Chapter 25

NICHOLAS

It was eerie and that was the exact impression I wanted to leave in Charles's heart. I could see him shaking out of fear. He was right to do that.

"Please don't kill me..." He muttered with his voice quivering. "I won't tell anyone about this. I won't report to the police that you kidnapped me. I beg you. I will do whatever you want me to."

"Is that so?" I laughed. "You have seen many movies, it seems. I haven't seen as many as you would have so I will ask you this. What happens to the victim when he sees his kidnapper's face?"

"I promise I will tell nobody. Just spare my life!" He begged. I smiled and stood up from my chair. I walked behind him and slowly touched his shoulders. He was tied so he couldn't move but I could tell that he was out of breath.

"I am not a kidnapper for ransom as you already know," I began. "You have the guts to whisper terrifying things into the ears of my wife and that's why you are here."

"Te... Terrifying things?" He stammered.

"You see, Charles, I wouldn't have bothered if all you did was aid in killing my father-in-law slowly. I wouldn't mind if you go against your oath as a doctor and kill your patients instead. There is only one thing you should have never tried and that is mocking and threatening my own wife. The wife of Nicholas Wesington!"

"Forgive me, please. I will never do it again!" Charles cried. I went back to my chair and faced him directly.

"I haven't told the story to many people. You will be the second or is it third?" I turned towards Raymond.

"What story, boss?" Raymond asked.

"The story about Mama," I replied.

"He is the third person, boss," Raymond confirmed. I turned back to Charles and loosened my tie. I sat properly and crossed my legs.

"The butler at my home is a very precious woman to me. Everyone calls her Mama. One day, I had a visitor. It was a director at one of my companies. There was an issue with something he had invested in and he came to see me angrily..." I took a deep breath. "I wasn't at home so Mama tried to stop him. He went ahead to smash a vase and when Mama tried to stop him from smashing another one, he slapped her."

I took a brief pause and began to laugh. Raymond had a smile on his face as well. He was there with me when I paid the man back.

"Can you guess what I did to the man when I found out he slapped Mama?" I asked Charles carefully.

"Well, I'm not sure," Charles muttered.

"How about you put your imagination into good use right away? Do you want me to help you?" I asked him firmly.

"A little more beating will make him more creative, boss," Raymond offered. "Shall I get the whip?"

"Please," Charles gasped. "I will imagine."

Raymond stepped forward and with the came, he flogged Charles on his thigh. The latter groaned in pain and after I raised my hand to signal, Raymond stopped.

"Don't waste time saying you'll do something. You should do it right away," I told Charles calmly. He nodded. His whole body was covered in sweat.

"If I were in your shoes, I would kidnap him and beat him up," Charles replied weakly. This made Raymond and I laugh. It died down soon and I got serious.

"What did I do to the scum?" I asked Raymond.

"He slapped Mama with his right hand. You were merciful enough to only the five fingers of his right hand," Raymond responded.

"Right! I was merciful then," I muttered.

"If I were in your shoes, boss. I would cook those five fingers and have him eat them, else I would take his wrist..." Raymond told me with a coy smile.

"That is cruelty, Raymond!" I laughed dryly.

"I always tell you, boss," Raymond replied. "Evil must always be conquered by more evil. Mercy should be shown to people that do not deserve it. People like Charles here."

Charles raised his eyebrows, "Please spare me. I will do everything you want me to!"

"What do you think?" I turned towards Raymond. He looked quite convinced.

"Let's try him out for now, boss. If he doesn't follow your orders, you can always bring him back here. He should be that smart," Raymond told me. I nodded and stared at Charles.

"I don't know what you've been doing with my father-in-law since but from now on, you'd better be saving his life," I said firmly. "If he dies, you will die too. You should save his life."

"I will, sir. I promise you I will but..." He looked excited then turned unenthusiastic all of a sudden. "But he is currently in vegetative state. It might be too late..."

"That's your own problem!" I replied. "Don't tell Sherlyn about me else someone will invade your room one night and slit your neck. Don't try to confirm if I was right."

Charles nodded.

"Get his wounds treated and send him back, Raymond..." I ordered. Raymond nodded and that was it. I walked out of the building majestically and drove away. Raymond could take care of the rest. I arrived at my mansion that same night. I walked into my room without making noise so I wouldn't wake up May who was sleeping soundly.

I had a shower and crept into bed with her. I closed my eyes but it was the same as ever. I always had difficulty sleeping.

**

Fire. A crying kid. Two adult dead bodies.

I woke up, no, I literally jumped out from bed. It was a nightmare, the one I had every night. My heart was beating so hard. It had been years since I had this nightmare but I could never get used to it.

I sat on the bed, breathing heavily.

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Do you have nightmares every night?" It was May.