the mysterious Morris family

005. arrogant Chin

“Come and give Grandpa a hug,” Mr. Graham said, his voice thick with emotion as he enveloped Brian in a warm embrace.

Brian stood there, caught in a whirlwind of confusion. Should he feel joy at this unexpected affection, or sadness at the revelation of a family he never knew existed? His mother had kept secrets from him—secrets about his lineage, about the elite world of the Morrises. But if he hailed from such a powerful family, why had they struggled so long just to survive?

“If you don’t mind, can I ask you something?” Brian finally ventured.

“You can, but not here. Let’s go somewhere calm and quiet to discuss,” Mr. Graham suggested, his eyes reflecting a seriousness that piqued Brian’s curiosity.

They drove back to the Everest Hotel, where the atmosphere shifted dramatically. People stared at Brian with a mixture of envy and disdain. Many had tried every possible avenue to get close to the Morrises, but here was Brian—the beggar—granted access to this elite world, and that only fueled their animosity.

Upon arrival, the hotel manager, Mr. Chin, couldn’t hide his surprise. He had always admired the Morrises from afar, never dreaming the day would come when a beggar like Brian would walk beside Mr. Graham Morris.

“Good afternoon, sir,” the manager greeted with an overly polite smile, though his eyes betrayed his shock.

“Afternoon, Mr. Chin. How are you doing today?” Mr. Graham replied cheerfully, clearly in high spirits.

“Manager Chin, meet my grandson, Brian Taylor Morris,” Mr. Graham introduced with pride, his face beaming.

The manager’s smile froze, replaced by a look of disbelief. The words “beggar” and “grandson” clashed violently in his mind. “Sir, I never knew you had another grandson,” he stammered, cold sweat trickling down his back.

“Excuse me, Mr. Chin, can I talk to Mr. Morris?” Brian asked, his heart racing. What if the manager told Mr. Morris about how he had been chased out of the hotel? Anxiety gnawed at him.

“Mr. Morris, I don’t have much time to spend with you. I’ll be leaving in an hour,” Brian informed him, urgency creeping into his tone.

Not wanting to waste a moment, Mr. Morris led Brian to a private room in the hotel.

“Brian, you can have a seat,” Mr. Morris offered, gesturing to a plush chair. Once Brian settled in, Mr. Morris continued, “I know you’ve been wondering why I called you to see me.” He paused, his expression growing serious.

“You are the heir of the Morris family, and I want you to handle it from now on,” Mr. Morris said, handing Brian a stack of property papers.

Brian stared at the documents in disbelief. “Mr. Morris, how can you give me such an important thing? I have no interest in running your family business,” he replied, the words tumbling out with an edge of defiance.

Yet, despite his bravado, the weight of the words “family business” hung heavily in the air. Mr. Morris’s face fell as he absorbed Brian’s rejection. If not for the bitter family enmity, Brian, Taylor, Sasha, and Arden could have been together—one happy family. But now, no one knew what had become of Sasha and Taylor.

“Brian, I know you’re angry with us for what happened,” Mr. Morris said, remorse lacing his voice. Brian remained silent, wrestling with a whirlwind of emotions.

“I’m doing everything I can to find your father and twin sister,” Mr. Morris assured him, his voice firm yet gentle.

Brian’s heart skipped. Twin sister? He had never known he had siblings. “What twin are you talking about? My dad died when I was just two months old. What are you investigating—just to disturb the dead?” Brian shot back, bitterness creeping into his tone.

Mr. Morris studied him, frowning. “Boy, about your father—nobody knows if he’s truly dead. He may be somewhere in this world,” he replied, a hint of mystery in his words.

The thought was both thrilling and terrifying. Brian wanted nothing to do with the Morris family business. He had always known that family properties could divide families and lead to bloodshed. He was the only child of his mother—what would happen to her if he engaged with the Morris legacy?

“Brian, you’re the heir not merely because I’m trying to make amends for what happened to your mother and you. I want to ensure your father’s legacy is in your hands,” Mr. Morris said, his eyes pleading for understanding.

“My father’s property?” Brian echoed, skepticism dripping from his voice.

“Yes. Your father initiated the Morris Empire. Everything the Morrises own is thanks to him,” Mr. Morris said, his voice thick with emotion.

“Okay, I’ll sign the documents,” Brian said begrudgingly. After signing the papers, he prepared to leave, feeling a mix of relief and trepidation.

“Since there’s nothing else to discuss, permit me to take my leave,” Brian said, striving for politeness.

“Why so quick? Why don’t you stay a little longer?” Mr. Morris suggested, a hint of desperation in his tone.

“I have other things to do today, sir,” Brian replied, keeping his tone neutral.

“What about the weekends? You should spend more time with your family,” Mr. Morris recommended, genuine hope flickering in his eyes.

“I will, when the time arrives,” Brian said before stepping out of the hotel.

Just as he exited, his phone rang—it was Claire.

“Hello, Claire, what’s the matter?” Brian asked, concern creeping into his voice.

“Brian, we have a big problem,” Claire said, her voice laced with panic.

“Calm down and talk to me,” Brian advised, his heart racing.

“Your landlord has given you a quit notice. We have only forty-five minutes to evict the lodge. What are we going to do?” Claire’s voice broke, and Brian could hear her tears through the phone.

“Everything will be fine. I’ll be there in thirty minutes. Just pack our things outside and wait for me,” Brian said, determination rising within him. He turned back toward the hotel; only Mr. Morris could help him now. He couldn’t face the streets again.

When he re-entered the room, Mr. Morris was still there, his expression now a mixture of confusion and annoyance. “What kind of manners did your mother teach you? You don’t know how to knock before entering someone’s room,” Mr. Morris complained.

“Forgive me for entering your room without permission,” Brian apologized, his voice sincere.

“What brings you back, boy?” Mr. Morris asked, his tone softening.

“Sir, my house rent just expired, and I don’t have money for a new apartment,” Brian confessed, embarrassment flooding him.

“So, what do you want me to do?” Mr. Morris inquired, concern lining his features.

“I don’t know if you have a free space in your house for me and my friend to stay for just a week,” Brian pleaded, his voice laced with desperation.

“But I thought your house had four months left on the lease?” Mr. Morris asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“Yes, but my friend and I offended the Maxwells, and now we’re rendered homeless and jobless,” Brian explained, his heart sinking at the thought of their precarious situation.