20 Betrayal

At Lee Group, some board of directors were having a meeting with the company's president and vice president. They were discussing about the sudden widrawal of a third-party consultant whom had led the company to flourish for around three years.

"Benjamin Lee, I know that the decision is up to the chairman, but we couldn't ignore it when our top consultant pulled away just like this and then disappeared!", one of the board of directors spoke. He was voicing out his disagreement very openly.

"Yes, we need him. Although he had never appeared here, his business plan and the way he corrected the spoiled contract was very good. He had keen eyes on our line of economic growth.", another member of directors said.

Elaine Lee, who was the vice president of Lee Group took a small glance over the president, Benjamin. He seemed like he was thinking about something.

"I'll take this matter to the chairman. Don't fret.", he said. And then he stood up, leaving the meeting room.

"I'll also give it some thoughts and will tell you the solution we come up with later.", Elaine also stood up, ready to walk away when one of the directors said boldly.

"I know he couldn't do much since he's only a president, not the CEO. And our chairman held that position ever since he succeeded the company. We should've talked with the chairman ourselves.", he said, regretting his decision.

Elaine didn't say a word, she walked out of the cold, suffocating room. She was able to get the position of a vice president because of her connection with the previous chairman, Adamson Lee's grandfather. She, together with Benjamin were both adopted from an orphanage by the previous chairman. Thus marking them as Lee family members through legal means.

One of the reason why the previous chairman did so when he already had two legal heirs was so that he could give Elaine and Benjamin to be of use to the future heir. It was a definite way to control people. By picking them up from the street and feed them with luxurious life. Just to make them obedient and will then return the favour by being loyal.

But Benjamin didn't feel that way, he wasn't grateful. He instead felt ridiculed when he was often reminded of his past. He didn't like to be labeled as an adopted son of Lee Group. He was ambitious, far too ambitious.

But of course Adamson knew of this. He just didn't do anything, more like he didn't care. Since to get the upper hand while confronting the enemy was to actually keep them at bay.

•••

Lucy bid farewell to Gary after they chatted for more than an hour. They talked about a lot of things, but it all centered around work and family. Nothing too personal. Gary was someone she held dear, they had known each other since babies. He was more like a brother she had never have. And she treasured the bond they have now.

"Be careful while driving.", she said, then she closed the door shut. She walked to the guest room which was now Aubrey's room.

"Aubrey, they're gone!", she opened the door with a master key.

She looked around, only to find him lying on the bed with the PSP in his hand.

'He played..', she smiled. She went closer and saw that he was sound asleep. Was he having trouble sleeping last night? She realized she also couldn't get a healthy amount of sleep too.

'Was he thinking about me all night long?', she slapped her face. what a bold statement!

She was becoming weird ever since he came in her life. But it had just been two.. three days? Why was she so quick to change her principle? She didn't know that the answer was; they're meant for each other.

Lucy shook her head and she sat beside him on the bedside. She read his pulse, it was steady and low.. good, he just entered light sleep. His heart rate was decreasing as well as his respiration.

'I hope he didn't suffer another nightmare soon.', she was refering to another sleep stage, precisely the REM. Where it was associated with dreaming and memory consolidation.

A man with depression and PTSD like Aubrey was sensitive to sleep. His nightmare disorder also didn't help. She wondered how he was able to live this way alone..

Lucy stared at him, never once breaking eye contact. His face when he slept was the most tender she had ever seen. He was stoic and emotionless when they first talked. Now, he even laughed and smiled. He was still using paper and pen to talk though.

'But that will change soon..', she said to herself. She was confident to make him speak. She wanted to heal him, and she would.

Seeing how fast he developed trust for Lucy, she knew it wouldn't take long to break all the walls surrounding him. She didn't realize that it was all because of her. Her sincerity towards him drew him closer. He had always wanted to find comfort from someone. To help him get through the suffering. Because he too, always wanted help.

Lucy started yawning when she saw how deeply asleep Aubrey was. She was getting sleepy too, but she was worried about Aubrey.

'What if he gets nightmare again?', she decided to sleep beside him.

Lucy took the PSP from his hand and put it away. She laid down beside him. Common sense was out of her head when she decided to lay down on the same bed with a man. She didn't even know why she did it. She shoved away the thoughts, she was sleepy, thinking about it would take time. And it might be pointless too.

Aubrey sensed that something was taken from his grip. He stirred in his sleep and instinctively grabbed a hand nearby. It was Lucy's. She widened her eyes in surprise. But she chuckled softly when she saw him getting agitated in his sleep.

'My hand is a PSP, alright.', she smiled. Letting him do as he pleased.

Lucy quickly went to sleep when the surface of the soft bed touched her back and when some warmth spread around the two of them. It was cozy.

•••

17 years ago..

"Brother, what happened to mom and dad?!", little Aubrey faced his brother in denial. His parents were tied up and were kneeling on the ground.

Adamson didn't say a word. He walked closer to his younger brother whom he resent. He hated how Aubrey was unaware of his pain and sorrow. Aubrey was loved with real love but he was loved with fake ones.

He lifted up Aubrey's chin slowly, facing him. He was seventeen and he was tall. Aubrey's eyes were full of innocence and wonder that it made him want to puke.

Though Aubrey was smart for his own age, he was naive. He didn't know the cruel reality of Lee family which had stained the once pure Adamson to darkness.

"Brother.. what's going on..?", Aubrey started to get goosebumps when he saw nothing in his brother's eyes, Gone, the shine and light inside his brother was all gone.

"Hm? Nothing.. I'm just having a nice talk with our mom and dad.", Adamson said while he smirked. He looked amused when Aubrey flinched in terror.

He pulled out a dagger, and dipped it in a bottle containing some unknown substances. The dagger now was wet with some liquid. Aubrey couldn't move a muscle when he saw his older brother walking towards their father.

Adamson smiled wickedly and he didn't hesitate to slice his own father's chest with the dagger in his hand. The cut was not deep, it was just enough to tear the front of the shirt and make a line of cut appeared on the skin.

"Umh!!", Nicholas Lee, also known as the current CEO of Lee Group, screamed aloud. The tape was able to conceal his hurtful voice.

His wife jumped in horror but wasn't able to move much. She had a pale face and was shocked. Tears flowed down her eyes, her soft and tender face now was wet like waterfall.

"Let's kill slowly alright? That's more fun.", Adamson said, his voice cold. Like an assassin without a heart. A vessel without a soul.

Nicholas Lee started to feel hot on his chest, the area where the dagger touched his body. He felt like his skin was torn slowly but painfully. The cut was not deep but it was fatal because of the liquid. It was a poison, one that could be easily absorbed to the blood through opened wounds. He whimpered in agony. Trying his best to stay conscious.

Aubrey tried to get to his father, but was blocked by a man with black suit. Where did this man appear from? He was at a loss of words. He couldn't say or react in time. His mind went blank.

He saw his mother, trying to tell him something but was in vain when she also received the same wound from Adamson. Her eyes were full of sorrow and torment. She was crying her heart out. For the betrayal of her own son.

Aubrey couldn't take it anymore, he screamed as if his life depended on it. The man in black lost his grip of the boy when Aubrey stepped on his toe and bit his arm. Aubrey ran for his brother, to stop him.

Adamson didn't say anything, he was quiet. He took out a gun and a suppressor, he put them together. Pointing it towards his parents, he shot them to death multiple times. Right in front of Aubrey.

Everything went dark for Aubrey the moment he saw his parents died such a cruel death. And that too, at the hands of his own blood brother.