Son In Slave

Cole finally got home and he stepped out of the car. The driver gave him a pity look before he zoomed off, leaving Cole to deal with himself.

Cole limped towards his apartment and the old man he was staying with saw how deranged he looked.

He was shocked. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked, rushing towards him. Cole raised his hand, hinting that he was fine.

"What happened? Why do you look like someone who got beaten up for stealing a teddy at the market?" He asked again.

They both have been living together since Cole could remember. The old man, Mr. Smith, was the one who had helped him since he was a little boy.

He could not remember who he was or what happened when he was younger.

Cole began to narrate what happened to him and the man could not help but shake his head at his predicament.

"But then I came to meet this person named Mr. Downs. He seemed stinkily rich and unfortunately for me I am now his son in law." Cole said and the man's lips quivered.

"You are now his son in law? That... You cannot do it. It is very dangerous. You should escape now." He said but Cole shook his head negatively.

"I can't. His daughter I think specifically told me not to run. They are coming to pick me up tomorrow to live with them. I know you are worried but I will be fine." With that said, he stood up and went to his room, leaving the old man to ponder on his thoughts.

His life has gone awry already.

* * *

Cole was picked up in the morning, just as planned and he was quite mesmerized by how magnificent the mansion of the Downs was from a distance.

He knew from the little time he had met them that they were rich but he never thought that they were this rich. Even Cecilia's room was a sight to behold. He dropped his luggage in front of the guard who said he wanted to search it by the order of Martins.

Cecilia hissed out and ushered Cole inside with a hard glare.

Cole let out a deep sigh as he stood to check out the house. This was where he was going to start living now.

A laugh rumbled down the stairs and Martin made his way down to Cole who dreaded his presence and his voice.

"See who is here? Your new husband! Woah, it seems your injuries have all been healed. Your wife must have done a great job then because she would not want to lose face, right Cecilia?" He asked, his lips lifting with a mocking smirk, not looking at Cecilia who scrunched her face in disgust.

Cole's stomach took that moment to grumble and Martin ran his gaze down his stomach.

He tsked. "Seems like your husband has not eaten. Cecilia, as a good wife you should feed him some food. Oh, I have forgotten, the only food we give lower class people is leftovers. You can give him my left over from last night. That food was too delicious to be finished. I wanted him to have a taste in it." He glanced around the place and clicked his fingers at one of the standby maids.

She ran towards him and gave him a slight bow.

"You heard what I said, get him the leftovers from last night. Your husband must be quite hungry." He said.

The maid sent a quick glance at Cole, "But the leftovers are what we give to the dogs." She hesitated. Martin peeked at Cole and shook his head.

"Should we give you as a meal to him then?" He questioned. She shook her head and hurried to the kitchen.

Cecilia could not talk but watch how the maids brought the food out and placed it in a place.

They did not even bother to microwave it. Martin turned to him, ushering him with his eyes to sit and eat well.

Cole sent a glance at Cecilia who stood, looking helpless. "Eat, because you would need the strength, considering the chores that need to be done," Martin said. This got Cole confused, what chores was he talking about? He did not come here to serve as a slave.

"I ... I don't think I can eat this food." He said, pushing the plate away.

Martin raised his brows and clicked his tongue then he turned towards Cecilia. "Didn't you fill your husband on what was coming for him?" He asked her and she looked away.

He let out a harsh breath and faced Cole. "Well, in this house, when food is dished out to someone, especially someone like you, you don't have a choice but to eat it. Because our dogs eat better food than that."

Cole looked at Cecilia for the last time before picking up the spoon and digging into the leftovers.

Martin smiled satisfactorily and whistled his way out of the house, leaving the couple to themselves.

* * *

*In A Greenhouse*

"What do you mean he has been found?" Justin asked, almost shocked at what Smith was telling him.

Smith shook his head and signaled to Justin to sit down back. He could not watch Cole live in the Downs family like a slave. He was born to be more than that.

He has spent his life protecting him and he was going to make sure he does not end up in the hands of those who were after his life.

"Yes, Cole is the missing heir and I have been keeping him safe. But now… I have grown old and cannot protect him anymore." The old man sighed.

Uncertainty clouded Justin's face and he did not know what to say. He had grieved when the old Godfather had died and now… Hearing that he has an heir gave him so much relief.

"So how can we meet this Cole?" He asked, his eyes clear with every seriousness he could muster.

"Now that is the issue. I need you to do that." Smith told him and Justin withdrew.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"Only you can draw the entire Downs family out to an event so you can do it." The old man told him.

Justin's brows creased and he nodded. "I understand." He said and gave him a curt nod while Smith let out a deep breath.

Cole was no longer safe.

****

Cole started living the life of a slave in the house of his in-laws. Most of the time, they would have him wash the cages of the dogs and cars.

He had not met Mr. Downs since he came here and he assumed he must be mad at his daughter that he still refused to meet her because he noticed the way she always looked sober.

"Cole!" Cecilia called from the huge living room. Cole heard her and left what he was washing to meet her. She scrunched her nose when she saw how he looked and smelled.

She let out a loud hiss and covered her nose. "Do you remember the party we are going to?" She asked.

Her grandfather who had refused to call her suddenly gave her a call that Justin was organizing an event to announce a new boss.

She was shocked but what could she say?

Cole nodded his head.

"The theme dress is formal wear. And from what I have seen on you, you don't have that, do you?" She asked, eyeing him.

"I do have a suit." Answered Cole when all he wanted to do was leave her. The both of them have sort of maintained a particular kind of arms-length distance between them.

"Okay," She was about to say something when a heavy knock sounded on the door. Her brows creased and the guard stepped in.

"Someone would like to meet Mr. Cole." He said and Cole whirled around.

Had the old man come to get him?

"Let him in," Cecilia said and the door was pushed open only for Cole to come face to face with the one he was owing money.

His eyes went wide as he knew that there was no way to escape.

"Did you think you would escape? And my money will disappear? You are living in this wealthy place now, it won't be hard to pay your debts, would it?" He asked, looking around the house.

Cecilia did not understand what was going on and Martin decided to use that moment to arrive. He was quite shocked at the number of people that were standing in the living room as it was a rare scene.

"What is going on here?" He asked, everyone faced him but no one said anything.

Cole spoke up, "I will pay you soon. I promise, I just lost my job and I... I need to adjust to some things, that is why I took a long time." He pleaded with his eyes, the man was not having any of it.

"Yeah, I know you lost your job, I was told so. But wasn't it because of a lady? You are wretched yet you thought you were capable of loving someone. Who will marry a poor man like you?"

"Her," Martin answered, shocking everyone.