Hours passed. Nathan watched Zane out of the corner of his eye. Many tis he saw Zane lift the plastic inhaler to his lips and take a long, shaky breath. Zane’s chest was heaving with difficulty.
Nathan felt a sharp pang in his heart. He wanted to stand up, walk over to Zane, and ask him if he was okay. He wanted to hold Zane’s hand and tell him to breathe slowly. But then the image of Dylan’s sweet smile in the bar flashed through his mind.
The anger returned, hot and heavy. Nathan forced himself to look away. He stared at his scuffed shoes and stayed silent.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket. The screen was bright in the darkness, making him squint. He didn’t want to go back to the mansion. The thought of seeing his brothers made him feel sick.
He didn’t want to go to Zane’s house either; he couldn’t stand the thought of being alone with Zane in a quiet room right now.
He opened a map app and searched for nearby hotels. He needed a place to stay for at least one night. He saw a few options, but most were far away.
Then he found a five-star hotel just a ten-minute walk away. It was an expensive place, the kind of building with a gold-trimd lobby and a doorman.
Nathan didn’t care about the price right now. And for the first ti, he felt grateful for it. He had enough money for a room.
Just one night. To calm himself down.
Because he had to go back to the mansion anyway.
He had to be practical. He rembered that Monday was the start of the trial exams at school. He had studied hard, and he wanted to pass. He wanted to graduate as soon as possible so he could leave the mansion and live on his own.
He realized that if he stayed out in the cold all night, he would get sick and miss the exams. He couldn’t let his anger toward his family and Zane ruin his future. He decided he would stay at the hotel, go to school on Monday, then graduate.
By then, the six-month agreent would be over, and he could figure out a way to find a permanent apartnt.
He looked at Zane.
He promised himself that he would never let himself fall for the wrong person again.
Nathan stood up suddenly. The sudden movent made Zane alert. He stood up as well. Zane looked worried. He tucked his inhaler into his jacket pocket.
"I’m leaving," Nathan said. He walked toward Zane’s car to get his bag.
"Where are you going?" Zane asked. He followed Nathan, staying a few steps behind.
"None of your business," Nathan replied.
Zane just followed in silence to the bar’s parking lot.
Nathan motioned for Zane to unlock the car so he could get his bag. Zane simply obeyed.
Nathan grabbed his bag and slung the strap over his shoulder.
"Nathan, wait," Zane said, moving faster to stand in front of him. He blocked his path.
"It’s late. It’s not safe for you to walk around this area. Let drive you. Please."
Nathan looked at Zane’s face. Zane looked tired and pale. Nathan felt his face grow hot with a mix of embarrassnt and rage. He felt childish for feeling so much anger toward Zane. He didn’t know how adults resolved their problems. But he couldn’t contain his sense of betrayal.
"I don’t need a driver. I’m not a kid. Don’t worry about ."
"Nathan, please," Zane whispered. He reached out to touch Nathan’s arm, but Nathan stepped back quickly.
"I said no!" Nathan snapped. He walked around Zane and headed toward the street.
Zane didn’t give up. He followed Nathan silently, staying a few feet behind him. He looked like a shadow in the dim light of the streetlamps.
Nathan walked fast, his boots splashing through the slushy snow on the sidewalk. He headed toward the main road where the hotel was located.
The streets were busier here. Suddenly, a large black car turned the corner and slowed down as it approached them. Nathan recognized the car imdiately. It was one of the mansion’s vehicles.
Nathan stopped, alert.
The car stopped a few yards ahead of them. The door opened, and Malvin stepped out. He looked worried. His coat was open, and he wasn’t wearing a hat.
Nathan sighed in frustration at the sight of his brother. "Not again."
"Nathan, wait! Don’t run away!" Malvin called out when he saw Nathan about to turn back. He started walking toward them.
Nathan’s heart began to race. He felt a surge of panic. He didn’t want to talk to Malvin. He didn’t want to hear anything from them.
Nathan turned and started running in the opposite direction. He ran past Zane and ducked into a narrow residential street.
"Nathan!" Zane shouted, and he started running too. He was worried that Nathan would get lost in the maze of side streets.
Malvin turned back to the car. "Go! Follow him! Don’t lose him!" he shouted to the guards inside. And many n poured out of the car to catch the young master.
The next few minutes were a blur of movent. Nathan ran down the sidewalk, his bag thumping against his side. He turned left into an alleyway, then right into a small courtyard behind so apartnts.
He could hear the sound of heavy boots behind him. He could hear Malvin shouting orders.
"Don’t hurt him! Just bring him ho!" Malvin’s voice echoed off the brick walls.
Nathan cursed under his breath. He was fast, but the guards were professionals. They were trained for this. He saw two n in black suits appear at the end of the alley he was in.
He turned back, but another guard was already blocking the entrance. He was cornered in a small, dead-end space between two tall buildings.
Nathan stopped. He was breathing heavily, and sweat was pouring down his face despite the freezing temperature. His lungs burned.
He saw Jack walking toward him. Jack looked slightly out of breath, but he remained calm.
"Co on, little boss," Jack said. He stopped five feet away from Nathan. "We need to bring you ho. Everyone is worried."
"I am not going ho today!" Nathan shouted. He held his bag in front of him like a shield. "Get away from !"
"We need to take you ho, whether you like it or not," Jack said. He stepped closer. "It’s better if you cooperate with us. If you co quietly, nobody will get hurt. Don’t make this difficult."
"Are you going to hurt ?" Nathan asked, his voice shaking with anger.
"No, never," Jack replied. "But I’ll have to use force to bring you back if you don’t walk to the car. It’s not safe out here. Let’s go ho."
"It’s safer here than in that mansion!" Nathan yelled.
Jack sighed at Nathan’s stubbornness.
"Don’t get any closer!" Nathan shouted, putting Jack on guard.
"Or what?"
A new voice interrupted them. It was a cold, sharp voice that Nathan knew very well. Jack imdiately stepped to the side and lowered his head.
Nathan’s eyes went wide.
Alexander.
The man was standing at the entrance of the alley. He was still wearing the casual clothes he’d worn on vacation, but he looked as stern and powerful as ever. He had clearly co straight from the airport.
His eyes were fixed on Nathan, and his expression was neutral but firm.
Nathan frowned, his hands trembling. "I will not go ho with you!"
"You will," Alexander said. He didn’t raise his voice, but the authority in it was absolute.
"What?" Nathan challenged. "What are you going to do? You want to shoot ? Go ahead and do it! I don’t care anymore! You lied to about everything!"
Alexander didn’t answer the accusation. He didn’t apologize yet, and he didn’t explain. He simply turned his gaze to Jack.
"Get him," Alexander commanded. "Bring him ho."
Jack moved instantly. Nathan tried to punch him, but Jack was too fast. Jack dodged the blow and grabbed Nathan’s wrists.
Nathan struggled, kicking and shouting, but Jack was much stronger. Jack twisted Nathan around and hoisted him up onto his shoulder like a sack of grain.
"Let go! Put down!" Nathan scread, hitting Jack’s back with his fists.
Alexander watched the struggle for a mont. He saw Zane standing at the edge of the alley, looking pale and helpless.
"Go ho," Alexander told Zane. Then he turned and walked back toward the waiting car.
The drive back to the mansion was chaotic. Nathan sat in the back seat between two guards, kicking and biting them.
"Aargh! Don’t bite !" one of the guards scread, clutching his hand after Nathan had bitten it.
Nathan was truly furious; he couldn’t restrain himself from scratching, kicking, and biting anything. "Let out of here!!"
"Boss!" Jack shouted, urging Alexander—who was sitting up front with Huan—to do sothing about his younger brother. If Nathan were an enemy, he would have struck him long ago. But he couldn’t hurt the boy.
Alexander looked at the chaos and screams behind him. He said nothing and drove the car as fast as possible to the mansion.
When they arrived at the mansion, Jack and another guard got out imdiately since they were in a car with a cheetah.
"Aahhh... damn!" Jack groaned softly, wiping the blood from the back of his hand, which bore several bite marks.
Alexander stepped out of the car and waited. But Nathan didn’t get out.
Jack sighed deeply when Alexander motioned for him to bring the boy out. He opened the door and pulled Nathan out, carrying him again when Nathan refused to walk.
"Take him to his room," Alexander ordered.
"Please, little boss! Don’t scratch my butt! You know it’s painful!"
"Put down!" Nathan shouted. He saw his other siblings were already there waiting for him. They passed them as Jack headed up the stairs.
Jack carried Nathan up the grand staircase and down the long corridor to Nathan’s room. He walked into Nathan’s bedroom and set him down on the carpet. Nathan imdiately scrambled away, standing near the balcony doors.
His glare was murderous. His hair was a ss.
Alexander walked in.
"You can leave now, Jack," Alexander said.
Jack sighed in relief, bowed, and walked out, closing the door behind him. Alexander stayed in the room for a mont.
He looked at Nathan, who was breathing heavily and glaring at him with pure hatred.
Alexander realized that Nathan was too angry to listen to reason. He knew that any conversation they had now would only result in more shouting.
"Do you want to talk now, or should I leave you in peace?" Alexander asked.
For so reason, that question made Nathan even angrier.
"Get out!" Nathan scread.
Alexander raised his hand. "Well, okay. We’ll talk tomorrow."
"I won’t talk to you!!"
Alexander nodded. "Try not to go to sleep angry."
As if Nathan cared.
Alexander left. He left his younger brother to his own feelings. He walked through the hallway toward his own room. He was tired, and he had a lot of things to sort out, but for now, Nathan was inside the mansion. That was enough.
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