Chapter 1: Heir Of Pain

“Why… just why?” Arden whispered as he looked up at Carlos. His voice cracked, his throat raw as if every word hurt to come out. His eyes searched Carlos’s face desperately, begging for something—an explanation, a sign of remorse, even a small trace of the man he once loved and thought he knew.

Carlos stood there with a blank expression, his tall frame blocking the only exit of the room. His arms were crossed, his jaw tight, but his eyes gleamed with something cruel and mocking.

“Why the fuck did you do this to me?!” Arden suddenly yelled. His voice bounced off the walls, filled with anger but also unbearable pain.

Carlos suddenly chuckled. Not the warm chuckle Arden had once loved. This one was cold, sharp, and dripping with malice.

“You’re asking why I did it to you?” Carlos’s tone rose with mockery. “I hate the fucking fact that I had to be compared to you all the time! Do you know how sick it made me? People calling you brilliant, people looking at you like you’re some golden boy. It baffles me that even though you’re so brilliant, you’re also dumb. so, I had to make a bet, which came out in my favor.” He laughed bitterly, shaking his head.

Arden’s chest rose and fell rapidly. His fists trembled at his sides. “I swear, you won’t get away with what you did.”

Carlos tilted his head, his smirk widening. “Ohh… really? I won’t?”

He slid his phone from his pocket with slow, deliberate movements. The glowing screen lit up. Then, with a simple tap, he played a video.

A moaning sound filled the silence, echoing in the small room.

Arden froze, his body numb, his face draining of color as the realization hit him.

“Just one click,” Carlos said, his smirk cruel and satisfied, “and your nude will be all over the Internet.”

Arden’s eyes widened in shock, disbelief burning in them. His breath caught in his throat. “You… why? I thought you loved me. Why did you…”

“Shut up!” Carlos snapped, his voice sharp as a blade. He stepped closer and tapped Arden’s head with his phone. “Love you? Didn’t you know I was straight? Huh?” His smirk deepened as he leaned closer.

Arden flinched at the words, his heart cracking.

Carlos whispered like it was some grand revelation. “Rule one, don’t fall for a straight guy.”

And then he laughed again, crueler than before. He replayed the video, letting the moans echo louder, just to humiliate Arden further.

“See you later,” Carlos whispered, his tone dripping with mockery.

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Arden shattered.

The sound of his footsteps faded, but the damage was done.

Arden dropped to his knees as uncontrollable tears slipped down his face. His chest heaved, his body trembling, his vision blurring from the flood of tears. His heart screamed, Why? Why would he do this?

He had trusted him. He had loved him. Now everything felt like it was crumbling.

And then—his phone rang.

Arden startled, his shaking hand fumbling as he picked it up. His voice cracked as he whispered, “Hello?”

“Hello, I am calling from Reader Hospital,” a firm but calm voice spoke on the other end. “The victim who owns this phone was in an accident. You were listed as their emergency contact. They were in a ghastly accident.”

Arden froze. His sobs stopped instantly. The world around him grew silent.

“What… what did you say?” he whispered, his throat tightening.

“The victims are in our emergency ward. Please come immediately.”

Arden’s heart skipped a beat. “Which… which hospital?” he asked quickly, his voice shaking.

“Reader Hospital.”

Arden didn’t wait another second. He ran. Tears streamed down his face as his legs carried him forward with a desperate, wild energy. Every step hurt, his chest tightening, but he didn’t stop. His mind screamed, Please, no. Not them. Please, God.

~~~~~~A Few Hours Later~~~~

Arden sat in the hospital lounge. His body slumped forward, his hands shaking in his lap. His eyes stared at the floor, vacant, dull, as if all life had drained out of him.

He didn’t even have the strength to cry anymore.

The world around him blurred—the sound of footsteps, the cries of families, the beeping machines. None of it reached him. He was drowning in silence.

Then a nurse approached him. A gentle-looking woman with tired eyes. She looked at him with sympathy, her voice low and careful.

“Sir,” she said softly. “You can come confirm the bodies in the morgue.”

Arden slowly raised his head. His eyes were void of emotions, hollow, empty. His lips parted, but no words came out.

He stood up without thinking and followed the nurse. His steps were heavy, his body numb.

When they entered the morgue, the air grew cold. The nurse motioned to two covered bodies laid out on cold steel tables.

She uncovered them one by one.

“Is this Mr. and Mrs. Alexander?”

Arden’s breath caught in his throat.

He stepped forward slowly, his hand trembling as he reached out to touch his mother’s cold face. His fingers brushed her cheek. She was gone.

Then he turned to his father, his hand shaking as he touched him too. Cold and silent.

Arden’s chest tightened. His lips trembled. And then… he smiled. A broken, desperate smile.

“Mom, Dad… is this one of your pranks?” His voice cracked, his smile trembling. “Okay, fine, I’ll apologize. I’m sorry. I am so sorry. You warned me about Carlos and now he… he hurt me bad, Mom, Dad.” His eyes darted left and right as he tried to hold back tears. “And he is planning something bad for me. I’m scared, Mom, Dad. I can’t do it alone. So wake up.”

He waited, waited and waited but, only silence answered him. His heart raced.

“Mom, stop joking,” he said, his voice rising as he shook his mother’s still body. His tears fell harder.

The nurse standing behind him covered her mouth, tears slipping down her own face.

“Dad, wake up. You cannot leave me here.” Arden’s voice broke as he turned to his father. “Mom. Dad. No. No!!!” His scream pierced the cold room.

Arden yelled, cried, pleaded, his body collapsing to the floor. His cries filled the morgue, echoing off the walls. But nothing ever changed.

Nothing could bring them back.

That day, Arden became an heir of pain.