Chereads / Illusive Eden - He Pretends He's the Hero / Chapter 104 - The untold farewell

Chapter 104 - The untold farewell

"Stay here with Ace, I'll be back soon." Rhett says, glancing at his son safely seated on the backseat, his hand on the steering wheel of the car.

Rhean about to unstrap the seatbelt of the booster seat, pauses his motion. Without waiting for his respond—he looks at Rhett opening the door and stepping out the Jeep.

"But, I want to go too." He mumbles to himself, which doesn't go unheard by Ace engaged with his cellphone.

Ace on the passenger's seat glances at the rectangular rearview mirror, the child's pouting face reflecting in it.

His lips curves up; he thinks Rhean's cute.

An adorable small version of his impossibly grumpy, scary leader Czar.

"Don't be sad little guy, your dad'll come back in a jiffy." He reasures, glued to the bright screen again, thumbs driving a diversion of adventure—not at rest, the clashing sounds mingled with the jingles of crickets and zings of frogs.

They were before Elk's classic white cape cod house, with a steep pitch roof made with cedar shingles—the colour grey and white frolicking a pixel art of the awning.

But it looked black now, for the darkness had already succumbed the day, the sky bare of moon and stars.

The only illumination was the lights filtrating the surround, the grass in the lawn freshly mowed, looming large trees surrounding the area, a garden of plants well cherished.

Rhean's little fist grips the seatbelt, fiddling with it, his big round eyes peering with anticipation at the entrance door. After he was found, he was taken straight to the hospital, but the old doctor with big, scruffy greying beard told him he was fine, and just a bit malnourished.

He freshened up, and put on new warm clothes, then he had dinner with his father, and his friend Ace. On the road to their hospital, Sky had got off and took a cab to home. While Zoro was taken to a veterinary hospital for a check-up.

His legs dangling, moving back and forth restlessly, grazing the front seats, he finally peels off the seatbelt—and reaches for the door. He jumps down, only to splatter specks of mud on himself. Looking down, there was a sludge in the softened ground, water pooled from a heavy rain.

He purses his lips at the ruination of his new shoes and clothes.

Fisting up his pants, with long strides he heads to the house, his path a zig–zag, attempting to only step on the arider part.

"Yes!!" Ace yells, a hand holding the phone, the other gesturing a fist of cheer of win to himself.

His face bright, he looks over his shoulder to glance behind, his features instantly withdrawing to a frown at the empty space.

Franticly searching through the window, he catches a glimpse of the short tiny frame peeking his head through the entrance door.

Ace huffs, scoffing after. "The kid dared to not listen to me?" Slipping the cellphone in his jeans—he steps out the car. "And that is why," he rebukes closing the door.

"I will always hate kids."

---

"It's good that you found him." Elk says to Rhett—packing Rhean's clothes, while he's standing at the door of the Rhean's room.

Rhett doesn't respond to him, and continues gathering the boy's clothes from the wardrobe, stuffing them down on the suitcase.

He scans the room—he goes on to get the toys, school supplies and every other necessities, until the suitcases are crammed and couldn't even be zipped up without force.

Elk sighs, "Look, I know I've let you down, but it's lame to move everything out. He'll have to come back after few days anyway."

"He's never coming back." Rhett remarks and straightens up, gripping the luggages—he wheels them along the floor.

Elk forrows his brows, his face drawn in suspicion. "What do you mean? Where would he stay if you go away for duty?"

Rhett glances at him. "You'll get my resignation letter tomorrow." He says, towering before a befuddled Elk.

"Move." he stares down at his tiff Boss blocking the doorway.

Elk ceasing his senses shifts away, making route for Rhett.

With a distressed sigh out his mouth—he trails his gaze at Rhett heading for the stairs.

"Wait a minute Czar!" Elk calls, at the end of the stairs to the living room, halting Rhett.

"You are not in your right mind!" He states in a rigid, unimontional tone.

"Prepare for work by next week. You'll hopefully gather your fanciful brains by then."

"Did the shame not get through your thick skull?" Rhett glowers at him, his stare mocking.

Elk winces, his nostrils flaring, body trembling in rage—a blinding wave of hot dizziness through his head.

"Is it because I stopped the venture of your wife who vanished into thin air? For God sake Czar get your act together!" A frustrated Elk rambles on crudely, his tongue sharp and slippery.

"You've had me with your crooked pretense. Now that you've quit acting and scorned my reason to stay, I'm out of your games." Rhett lampoons, proceeding to amble accross.

Elk scoffs, "You think you can find her without our assets? She's dead and is still adamant on ruining you." "Enough!" Rhett's patience erupts.

His hands turning white at how hard he's clenching the grip of the luggages.

Elk scoffs at him, unbothered at his outburst.

"Not another word." He warns, bloodshot eyes glaring at Elk.

"Dada," a small, weak voice wafts, cutting through the strained air in the room. The two men looks at Rhean standing by the door, glancing between them worriedly—his legs tautened in scare.

Rhett let's out a sigh, his body loosening. "Come on, we're leaving." He motions with his gaze to tread out.

"I want to say goodbye to grandpa." He says, his eyes on the two large suitcases.

Whenever his father came home, they would spend time together on their apartment.

And there would never be too much baggage to pack, for most of the days he would be with grandpa and a caretaker when he's away.

"Be quick." Rhett returns, flowering a smile on Rhean's features. Softening his heart, his hardened stare.

"Okay." Rhean exclaims, fast little legs running towards a smiling Elk.

"Where did you go you cub?!" Elk scolds, arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm sorry Grandpa. I missed you." Rhean drawls, grinning innocently. Elk scoffs, the sparkling eyes making him chuckle after. "You little rascal," bending down, he pinches his chubby cheek—immediately taking him up in his arms.

"Good gracious, you've lost a chunk of fat!" Elk exclaims, making giggles spill out of a brightened Rhean.

"Then next time you have to feed me this much strawberry ice–creams!" Rhean remarks, his arms spread about as far as he could go—describing how much he loves ice–creams.

"You're such a glutton!" Elk shakes his head. His smile turning shallow at a realisation.

The lost: his sweet giggles, his warm presence—perhaps will never adorn this house of life and colour anymore.

"It's getting late Rhean." Rhett declares, holding the door open.

Ace came following behind Rhean, whom he had send back to the car with the luggages.

"Yes Dada." Rhean replies, shuffling his body to slide down.

Elk reluctantly let's him on the floor, he bends down to his height and locks gaze with him, observing him lovingly and yet strictly.

"Listen my child, don't you pull this trick ever again. You get me? You really had me killed by your father there." He puts forth, his voice softened but serious.

Rhean nods his head, regretting his reckless actions, tiny fingers fiddling. He wonders; if his dissapearance was the reason his dada and grandpa fought, but he doesn't voice his ponders out.

"Good." Elk mutters, ruffling his hair.

The child looks up at him, a foolishly warm smile in his beautiful features.

"Now go. Don't stay up late." He gestures at Rhett waiting, his features swirling grim and eyes dim at his shadowy frame.

"Bye–bye." Rhean walking towards his father turns to look back at him, waving at him.

"Bye-bye, my child." Elk whispers, waving back at the boy who was the only reason his home was warm. He swallows, throat searing, heart heavy and aching, eyes blurry comprehending the happy boy walking out of his home—holding his father's hand.

Czar had taken his revenge, he punished him with this numbness, hollowness in his soul. He was a tease, gifting him the sunshine for just a wishful wink of a dream.

But what do he do now.

Rhean felt his own; yet he could never rival against the sway over—the bond of blood and flesh a father has with his son.

So he just sniffs, tears he thought had dried decades ago, he let's a drop flow. Did he not have a heart?

Stealing him without any mercy, when it was him who raised Rhean while he was—is still madly searching for a woman, who's presence was futile, hopeless.

Czar is destroying himself, and God forbid his blessings—the loved ones he's left around with.

And this makes a sudden regret blacken his heart. Knowing Czar, Rhean will never be allowed here anymore.

He would, probably not even see him again.

As Rhett's securing the seatbelt on him—half of his body dipped inside the car that's when Rhean gasps in horror.

Glancing up at him, he raises a brow at Rhean's saddened expression. "What's the matter?"

"I forgot to tell grandpa about Zoro." Rhean replies frowning, then he shakes his head, his appearance kindled again.

"I'll just surprise him with Zoro later." He says, and grins artlessly at Rhett.

Briskly pulling and checking the seatbelt to be sure it's well fitted, he glances at Rhean for the last time.

And without uttering anything else, he closes the door and settles on the driver's seat.

Rhean doesn't have to know, not tonight.

He won't ever be placing his foot on Elk's property anymore.