Chapter 64 (2)

In the middle of the night, where two known men stared each other with shocks covering their faces when the old man bowed first in respect and also for sake of a higher rank of the amount of money that Marquis contained whereas on the either side, Marquis simply felt so embarrassed and ashamed of his own self as he doesn't made his eyes met the orbs of the aged man who stood in front of him as after tasting the essence of goodness, the guilt of misbehaving with his father's personal lawyer earlier, when he asked him about his own father's property papers, was eating him out alive when he was fighting with the bad guy inside his own skin.

“You know each other?” James repeated his question when his eyes jumped from Derick to Marquis and the other young male simply yet silently nodded.

“He's my father's personal property lawyer.” With his head still low that Marquis replied to James while speaking politely and feeling ashamed at the same time.

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Lunard.” The old man simply smiled.

“I'm really sorry for my behavior earlier.” After turning his face to the sideways, Marquis felt so embarrassed when just for minute seconds that his eyes met Derick's. “Please.” He was begging for his own forgiveness from every person when he nervously rubbed his arm and Derick captured his injured hand wrapped with a bandage.

“What?? Mr. Lunard?” Derick got perplexed towards his words when he couldn't simply process about what thing that took over the man at the moment, when he was supposed to be so accusing towards almost everyone. “Pardon?”

“I had my punishment for...” Marquis took few steps towards Derick when he gulped before speaking further ahead as he claimed his mistake when his face nor his sight lifted at the same time. “..for every bad deed that I did. For every harsh word that I've said to everyone and I'm ready to apologize every single person whom I made suffer.”

With a proud smile creping upon his face that the old man just hugged Marquis right there while taking him off-guard, when with his both hands hovering in the air that Marquis's eyes widened while being in utter shock.

“If you're honest with this change inside yourself? Believe me son, everything will be alright and you just don't have to worry about anything.” Like a proud father who would appreciate his son, the old man cupped Marquis's face when he felt so touched from every word that the young male delivered just moments ago as they sounded so true. The aged man held his young baby face between his wrinkled palms when he explained further ahead. “But remember. If you won't stay true to this change inside yourself? Then, no one will help you. There's only your own self that destroys you, but there's also your own self that holds you.”

“Thank you.” Marquis held his wrists when he smiled back but sadly lowered his sight afterwards. “But I don't want to live anymore. I don't have any meaning remained to live on.”

“Son, we all have a meaning. There's always a reason that keeps you alive and for that particular reason? Your heart forces itself to pump the blood. You are still breathing up till now, just because that mere reason out there is still chasing your heart.”

Marquis was speechless towards the words that he just said when it was true or else up till now, he still had his gun with himself from all this time and he could shoot himself by now but he was still living because of her. The only reason that was chasing his heart as he could not stop thinking about her no matter how much that he tried.

“Now, gentlemen?” The old man's chuckle got the attention of both of the young males. “I'm not being rude but in this age, I can't work this late.” Derick simply declared when he sat upon the couch and later interacted with the other guy. “Do you perhaps have a fax machine, James? I'll tell my assistant. She's such a power worker and she'll get the papers ready in few hours, properly. Also, she's habitual of working late because of being an efficient worker of The Elite Co-operations.”

“Aa! Yes, Mr. Derick! I've got one. Let me get it ready!” James hurried up and went to set up the machine.

“Now, son. Get me the papers and I'll check them.” Derick acknowledged Marquis when he nicely spoke with him and after a nod, Marquis took the papers and gave the piles of files to the lawyer as later that he rushed towards James when the old man was carefully studying the papers after fixing a pair of glasses over his nose bridge.

“Uh, James? Perhaps, do you have something in your kitchen like coffee or anything?” Marquis asked the man who was trying to fix the fax machine upon the table. “It's too late already.”

James's eyes met Marquis's worried puppy orbs when he saw how much of struggles that he was doing to collect every positive vibe around him.

“Yes. I have. It's right there besides that stove. Careful not to burn yourself! Your wound is still healing.” With a chuckle that James told him the place of the coffee jar when later that James suddenly thought about his wounded hand. “Oh. Wait! Marquis, don't! Why don't you go and help Mr. Derick with the documents? He must be needing your help. I'll make coffee for everyone after few minutes. Okay?” James tried convincing Marquis not to hurt himself more.

“But, at least let m—” Marquis insisted.

“No! You are already being the help. Just go and sit with Mr. Derick. I'll handle everything.” While speaking as politely as he could, James succeeded in kind of shooing him away from there or else he'll simply end up hurting himself some more while working with just one hand when with a small pout ruling his face that Marquis walked near the couch and pulled out the chair from the little dining set as he later sat on it quietly, when he stared the paper work that was scattered on the couch. Just like his own mind. After few minutes, James told Derick about the machine being set while Derick was talking with Seth's secretary over the phone, about the papers getting done in just few hours as he told her that he needed them immediately and urgently, when without any kind of fear at all that she agreed at doing the job, meanwhile, while being upon the wooden chair, Marquis was asleep but the other two men were still working when James made coffee for both of them. “Marquis.” James shook him by the shoulder when the other guy just flinched with his drowsy eyes. “Go sleep in the room. It's being three in the morning already.”

“No. I'll just stay here.” Marquis again insisted with his eyes now being half closed.

“Go sleep on bed.” Marquis stood up after listening to him while rubbing his neck at the same time when he slowly walked towards the other couch and fell upon it, while lying and drifting to sleep afterwards.

“I'll just sleep here.” Later with his eyes already closed that Marquis murmured before sleeping. “Do wake me up if you need me.”

After a sigh being heard from him, James and Derick got themselves busy in the work.

Whereas outside the house, there was disturbance going on among few people under the late dark night.

“Sir, he's still in there.”

______

TBC