Sowhere far away in an eastern country, inside the grand drawing room of a majestic estate known as The Riverdales, an older-looking man sat in a lavish high-back chair.
Clad in crisp, dark clothes, his hair fully turned gray, he exuded an aura of commanding authority—one that could make anyone submit without question, despite his age.
His light gray-blue eyes narrowed at the television screen, where a young, handso man was declaring himself as Aiden Handrix.
The man’s hand, resting on the armrest, bore expensive, ancient-looking jade rings. His fingers tapped the armrest in a steady rhythm, echoing his deep focus.
"He is the one?" the man murmured, his voice firm and laced with king-like command.
A younger man in a suit, standing beside his chair, replied, "Yes, Mr. Riverdale. Based on the information we received from an anonymous source—and now that he has declared himself as Aiden Handrix—there’s no doubt. He even resembles the late young master."
"The other one?" the old man asked, his voice dropping an octave. "His twin brother?"
"We’ve only received information on this one. We’re not sure if they’re together or what happened to the other."
"Find out about the other one," Mr. Riverdale ordered, his tone sharp and resolute. "I want them both back."
"Yes, Mr. Riverdale."
-----
Back in Belvorn.
Other than the Fords and the Browns, soone else was also on the verge of shedding tears of blood.
"Grandpa, she wasn’t satisfied with taking my title of princess—now she’s even married the wealthiest man I wanted to marry!" Charlotte cried out. "No wonder she didn’t want to be crowned... she got the highest position in the world—heiress of the Harper Group! So why would she care about being crowned? This title of princess ans nothing to her now."
"Calm down, Charlotte," Howard said, looking utterly helpless.
With Natalie now the heiress of the Harper Group, there was simply no way to beat her.
"I can’t, Grandpa," she snapped, anger flashing in her eyes. "You raised dreaming of being the queen of this kingdom—but that didn’t happen. Then you said I’d marry Justin Harper—and now that’s not happening either. What am I supposed to do now? Tell !"
Howard and Garwin had no answer.
"Grandpa, either convince Grandma to make a princess, or just kill Natalie," Charlotte raged. "I don’t care what you do. I want what’s mine."
"Charlotte, shut up!" Howard roared. "Go back to your residence and don’t co out until you learn how to behave properly."
"Grandpa..."
"Didn’t you hear what Father said?" Garwin interrupted, offering a sharp glare at his daughter. "Go back to your residence. Now."
Charlotte stomped out furiously. You people are useless. Just watch how I take care of that bitch and get my position back.
-----
The event was over, and the Harper family was about to leave the venue.
Justin approached Natalie and said, "You go ahead with Julia. I have so work to take care of."
Natalie humd in response and left with Julia in one car, while Jas and Caryn departed in another.
Sebastian approached Justin. "Brother, where are you going?"
"None of your business," Justin replied coldly as he headed toward his car.
"Hmm, no wonder you were always cold to —you knew we never shared blood. But don’t forget, I always considered you my brother and I always will," Sebastian said. "So, that being said, today I plan to co with you wherever you go."
"There’s nothing interesting in following . Go back ho," Justin said as he got into the car.
Sebastian quickly slipped into the car beside him. "I’m following you. Kick out if you don’t consider your brother anymore."
Justin sighed and ordered, "Drive."
Sebastian grinned and made himself comfortable in his seat. "Well, this feels good now."
The car eventually pulled up to the residence where Caryn once stayed—now known as Aiden Shaw’s residence.
As Justin stepped out of the car, he saw Vincent standing outside the ho, leisurely smoking, holding a cigarette between his slender fingers in that sa effortless, stylish manner. His gaze was fixed on the dark sky above.
Sebastian stepped out as well and noticed the silver-haired man dressed in perfectly fitted black shirt and pants—soone Justin was clearly walking toward.
Sebastian followed and asked with curiosity, "Who’s that silver-haired beauty?"
"Ask him yourself," Justin said as Vincent turned to look at them.
"I always thought you were the most handso man, brother," Sebastian chuckled, "but soone’s here to give you strong competition."
"Beauty can’t compete with my handso face," Justin countered with a smirk.
As they reached Vincent, he glanced at Sebastian and asked, "A new pup?"
"The pup is curious to know who the silver-haired beauty is," Justin replied.
Vincent raised a brow at Sebastian, making him feel a bit nervous.
Then, without a word, Vincent stepped forward. With his free hand, he pulled out a gun tucked behind his back and pressed it under Sebastian’s chin, tilting his head up while continuing to smoke.
"Interested in this silver-haired beauty?"
At gunpoint, Sebastian swallowed nervously and chuckled awkwardly. "I... I was just praising how handso you are. Even more handso than my brother, Justin."
Vincent blew a stream of smoke into Sebastian’s face, then looked over at Justin. "Your brother sure has good taste."
"Stop playing with a kid and get back to business," Justin said calmly.
Vincent gave a final glance at the still-nervous Sebastian. "Be a good little pup and stay here."
"Of... of course..." Sebastian stamred. "Please... go ahead with your work."
Vincent and Justin walked ahead to enter the house as Vincent said, "He’s not that good of an actor. Acted scared—but he didn’t even flinch at the sight of gun or his eyes never left mine."
"He’s my brother. What do you expect?" Justin replied.
"That being said, your twin brother is clearly not pleased with what you did," Vincent added. "I did my part—hinted those people in the eastern country about your existence—and now you’ve exposed yourself. Your brother’s in the mood to kill us both."
"Don’t worry about him."
They entered the house and headed straight to Aiden’s room.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Aiden was gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window, his expression unreadable but serious.
"There goes the colder and angrier version of yourself," Vincent muttered to Justin.
Justin didn’t respond. He walked toward Aiden—only to be stopped by his brother’s sharp voice.
"After planning to ruin everything all over again, you dare show up here?"
Unfazed, Justin continued to approach him and said, "It’s ti for you to resu your identity as well, Aaron Handrix. Or should I say... Aaron Riverdale?"
Aiden looked at him coldly. "Back then, I replaced myself with you—even when he specifically wanted you. As an elder brother, I did what I had to—protect my younger brother from witnessing cruelty, to let him live with our mother in peace. And this... this is how you repay , Aiden Handrix?"
For the first ti, Justin heard Aiden speak openly about their past.
Though he still had no mories—lost long ago—he could now begin to piece things together from the information he’d gathered.
He understood who Aiden ant. And what he’d done.
"Couldn’t you just stay put and let our lives continue in peace?" Aiden asked, his voice low but laced with anger. "Are you really that eager to put your life—and the lives of those around you—in danger? Don’t you even care about Natalie?"
"I don’t need to explain how much I care for soone," Justin replied firmly. "But one thing is clear—what happened to us, and whoever was responsible for it... they have to pay. And I’ll make sure they do."
Aiden clenched his fists and turned his gaze back to the window. "Only if you had the mories of what happened... Only if you had seen our mother die..."
"That’s even more reason for to go back to where we ca from," Justin said, his voice resolute.
"If you’ve already decided," Aiden snapped, "then why did you even co to ? You can go to hell for all I care."
"I’m going to drag you to that hell with ," Justin declared, his eyes locked onto his brother’s. "You’re coming with ."
"You’re not going to decide that for ," Aiden countered.
"I promise, I’ll let you be the one to kill the man who murdered our mother and then tried to kill us," Justin said, only to be t with silence from his brother.
After a long pause, Aiden finally spoke. "If you fail to keep that promise, the next thing that will happen is Natalie becoming a widow."
"Deal," Justin said without hesitation.
"Make sure you turn Natalie into a widow," Vincent chid in, "so I can take my sweetheart back with ."
"Keep dreaming," Justin snapped, glaring at him. "And call her ’sweetheart’ one more ti, and your father will lose his only legitimate son."
"What are you waiting for then?" Vincent challenged with a smirk.
"Shut up, both of you," Aiden’s angry voice echoed through the room.
"Oops! We forgot one crippled man is sulking over not being able to do anything," Vincent mocked with a grin.
Aiden turned his wheelchair to face Vincent directly. "Very soon, I’ll be rid of it—and when that day cos, I won’t mind shutting that annoying mouth of yours myself."
Vincent remained unfazed, his usual lopsided smile playing on his lips. "Oh! Finally, soone looks like they’ve co back from the dead. Must be so annoying to be confined to a wheelchair, while your brother’s busy going after the enemies, isn’t it?"
Aiden’s anger didn’t waver. "You’ll pay for helping Justin reach those people."
"Don’t be a hypocrite, Aaron Riverdale," Vincent replied coolly. "Just a mont ago, you made a deal with your brother to kill soone—and it’s all thanks to . You should be lying at my feet, thanking for making your wish co true so soon."
"Fuck off," Aiden snapped.
"Well, that’s exactly what I’m going to do," Vincent said casually, turning to leave. "I can’t stand the sight of one ugly face, but now I’ve had to see two—at the sa ti. I need to go wash my eyes."
"Make sure not to check the mirror, or you’ll see another ugly face," Aiden called after him.
"At least you admit you and your brother both have ugly faces," Vincent threw back with a mocking laugh as he exited.
"Ignore him. He did help ," Justin said calmly.
"I’ll repay him personally," Aiden replied through clenched teeth.
"We’ve got more important things to deal with than you being offended over being called ugly," Justin comnted as he settled onto the couch. "Looking at , you can be assured—you’re just as handso as I am."
"Yeah, I should thank the heavens for that," Aiden replied with a heavy dose of sarcasm and annoyance.
Leo, who had been standing silently on the side, sighed and shook his head.
Even in tis like these, they’re arguing about their appearances instead of focusing on the dangers ahead? What is wrong with these n?
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