Chapter 152 - [Punishment] [Elder Fay's]

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[Estela's POV]

[Punishment]

"My brother?" I asked as I searched for any signs of my brother's presence.

My eyes then teared up at the sight of him carrying the limp, battered body of Leanna in his arms –– embracing her close to him.

"Ready the chopper."

No one uttered a word as everyone knew not to aggravate my brother in his current state.

----

A Week Later

In an unknown island at an underground facility ten meters deep.

"Nghr!"

I groaned and gritted my teeth, stopping myself from screaming as I endured the burning pain from my back, hammered by whips.

I knew my skin was torn, and I knew it would leave a scar.

I didn't care.

This punishment was light compared to what the others have suffered.

This is light.

I deserved this.

My arms were numb, tied by chains screwed on the ceiling with nothing but my underwear on as the burning pain of lashes assaulted my back without stopping.

I deserved this.

Just imagining what would happen if Leanna did get killed––!

"Kuk!"

I clenched my teeth and hardened my jaw, readying myself for another whipping.

The door opened, and my eyes squinted, quickly adjusting to the light.

"Release her."

Tears welled in my eyes upon my brother's indifferent voice.

"Young master, her fifty whips are not––!"

"I said. Release. Her."

". . . Yes."

Before I knew it, I was freed from the chuckles and fell on the cold floor –– sobbing as I lowered my head.

I hated it if I was weak before my brother.

I sensed his intense eyes looking down at me before he turned to leave.

"Brother!"

I was surprised at my sudden outburst, and crawled to him, embracing his leg before I could even think.

"Brother, I'm sorry! If something happened to Leanna I . . . I . . ."

My brother just stared at me for some time before something warm and comfortable fell on my shoulders. It was his jacket.

"If Leanna died . . . I'll follow her."

My brother pinched my chin as he forced me to meet his frosty eyes.

"There will be no next time, Estela."

And then he was gone.

I knew what he meant. He couldn't always rescue me from our grandparents' wrath. By interfering with my punishment now, I'm sure our grandparents would take this opportunity to force him into something as compensation.

I clenched my hands and bit my lip.

"Yes."

----

"Hello, Zhander? Can we postpone our date until next time?" I said while I tried not to wince from the pain of my aching, burning back.

Three already finished cleaning and bandaging my back. I knew even with the ointment, it would still leave some scars. After all, my skin was not young anymore.

It was a good thing we have pale skins. The scars wouldn't be noticeable at least if you didn't stare intently at it.

You know, just encase Zhander rips my dress.

"What's the matter? Are you alright?"

I heard the worry in his voice. He was probably wondering why I wanted to postpone our date when it was me who always pestered him about it.

"Uhm . . . I'm having back problems at the moment and . . ."

"What? What's wrong with your back? Did you already have it check? What did you do to hurt your––!"

"Zhander." I cut in as I chuckled. I imagined him pacing around, panicking in his office.

"I'm alright. Don't worry. It's just . . . I did some extreme exercise. The doctor said it will heal a week from now."

I didn't lie.

I just didn't tell him the whole truth.

". . ."

"Are you sure? We can go to the doctor again––"

"I'm sure. Don't worry too much. I assure you. I'm fine."

Thanks to my brother, who rescued me on time. At least, I won't be bedridden for days.

"Of course, I worry. You're my girl, Estela . . ."

. . .

. . .

Tehehehehe~

"Zhander, you know, my doctor said nude photos of someone I love would heal my aching back quickly."

Tut . . . Tut . . .

"Zhander? Hello?"

Did he . . .

. . . hang up on me?

----

[Elder Fay's]

In a secret underground chamber in an unknown island.

Grey clouds crumpled, not letting a spec of light entered while thunder shook the ground as the wind blew an eerie scream, singing a hymn of impending doom as the gushing rain lamented the departing souls.

Hynes and Lily Fay sat like criminals facing judgment. They didn't dare raise their head to meet the eyes of those two grim reapers sitting opposite them. The two reapers were both elders –– one, a woman, and the other a man.

The elderly woman was so skinny and pale in contrast with her abyssal dark eyes and blood-red lips. She was like a creature of the night –– tall, bony, pale, long silky dark hair and black eyes without any light in them.

While the elderly man, in contrast, was well built and chiseled hard. Like all his years, he was honed on the battlefield.

White hairs, pearl-like grey eyes while the other was lifeless white due to a scary scar, slashing from his forehead down to his chin, slaying his right eye in the process. Making him look not human but something else entirely.

Half of their faces were obscured under the dim lights, making them all the more menacing while the tapping of a finger was the only sound echoing in the creepy half-lit room.

"Well?"

The throaty but powerful voice of the elderly man made the Fay couple jumped from their seat.

"Why are the Goldwood's haven't dealt with for what they did to my grandson?"

In contrast, while the elder man's voice frightened everyone out of their wits, the elder woman's voice was soothing. Almost singing everyone to their doom.

Hynes straightened his back and shifted his eyes between the two elders and the table.

"Uh . . . W-well . . . we are still thinking––!"

SLAM!

"Useless son of mine!"

Hynes jolted from his seat and hugged his wife for protection.

"W-well," Lily tried to salvage her husband, "the Goldwood's have been our families longtime frie––!"

GASP!

The elder woman's sharp gaze shut Lily Fay up.

"I didn't know that I raised my daughter to be this . . . soft." The elder woman's lips twitched into a chilly smile.

Lily swallowed hard and avoided her mother's gaze. Her mother was already passed her senior years and yet her confidence and overwhelming aura didn't lessen one bit.

"My grandson is our family's only heir," the elder man started. "The first-ever born from the union of two powerful ancient families. The one who will keep the ancient line running. I don't even have to stretch just how . . . important he is."

The elder man was so angry, veins popped from the skin of his face and his saliva spit here and there.

In contrast, the elder woman was calm as she held her chin and licked her blood-red lips. Her paleness and the lines on her face couldn't hide the beauty she once had.

"Hmm . . . Those people relax too much in our absence. It is high time to remind them who it was who shape this world and put them in their places."

----

"Cancel all my appointments, and do not disturb me."

When his secretary left, Luke Jansen pressed a button, and an invincible barrier enveloped a twenty-meter radius of his desk, and no sound leaked outside.

He then read the message on his phone.

[An announcement in an hour.

–– Elder Fay's]

Luke closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

It had been many years since the elder Fay's showed themselves.

They usually don't.

They didn't interfere nor mingle with the outside world now that they were old. The last time they were seen was when the poisoning of their grandson –– Cain Fay.

Something must have happened to prompt them to act.

"Luke. Did you get the message?"

"Yes."

". . ."

"So. It's all of us then."

"All of us?"

"Yeah. All the powerhouses and leaders in the world."

". . ."

"Something must have happened. The elder Fay's don't usually show up unless . . . Unless someone threatens their bloodline. You know how they are with their kin."

". . ."

"Who could be so ignorant as to harm their family? After that horrible purge of the houses?"

". . ."

The house purged.

It was a reminder to all powerhouses. After the Elder Fay's knew who poisoned their grandson, not one, but three bloodlines down to their last descendant were wiped out from history in a single night. Never to be heard or talked again.

Every powerhouse owed something to the Fay's. It was payment for what they had now. It was war, and through the war that the world was shaped. And it was through assassins, mercenaries, and militaries that they had what they had. Wealth and power. It was all thanks to the Fay's.

Luke opened his eyes, yet his mind was elsewhere.

"This is going to be a long day."

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A/N

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