Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Tower, that name sounded too familiar to be forgotten. It had been his secret shame, something he had done in the past and regretted.

***

Six years ago

Nathan sat all by himself, recluse, and with hate. He stroked his bruised hand just to feel something. His mother had bandaged the hurt fists before he was sent to the academy for healing, a subtle term for the mental hospital. He was believed to be suicidal and not in an average sense.

Nathan had taken it upon himself to get into fights and visit dark alleys to get hurt or maybe die.

It was not working well.

"Howdy."

It was the other patient. The small box could only contain that or less. His roommate was a man in his forties, the golden age. He had a full beard, fairly unkempt, and had grown his hair to achieve the rockstar look. He looked a bit skinny too. Other than those, he was alright.

Nathan ignored the man's friendly gesture of starting a conversation.

"Why are you here?"

The man continued anyways.

Even in the silence, Nathan longed to answer. He was telling a complete stranger after all.

"Self-harm."

The room returned to being deafening silent and if one concentrated well enough, you could hear them breathing.

"What are you here for?" Nathan asked, slightly surprising himself.

If he was going to be here for some time, he best made friends.

"I'm here for klep- ehm!"

Nathan noticed the man's plight and stopped intruding.

"So they didn't take you to prison?"

The man was a bit hurt and almost looked like he would rush and hit Nathan any second soon.

"It more like a curse. I want to stop but I can't."

Nathan briefly took pity on the man. It was his condition. He was reminded of his sister who remained string when Cancer kept Fu*king with her. When her hair fell off, she showed the world. She was strong till the very end and died with a smile on her face. She was his sun and without her light, he was just an empty moon.

"Sorry!"

"No need to be!" The man retorted sharply just like his mother would.

"I one day want to be a CEO so I don't have to steal people's things or money."

That would be nice, Nathan thought.

All his life, he hadn't made worthwhile life goals. He always had everything within his reach and even if it was under his father's wing, he was satisfied but now, a part of him wanted out.

"What would you call it? Your company?" Nathan asked now lying down on the rock hard bed and eyes up to the concrete roof.

"Tower."

"Nice, what your name?" Nathan queried, now enjoying the small talk

"Thomas Romero." The man replied.

It was going to be the beginning of a fruitful partnership, Nathan could see it.

***

It was his shame all those years, his mistake.

"Your father is Thomas!?"

Adriana gave no reply but gave him a scorned look.

"You gave fifteen minutes to evacuate this building or I'll call the police."

"You can do this, please!" Miranda begged, falling on the floor, her eyes red and puffy.

"Mom, don't do that!" Nathan yelled.

He cherished his ego more but in this case, he was nothing but a wounded lion, he would submit to her.

"It's a pity you don't have too many friends, you've betrayed a lot of them. You can stay, but... You'll be taking orders from me."

Just when Miranda was about to speak, Nathan objected.

"You're wrong there. I do have a friend."

He then picked his phone from the floor and dialed a number.

"Hello Mr. Rodriguez, we'll be lodging in your house for the night." He blared just to spite Adriana and to kill the glorious win she was so relishing.

The call ended and Nathan faced Adriana,

"You'll pay for this!"

Adriana remained composed as she gave her reply,

"You'll come begging when I'm done with you."

Just one stare into those soulless eyes and he knew she meant it.

"Let's go," Nathan said and proceeded the walk upstairs.

Adriana stopped him, her hands on his ripped chest.

It disgusted Nathan. He slapped her hands away.

"What do you think you are doing Witch?"

"You have your choice, Nathan. Leave! No one is going upstairs unless of course, you've lost your ego almighty Nathan."

Nathan was glued to the spot.

This girl was nothing but a manipulative bi*ch! How come he had not noticed earlier.

"I wonder who betrayed me for you?"

Adriana wanted nothing but to crush Nathan and she wouldn't miss any opportunity to do so.

"Your best friend, isn't it ironic? You betrayed my father and now, your friend betrays you. See how twisted that is Nathan!"

Nathan's eyes were boiling and his sight becoming blurry. He was so stupid to let his guard down for a second. Adriana wanted to see him on his knees but that was never happening.

"We'll leave without our belongings."

"Betty?" Nathan turned to the maid who just stared at the drama wide-eyed. She turned to her boss or her former boss instead.

"You can stay here for the day or move out whenever you can."

Done talking, Nathan walked out, dragging his mother who wanted and pleaded profusely to Adriana.

Not even Satan could unlock her sealed heart!

***

Rodriguez was more than a darling to let Nathan into his humble abode. He was just an appreciative man who was being helpful. It was shameful for Nathan to tell to him his plight.

"You mean she did all that!" Rodriguez's wife, Lia expressed.

Nathan nodded taking a sip of the warm tea that had been handed to him. His mother, however, was secluded and it was strange since it was very unlike her.

Nathan left the sitting room to join her on the stone polished dining table.

She glanced at him before looking away just as quickly.

Nathan could see she was in tears.

"It's ok Mom." He reassured her locking his fingers in hers.

They needed to be strong in trails like this.

"No, it's not! If it wasn't for me... You would still have everything. I pushed you so hard just like I pushed your sister away... until...she died!"

She burst into tears again and collapsed on the table, her hands covering her swollen face.

Nathan was agitated to see his mother in this step and to remind him of late Aurora. Adriana was going to pay! He just did not know how now.

Just then a fuzzy image crossed his mind, an idea!

Rodriguez joined them, his face pale like he had gotten a call from hell.

"Ehm! Adriana called, she threatened to cut Rory off Boulderfist if I let you stay here."

That cunning witch!

"I— don't want to do this to you, Nathan—. You are a— good man..."

Nathan could see the man was battling with morality and his future. He would not let him choose.

"My mother will stay here. I will go back to that Witch. If she wants me to be on knees. She'll meet me there."

"Thank you!" He appreciated Rodriguez. The latter nodded.

Miranda did not want and she didn't waste her time to disagree.

"No Nathan!" She stiffened clutching to her son's hands like he was going to poof away any second soon.

"I can call your father..."

"No!" Nathan almost yelled out.

His father was a dominant man. He had hated his son being in the limelight, not in his shadow, and was somewhat responsible since for what he was going through at this moment.

He would do this his way.

***

Nathan knocked on the door of his—Adriana's house.

Adriana was the one to open the door making Nathan guess Betty wasted no time to leave.

"Well, well, well..." Her haughty voice repeated.

"I have come to beg for a palace to stay."

"Didn't I tell you, you'll come back begging."

Nathan only had to endure for some days before he put his plan into action. Adriana was a woman after all and even men had weaknesses. Everyone has an Achilles heel and when he found hers, he would ruin her.