CHAPTER 21 – RICHARD
"What nonsense are you talking about? We saw each other a week ago. Why do you say it's been a long time?!" Father sputters, forcing out a few moisturized crumbs of food from his mouth.
A bit of it lands on the side of my face and it fuels my rage. If you want to spill such disgusting stuff on me, at least be someone I give a fuck about. He certainly doesn't fall in that category.
I wipe it off with a towel that's lying on the table. I flash him a deadly glare and he flinches from it. I'm an inch away from jamming my fist into his face.
"What's gotten into you?!" He asks with a bit of fright, dropping his cutlery. His yell arouses murmurings in the hall.
I glance around at the spectators and everyone bows their heads, avoiding my gaze. I don't even recognize any of them. I haven't ever seen them in the other world. They're probably just factors of this world.
"Yo, man. What's up with you? You're acting really funny." Another voice seizes my attention.
I look up and he's sitting right opposite me. Sleek silver Blond hair, dressed in a grey suit, having a huge sign of JERK on his forehead. My fucking half-brother in the other world, who's just as legitimate as I am in this world. Thor.
I ignore him, filling my mouth with another forkful of pasta. Silence is a better reply than knocking his teeth out for talking to me in such a nonchalant tone. But fuck it, it's hard to keep all this fury bottled up. I need to vent it on something or someone, or else I might just…blow up!
"Yeah, Thor's right. Are you high on some shit?! You look funky too. Who inspired that outfit? It's so not your style." Aston mocks, dabbing his mouth with a towel.
In the other world, the assassin, Luca, killed him. But this time, I just might do the killing. Just to see how pained he's gonna look in his last seconds on Earth.
"Leave him alone. I'm sure Richard has some clown show to attend right after dinner. Has to be why he's dressed like one." Zane chirps in.
His snide remark stirs up a reverberating guffaw around the table. Even my father chuckled at it. Everyone seemed to be having a good time to my detriment. Except for Keith. The dude looks lost. Just brooding over his food.
Fuck being the good guy. Fuck trying not to expose my identity!! I'll be damned if I let these motherfuckers make fun of me. I'll be six feet down before I let any motherfucker mock me.
I grab the knife next to my plate, ready to fling it right into Thor's throat. Then I'll flip the table over and take out the other brothers. Father will have to taste my fist after.
Just then the door opens, and I'm hit by a familiar scent. Not a mate-like scent. But a nostalgic scent.
"Richard. Thank goddess you showed up!" A very sweet, feminine voice says in a sing-song tone. Her shoes click on the floor, as she moves around the table.
The knife drops from my hand as I'm in some kinda daze, staring at her.
"M–Mom?" I can't believe it. I feel like my eyes are playing tricks on me. Is this real? Is she really here?
The last time I saw her was in the other world and I was five. Over the long years that passed, I succeeded in locking up the memories of how she died in the basement of my heart. The last few minutes before the flames took her. Growing up, I let the hatred and spite I feel conceal the unhealing scar her death gave me. But seeing her now has me melting up.
She remains the first woman who ever warmed up my heart. The first woman who gave me butterflies and calmness. And then there's Jane…
Flair should be torn into shreds for missing out on vital information like this. Why the fuck didn't she tell me my Mum was here too? Then maybe, I just would have…nah. For Jane, I'd still wanna come. Even if I have to confront the awful childhood incidents I never healed from.
"My baby." She coos, putting her arms around my head and placing it on her chest.
I jerk away from her hold, standing so fast that the chair topples noisily. It attracts so many stares and I know I have to get the hell out of here.
My eyes are badly stinging with tears and it's only a matter of time before I literally cry them down. It'll be a fucking disaster.
I give her one long look, and for the first time in over a decade, I feel the vulnerable side of me trying to break free. In the other world, she remains the only one who treated me like family. And now, it seems she's still the same here. The sad thing is, I'm not emotionally ready for this reunion. Nothing, absolutely nothing prepared me for this.
Mom. When she died in the other world, my life lost its essence, especially because I was the reason she died. Father never stopped reminding me of it. Sometimes, I wonder if that's the reason he never loved me in the other world.
But here, she's alive, right? So why the heck is he hating me too? What's the big secret behind his fatal animosity towards me? I'm intrigued now, more than ever.
"I'm sorry, but I should go." I mumble, walking past her to the exit.
"Son. Richard!" Her voice has an urgency in it and I'm forced to halt. "Is something wrong?" She asks, ever so lovingly. God, how much I missed hearing her voice!
"No. I just need a bit of fresh air." I reply without glancing back. Then I walk out of the room, taking slow steps down the hallway.
My mind is wobbly from the different, overwhelming thoughts I'm having right now. What did I sign up for? I wanted a world to reunite with Jane. But this is definitely not it. This seems like a replay of my life, and having me go through the same agony again. And the fucked up part is, I'm yet to see Jane. But here I am, being tossed from one surprise to another.
"Master." A female Omega bows to me, distracting my thoughts.
I was gonna let her walk past me, but with the emotions weighing me down, I need to let it out.
"Stop!" I hiss, running my fingers through my hair tiredly. This has been a hell of a night. I think that excuses whatever I'm about to do. Good thing Ray isn't anywhere close. Not sure where he disappeared to. But I hope he stays gone for a while.
"Do you need something, Master?" She asks as she comes to stand in front of me again.
"Yes." I gruff. "Take me to an empty room."