After taking a long, refreshing shower and lounging in his room, Kian finally left the house in response to an evening call. Before heading out, Kian had asked the housekeeper about Leo, only to be told he was resting. With a quick nod, Kian jumped into his car and drove off, heading to a bustling restaurant where a special room was reserved exclusively for the children of affluent families.
The restaurant's ambiance was lively, with laughter and music echoing through the corridors. As Kian walked in, a familiar face greeted him with a broad grin.
"Long time no see," the guy said cheerfully.
"Where's Eric?" Kian asked, scanning the room.
"Eric's in the VIP room," the guy replied, gesturing towards a corridor.
Kian strolled down the hall, his footsteps echoing off the polished floors, and pushed open a door to reveal a large study. Inside, Eric and his friends were gathered around a table cluttered with drinks and snacks. Eric, lounging comfortably with an arm draped around a girl's shoulders, looked up with a smirk. Each boy had a girl by his side, and the room buzzed with an air of casual indulgence. Kian's eyes swept over the group, landing on the boys he recognized as the ones Leo had defeated not long ago.
Kian walked across the room and sank into a plush sofa directly facing Eric.
"I thought you didn't like places like this, Kian Elgard," Eric said with a casual shrug. "You're welcome, let's get you a drink."
He gestured to the girl beside him, who promptly poured whiskey into a glass and set it down in front of Kian. As Eric beckoned her, she took a seat next to Kian, her hand brushing against his arm with an almost imperceptible attempt at intimacy.
"Everybody except Eric, leave the room," Kian ordered abruptly.
The room fell silent as everyone glanced at Eric for confirmation. After a brief, almost imperceptible nod from him, the group filed out, leaving just Kian and Eric alone.
"I didn't think you'd want to see me so soon," Eric remarked, taking a leisurely sip of his drink. "I must have underestimated your patience since we haven't been in touch for a while."
"You've obviously forgotten a lot of things," Kian said with a hint of sarcasm. "Like the fact that you shouldn't joke around with me."
"Come on, Kian," Eric said. "We were just having some fun."
"Actually, I'm having a fun too. I'm quite looking forward to what I'm about to do next," Kian replied, his tone chillingly calm.
"Is that why you started with Tom?" Eric inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"He was the initiator," Kian stated matter-of-factly.
"You do realize Mateo's mom will find a way to deal with this, right?" Eric said, his tone almost mocking.
"Of course, I know. I picked that video intentionally. There were others, but I'm saving them for another time."
"And what about me?" Eric asked, his smile widening as he took another sip of his drink. "What's your plan?"
Kian's eyes locked onto Eric's with a steely resolve. "You think I can't hurt you huh? That's why you dare touch something that belongs to me."
Eric smiled sarcastically. "Any scandal involving me would affect your family. After all, the relationship between my father and your family depended on each other. Your brother would be the first person to intervene if something happened to me," Eric replied in a confident tone.
"That gave you the courage to play with me?'" Kian replied.
"I just wondered. What kind of person was Kian's crush on? But I have to admit, I was envious. That you got to see Leo before I did. If I'd known him before, you wouldn't have had a chance, …. wait a minute, …. Leo only sees you as a friend. It means that I have a chance too, right?" he wanted to annoy Kian.
Kian started laughing. "What annoyed me the most was that you underestimated what I am capable of doing, how could you think you could challenge me?" Kian replied.
"Because you can't do anything to me. You can't crush your family and hurt me."
"Hmm...so that's what you think." Kian leaned back. "I heard an interesting story, let me share it with you. So, there was a beautiful woman who, thinking of a happy marriage, marries a wealthy businessman and has a beautiful son with him. Everything is going well. while thinking about it, she realizes that the man she married is a psychopath. Someone who is violent and harassing her then runs away with her husband's driver."
Eric's expression changed. "Shut up," he replied in a high-pitched voice.
"A man has been looking for his wife and the driver for years and wants to be punished, but one day he ends his search after learning that both of them died in a car accident."
"KIAN," Eric yells.
"But come on, the grown son investigates and learns that his mother is living with the man she ran away from in the small village, and starts seeing his mother again, unbeknownst to his father."
"I told you to shut up," Eric yelled.
"Why isn't it interesting? Let me conclude. And look at the coincidence that this boy's name is Eric."
"Don't push my limit," said Eric, slamming his glass against the wall.
"I can't harm your family, but I can hurt your life more than you think. I know your mother's address; how will your father react?"
As Eric stood up and tried to punch Kian, Kian kicked the table hard with his foot, the table hit Eric's leg and Eric fell to the couch.
"How do you feel? Do you want to punch me in the face or even destroy me? … I felt the same way when I saw the video that you tried to play with him."
Eric said in an angry tone, "Leo versus my mother, it is unfair."
"Then that probably tells you what that boy means to me."
"I will destroy you and Leo if you tell my father anything about my mother."
"If you say Leo's name again, I will destroy you and your family," Kian shot back. He stood up. "However, the fact that you hurt Leo still bothers me. Therefore, punishment for you was inevitable." Kian looked at the watch on his wrist, "A courier has delivered a letter to your house, with the address of the village written on it."
Eric shouted Kian's name in a nervous tone of voice.
"After that it was up to you," he said and left the room.
Eric quickly took out his phone and dialed the servant. "Put the letters of my father in my room quickly," he shouted.
"The letters are already in your father's room," replied the servant.
Eric's body began to tremble with fear. At that time, he saw a call from his father. He held the phone to his ear forcefully because his hand was blowing.
"Eric how dare?" shouted the voice on the phone, "Come home now."
Eric's legs loosened and he sat on the sofa. "What happened?" said the voice.
"How dare you lose my money in gambling. 50,000 dollars. It is written in the letter that you have to pay the debt and go home quickly," he said and turned off the phone.
Eric threw the phone away and closed his eyes. "Kian, you bastard," Eric yelled. He was relieved that there was no information about his mother, but the fact that Kian was playing with him hurt his pride.
When Kian returned home, he found Leo still sleeping. Since it was midnight, he went to his room without waking her up and fell asleep.
Kian was woken up by his brother's call in the morning. Kian got ready and sat down around the table for breakfast after being told that the counselors assigned to major and university selection would be coming to school to meet with Kian today.
Leo got ready and left the room and sat across from Kian. "Good morning," he said, taking a sip from the tea in front of him.
Kian saw that he was tired, "How did you sleep?" he asked.
"I slept very well. I usually wake up at 3 o'clock every night, this time I was tired because I slept without breaks," he said and took a bite of his bread.
"Today I will meet with the university selection consultants," Kian announced.
"Have you decided where you want to study?" asked Leo.
"I don't know yet," Kian replied. "What about you?"
"As I said last time, I will decide on universities in the country and abroad. After receiving admission from all of them, I will decide on the choice in June according to my mother's condition."
"Since you have medals, your chances of acceptance are high, right?" Kian snapped.
"Universities in the country will admit me without an exam, but I have to send documents for foreign universities so that they recognize me. However, I have a high chance of admission."
"Can I see the university list?" asked Kian.
Leo took out his phone and sent it to Kian saying, "I wrote it as a note, I'm sending it to you."
After finishing breakfast, the two of them prepared to leave the house, the pull of the day ahead energizing them. Leo grabbed his bag and paused at the door, turning to Kian. "I'm going to the hospital," he said, his tone shifting, more serious.
"Let's go," Kian replied. "I'll drop you off first, then I'll head to school."
As they slipped into the car, the world outside seemed to awaken, the promise of a new day stretching out before them, vibrant and uncertain, just like their futures.