Chapter 7 - Chapter 6

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"Scared and confused, I asked him why something as terrible as such did happen," father resumed with his story.

"Greed. It was about greed all along, he explained to me with conviction. Our family initiated the killing of its own bloodline. It has been a gladiator battle where the strongest gets to live and amass all the wealth of Zel Cantheliz for his own."

I looked at father blankly and he smiled back with concealed brokenness.

"I was your age that time and clueless about the power Zel Cantheliz held. I've been left alone often, like you. And before my grandfather passed away, he bequeathed me everything that the Zel Cantheliz family owned. The only words he gave me before dying was that it's hard to run a company alone."

The fish has stopped moving in the bucket. It has died sooner before I even released it back to the lake. I averted my gaze to the sky and tried to understand my father's words. He has always spoken to me like I am an adult capable of the burdens of adults. And all of it made me lonelier.  

"You're my only son, Zhio. Whether you like it or not, you will bear all the responsibilities I will leave you with when I die. Firstly, don't let our company taste its first failure. Secondly, fulfill grandpa's will for me. Promise me that you will marry and make the Zel Cantheliz bloodline flourish again. Do something that I failed to do."

The sun was setting down when we went home. But before I reached my room, his father's stopped me.

"I never blamed you for your mother's death, Zhio. Nobody wished for it to happen…so don't blame yourself anymore."

His face was clear of all the hints of pain he has shown earlier. I stood wordless as I watched him retreat to his study room with a smile on his face. How that day went on has felt so eerie, like the calm before a storm. Like something tragic is about to happen.

Sya, the maid I grew up with, approached me cheerfully. She's a big woman in her fifties and has been a mother to me.

"Master James rarely had his time off work. It's good you two had bonded. I heard he'll be going abroad again tomorrow."

Noticing how her words made me sad, she patted my hair in a mess and gave me a hug.  

Something tragic did happen indeed.

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