"You. You’ve not changed from the last ti I saw you. Now is not the ti to be making threats, Ian. It is ti to co ho and be part of the family. I understand why you would have hesitated to inform of your return, but I cannot allow you to stay here. In a place like this," Hank said, looking around the business.
Hank had sothing better for Ian to do. If Ian would listen, Hank would one day pass on his title to Ian since he was a healthy son. He’ll apologise to Layla for what his actions led to. Right now, he couldn’t place the future of his land in a sick son.
Ian got the answer his younger self needed in the past. The answer was that the man before him wasn’t his father. They shared the sa na and blood, but they were hardly family. Now that the answer was there, Ian wouldn’t feel any remorse for what shall beco of his father.
"There is plenty of ti to solidify your spot in the family. You are old enough to protect yourself-"
"So you have always known the dangers I faced while living on your land and you think I will return now because I can protect myself? Are you sick too? Perhaps in the head?" Ian wondered if his brother’s sickness might have co from their father.
"Do not insult ," Hank said, his voice loud for those around them to hear. "I ca from my ho to welco you back. To take you back in after you caused trouble by running away. You didn’t think of your mother who would be brokenhearted to know that you were missing."
Ian wasn’t falling for Hank’s trick. Hank was missing part of the story as Ian’s mother was the one who gave him money to get out of town by carriage and told him to go to court when he ca of age to get the money his father set aside for him.
"You might not have had the greatest life there but you should be thankful you didn’t starve on the street. You have no reason to get upset with Layla as you must think of the position she was in. Having to see a son not belonging to her walking around the estate. You didn’t make it easy for her to like you with your attitude," Hank said.
"Yes, I should take the bla for my existence as she continues to love the man who was the cause of it. Go back ho to your family. I am working right now and you are a bother," Ian said, shooing his father away.
"You have the chance to beco a lord and this is what you choose? A place filled with drunks?" Hank questioned. It was insulting that this was the work a son of his did. "Serving these fools."
"He owns the place serving drunks," Owen said, coughing soon after as he excused himself from the conversation he was eavesdropping on. It was hard to ignore what was being said by father and son.
Hank looked around at the business once more. He wasn’t aware that Ian owned it. He was only inford that he might find a young man who looked like him here. "This is what you did with the money I put for you? You are still serving the drunk. Co ho, Ian."
"You must have a dream of being burned alive since you continue to beg. I forgot that you were just as foolish as your wife," Ian said as this conversation was just as irritating as the one with Layla at the ball.
Ian only enjoyed the conversation because he would make it spread to reach Layla’s ears. She would be rushing to him the second she found out about it.
If not for a promise he made to himself to never step foot on that land, Ian would visit just to hear her scream.
Hank wasn’t finished with Ian just yet. With his other son not getting better, he had to keep Ian around this ti. He had made the mistake of casting Ian to the side when his wife finally succeeded in bearing him a son.
There was so sort of curse placed upon him for his son Victor to be born with so sort of sickness that the doctors failed to cure. It was not long after he made Victor the apple of his eye and sent Ian to the cottage that this sickness ca about.
Layla believed that Ian’s mother had placed a curse on Victor. Hank thought she was sprouting nonsense but the timing was too close for him to ignore it.
"I’ve co to right my mistakes-"
"You’ve co to make use of because your son must be on his deathbed," Ian corrected Hank.
"You should be thankful. I brought you into this world. Gave you a life of luxury that most people dream of and this is how you thank ? Running away when you were only twelve because you didn’t get enough attention? You were always a headache," said Hank.
He had warned Ian many tis to live like a ghost until he was needed, but Ian wanted to live like he was Layla’s son.
"I was nearing sixteen," Ian corrected Hank once more. "If you wish to get to visit, at least get down on your knees and beg."
Owen couldn’t believe his ears that Ian wanted to make a Lord beg him and kneel as he did it. This was Ian’s father but still.
Lord Kingsley gripped the collar of the cane he held in his right hand. If they were sowhere private, he would strike Ian with it. "I am not any man who would just kneel before you. See how long you can keep this business when I am done with it."
"You shall co to after changing your mind and I shall make you beg," Hank said, knowing this as he would tornt Ian until it happened.
Ian’s troubled days were long in the past. The past didn’t need to be brought up anymore as there was much for Ian to gain now.
Hank had not slept with a maid in hopes she would beco pregnant with a boy just for that child to not do what he was made for. If Victor didn’t get better, there was no one but Ian to take over. Ian was given the Kingsley last na for this very reason.
Ian shouldn’t be too cocky when he stepped foot back into a town where Hank held power. The only thing to be set on fire was the business Ian was standing in now.
"Should we be a bit concerned about what he plans to do to this place?" Owen questioned, finding now to be a good ti for Ian to fire him. He didn’t want to be around when the lord started his plans.
"Nothing will happen here. Keep the custors happy and send Scarlet to if she cos here," Ian said, leaving to return to his private room. He had enough guests for the day.
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