Gratitude

The apartments in high-class buildings have advanced security systems that use retina scans instead of the traditional lock-and-key system.

Olly placed his eyes under the retina scanner, and the door of the apartment opened. He walked into the living room and placed his bag on the sofa.

Earlier, he had gotten admission to Royal Heart Academy, but a few days ago, his admission was canceled along with many new students. He felt wronged, especially seeing how his sister was spared. He had even tried to argue with his father, but it didn't help.

Having no choice left, he joined the second-best academy in the city. He was not liking the class, so he left the academy before its closure time.

"Ooooo!"

Olly was startled. He listened carefully to make sure, and he heard another sound. He wasn't sure what the noise was, but it seemed like moaning.

"Mom?" Olly thought. He walked towards his mother's room, and the sound was now more clear.

"Fuck yes!" Suzane's voice came from behind the door. "Don't stop!"

Olly stopped and turned back. He reasoned that his mom and dad were making love, so he returned to the sofa.

Olly opened his cell phone and started playing a game. He heard more moaning sounds but pretended to be oblivious.

Fifteen minutes later~

"I will make us a drink," a male voice came from Suzane's room as the door opened.

"Scotch on the rocks for me," Suzane said.

"We share a familiar taste," the man replied. "The drinks should ready us for our next round of workouts."

Olly was startled by the voice. It sounded familiar but didn't belong to his father. Confused, he left the sofa and stepped towards his mother's room.

CRASH~

The cell phone fell from Olly's trembling hands. His eyes were wide open in shock as he looked at the golden-haired man in front of him.

"Kiba?!" Olly was so afraid and shocked that his voice was not audible at all.

His entire face was drenched in sweat, for Kiba was wearing nothing! Unless the white towel around the waist was counted!

Kiba had been a nightmare for him for weeks. And now, the nightmare was in his apartment, coming out of his parents' bedroom! His lack of clothes and the moaning from before left no doubt about what was going on.

"What happened?" Suzane's voice came from the room. She had heard the sound of something falling loudly on the floor.

"Nothing," Kiba answered in a nonchalant voice. "A remote fell down."

"Oh," Suzane sighed in relief.

"Your drink is coming in a minute," Kiba slowly moved forward.

Olly backed away, afraid Kiba would attack him. He wanted to open his mouth to ask his mother for help, but the fear made him lose his voice.

The dread he felt from Kiba far surpassed anyone in his entire life. The memories of the art exhibition at Close Horizon were still fresh in his mind.

Even now, he would wake up in his sleep remembering how he was humiliated by Kiba.

"Pl...ease..." Olly's voice was barely audible as he backed away.

Kiba had a relaxed smile on his face. He didn't say anything as he took another step towards Olly.

"Calm down," Kiba placed a hand on Olly's shoulder. "Don't sweat so much, otherwise you might become sick."

Kiba's voice was full of kindness, but this only gave goosebumps to Olly. The familiar kindness reminded him of something!

Relative!

Motherfucker!

Back then at the art exhibition, he called Kiba a motherfucker. Kiba had turned the conversation around by saying Olly was revealing the secret of his relationship with Olly's mother. This had made Olly a laughingstock in front of more than fifty people.

Angered, Olly had then attacked Kiba, only to get his own hands severed. Kiba had spared him and taught him a lesson, for he was a 'relative.'

Like that wasn't enough, Kiba went an extra step ahead by paying for his medical treatment since they were relatives.

Everything was just a token of kindness from one relative to another!

Fuck!

Kiba had truly become a motherfucker?! No... The Motherfucker!!

Olly didn't dare believe his own thoughts. What was just a simple curse back then had turned into reality?

"Thank you," Kiba's voice awakened Olly from his trance-like state.

"Thank you?" Olly was bewildered.

His face was drenched with sweat, but now he forgot his fear as Kiba's words of gratitude occupied his mind.

"Of course," Kiba adjusted Olly's collar and said, "How can I not be grateful to you?"

"Grateful?" Olly couldn't fathom Kiba's intention.

"If not for you, how would I have developed a relationship with your mom?" Kiba continued with a tone full of appreciation. "It was your existence and help that established this beautiful relationship."

The words were like a loud clap of thunder to Olly's ears. He fell on the floor with his jaw dropped as the magnitude of Kiba's words sank in.

He thought of how he had actually introduced Kiba to his mother. If not for him, his mother and Kiba would never have met.

If not for him, how could Kiba have become a motherfucker?!

"I am responsible for everything!" Olly's blood turned cold.

If he hadn't called him a motherfucker, then today...?!

"I am sure your father would be surprised," Kiba said with a smile. "No! Actually, he would be elated when he learns the contributions you have made to forming the relationship between me and your mom."

Olly's eyes turned wide and his scalp numbed with pain. His father had always been strict, and there were times when he would impart physical punishment.

"Dad would kill me along with mom if the secret of the affair is leaked..." Olly began sweating profusely as the realization hit him.

"Excuse me," Kiba passed by Olly and said, "I have to get a drink for your mother."

Olly looked on in disbelief as Kiba walked to the bar cabinet to prepare two scotches on the rocks. Kiba wasn't the least bit worried as he took out ice cubes from the mini-freezer.

Olly couldn't understand how Kiba could be so relaxed while roaming around the apartment drinking someone else's alcohol and fucking someone else's wife.

"Not even father is so laid back in our home!" Olly muttered to himself.

"Hmm?" Kiba noticed his gaze, so he turned back to look at him and asked, "Do you want a drink as well?"

"...." Olly couldn't bring himself to say anything.

"Come on, think of it as your own home and have a drink," Kiba prepared another glass of drink and placed it in the hands of the petrified Olly.

"Once again, thank you," Kiba said before entering the bedroom to join Suzane.

A few minutes later, the sound of moaning rang out. This time, the intensity was far higher as if Kiba was pushing Suzane beyond her limits.

Outside, Olly was still on his knees with his mouth wide open and a glass of scotch in his hands.

"Everything is my fault..."