Page 24 of Poison Aches

“Yes, sir,” they both answer.

“As for bribing his way across town, how is the nurse?”

“Your father had her entire family of three sign an ironclad NDA after he employed the nurse to take care of you.”

Yes, as penance for the granddaughter’s sin of apparentlypushingme over the cliff, Nurse Marie is now bound to secrecy.

That’s how they decided to spin the narrative… for Grandfather’s sake.

If it was exposed how they tried to get rid of the girl, then the question would be why?

If it was revealed that I was the target, then Grandfather would’ve dealt with them severely so all the blame was put on the girl… that she pushed me over the cliff.

Syrus wanted to get rid of them, but I’ve always refused to suffer in vain since I was a toddler, learning how to hold a saber. I didn’t save that girl for nothing.

I want her alive, breathing and thriving until such a time when she will be useful.

“Well, the nurse won’t cause trouble, she takes her job seriously. For now, dig into my father…his history, including before he met my mother. I want to know his level of scheming,” I say, knowing it’s a long shot. After all, Syrus Easton is a wily, clever fox. He even took my mother’s family name as his own, not out of love and devotion, I'm sure.

"Yes, sir," they both reply.

I’ve been lying in a hospital bed for a year, in and out of surgical theaters for just as long, and in all that time, my anger and calm have both been growing simultaneously in a way I can’t explain.

In the anger, I’m regretful and in the calm, I’m calculating.

The only way to make them all pay is for me to remain Grandfather’s heir, which means I’ll have to cooperate with Syrus for now.

I also can’t get rid of my uncles…no, not yet. There will be a time for that soon, since they all swear they didn’t have a hand in my mother’s disappearance.

Good, I want their denial.

“We don’t have much time. The future is not possible for me.”

“Sir–” Kai starts but I cut him off.

“No need. You both already know so instead of useless words of pity, let’s help them.”

“Help them sir?” Ty questions.

Looking directly at the twins, I make my decision clear.

“Yes, let’s help them dig their mass grave.”

I know I don’t have to explain what I mean. The twins already understand.

I’m obviously too young to have this kind of mentality but nothing has ever been normal for me since birth.

When I was four, I could use all kinds of knives to slice limbs.

At six I could handle all types of guns. By eight, I knew everything about the Family business from front to back.

But now, without my mother, I have to do much more than the basics.

My hands will get dirtier, but I don’t care anymore. I’ll go even lower than before just to get them all, one by one.

“Everyone loyal to my mother has to be kept on retainer for now. Let them stay out of notable sight and keep them all on base. I want complete functions within all my uncles’ and grandfather’s businesses.”

As I speak, I watch as both of them perk up.

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