Chapter 8 Brother’s Betrayal
LUCIAN
Flashback to the previous day
I walked out of the airport and inhaled a lot of fresh air. After spending five years outside the country, I was finally back home—not because I wanted to come back, but because my grandmother had been on my neck. She threatened to give the company away if I didn’t come back to take charge. She knew better than anyone how much I’d been avoiding leading a lot of people, yet she wouldn’t let me be.
A few days ago, I realized I couldn’t postpone things anymore. She sounded serious with her threat. I had no choice but to pack my bags and return to the country.
“The bags are in the trunk, sir,” the chauffeur who was sent to pick me up announced after closing the trunk.
“Okay. Take me to my apartment first,” I mumbled, hopping into the front seat of the car.
“But the chairwoman asked me to bring you to the old house.”
“Take me to my apartment first,” I insisted. “Leave Grandmother to me. I will handle her myself.” I brought out my phone and started fiddling with it. This was my way of telling him I didn’t want to hear another excuse. I knew he worked for Grandmother, but he couldn’t afford to offend me either.
He turned the key in the ignition. However, before he could step on the accelerator, a thump landed on the windscreen. When I tilted my head in that direction, it revealed my cousin, Martins. He was my aunt’s son, but unfortunately, my aunt’s father was different from my father’s. They were only bonded by maternal blood.
I slid the window down, and he pushed his head forward.
“Welcome back, Lucian. I tried my best to get here earlier than Mr. Joe so I could pick you up. It seems my effort wasn’t enough.” The sound of his heavy breathing mixed with the engine’s. He must have been rushing to get here on time. That warmed my heart. Martins and I were extremely close before I left the country five years ago. We still tried to keep in touch a year after I left, but the communication and relationship gradually diminished after that. Still, he had always been in my heart.
It warmed my heart to know that he hadn’t forgotten me, as I had assumed.
“We can still work around things, Martins,” I said and diverted my attention to the chauffeur. “Send my bags to my apartment and have the workers take them to the bedroom. Tell Grandmother I will visit her after catching up with Martins.” Before he could respond, I opened the door and alighted.
“You’re going with me?” Martins asked.
I was surprised by his humility. We were basically family. Why was he acting like he was inferior to me?
Chuckling, I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Don’t act like I’m a stranger. Let’s go. I need to catch up with you, Martins.”
A smile formed on his lips, and he nodded. “Let’s go, Lucian,” he said and rushed toward his car parked behind ours. We hopped in, and he started the engine. “I didn’t think you would still remember the relationship between us.”
I laughed. “Don’t be a fool, brother. It’s normal for communication to decrease after many years,” I said. “I’m back now, and you have to fill me in on everything I’ve missed. How are Aunty and Uncle?”
•
We kept jumping from one topic to another until the car stopped. When I got out, I realized we were in a different place. It was a bar. It seemed like a high-class bar—like a place where only royalty and high-level citizens frequented.
He patted my shoulder. “You have a lot to catch up on, and this bar is one of them,” he said.
“You will never cease to amaze me. I thought you stopped drinking,” I mumbled as we walked into the bar.
“I thought I could live without it, but I failed. Trust me, Lucian. Alcohol has the best feeling you can ever imagine,” he praised, earning a giggle from me. When we were in our twenties, Martins made a horrible mistake after drinking heavily at a club. He went home that day and told his father he was a bastard and that his mother had him for a different man. Hell was let loose that day. In fact, his parents’ marriage almost ended if not for the intervention of his grandmother. A DNA test was performed the next day, and everyone realized it was just drunken talk.
He faced a lot of criticism and punishment from his parents and grandmother. Even after a year, his mother still taunted him with the incident. Ever since then, he vowed never to perceive alcohol as anything more than just a taste. Who would have thought my dearest cousin would return to it years later? I guess he hadn’t learned his lesson.
“Have a seat, please,” he said and settled opposite me. When he snapped his fingers, two waiters appeared, took our orders, and left. “So, how have you been? I heard about what happened to your father’s company. How is he coping?”
The waiters returned and placed our orders on the table.
“He is planning to take a loan from City Bank. I hope he will be able to settle things this time so business can resume properly.” Martins poured the already opened wine into the glasses and passed one to me. He took a sip. “It’s so draining, man. Owning a company comes with a whole lot of responsibility.”
I smiled and nodded. I didn’t know the details of what happened to his father, but I heard his company was on the verge of bankruptcy because he invested in a failed project. Martin’s father had been trying to balance things for a year now, but it didn’t seem easy. It must have taken a toll on Martins.
“Let me know if there’s any way our company can help.” I took a sip of the alcohol and realized it tasted better than I thought, so I took more. “Tell Uncle I would like to have a discussion with him soon. Let’s see if we can work together to make things better.”
He didn’t say anything. He only nodded.
Silence overwhelmed the atmosphere between us afterward. The soft music playing in the background was the only thing between us.
A few minutes later, I started feeling heavy and extremely relaxed. The urge to sprawl on the floor and sleep surged within me. I expected it. After spending hours on the plane, I detoured to a bar instead of going home to rest. It would have been strange if it hadn’t affected me.
“I’ll leave here soon, Martins. I’m fucking tired as we speak,” I told him, taking another sip. As though something was waiting for me to say that, a weird but enjoyable sensation trailed through my veins at the same time. If I hadn’t held back, I would have moaned loudly.
“Leave? Do you plan on leaving here today? You don’t need to, Lucian. I already prepared a VIP suite for you. Everything you need to spend the night is there,” he said with a smile. “I can take you to the room now if you want.”
Every word and action kept surprising me. He had really changed, and it gladdened me because it was a positive change. He was considerate enough to prepare a room for me. I wasn’t even this attentive to myself.
I chuckled. “Thank you, Martins.” At that point, my eyes were starting to close, and my body felt hot. I could feel my member jerking and struggling against my pants. I didn’t know if my body was responding to the wine or something else. Just as I stood up, my eyes rolled, and I stumbled into the table, sending the drinks over Martin’s lap.
“Oh my God! Martins!” I blurted out, shocked by my actions. I would be lying if I said I understood what was happening. I knew I was getting lost somewhere, yet I didn’t know how to find myself. “Let’s go clean up in the bathroom. You reek of alcohol,” I mumbled, standing properly.
Cold rushed over me and coursed down my spine. Every sensitive part of me was covered in goosebumps. Gosh!
“No worries. Wait here while I clean up,” he said and walked away.
As soon as he left, I decided to wash my face. I assumed I was just intoxicated and would feel better if I splashed some cold water on my face.
As I turned toward the bathroom, I heard Martin’s voice.
“Where are the girls and the reporters? Don’t tell me to calm down. I will not forgive you if you allow my plans to fail.” He paused for a few seconds, probably listening to the person on the other end of the call. “I’m bringing him to the room now. Hell will be let loose if you can’t provide the girls and reporters in five minutes,” he growled.