Chapter six

"And I'm telling you that he's alive!" The words that Thomas spoke to him made Phil wonder if he had gotten it all wrong from the beginning. He rocked his head in the negative as he contemplated the possibility of his nephew surviving the assassination attempt. 

"No, it's not possible. I checked the urn myself. It was his DNA. How did he..." Phil muttered. He shut his eyes as a terrible headache pierced through his skull. He had been getting one of those for some time, and although he knew that he should get them checked out, he didn't want to go to a doctor.

"There is no way he survived," Phill said to himself again.

"There's no way who survived?" Bentley suddenly asked and Phil jerked in shock. He didn't even know that Bentley was there. 

"Did you see what happened to Thomas Knight today on TV? His company's darkest secret has been exposed. What's confusing is that Thomas claims that your cousin Alan is responsible for it. I told him it all bollocks but he seems to believe it," Phil told him and Bentley chuckled. He quickly took his seat and gazed at his father.

"Alan has been dead for nineteen years. His death was confirmed," Bentley stated.

"But what if he did not die? There was an assassin I sent to kill him, Xavier. Following the events of Alan's death, I immediately stopped all communications with him. I want you to find him and bring him to me," Phil instructed and Bentley sighed.

"You are getting yourself worried over nothing, father. Dead people don't rise from their graves. They stay dead. Alan did not survive. This is some stupid prank," Bentley told him. 

"If there is one thing I learned, it's the fact that you are not supposed to overlook anything if it comes to this company. You are meant to make sure that everything is coherent. Now, do what I have asked. It's better we eliminate the threat before it grows too strong," Phil told him and Bentley nodded.

"Alright, father. I will do that," Bentley replied and sighed. He could not understand how some prank could get his father all worked up. However, he decided to do what the older man had asked.

Just then, a servant walked up to them and kept his head bowed.

"Sir, we have the applicant for the gardener's job here," the servant told Phil. As Phil likes to interview all of his staff by himself so that he would not house a spy, he waved his hand dismissively.

"Send him in," he told the servant who left and soon returned with Victor. 

Victor kept his head low, and he was dressed in rags. He followed the other servant carefully, but when he came close to Bentley, he grabbed a pillow and flung it at Victor who dodged it on instinct.

"Stay back, you fucking low life! How dare you try to pollute my space with your poverty?" Bentley yelled at him. Victor just kept his head bowed and pretended to be terrified.

"I'm s-sorry sir, I didn't know. I'm sorry," he apologized but Bentley was fuming.

"I don't see why you should waste your time with this one, father. He is not even fit to be a gardener here. He looks like some beggar!" Bentley fumed again. Victor just kept his head down, but then, Phil turned his focus on him.

"Look at me," Phil instructed, and Victor slowly raised his head to meet his gaze. Phil could see what his mind believed to be impossible. 

"Why does he look so much like my brother?" Phil thought as he gazed at Victor. But there was no way that was Alan. a poor tramp like the man before him could not pull off something so great on Thomas.

"What is your name?" Phil asked.

"Victor. Victor Storms" was the response he got.

"You don't look like a servant, Victor. Were you, perhaps in affluence before now?" Phil asked him, still curious as to know if it was Alan or not.

"No sir. I used to be a beggar. I spent all of my life savings to feed for the past week so that I can present myself before you sir," Victor lied. He effortlessly added some trembling to make Phil believe that he was indeed some lowlife. But Phil was curious about him. He gazed at him for a very long time as his mind refused to believe the things they were telling him. 

After what seemed like forever, Phil sighed. "You're hired," Phil said but Bentley gasped in shock.

"Father!" He fumed, but Phil ignored him.

"Raul, here..." He gestured to the other servant standing beside Victor, "...will tell you all you need to know about your new job. If you fail to perform your duty even once, you will lose your job. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Victor said and quickly left with the other servant.

"Why did you hire him?" Bentley asked Phil.

"There is something about him. I want to keep my eyes on him," Phil said while Raul led Victor away. 

Outside, Raul led Victor to a little shade built from brick.

"Wait here," Raul instructed Victor who just nodded while he went away. As soon as he was gone, Victor took out his phone and dialed John's number. The phone rang only once before John picked it up.

"I'm in. I will be sending you some information soon. Get ready," Victor said to him.

"I'll be waiting boss," John replied and hung up. 

Victor then took that chance to gaze at the house again. That was where he grew up. Although the house has been renovated several times Over the years, he still found it the same. Memories flooded Victor's mind while he kept staring. But he knew he would soon get the revenge that he sought.

"You are the new gardener?" A female voice suddenly said to Victor and he turned around to see a beautiful, petite lady standing there. She had curious eyes. Victor recognized her immediately as Eleanor, Bentley's finance. Victor, as his current status demanded, gave Eleanor a bow.

"Yes ma'am," he told her. She watched him carefully and saw how attractive he was. Eleanor's lips curved into a wicked smile.

"You are very handsome, gardener. I think we will become good friends," she said to him and smiled again. Victor did not react in any way. 

"See you around," she said and then walked away. Victor watched as she took seductive strides towards the main building.

It was at that moment that Victor knew that he had interesting days ahead in the house.