(A/N: Welcome to the second volume of Dilemma: The chip system. This volume only contains Samuel's backstory. A little disclaimer that I would like to give beforehand is that this volume is dark and full of blood gore, and abuse. So, please read at your discretion.
Since Samuel's backstory is important to the plot, I'll mark the dark and sensitive chapters separately. Everyone is requested to turn back if they can't take abuse, torture, blood gore, etc. I have given the same warning in the synopsis to save time for those who are not interested. Hence, your cooperation and understanding will be appreciated.
Thank you to those who are continuing to read, and I'm sorry for those who might have to stop reading now. You can always join my discord server for a summary to start continuing the novel later from the next volume.
For further queries regarding this volume, or to receive a summary of the story without the blood and gore or the torture and abuse, join my discord server: https://discord.gg/wCBYvfVUCm)
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{Note: All events occurring here are not Samuel's memories. Samuel suffered a memory loss and forgot most of these events. At present, Nancy will only know a fragment/summary of these memories – The ones everyone else would know.}
Ring! Ring!
"Sam!" An angelic voice called him. "Sam, check who's at the door, will you?"
"Yes, Mama."
6-year-old Samuel ran from the backyard to the front door and opened it, receiving a letter.
"Mama." Samuel diligently handed the letter over to his mother.
His mother received it from him and narrowed her eyes to read who it was for.
"Mama, shall I bring your glasses?" Samuel asked.
"No, honey." She replied. "Put this in your father's study, then come down for food. It's almost ready." She brushed his hair lightly.
Samuel quickly ran upstairs and entered his father's study. On the table in the center, surrounded by bookshelves on each side other than the front, Samuel placed the letter.
They received the same black enveloped letter every month, with golden letters that said 'For Sebastian' in cursive English.
Sebastian hadn't come home for long. But the pile of these letters kept increasing. However, Samuel had arranged them nicely.
Samuel ran downstairs to have lunch with his mother, who had already set the table, ready for them to eat.
He sat down on the chair in front of his mother. His mother smiled brightly at him before filling his plate with alfredo pasta.
"Have you completed your homework?" She asked while they ate. "How is French class going?"
"Not yet, Mama." He answered. "I think I am learning well."
"Do you want my help?"
"I shall try to do it on my own first."
"Is that so?"
Samuel nodded before smiling brightly. He looked at her and continued to smile.
"Why?" His mother chuckled. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"Mama might be the prettiest woman alive."
"Oh, come on! You say that every day."
Samuel giggled.
They were currently residing in France. Samuel had been seeing this house since he was 4. He remembered a previous house but wasn't sure if it was also in France.
His mother had long, straight, jet-black hair like his, and dark eyes just like his. Her features were a combination of sharp and soft. She was beautiful, and most of Samuel's looks were all thanks to her superior genes.
Sebastian on the other hand, had almost the same features except his light brown eyes and intricate features.
Samuel's mother was of mixed ethnicity. He knew that for sure. He didn't know where his father was from, but he looked European for most of his looks. Was he French, then? He didn't know. Samuel loved talking about his parents at school. So, he was always fact-checking with his memory.
"Mama," Samuel called his mother right after finishing his meal. "When will father come back?"
The smile on her face slowly faded. She put her fork in her plate and stood up to grab all the dishes from the table, taking them over to the kitchen to wash them.
"Mama?" Samuel asked in anticipation.
"He will not come." She replied as she quickly washed the dishes.
Samuel expected this answer, considering he hadn't seen his father in 2 years. His mother seemed to dislike talking about his father.
"Why not?" Samuel slowly asked.
"He has a lot of work, Samuel. I miss him too." She finished drying the dishes. "But we can only wait."
His mother dried her hands with a towel.
"I will go take a nap." She informed him. "Be a good boy and lock all doors, okay? If someone shows up, wake me up."
Samuel nodded.
"Merci~"
He watched her mother go to her room for an afternoon nap. Meanwhile, he decided to complete his homework. Ahead of his age-fellows, he was a diligent student who excelled in every subject.
Not only that, his mother paid extra attention to his co-curricular activities, so he didn't lack in any way. From studying to being an avid gamer, both indoor, and outdoor, and even electronic games, he was a perfect child.
As he tried to finish his homework, he didn't notice the doorbell ringing until it rang the third time, catching his attention.
Standing up from his study table, he made his way to the front door. Before he opened the door, he remembered how he was told by his mother to wake her up in case someone showed up.
He turned around to go and wake her up when he heard the door open. He looked behind to see a figure much larger than what he could remember.
"Father-"
"Shh!" Putting his fingers on his son's lip to silence him, he smiled at him.
Samuel smiled lightly, not being able to remember a thing but his father's appearance, which never changed from his 10-year-old pictures.
He wondered how adults managed to look the same throughout adulthood.
"How is my boy?" Sebastian sat down to reach his son's height and whispered lightly.
"I am doing well, father. Shall I go wake Mama up?" Samuel asked in a whisper as well.
Sebastian shook his head slowly.
"I have arrived after 2 years. Don't you think it would be nice to surprise your mother with a dinner cooked by you and me?" Sebastian asked with a bright smile on his face.
"Yes! Then Mama will not be mad at you anymore!" Samuel exclaimed in joy, still in a whisper.
"She is mad at me?" Sebastian chuckled. "I mean… It's my fault for staying away from home for so long."
"Where have you been?" Samuel asked in curiosity.
Sebastian stood up from the ground.
"My work takes me places." He muttered. "But don't you worry! I will stay here from now on."
Samuel brightly smiled, receiving his father's smile in return.
"I have placed all the received letters on your study table," Samuel said before he could forget to inform his father later.
"Is that so?" Sebastian sat down on the couch in the lounge. "What a good boy you are!"
Samuel smiled as he scolded himself for forgetting such an amazing person. He had almost forgotten how great of a person his father was.
"Is this good boy going to receive a little gift I bought for him?" Sebastian asked with a smile.
"Yes!" Samuel diligently replied.
"After cooking then. In my study," Sebastian muttered before standing up to prepare dinner.
Samuel followed him and helped him cook. From washing vegetables and meat to chopping and slicing them, Samuel helped his father with everything.
Sebastian was a clumsy chef. Everything was all over the place. Samuel was a balance in his clumsy cooking.
"How are you so good at everything?" Sebastian asked, impressed by Samuel's slicing skills while he sliced the meat thinly and nicely.
"Mama says it is because of her superior genes." Samuel giggled.
Sebastian burst into laughter. Samuel laughed at his father's contagious laugh.
"Shh! We'll wake her up!" Sebastian brushed his son's hair as he giggled at his father.
Samuel nodded quietly. They soon finished cooking, and while Sebastian was cleaning up the kitchen, he asked Samuel to wait in his study for the gift.
Samuel patiently sat on one of the chairs in the study, placed near the chess board. The door opened, and Sebastian hopped toward his son playfully. It filled Samuel with excitement and anticipation of what kind of gift he was going to receive.
Sebastian sat on the ground to match his son's height, who was seated on a chair higher than him. He looked up at him with a warm, genuine smile.
"Ever since you were born, you have been very sick. Nothing seemed to cure you." Sebastian shared a story. "I was scared to death. My only son was suffering so much all by himself, and there was nothing I could do about it… Until a miracle allowed you to at least live like normal children. I'm so grateful to be here with you right now, at this moment.
My Heaven, my love, shall a scratch appear on your body, I will shake the hells and the heavens. This is how much you mean to me, my dearest love.
When I left, you seemed frail. So, I was always worried.
Your mother never wrote to me in these few years, so I won't know until you tell me. Are you… Still sick?" Sebastian caressed his son's cheeks.
Samuel's eyes were tearing up little by little.
"I… I think I am." Samuel replied hesitantly.
Sebastian nodded before tearing up.
"I traveled across the world in hopes of finding a cure for what you have. A prognosis, a prescription, … A cure."
Sebastian lightly grabbed his son's arm and lifted his sleeves.
"I've found the cure, Samuel. You will never have to suffer… Ever again." Sebastian said before taking an injection out of his pocket. "You will never see those nightmares ever again. I promise."
Samuel nodded and stretched his arm to receive the injection willingly.
"I love you."
"I love you too, father."
The needle struck close enough to his skin when Sebastian was pulled back all of a sudden, making the injection fall. He stood up to the force and turned around to face his wife burning with anger, stretching her arm and flattening her palm, landing a powerful slap on his face!
Samuel's teared-up eyes widened in surprise at the act.