Episode 8

Chapter eight.

Brian wasn't bothered with the fact that he was seated at the back. No. He enjoyed the serenity the atmosphere presented him but the first sign of trouble he saw was when he found his good-for-nothing mother-in-law whispering only 'God knows what' to his wife.

Yes. His mother-in-law was good, but for-nothing; and Brian had no apologies for calling her that. In fact, he thought she deserved worse.

But when he heard Henry Danley rather than Ana Danley, he knew something had gone wrong. And he confirmed it when his eyes caught Ana excusing herself from the hall.

Brian quickly followed her.

There she was, seated on the stairs and all curled up. Her eyes could not but be teary at the disappointment.

A clunking sound, more like a metal hitting a surface, fell on his ears while taking off his jacket, but Brian could not be bothered with anything except the sobbing lady in front of him. She must be cold. He moved and dropped the jacket on her shoulders.

"Darling, those tears are going to ruin your make up for the night. You shouldn't allow that happen,"Brian consoled, pulling her up from the stairs.

"I don't understand why mother would do such thing. Dad trusted me with his company," she sobbed, the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Brian covered her in his arms. He could feel some moisture on his shirt, evidence of the tears. She may not have understood why she was replaced by her brother, but Brian knew that he was the reason for the whole thing.

A poor restaurant boy shouldn't be seen anywhere near a CEO.

Of course he wasn't poor anymore. He still had about forty million dollars in his account. He could afford to buy a new home, a new car and a new everything to avoid his good-for-nothing stepmother, but he couldn't understand why Mr Danley insisted on having him stay within the villa.

Poor Mr Danley. Exactly three months had it been since the fatal car accident that claimed his life. A tragic Wednesday day Brian would forever remember.

Perhaps none of this would have happened if the old man was still alive.

"You know what. They could take away the CEO position from you but you know what they can't take?" Brian gazed at the moist cheeks, rubbing with his palm.

Ana didn't need makeup. Although she may have been crying and ruining her makeup, it could still be argued that she was one of the most beautiful ladies in the new world.

"Your intelligence, smartness, and your hard work. You were mostly in charge even when Dad was alive. And that, my love, is something nobody can take away."

Relief.

Yes. That was the emotion Brian felt when her face lit up. Damn. She was way too beautiful. And for a while, he thought he deserved the torment he got from Ethan.

While embracing, Brian's eye caught the shiny object and he quickly moved to get it.

Behold a gold-colored key.

Not just any key but a key that could change his entire life, the only thing he got from Mr Danley on that tragic day.

"What's that?" Ana inquired.

"Its a key to some of my old stuff," he lied.

And why shouldn't he?

Brian himself wasn't sure if he was ready to use the key, or for the secrets it held, secrets that could alter his course of destiny.

The words of Mr Danley played back in his mind, sending emotions filled with pain. It's been three months since it all happened but it seemed like yesterday. The pale body lying in an hospital bed was still vivid in his mind.

Unlike Ana, Brian considered himself lucky to have said a good buy. Brian was just leaving the hospital with his sick mother when an ambulance screeched to a halt. Lo and behold, Mr Danley appeared, all covered in blood and was being wheeled in for an emergency treatment, a treatment he never got out of.

Days passed and all Brian could think of was his life. Suddenly, things had turned back to the way they were before he ever met Mr Danley.

Miserable.

He barely paid his adopted mom any visit, and barely left the house. All he thought about were the last moment he spent with Mr Danley.

Take it. It's the key to a safe deposit box. In it, you will find everything you need. Always remember who you are.

The old man had whispered under his dying breath. Brian played back the words over and over, each round bringing more questions that begged more answers as he continued staring at the key.

What's in the deposit box?

Not a single idea did he have. All he knew was that he was heir to Mr Fineman, some goddamned billionaire who was nowhere to be found.

But Brian could barely make sense of the dead man's words. He pondered and pondered but just couldn't connect the dots.

I've searched for you for so many years. And I'm glad to call you my son-in-law. I know Mr Fineman would be proud to see his grandchild.

Those dying words seemed to confused him the more. Suddenly, Brian felt so many questions poping up in his mind. His life had taken a quick but unexpected turn. He now owned The Emerald Group of Companies, the biggest conglomerate in the entire city. That was if the dead man's words were anything to go by.

Brian wasn't sure he was ready for the truth, for nothing about the truth made sense.

Why did Mr Danley not give a seemingly confidential key to Ana, his daughter? Why him?

Again, why did Mr Danley insist he stay within the villa despite paying for the surgery and giving an extra fifty million dollars?

Brian paced back and forth the living room. Luckily for him, Ana was out to visit a friend. So, he had the whole space to think things through and figure things out. But so far, he was doing a pretty bad job because everything leads to a dead end.

Or maybe Mr Danley was just a generous man, indeed too generous.

No.

There has to be something more.

Indeed there was something more, something bigger than Brian himself, but just that he couldn't figure it out even as he stared at the key, a bird symbol visible on it.

For a while, Brian thought it had something to do with the woman who died giving birth to him.

Was she alive?

Brian didn't think so. That could only be possible if the dead came back to life; for Brian had seen his birth records back at the foster home. It was clearly stated that his mother is deceased. So Brian excused himself from that thought.

Generous.

Brian consoled himself with that thought. That was the only plausible explanation he could find after hours of pacing back and forth in the living room. But he resolved to get his answers.

And what better way to find such answers other than going to the safe deposit box?

Brian took a deep breath and sauntered into the State Directory of Records building the following day. He tried to keep himself calm but apprehension lingered beneath his breath as he walked in.

He got the necessary clearance with the uniqueness of the key and soon, an officer in charge escorted him to where box 57 was located.

The box that could change his entire life now stared before his very eyes. And if he is not careful, he may find himself floating down the river.

He took a deep breath, slid the key into the whole, turned it a few times, and pulled the box backward.

"Oh my God!" he exclaimed.