An old man walked into a room, the room was messy. Everything ripped apart as if there was a battle held inside not so long ago. But in reality it was nothing but a boy forced to release his pain.
The old man took some more steps to see him, the boy the heir of a great house but nothing but an abandoned mistake for the Duke. The old man bent down one of his knees to reach the boy where he showed his right hand to him.
While showing the gesture the old man exclaimed "How pitiful you look, young master." The words were met with no reaction but only a whisper "Are you here to kill me?"
The old man simply sighed "How can I, your butler, kill you young master." The boy slowly raised his head and looked at the old man. It was Butler Benjamin, the man who was incharge of the servants of House Angeras Residence.
Benjamin saw his face, the young ten year old boy whose eyes, albeit young, were surrounded by darkness. It was evident the boy did not sleep properly for days after the death of his mother.
The boy looked thin, his red eyes devoid of much emotion and dry black hair since he hadn't taken a bath as well.
Benjamin scoffed, "Young master, you should have at least taken a bath so you can rot with elegance like a noble." It was a joke but it didn't crack any laughter from Estefan.
The old man grabbed the boy by his shoulders and lifted him up before placing him on the bed, then the butler moved towards the windows pulling the curtain to the side so the sun's warm light could enter the room and slap the boy.
Estefan groaned while trying to crawl away from the light "Leave me be." But Benjamin shouted "I cannot leave you here to rot. You have been summoned by the Duke, to live with him in the Main Palace." Hearing this made the boy stop.
My father? He wants me to leave with him.. seems like a ploy to eliminate me like my mother.. if he loved me then he would have been here to see me or to welcome me by himself...
He thought to himself before turning his gaze back at Benjamin and he asked "Why didn't he come by himself?" Benjamin did not have an answer to the question but he did respond by saying "He is a busy man."
That made the boy laugh, "More like he doesn't want to face me.. the mistake he hates very much." Benjamin sighed "Young master whatever it may be. You must heed his words and prepare, everything is ready there."
Estefan clearly knew the fact that he was being called for one purpose and that was to be removed since his existence is like a wall for his step siblings.
But the boy did prepare since it was better to die there than here at a secluded palace where no one will know what happened to him.
There weren't many servants in this palace, only few to speak off considering it wasn't big or anything. It was an unimportant guest house made by Angeras just in case they needed additional space. Since Estefan was leaving, the servants would vacate and the palace would remain closed off like it was before the arrival of him and his mother there.
They travelled in a car, it was powered by an engine which required liquid mana. Going past the City Luso which was the seat of power of Angeras. The City was massive, hosting nearly half a million people and it was a wealthy City known for its rich history and martial culture.
Each corner they took, each building they went past made it feel like his life was about to drift into something more dangerous. Estefan knew the risks which would come at him the moment he set foot inside the City and the main Palace.
Upon arriving at the Main Palace, he stepped out but saw none except the two guards standing at both sides of the entrance. It was obvious, his stepmother practically controlled most of the Palace since she lives there and his father viewed him as a mistake so he won't be favoured.
The only thing which gave Estefan any value was the fact that he was the eldest born and according to the Angeras laws the eldest no matter the gender are given the title of the Heir.
This made him rather a thorn to the side of his stepmother who desired for her son to be the next Duke considering she was the sister of the King of Ikarus where Angeras served as a Ducal House.
He was guided towards his quarters inside the massive Palace. The Palace was incredibly large and filled with luxurious items everywhere making it hard for one to not stop and just be amazed. The ceiling had paintings and statues etched to ensure there was maximum beauty on every corner of the Palace.
On the fourth floor, there were the living quarters of the Palace. The floor contained more than a hundred rooms reserved for the Family and important guests.
But he wasn't even given any rooms near his family but taken to the very corner of the corridor. There were a couple of rooms for the least valued guests of the Palace. The doors opened to reveal a small room which contained a bed, wardrobe, mirror and a shelf to hold things along with a tiny bathroom.
It didn't matter much since he did not care for it, so Estefan planned to stay unnoticed and simply survive while preparing to get his revenge when the right time came.
Estefan mostly spent his time inside his room and the garden. Truly he stood out and appeared to be a useless, clueless and worthless brat who cannot challenge anyone.
The servants were treated with kindness but they did not show much favor towards him because they all truly worked for his step mother. The only person who he felt a bit close to was a girl named Erika. She was the daughter of one of the Duke's personal guards as she worked as a maid inside the living quarters of the Ducal Family.
He rarely met his family, when his step brothers are playing Estefan usually stays inside the room to avoid much of a contact because he didn't wanted to subjected to any bullying from that and he eats after the rest of the family eats to make sure that his step mother doesn't find him as a threat or nuisance to be removed.
He made sure that he won't be targeted and stood out from their hateful gaze but unfortunately he was wrong.
The servants although treated him with lack of care, still pitied him since they would comment "I feel bad for Lady Jane's son, she was such a nice lady." Another one of the Servants added on "If only the Lady did not leave for the outer palace, that is the reason why Lady Cornelia ended up securing full control over the palace."
Erika walked over towards Estefan who was sat on the Garden, he was watching over the flowers. It was a mesmerising sight but suddenly Erika placed both of her palm on top of his eyes and asked "Guess who?" Estefan smiled "The only person who smells and looks like a pretty flower, my Erika." His words made her blush as she responded "You and your flowery words." Estefan looked back at her "Well, it's true though." His red eyes had the reflection of her face.
She was a beautiful girl for him, her black hair was so smooth like silk, her face a bit plumpy and soft. Estefan felt lucky, that he got to feel those soft lips as well. He found love or so he believed because no one treated him well like her or her father.
Erika asked "Is there something on my face." Making Estefan say "No, it's just you are so beautiful." He responded while pulling her down closer to his face and lips.
While they were enjoying their time, an eyes far away were watching them both with a hint of envy or worse.
Happiness did not stay forever because that day came where everything changed.
"Young Lord." The driver called Estefan as he stood in front of a car while holding the door opened.
Step-mother asked me to travel and inaugurate a new building which was supposed to be inaugurated by her. Has she started to love me or is it some kind of a trap...
He thought to himself before entering the car, it was indeed a suspicious thing to occur since he was never asked to do such things by her and it's been only three months since his arrival to the Palace.
"We are here young master." The driver said whilst holding the door open and Estefan exited the car while smiling "Thank you." He murmured and tapped the driver's shoulders in a gesture of goodwill.
The ceremony lasted for the entire day and it was a busy one as well. Estefan had to meet and greet many guests since he was the chosen heir from birth due to be the eldest and everyone viewed him as a successor to his father although most of them didn't like him much due to the fact that his mother wasn't a nobility but they couldn't outright show the hate because of his status.
Odd.. Every time I try to leave, the folks here force me to stay saying it's not over and what not.. feels like I am being forced to stay longer.. did my stepmother plot something...
Estefan dwelled in deep thoughts of suspicion while looking around to see if there were any signs of some assailant waiting to strike him down.
Minutes became hours and even the sun set but he simply was told again and again to stay till the event is over. But Estefan managed to leave after some more hours but before leaving there was something even more suspicious.
The people who organised it and his driver who was arranged by the family. They all seemed to want to make sure he reached the Palace late.
He didn't question it, because he didn't want to appear as if he figured something was up. But the moment he reached the palace and exited the car. Estefan saw that the driver was trying to signal something to the guards who stood at the entrance.
They have definitely done something bad...
He thought to himself while he walked back towards his quarters and from the distance he saw it.
He saw that the door to his room was slightly opened "WHAT!" He was shocked to see that and rushed towards his room.
When he opened the door he saw that there were two guards. One was holding a rope connected to the ceiling fan while the other was holding Erika, her neck was connected to a noose and there was something else. Her clothes were completely ripped in a way that one of her breasts was completely visible covered in marks and signs of blood on her thighs.
The realisation that they harmed her, the only person who talked with him and was making it seems as if she committed suicide inside his room.
Estefan screamed "NOOO! ERIKA!" It was loud enough to alert and wake up the entire palace but right after he screamed someone struck his head with something from behind causing him to fall down and be unconscious.
But the last words he heard were "You fools, I told you to make it fast..." it was a voice belonging to someone who he knew very clearly.
On that day, Estefan understood that he would never escape them no matter how harmless he may have appeared to be. A lesson he learnt painfully.