Chapter 24 Chapter 24.

Chapter 24 Chapter 24.
(Lucian)

I threw my head back, savoring the thrill as she knelt before me, her warm mouth enveloping me. In one sharp move, she took me in completely, as though I were her greatest craving. 

But just as the pleasure surged, my phone blazed through the air, pulling me from my ecstasy. I reached for it, retrieving it from the far end of the bed, irritation bubbling inside me as I saw the caller’s name flash on the screen.

I tossed the phone back to its place, but the ringing refused to die down. Agitated, I snatched it up again. "What?" I barked, my voice thick with annoyance.

"You bastard, how dare you ignore my calls?! What kind of son are you?!" My father’s voice boomed, his rage echoing in my ear.

“What do you want?” I asked, my tone laced with rudeness. Our history was really good; I had little patience for his demands. 

“I want you at home,” he said, his command leaving no room for negotiation.

“Now,” he added, the finality in his voice underscoring the urgency.

“I’m busy…” I began, but he cut me off.

“Your mother is here,” he said, sending a jolt through me as if he’d dropped a bombshell.

My heart raced, disbelief flooding over me. “And why should I believe you?”

“And why should you not?” he shot back, an innocent edge sharpened by malice.

I scoffed, “You can’t fool me.” Just as I was about to hang up, my mother’s voice pierced through the line, “Lu!”

The word slipped from my lips before I even realized it, “Mom.” 

“Thirty minutes,” my father’s cold voice returned, punctuating the call before he ended it.

I sprang from the bed, zipping up my pants in a frenzy. I threw on my shirt, my heart pounding, aware of the expression on my partner's face as she gazed at me in confusion. She wanted to speak, to ask questions, but she dared not to.

I dashed out of my room, my mind racing with thoughts, and then suddenly paused, realizing the scent of cum from our earlier rendezvous still clung to me like a shroud. Standing before my Mom, that'll be the first thing to hit her. 

Turning sharply, I darted into my room and shut the door behind me. My chest rose and fell with quick breaths as I leaned back against the door, trying to calm the chaos in my head.

Without wasting another second, I headed into the bathroom. The cool spray of water hit me like a reset button, washing away the tension clinging to my skin.

I dashed out quickly, throwing on fresh clothes, my mind racing. Within minutes, I was speeding out of the game house in my car, adrenaline coursing through my veins. 

As I drew closer to my father's mansion, my heart pounded in my chest. The thoughts of my mother consumed me. I rarely saw her now. She had never accepted my father's ways and often begged him to change, but he remained unyielding. According to her, he had hidden his true identity from her, and she only discovered the truth after they had married, and she had conceived me. Her pleas had fallen on deaf ears, and the last straw had been when he killed her brother in cold blood. My mother left when I was twelve, seeking refuge in the church. Yet, my father never let her escape completely.

I screeched to a halt in front of the mansion, flying out of the car. It had been six long months since I last saw her. I could go to her, but a part of me hesitated. I had ended up following in my father's footsteps, shattering her dream of raising a decent son.

Every step toward the living room was heavy with guilt. I felt like the worst son.

Finally, I reached the living room where my father lounged on the couch, his back facing me. A few men stood at attention nearby, ready to obey his whims. As I entered, a few of his men bowed their heads in respect.

I moved around the couch to confront the man who was supposed to be my father but felt more like a stranger. A cigarette lazily dangled between his fingers, smoke curling around him like a sinister fog.

"Where's my mother?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

He took his time, inhaling deeply from the cigarette, only to ignore my question. Anger surged through me like fire, and I turned on my heel to head for the stairs, determined to find her myself. Just as I prepared to climb, his calm voice stopped me in my tracks. "She's not there."

Something in his tone struck a nerve. I hesitated but swallowed my pride and glanced back at him. "Where is she?" 

"You were supposed to be here in thirty minutes but..." he paused, savoring his words like a delicacy, "... unfortunately, you didn’t make it," he added, exhaling.

I sighed, knowing well that he was telling the truth. My mother was a time-conscious person, and I had just missed an opportunity to see her. A knot tightened in my chest, anguish mingling with regret.

I turned to face him again, my eyes icy. "What do you want?" 

He laughed, reveling in my torment. "Now you're talking," he said, leaning back as if enjoying this twisted game. "But why are you arrogant now? The last time we spoke, you were nicer," he said like he was truly concerned. 

I shot him a glare and he simply shrugged. 

"So, back to business," he began, taking in a long drag of smoke. "What I want..." he exhaled, twirling his fingers around the smoke like a magician revealing his secrets, "...is for you..." he leaned in, lowering his voice as if to whisper a dangerous secret, "...to bring me... Raphael Clement," he demanded, and my eyes widened in shock.

"What for?" I raised an eyebrow at him, skepticism etched across my face.

"To say hi," he replied with a smile that felt more sinister than sincere. I very much knew that his so-called "hello" was a mask for something much darker.

"No," I shot back, my voice as firm as steel.

"Why?" he sulked, his expression shifting from amusement to petulance.

"Because that's not the plan," I reminded him.

"And I’m not changing the plan, am I?" His tone was infuriatingly casual, as if the stakes were nothing more than tossing a coin. "I genuinely just want to ‘say hi’ to him and nothing more." There was a condescending childlike quality to his voice, as if he believed his reasoning could persuade me.

I narrowed my eyes and focused on him, searching for any hint of sincerity. When I couldn’t find it, I looked away. "I don’t believe you."

He pouted, resembling a child whose candy had been snatched away. "You’re hurting my feelings, son," he said, his tone overly melodramatic.

I scoffed. "Everyone knows who you are. You’re a cheat, a manipulator, a liar, a deceiver, a Devil." 

"That only proves my blood runs in your veins," he countered, smirking, delighting in my discomfort. 

Those words felt like a punch to the gut. 

"My decision still stands, and it’s no." I turned sharply, intent on leaving the suffocating atmosphere of the house. 

"Are you sure about that?" He called after me, but I chose to ignore him and that's when I heard it loud and clear. "Lu!" My Mom's voice echoed in the room.

I turned suddenly, my heart racing as my eyes widened at the sight of her, held captive by several men. My instincts kicked in, urging me forward, but I froze at my father’s next words. “Not so fast, boy.”

I felt a surge of defiance rising within me, compelling me to move despite the sharp glint of gun barrels aimed in my direction. I scoffed, turning to face my father, my voice steady and challenging. “You really think you can intimidate me with this?”

His smile deepened, revealing an unsettling confidence. “No,” he replied coolly. “That’s why I plan to scare you with this.” 

In a chilling motion, the men lowered their weapons from me and aimed them directly at my mother. A wave of panic surged through me, and I could feel my world shattering around me.

“Bring me Raphael Clement or your mother is mine!” he declared, his voice laced with malice.

A cold laugh escaped his lips, devoid of any real amusement. “Well, she’s always been mine, after all,” he mocked, his eyes glinting with madness. “But I’m going to take her far away from your reach, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”