. “Go back to your seat or get out,” she growled.

Will was immediately on his chair, not even a word escaping his mouth.

Chad had a smug smirk on his face as he watched Will running back to his seat with his tail between his legs. The smugness was short lived as Stacy glared at him.

Without a word, Chad sank back on his seat, looking like a scolded child.

Stacy looked around the room with a look so intense, nobody dared meet her eyes.

After making sure that nobody disagreed with her, she sat back on the chair. “Continue,” she commanded with a steady gaze directed at Hank.

“I went on a rampage, demanding to know what exactly happened to Lucy. People bowed to me in fear. The community was in chaos. There’s no more source of power from the three families. My parents died in the war and many of my relatives left. I was the only one left from my family. Mariana was the only one left of the Vale family. She seldom showed herself as the young lady of the Vale family so nobody knew of her origin. And from the Sterling family,” he looked over at Will.

An uneasy feeling settled in Will’s heart. “Gustav Alexander Sterling.”

He articulated every word, as if saying the name of the devil himself.

Will’s breath caught in his throat. He looked like he had just seen a ghost before shaking his head to collect himself. He had just convinced himself that it wasn’t the same man with the name Gus he knew.

Hank seemed to have read his mind. “Yes, William. Your father is a Sterling. You are the bloodline of the sophisticated Sterling family. They are famous for their inventions and skills that even the other two families tried to maintain a good relationship with them.” With a proud smile, he looked at Will and Stacy. “And both of you inherit the skills from your family.”

Will took another literal punch to his guts. His face paled almost instantly. “You’re lying,” he managed in his denial.

“That’s why you’re so good,” Stacy smiled his way. It was an innocent compliment but her approval somehow twisted the knife in his heart more.

“And that makes her, what, his cousin?” Chad couldn’t help the smile in his tone. Will looked like he wanted to punch Chad but couldn’t. “Yes, more like second cousins but a family, nonetheless,” Hank confirmed.

Zalen gave him a look of sympathy. Will shook his head. “You’re lying. You made this up, didn’t you?” The volume of his voice rose with his emotions.

“For what?” Hank gave him a level look. “What’s in it for me for making this whole story up?” His calmness only agitated Will more.

“You,” he spat, “I’ll never believe anything you say. Both of you are the same. Evil, heartless,” he was standing and pointing his finger at Hank.

“Both who?” Stacy turned to the side. Chad placed a hand on her arm to calm her down. “His father,” he whispered. “Oh.”

His remarks have no effect on Hank. The man continued sitting in his relaxed posture, not moving a muscle.

Will rushed forward at him. Zalen tried his best to hold him down but he was relentless. “The way both of you led the gang caused a lot of trouble to the people. People suffered under your years of leadership! Don’t you have a conscience? How could you sleep at night?” He was yelling as he tried to rush forward despite Zalen holding him back.

“I couldn’t,” Hank’s reply was simple. He was calm as he met Will’s eyes. “That’s the price I have to pay for everything that I have done.”

“Don’t think agreeing changes anything!” Will screamed. “What would you do about the families you destroyed in the process? Those who fell apart, those living in fear and the ones died fighting. Who would have mercy on them? What can you do to fix it? Even your own daughter! She’s your own flesh and blood. How could you..”

Stacy straightened at the mention of her.

“I can’t do anything to fix it. If I could, I won’t even suffer any of this,” Hank closed his eyes as if he was meditating.

“What about me?” Stacy suddenly asked. Hank opened his eyes, showing the despair he hid beneath the calmness. Will froze in his movement.

“What exactly happened to me?”