Warning: This chapter contains content that may not be suitable for some readers
Jeremy was sitting with Uncle Charles drinking away together. In a way, they were celebrating the improvement of Ivy’s condition. In a good mood, Jeremy decided to reveal his plans to Uncle Charles.
“I am going to find your brother… Correction. My future father-in-law tomorrow to discuss taking over the business.” Jeremy announced as Uncle Charles chuckled, half knowing who he meant but pretending not to.
“Who is that lucky man?” Uncle Charles played along. “Your brother, Peter,” Jeremy said proudly as Charles was a little doubtful about Jeremy’s hasty move considering what exactly can he do with the major shareholder still lying in bed in a coma.
Jeremy noticed Charles's quiet moments pondering as though mocking him. “What? You don’t believe in my plans? Trust me, he will let me take over the management temporarily. That way I will enforce my hidden weapons during my inauguration and take over all the brothers’ shares. At least I won’t have to wait so long to gain some power. When your niece is awake, she has no choice but to marry me due to indebtedness.” Jeremy laughed as he drank a whole glass of whiskey while Charles pretended to laugh along.
“Looking forward to being my nephew-in-law!” Charles cheered with Jeremy but deep down he knew Jeremy was never a smart ally. Charles had to plan his move carefully to not be involved with his crimes. For now, as long as he could have Jeremy as his cash cow, it doesn't matter what Jeremy does. However, the moment he treads too far into his crimes, Charles would pull out entirely.
Peter who had been accompanying Ivy alone daily was approached by Jeremy the next day. Peter was lost in his own world ever since Ivy’s accident. No one could get some sense out of him other than his daily basic routines. James knew there wasn’t much Jeremy could do with his underlings around guarding them under surveillance but he had never expected Jeremy’s next move to be exploiting Peter’s condition.
“Uncle Peter, how have you been?” Jeremy asked as he walked over to Peter with a glass of water. Peter was his usual self; quiet and having his mind elsewhere while Jeremy placed the glass of water by the side table before sitting next to Peter.
Jeremy observed Peter’s frailed look and decided it was smart to make a move when he was vulnerable. “You seem very tired these days. Please take good care of your health. Your children still need you.” Jeremy advised to test the water on his mood but again he didn’t make any reply.
“I have been thinking Uncle Peter if you would like I would want to help you out more since I am also learning about business these days.” Jeremy continued as Peter held onto Ivy’s hand and looked down at the floor, not paying attention to Jeremy.
“Do you mind if I help out with your company’s business for the time being? At least until…” Jeremy turned to look at Ivy.
“... Ivy’s awake?” Jeremy asked as if Peter had been quiet earlier, he wanted to even be quieter or leave at that juncture. All Peter heard were squabbling from Jeremy and he was very agitated that Jeremy had to spoil the peaceful and quiet room he was in with his daughter.
Jeremy wasn’t giving up as he waited with a smirk behind Peter. “If you don’t say a thing, I will take that you agree. I will drop by the office tomorrow and start off. You don’t have to worry. I will make sure to do my best.” Jeremy immediately left without waiting for Peter to respond after he spotted Peter being uncomfortable but didn’t know with what. With Jeremy leaving, Peter felt more at ease in the quiet room as he continued to lose himself in his own world. His mind wandered and wasn’t aware of what had he put himself and the entire empire he built into.
Although James’ underlings were guarding over the surveillance camera, they had no idea what was spoken. They could only alert James about it while James watched the surveillance and didn’t suspect a thing but couldn’t help but wonder what was discussed. He decided to wait for Jin to come in the next night to listen in to the bug planted in Ivy’s room.
Before they could do that, Jeremy had stepped into Ophal’s real estate the next morning and held an urgent meeting with the management announcing his role as temporary assistant director role which he mentioned was agreed upon with Peter. The news shocked the entire company and Ophal’s family as Jin instantly skipped classes for the day and headed straight to Cassandra’s boutique.
Before Cassandra could greet him and ask him what was the rush, he had sprinted down to the basement. Cassandra lifted her guard up instantly knowing something urgent must have cooped up for Jin to miss the entire day's lessons. She wondered if the storm had arrived as she rushed to the basement and heard the recording of Jeremy’s pact with Peter as he growled in anger and punched the wall while Cassandra tried to stop him.
“Stop! Jin! Not like that!” Cassandra was holding on to Jin but he still went on to punch the wall. Thanks to Ryan’s combat training, the entire family was fit and strong. It breaks Cassandra’s heart to watch Jin hurting himself with such strong force as she began to struggle to fight with his strength in stopping him from punching the wall further.
“JIN! STOP!” Cassandra yelled as she pulled him away from the wall while he slid in her arm feeling all defeated because he knew what was Jeremy after next. Cassandra could only stay by his side to comfort him and ensure the family’s welfare was well taken off as it was important for them to be in a good state while battling it out with their enemy.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Meanwhile in Manes, Marcel had alerted Ray and Ryu about the expected news and the brothers couldn’t understand the reason Peter could easily let Jeremy take over. “Was this his plan all this while?” Ray asked in frustration as Ryu sat by his side during lunch to comfort him.
“We would never know but for now this was within our expectations. All we could do is to stick together and not waver.” Ryu said as Ray sighed knowing his little brother was right.
Jin’s anger was beyond his own expectation as he barged into the hospital with James and his underlings. James could barely control Jin’s actions and temper as Jin went in front of Peter who was sitting watching over Ivy lifelessly.
“Why? Why do you have to let your enemy into the company? Was this all of your plans all along? Do you want to watch your empire torn down? Is it even worth it all because Ivy is there?! Huh? Answer me!” Jin screamed holding on to Peter and shaking him but still Peter had no response. Whatever anyone said to him was like squabbles and Jin’s squabbles were so loud that Peter felt the annoyance but he continued to sit back down on the chair holding on to Ivy’s hand.
James’ underlings tried to pull Jin out of the room. Before he was outside he managed to say his last line to Peter. “You will regret this if you don't realise it sooner daddy!”
James stood with a heavy heart looking at his frailed-looking brother as he went over to pat his shoulder before he left to calm down Jin who was with Cassandra. “Boy! Listen! You’re the smartest among all of them. You should never let your emotions get ahead of you or it will be your demise!” James warned as he said it into Jin’s face to make him realise it.
“I know how angry you are at all your effort being thrown away but this is not the time. You have calculated his next step and you knew this would happen someday. Plan the next step. Execute it. Be ahead of him!” James was calmly motivating Jin again as Jin began to calm down and knew the brothers had to be extra vigilant from now on to avoid falling into Jeremy’s traps.
“Call Marcel tomorrow for an urgent meeting. He needs to be vigilant and reports every move of the management.” Jin said calmly to James’ underlings as James patted his shoulder and smiled before they all ride in the same car headed for their secret base.
Meanwhile, in Room 13, Jason and Ivy both shared the same hope to seek an exit to the tower. With the regret Jason held and the anguish Ivy had, they were greeted by voices of screams from all parts of the room as they frantically ran to get a clearer view of what was happening. Ivy could feel her anguish turning into flames fueling her anger that she had the urge to murder whoever was getting her way of getting out of the tower.
As she stood with her piercing eyes, she witnessed a man holding on to a baby boy who was wailing all his heart out in his arm. The man was about to hurl the baby out of the balcony when a woman appeared and it was Petunia.
“STOP!!! I beg you STOP!!! Do all you want to me! Leave Jason alone, please!” Petunia was wailing and begging on the floor to the man. Ivy looked in Jason’s direction as anger was fuming inside her.
“I couldn’t bear watching you die again. Is there any way? Any way to fix this?” Ivy asked while gritting her teeth as Jason walked over and hugged her to calm her down. They stood watching their father barging into the scene after a while. Jason noticed this time they were in a modern era with cemented walls and high-floor balcony apartment units.
Before he could study the surrounding further their father was bellowing away.
“YOU, Alvah! Useless brother of mine! How dare you rape my wife and now threaten to kill my son! If I don’t kill you today, I am not called Ubel!” Before their father could reach Alvah and Jason, Alvah had hurled the wailing baby out of the balcony. Petunia was screaming all her heart out while little Ivy’s voice was heard wailing from one of the rooms.
As their father was fighting with Alvah, Alvah was determined to kill his brother when he suffocated Ubel and desperately hurled him off the balcony. By then, plenty of their neigbours were already gasping and rushing to the basement to check on the situation.
At that point, Petunia ran to fetch Ivy from her crib as she locked the room’s door desperately trying to call for help. Ivy barged into the room and noticed they were able to walk through the walls.
Before Petunia could get hold of anyone, the door was pried open by Alvah. In desperate moments, Petunia frantically fumbled over the drawers and took a penknife from one of the drawers as her weapon as she kissed Ivy’s forehead and set Ivy down on her crib. Petunia had the same piercing look Ivy had the moment she saw baby Jason hurled off the balcony. Petunia let Alvah approach her and the moment his body landed on hers, she didn’t hesitate to kill him with multiple piercings on his body.
She then carried baby Ivy and tried to run out of the house but in the nick of time, Alvah managed to grab hold of her leg as she fell into the puddle of blood and slipped each time she tried to get up with baby Ivy in her arms. She crawled all the way to the living room as Alvah didn’t go down without a fight with her. Petunia knew it was useless to save herself anymore as she didn’t want to live remembering the trauma of being rapped. She quickly dropped baby Ivy to the ground hoping she would survive before pulling Alvah off the balcony with her and plunging to their deaths. Unfortunately, baby Ivy was dropped with a harsh bang to the ground and the concussion killed her fragile brain.
Ivy was speechless as the room sent them both back to the tower’s lobby again.
“Are we going to keep watching our own deaths?” Ivy questioned in disbelief as her anger had grown into vengeance. Her hands were bleeding from the intense grips she held onto as Jason tried to pry open her hands.
“Haven’t you noticed the root cause of our parents’ act? Perhaps Petunia had always been raped by our uncle and that’s why father had always tried to kill us off?” Jason explained as he healed Ivy’s wounds.
Ivy tried to put the pieces together but a sudden piercing pain pounded on her head. Jason saw the sparkles of her memories flowing towards him again as he shut his eyes and hugged Ivy. He tried to hold in his tears but the moment Ivy pushed him away awhile after she recovered and looked at him questioningly. His heart ached at her question.
“Who are you?” Ivy asked as Jason knew the closer they get to the end of the doors, Ivy would no longer remember all that had happened.
The only reason he was pulling through was because of the life she would deserve to live the moment they step out of the tower. He held onto her hand and gently led her to the next room 40.
“I am your brother, Phoenix.” He smiled with uncontrollable tears as she smiled gladly knowing she had a brother.
“Where are we heading to?” Ivy asked innocently.
“To our life,” Jason answered as Ivy was skipping excitedly by his side at his answer. He turned the doorknob to room 40 with a heavy heart hoping if the journey could be cut short.