Maximillian Startled awake by a loud thud, reminiscent of someone forcefully attempting to breach a door, I struggled to sit up. Squinting at the wall clock, I groggily registered it was 2 am. As I rubbed my tired eyes, the entrance violently gave way, admitting five masked, armed intruders who pointed their guns at me, ordering me to kneel. Two of them hurried to wake Edwina and her family, ushering them into the sitting room to join me on the floor. Helpless, I listened to Esther whimper and Evelyn cry, the realization of my inability to protect them weighing heavily on me. "Where's the money?" One of them demanded. Cyril's voice shook as he replied, "What... What are you talking about? I don't have any money." "You better don't play games with us," Another warned. "We're not here to play with you." Oddly, the voices of the two men sounded familiar, though I couldn't place where I'd heard them before. "The loan you got from your cooperative society... Where's it hidden?" Inqu
EdwinaEarlier today, I may have crossed a line by labeling Justice as an idiot following the robbery incident. I was deeply upset and vented my anger, hoping it would help, but it ended up being a futile argument. Throughout the night, I stayed awake, longing for my sisters to join me in bed for a conversation, but they chose to stay in the sitting room, engrossed in discussions with Justice. He had become their go-to person, and I resented it. It felt like he was intruding into my sisters' lives, attempting to replace me and making me feel like an outsider. Yesterday on the farm, I noticed the radiant smile on my father's face as he observed Justice at work, leaving me with the impression that he silently wished Justice were his son."Ed, you've got to let go of these thoughts," I sighed, running my hands across my face. "I'm sure he wasn't thinking that."Justice's voice came from behind me, "Are you okay?"Turning to him, I pointed to myself. "Are you talking to me?"He scoffed,
MaximillianSince the accident last year, genuine smiles were rare until today, sparked by a 5'10" rebellious woman grappling with her insecurities. Our confrontation ended in laughter, a mutual benefit, and she declared a truce after failing to catch me."Truce? I'm skeptical." I said, shaking my head. "How do I know you won't break it and attack me unexpectedly?""I'll find a way, and you'll realize it when the time comes." Her smile took on a devilish tone. "Sleep peacefully; you're not worth the trouble of landing in jail. No need to keep an eye open.""I don't trust you at all." I narrowed my eyes."I swear on my late grandmother's grave not to harm you while you sleep." She raised a hand in the air, the other on her chest."Fair enough." I shrugged, still wary but accepting her pledge."I'm grabbing water. Want some?" She offered."I have hands and legs. I'll manage it myself.""Good for you," she huffed before walking away. After about an hour, she finally left the house, leavi
Maximillian The following morning, precisely at nine am and a few minutes after breakfast, I shared with them my plan to take a walk. Despite Evelyn's suggestion to accompany me, I politely declined, keeping my intentions confidential. Without informing Cyril about the acquired money, I left the house discreetly.After some time, I reached the urban area where I encountered the kind woman the day before, finding her in the same spot. Considering it a coincidence, I approached her, expressing gratitude for yesterday and requesting her phone, which she willingly handed over.Dialing Lucas's number, I put the phone to my ear, but he didn't answer, prompting me to end the call. Just as I was about to try again, a gentle tap on my shoulder made me whirl around, and there stood Lucas himself."Um... Good morning, Your..." He started to say.I interrupted him, asserting, "I don't want anyone to know who I am. My name here is Justice.""Oh, alright." Lucas nodded and shared, "I was just driv
Edwina Upon hearing Esther's scream, I quickly assumed she was in trouble. After hastily dressing following my evening shower, I rushed outside to investigate. To my surprise, I found Esther and Evelyn showering Justice with hugs and kisses, leaving me puzzled. "What's happening?" I inquired. "Edwina, look!" Evelyn handed me a paper from the Cooperative society. Initially fearing the worst, I realized it was a receipt. "This is a receipt," I noted. "Yes! Justice paid off our debt," Esther exclaimed. As I examined the receipt, confirming the five-million debt was settled, signed by both the chairman and Justice, a mix of emotions overwhelmed me. "Why... Why would you do something like this for us?" I questioned him. "You're not a member of this family." "Edwina!" Their shock mirrored my reaction. "I'm grateful, but you had no right." I tossed the receipt to the floor. "Where did you even manage to get five million within two weeks?" "Instead of questioning him..." "It's an
MaximillianA week later "Good morning, Justice. Did you sleep well?" Edwina greeted. Initially, I thought her civility was a joke, but now she appeared genuinely concerned about my well-being, leaving me unsure of my emotions."Yes, thank you," I replied. "And you?"She nodded, saying, "Hmm. I've reconciled with my sisters, and my life is back on track.""I'm really happy for you," I expressed.From a distance, a familiar male voice called out, "Edwina!"As Edwina's obnoxious best friend, Steven, approached, I rose to my feet. Having met him once, I disliked him for condescending looks, assuming I had nothing to my name."Steven! Hi, what brings you here?" Edwina's smile brightened considerably, unaware of his crush on her."I came to see you and check on your sisters," He said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Is everything settled?""Yes, we're good now. You remember Justice, don't you?" Edwina asked."How are you doing, man?" Steven's handshake felt like an unspoken question,
Julian"I hope you have good news for me, Raphael?" Dad inquired as one of the bodyguards returned from the search for Max. Despite knowing the answer to everyone's question, I had made a promise to my brother not to disclose his location."I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Raphael replied, "but we didn't find him in Orlu either." "Well, we won't stop there. He's bound to be in one of the other two kingdoms. My father's cousin sent word that he's not in Oleus either." Dad asserted. "Eisner and Havindelle are the only kingdoms left to search. You can go, Raphael."After Raphael left, I spoke up, "Dad?""Yes, son?" He turned to me."Why don't we just end the search? We're wasting resources as it is," I told him. "He did say that he didn't want anyone searching for him."Dad's brows furrowed in confusion, wondering why I wasn't expecting news about my brother. Max's twin sister Bianca and his favorite, Annabeth, weren't overly concerned either."That's really funny," Dad remarked. "Because I co
Edwina Struggling to keep my eyes open at barely 6 am, I resisted the temptation to succumb to sleep. Rising from bed, I neatly folded the blanket, returned it to the wardrobe, then lifted and rolled my mattress onto the wardrobe. My sisters, exhausted from chatting all night, were still asleep after Evelyn's return from Eisner with our mother. Leaving the room, I headed to the sitting room and was surprised to find Justice, shirtless, engaged in one-handed push-ups. With a mischievous smile, recalling his earlier claim of weakness, I tiptoed and playfully dropped onto his back, prompting a loud grunt as he buckled under my weight and collapsed. "What the hell, Edwina?" He growled, turning to look at me. "Get off!" "I'm just helping you out," I feigned innocence. "With what?" He rasped. "Your weak muscles. Didn't you admit you're not as strong as you appear? Consider this my contribution to building your strength." "I meant my immune system is compromised," He hissed. "It has