"Can't we use them to pay off their debt?"
"How are you planning to use them?" With curiosity, Jonas asks Eric while hearing his suggestion by presenting Albert's wife and sons in front of him.
"I-I don't know if I can speak… I know my husband did something unforgivable but he did all for our son's treatment. If you let us go, we will somehow repay the debt even if we have to sell ourselves… Please…" Interrupting Eric and Jonas, Mrs. Albert begs for her husband and family.
"We aren't that heartless people, we can also understand your situation. Even though what we gain by killing trash who he had a huge debt to pay off…" Wiping her tears with a tissue, Eric continued with a devilish smile. "However, we can't just believe your words. What if you break our trust like your husband?"
"No… we won't…"
"How about leaving something precious behind until you pay off your debt?"
"W-What sir?" She couldn't understand completely what he meant, however, she tightly hold her child and nervously asked.
"How about trading one of your flesh and blood?" Looking devouringly at her, Eric leaves the choice to her. In her two sons, whom will she choose to throw away?
"You can take him, sir…" Pushing the skinny child towards Eric, she spoke without any delay.
"Mom…" In a weak voice, the boy looks at her and heads down while holding back the tears after seeing his mother's anxious expression to save her younger son.
"Then let's sign a contract…"
Everything ended so faster than Eric predicts, Mr. and Mrs. Albert sign the contract willingly by throwing their adopted son as a mere tool to escape from such a situation. What is more interesting is, they don't even hesitate to sign the contract paper not even once.
"What are we going to do with him?" Looking at the kid who is standing there with a trembling body, Jonas asks.
"If you aren't interested in him, then can I have him…"
After returning home.
"Aiden, I'm home…" Thinking Aiden got discharged from the hospital, Eric announces his entry with a loud voice, the moment he placed his foot at the entrance.
'Why there is no response? Isn't he yet discharged from the hospital?'
Somewhere in his heart, he felt an emptiness without seeing and hearing Aiden and his nagging. However, he came with a new member to ease the emptiness a little bit.
"What's your name kiddo?" Even though he knows who the child is, Eric asked his name to start a conversation. His tone was gentle, but the child standing in front of him take it with extreme pressure.
"C-Cain Lore…" In a low voice, he replied.
"Cain… What a nice name!
I'm Eric Jonas, the people working under my father call me young master. However, you got selected by me and going to work for me only, so just call me B-O-S-S.
You get it… what you should call me, right?"
"B-Boss…"
"Boss… What is this, so unenergetic and powerless… Give it a try with all your energy kiddo… try once more…"
"Boss…"
"One more time…"
"BOSS" The game continues until Eric got satisfied and Cain's throat dry up.
"Ok, let's stop the practice for now. I'm tired… We will talk about your work tomorrow, so today rest well.
There are many empty rooms here, pick one and sleep. Ah… If you are hungry, use the kitchen, there should be something to eat." Leaving Cain left behind, Eric went to his room.
Cain takes a look at the empty rooms and picks a small room where he can stay for tonight. As Eric said, he take a bath, wear the same clothes again (he had nothing to change other than the clothes he wearing), and lay on the bed with an emotionless face. However, the pillow slowly begins to wet because of the silent tears that come out of his eyes all night while thinking about how he got abandoned by his parents.
The next day, Eric had to enter the kitchen to make breakfast in the absence of Aiden. Getting a burned smell and some noises from outside, Cain comes out to check and finds a messy kitchen that Eric created with his great talent.
Seeing burned omelet and a coughing person next to it, make Cain laugh. "Hey kiddo, I'm struggling to make breakfast for both of us and you are making fun of me?" Regretting his life decision to make an omelet for an ungrateful brat, Eric spoke.
"Boss, let me help you." Willingly Cain came forward and show his talent in making food while standing in a stool.
"Wow, you are quite helpful. Judging by the way you cook, it looks like you often do these things... How old are you anyway?"
"I'm seven years old...
Because of my younger brother's poor health, my mom is always busy taking care of him. So I'm pretty good at house works like cleaning, cooking, washing clothes...
Boss, I won't be able to meet my parents and brother again?"In a shaking voice, he asked without looking at Eric.
"You are not a prisoner, you can meet your family on weekends if you want.
All you and your family have to do for complete freedom is simply pay off the debt somehow..." In a comforting way, Eric spoke.
"Then I can meet my family?"
"Yeah...If you want to..."
Protecting an innocent childhood, that's all Eric meant by saving Cain from his abusive adoptive parents in his own way, without worrying about anything but he doesn't know with changing present the future also becoming unpredictable day by day...