Helen poured tea into cups while Martin buttered a slice of toast. The only sound at the table was the faint clatter of cutlery—until Martin's phone vibrated on the counter.
"Martin speaking."
There was a brief silence before a tense voice came through.
"Sir… the man seen across from your shop this morning… He's not a stranger. He's linked to E-Eric."
Martin's hand froze, the toast slipping from his grip. His complexion turned pale, as though the name itself drained the blood from his face.
Helen, noticing the change in him, called him out.
"Martin? Was it the same person as before?"
Martin slowly set the phone down, his throat tight. "No… not the same."
"Then who?" she pressed, hoping to get an answer from his husband.
His eyes stayed fixed on the table, his voice a whisper. "He's connected to Eric."
Helen gasped, panic flashing across her face. "Oh God… Daniel—he's at the restaurant!"
She jumped from her seat, hands shaking. "My son's there, alone—oh God!"
*****
Eric sat in the car, his burning gaze fixed on the restaurant across the street. His eyes, a furious red, betrayed the storm inside him. Behind that glare flickered a memory—one he could never erase. His mother's trembling body, soaked in blood… her fading breath whispering his name… her bloodied fingers cradling his face.
That image seared through his mind like fire.
Without warning, he shoved the car door open. His hand slid behind his back, pulling out a gun. The front door burst open as Eric's guards—at least a dozen—poured into the restaurant like a storm.
"Who-" Before Daniel could react, Eric pressed the cold barrel against his back.
Daniel froze, breath caught in his throat.
Liana instinctively stepped back. "Who are you people?! What do you want?" she cried out, panic rising in her chest.
Helen also came. "Please! Let us go—have mercy! We've done nothing!"
Then Martin stepped into the restaurant. When Eric's eyes met his, something snapped. His fury intensified. and he pressed the gun more into Daniel.
Helen cried out and threw herself in front of her son, "No! Don't hurt him!"
"Move. I won't ask again."
Desperate, Helen grabbed Liana and shoved her toward Eric. "Take her! Just leave the rest of us alone!" she cried.
Liana stood still, stunned beyond words. "Mom?" she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.
Daniel's voice rang out in rage. "Get away from my sister!" He tried to reach her, but the guards held him back.
Martin dropped to the ground, sobbing silently, his hands trembling as they clutched at his chest.
"This is your punishment. From now on, this girl is no longer yours. She belongs to me." Eric declared and let go of Daniel, and took threatening steps toward Liana.
In no time, he stood in front of Liana, reached out and grabbed her forcefully by the arm, and started dragging her toward the door.
"Please—don't do this! Let me go!" She screamed, struggled, begged—but no one moved.
"Please, Dad!" Daniel cried out as he gripped Martin's arm tightly. "You can't just stand there—Liana's your daughter!"
Helen cut in, her face like stone, "If you value your life, Daniel... stay out of it. Let her go."
Liana's cries rang through the hallway, raw and heartbreaking. Her voice carried straight to Martin's ears, stabbing at whatever strength he had left. "Dad, help me! Please! Who are these people? Why are you so scared of them?"
Martin couldn't move. Tears rolled down his cheeks as guilt consumed him. He heard her voice, but fear had stolen his voice and spine.
Two of Eric's guards brought Liana through the back of the stable. Her wrists were red and sore from resisting. When she caught sight of Eric, her fury erupted.
"What's your problem? Why are you coming after my family like this?"
Eric didn't respond. His face gave nothing away. "Eric—what are you—stop! You're scaring me!" she cried, stumbling as he dragged her across the yard toward an old, abandoned room. The place stank of rotting hay. Dirt and leftover horse feed littered the floor. Without a word, he shoved her down hard—she landed with a thud, coughing in the dust.
She pulled herself up slowly, brushing off the dirt. "If my parents owe you anything, I'll pay it back—whatever it is. Just let me go."
Eric stepped in close, his grip tightening on her arm. "Don't test fate," he said in a low, dangerous voice.
Then he turned and left, locking the door behind him with a loud click. Two guards took position outside.
"No one enters," he told them coldly. "Except me. Got it?"
Eric slid into his car, slamming the door shut. His breaths came fast. His hands trembled slightly on the wheel. Caleb doesn't need to know," he muttered to himself, "The less he's involved, the better."
Without wasting time, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. A moment later, a voice answered.
"Ethan."
"I need you to prepare marriage papers. Right away."
He hung up before Ethan could say a word.
Eric had just stepped out of his car when his phone buzzed.
"Sir," came the urgent voice of a guard on the other end. "The girl is screaming again. She won't calm down."
Eric sighed and looked away, jaw tightening. "Tie her hands and feet. Put tape on her mouth. And no blanket tonight. Let her freeze."
He ended the call without another word and walked straight to the back of the house, entering the private office he had built at the far end of the mansion.
****
Richard pushed James's wheelchair on the track. "At last", he whispered, leaning close to James's ear. "The day I've waited for... the day I dreamed of while plotting in the shadows. No one will ever know what I did to you back then. They still see me as the loyal brother".
James couldn't speak. Couldn't move. But his eyes—fierce and burning—spoke words. His fingers twitched ever so slightly on the armrest.
Richard straightened, satisfied by the fury in James's eyes. "You may be trapped in that chair, brother... but I'm the one who holds the power now."
Caleb sat alone on a bench, watching Richard whisper something to his dad. A Smile crept on his face as he saw his father doing okay. Soon enough, David, the smug and arrogant son of Richard, walked up from behind.
"Caleb," he said casually, hands in his pockets. "Why are you sitting here all alone? I've got something to tell you."
Caleb looked up. "What is it, David?"
David stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Did you know your brother Eric has been hiding something from you? He knows the man who killed your mother."
Caleb's expression changed instantly. "My brother wouldn't keep something like that from me."
"Don't believe me?" David challenged. "Ask him yourself. You're not a kid anymore, Caleb. You don't have to blindly follow everything your brother says."
David pulled a small handgun from his coat and offered it to him. "Take it. Keep it with you. When the time comes, I'll tell you where to go."
After a while, Eric stepped out of his office and walked toward the pool, inhaling the cold air. It calmed his nerves. But as he looked up, he saw Caleb rushing past, heading toward the front gate.
"Caleb! Where are you going? You've got an exam tomorrow!"
Caleb stopped in his tracks, then turned and stormed toward Eric. His eyes blazed with fury.
"How could you hide something like this from me?" he shouted. "You knew! You knew who did it! And you said nothing!"
Eric's calm demeanor cracked. His face darkened, and his body stiffened.
"Who told you?" he asked, voice low and dangerous.
Caleb didn't answer—but the fury in his eyes said enough.
Suddenly, Caleb pulled out the gun.
Eric immediately grabbed his hand, eyes wide in shock.
"Where did you get this? Who gave you this gun?"
Caleb pulled his hand back, jaw clenched.
"That's not important, brother. What matters is that you don't get to decide everything on your own. If you won't take revenge for our mother, then I will."
Eric's voice rose, filled with anger and fear. "Caleb, listen to me! You have to stay out of this. I need to protect you. That's my job!"
Caleb shook his head. "I don't believe you anymore."
That sentence hit Eric like a knife to the chest.
With a trembling voice, he said, "Blood feuds only bring pain, nothing else. I don't want to lose you, Caleb. I will do something—I won't let the people who murdered our mother go unpunished. But give me the gun… and go to your room. Now!"
Caleb hesitated, then handed him the gun.
"If you don't act soon, I'll have no choice but to take matters into my own hands."
Richard and David were lounging on the bench, looking at the scene before them unfold.
"Well, we've done it. Got the brothers to fight."
They chuckled to themselves—until they saw Eric take threatening steps toward them. He grabbed David by the collar, fury blazing in his eyes.
"I told you to keep Caleb out of this! Why did you go against me? Answer me!"
Before David could speak, Richard stood up quickly, raising a hand. "If he made a mistake, I'll punish him myself."
David frowned and pulled himself away. "Caleb asked me something, and I just told him the truth. Why is that such a problem for you?"
From here, things escalated quickly.
Eric grabbed David by the collar, and David did the same. They looked ready to fight—until a loud voice stopped them.
"Stop it! Let go of each other. That's an order."
It was none other than Margaret.
Eric let go of David and walked away without saying anything.
Morning came by Eric entered the abandoned room, and shook Liana roughly.
"Wake up! I need to talk to you."
But she didn't respond—She fainted in the chair from cold and hunger.
"Shit" He quickly untied her hands and feet and pulled the tape from her mouth. Then he filled a glass with cold water and splashed it on her face.
"Wake up! Wake up!"
Liana jolted awake, gasping. When she saw Eric, her eyes widened in fear, and she began shivering
"Stay away from me," she cried. "What do you want from me? From my family?"
Eric didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed her hand firmly, pulled her out of the chair towards his car, and forced her into the car. They drove straight to the mansion.
Outside the mansion, Eric opened the car door and pulled Liana out roughly.
"If you want your family to stay safe," he said coldly, "then do exactly what I say. Stay silent. If you go against me, I'll kill your brother. Understand?"
She immediately nodded her head like a child, "O-Okay."
Together, they entered the mansion. The entire family was seated in the drawing room. As soon as they saw Eric and Liana walk in, everyone stood up in shock.
"This is Liana .... Martin's daughter."
Margaret stood up, enraged, "You brought the enemy's daughter into this house? How dare you!"
Eric ignored Margaret and, after a pause, announced, "I'm going to marry her."
BOOM!!!
Liana was the first one to react, her eyes widened in shock. "What? I won't marry you! You didn't even ask for my opinion. You just made the decision yourself!"
Caleb stepped forward to confront Eric. "Brother, you can't do this to me."
Eric shouted, "I am the head of this family! This is my decision, and everyone will have to accept it. If not, there will be consequences."
Without hearing another word from anyone, he turned around, grabbed Liana's hand and forcefully pulled her outside with him.