Lex sat motionless on the couch, his mind a complete blank slate. Minutes ticked by, yet he remained frozen, his eyes fixed on a point in front of him. The only indication of life was the violent pounding of his heart, its rhythm racing like a wild beast trapped in his chest.
The revelation he had just received seemed like a surreal dream, a cruel joke played on him by the universe. But deep down, he knew the truth. This was no laughing matter. The weight of his newfound knowledge crushed him, making it hard to draw breath.
All his life, Lex had lived a simple, unassuming existence. The maltreatment he suffered at the hands of his foster parents had been a constant reminder of his place in the world. But despite it all, he had never imagined that his life was anything more than ordinary. That was, until now.
The secrets that had been revealed to him were like a boulder dropped into a still pond, sending ripples through his very existence. He felt like the weight of the entire world was placed on his shoulders.
How would he move on from this? Could he even begin to process the truth about his past, his identity, and his purpose? The silence in the room was deafening, punctuated only by the sound of his own ragged breathing.
Lex's peaceful reverie was shattered as the living room door burst open, and his father, Victor, strode in with an air of authority. His piercing gaze swept the room, finally settling on Lex with an unnerving intensity.
"Ah, Lex, there you are," Victor's deep voice boomed, his words dripping with disdain. "I see you're making yourself comfortable in my house. You didn't come home yesterday, and now you're lounging on my couch like you own the place."
Lex's heart sank as he scrambled to his feet, knowing he was in for a world of trouble. His mother's beating and insults would pale in comparison to the wrath he was about to face from his father.
"I-I'm sorry, Father," Lex stuttered, trying to appease him. "I came home last night, I swear. I just don't remember how I got in."
Victor's eyes narrowed, his expression unyielding. "Don't play dumb, boy. I know exactly what happened. You came home late, after wandering off to God knows where, and snuck in through your window in the dead of night."
Lex's confusion deepened as his father seemed to revel in his supposed knowledge. He wondered if Victor was merely fabricating a story to justify a harsher punishment.
But Victor's next words sent a chill down Lex's spine. "I checked your window just now, and my suspicions were confirmed. Don't give me those innocent eyes, you bastard. I know the truth."
Lex's heart raced as he braced himself for the storm that was to come. He knew he was in for a brutal reckoning, one that would leave him scarred and humiliated. The question was, what would be the extent of his father's wrath?
"The silence is deafening, Lex," Victor's calm tone belied the storm brewing within. "I suggest you start talking, and fast. Where did you really go after closing up at the library?"
Lex's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape from the inevitable. "I-I came straight home, Father. I was just...really tired, that's all."
Victor's gaze narrowed, his voice dripping with skepticism. "Tired? Tired enough to take a detour into thin air, it seems. You're not fooling anyone, Lex. Least of all me."
Lex's words faltered, his excuses dying on his lips. He knew better than to argue with his father when he was in this state. The only way to minimize the damage was to weather the storm in silence.
Victor's eyes flashed with a warning, his voice low and menacing. "You're not going to talk your way out of this one, boy. You should've thought of that before you decided to disobey me."
The air was heavy with tension, the only sound the ticking time bomb of Victor's wrath, waiting to unleash its fury upon Lex.
Victor's anger was a force to be reckoned with, his hand cracking through the air like a whip. Lex flinched, his eyes squeezing shut, bracing for impact. The blow landed with a loud smack, sending Lex's head jerking to the side.
"You disobedient brat!" Victor's voice roared, his fists raining down on Lex like a storm. Lex curled into a ball, his arms shielding his head, as the blows continued to fall.
The room echoed with the sounds of Victor's rage, the air thick with the smell of sweat and fear. Lex's body trembled, his mind numb, as he waited for the storm to pass.
Just as suddenly as it had begun, the beating stopped. Victor's chest heaved, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. Lex cautiously opened his eyes, his gaze meeting his father's.
"You'll learn to obey me, Lex," Victor's voice was low and menacing. "Mark my words."
The tension was palpable, the silence oppressive, until.
A sudden knock at the door shattered the stillness, like a fragile vase dropped on stone. Victor's gaze snapped towards the sound, his expression darkening.
"Get it," he growled, his eyes never leaving Lex's face.
Lex hesitated, his body aching, his heart racing. But he knew better than to disobey. He slowly got up, his eyes cast down, and made his way to the door.
He opened the door and his heart missed a beat when he came face to face with a cop who was already waving his ID card at Lex's face. The lady behind him stood rigid, with a fierce look on her face.
"Detective Conan from the SCPD, we are looking for a kid named Lex, I suppose that's you." The cop, Conan said.
Lex's eyes blinked severally as he stared at the man in his front.
"Ye- yeah, that's me." He said, still wondering what was going on.
"Good, can you let us in? We have some questions for you."