NEXT MORNING, GRAND CASINO~OFFICE*

He was humming happily as he drove out of the hospital, feeling on top of the globe.

*

NEXT MORNING, GRAND CASINO~OFFICE*

Master X stood slanted in front of his desk, staring at the picture frame on the wall again.

His gaze is hard.

At every passing minute, he holds his walking cane tighter, and his eyes turned sadder.

The woman in the picture is his wife, and the children on her laps are their children.

Roonie and his sister... Silver.

His wife died after giving birth to Roonie, so Roonie didn't even see her at all, and the mother didn't see him too.

The picture was originally snapped with only Silver on her laps, but Master X had to go for Photoshop just to put little Roonie in his mother's arms.

If she didn't carry her for real, she'd at least do it in the picture.

He could still remember that day...

FLASHBACK, YEARS AGO*

"Hazzan!" He called out.

He's sitting in the office, holding the picture on top of his desk and staring at it with so much melancholy in his expression.

Hazzan rushed in.

"Yes boss!" He bowed.

"Any good Photoshop place around?" Master X asked.

"Sure, there's one across the street and he's really good" Hazzan replied.

"Here" Master X gave him the picture his wife carrying Silver, then he brought out another picture from the drawer.

It's a personal picture of Roonie.

"Have it photoshopped with the first picture. Make him sit on my wife's second lap" Master X ordered.

"Yes boss!" Hazzan took the two and rushed out of the office.

Almost immediately, Uncle Edward came in, holding five years old Roonie who's looking so innocent.

He's wearing black again cos according to him, he's gonna mourn his sister and mother for life___he's gonna wear black for life.

Also, Roonie has been staying with uncle Edward since the accident... Master X hates seeing him.

"Why are you here, Edward?" Master X hardened his jaws, not looking at Roonie at all.

"Are you really gonna hate your son forever?" Not like he killed your wife with a gun, she died after his birth! He didn't kill his sister too it was an accident! He didn't break your leg, the accident did!" Uncle Edward spat.

"Crap" Master X replied harshly.

"What!" Uncle Edward replied, his hold on Roonie tightening.

"His birth started everything! The moment he was born, my life turned around Edward! I can't even bring myself to look at him! He shouldn't have been born. You shouldn't have been born, Roonie" Master X slammed, and tears came out of Roonie's eyes.

"Stop saying this repeatedly, Xavier! You won't even see him or look at him since the accident! He's human too!" Uncle Edward shouted.

"Didn't you hear the part where I said I can't bring myself to look at him? And did you just say he's human? He's a devil! Why didn't he die when my wife died? During the accident, we lost Silver and I lost my left leg, but he didn't get a scratch, he's a devil!" Master X shouted back.

"Xavier...

"Leave! Leave this place Edward, and take him with you. I don't ever want to see him for the rest of my life. I don't have a son" Master X interrupted harshly, turning his back.

Roonie's tears cascaded down his cheeks hotly as uncle Reginald carried him and left the office.

BACK TO THE PRESENT*

Master X heaved out, turning away from the frame before taking his seat.

His phone buzzed with an email, it's from Roonie.

He checked and saw the new update about Pearl.

Carbon Copy: Peaceful day, she's asleep. No fûcks.

He sighed, dropping the phone before resting back on the chair.

*

TITANS MANSION*

Rook felt his limbs moving when he woke up, and he immediately smiled slightly, feeling better in his system.

The detox took longer than he expected, so he was tired throughout yesterday, unable to move a limb.

His eyes flew open when he felt a presence beside himself, and he sat up in bed to see Jeremy sitting with him, smiling.

"Bloody fûck! Why are you in my room bastard!" Rook got down from the bed, throwing on blue pants.

"Look who's back" Jeremy laughed, and Rook looked back sharply.

"You sound different, are you really Jeremy?" He said, and Jeremy laughed.

"Rue is out of the country, maybe that took a toll" he said.

"Rue? To where?" Roo replied with a pull of his bushy brows.

"Singapore. Papa wanted her there for a while, school can wait... she'd meet up before exams" Jeremy replied.

"Your dad is weird" Rook shook his head, getting a big bag.

He started packing his things.

"Are you leaving the country too?" Jeremy stood.

"Nope, I'm leaving this mansion" Rook replied.

"What! If the leader leaves, then how is the frat gonna survive?" Jeremy's eyes blinked.

"I'm leaving my throne, and I'm leaving the club" Rook replied.

"What!" Jeremy gasped.

"The hell??" Romeo said, coming in with Juliet.

"You're leaving the club? Titans will fall without you!" Romeo said.

"I don't care dude! I was swimming in poison for three damn days and I almost lost my damn life. I'll be damned if I stay" Rook replied, throwing the last shoe into the bag with him before zipping.

"Are you doing this because of Banks? C'mon you're more than this!" Jeremy said.

"Are you insane? More than what? Look, my name is Rook Hazzan, I am Hazzan's son and my father has been working for Banks dad even before I was born. All the money I've been spending all my life comes from Master X, so henceforth, I won't be doing anything to implicate my father. Make anyone you want the new leader, peace out!" Rook replied, dragging the bag out

"Rook!" Romeo and Juliet ran after him immediately.