Part 1 The boy who refused to Die

It was raining over the city, washing the streets in silver and glitters of the water droplets.

Beyond the glitters stood the Veridian Mansion, the mansion of the Buisness tycoon.

The fourteen-year-old boy was running through the garden, his black hair getting in front of his eyes, but he took no notice.

𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐬.

He had only one thought.

𝑅𝑢𝑛.

Behind him came shouting.

"Search the grounds!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"If the heir lives, everything is over!"

Lucien's heart was pounding very fast.

Only an hour ago, he had been laughing with the servants while preparing for his father's birthday party. The mansion was being decorated, guests were chatting, and he was running here and there, supervising everything.

Then the screams began.

The party hall was thrown into a bloody battleground.

Men wearing black masks came inside and shot the guard without hesitation.

Lucien was desperately searching for his parents,

Instead...

He found his father lying on the floor.

He found Elias Carter standing near his father's ice-cold body.

"Elias!"

Elias served the Veritas family for thirty years as their chief of security.

His suit was stained in blood.

One sleeve was torn.

"They have reached the west wing," he said urgently.

"We don't have much time."

Lucien wasn't able to grab things fast, but Elias dragged him away.

"Young master, Mrs. Veritas told me to... Protect you."

"But, what about mom...?"

Lucien's breathing became unstable.

Before Elias could answer...

Another explosion shook the mansion.

The ceiling collapsed on the hallway behind them. The lights flickered. There was smoke in the air.

Elias grabbed Lucien's shoulder.

"Listen to me carefully."

His voice was shaking a little.

"The people attacking us today are not ordinary assassins."

Lucien looked at him in confusion.

"They knew about our every security checkpoint."

"They disabled our surveillance system."

"They entered through the private entrance only trusted people knew."

Elias clenched his fists.

"There was a traitor."

Lucien froze.

"A... Traitor?"

Elias nodded.

"Someone your father trusted betrayed the family."

Those words hurt more than anything.

Someone close to them...

Someone who smiled at them...

Betrayed them.

Elias hurried towards a large bookshelf and pressed a hidden switch behind the books.

A pathway opened.

"This secret passage leads outside the mansion."

Lucien stood motionless.

"I'm not leaving."

"You must."

"I won't!" he shouted. "My parents are still here!"

At that moment footsteps echoed.

Slow...

Leading towards them.

Elias looked towards the entrance before turning towards Lucien.

"If you stay today..." he said, trying not to sound emotional.

"The Veritas family will truly disappear tonight."

Lucien lowered his head.

Tears rolling down his face.

He wanted to fight.

He wanted to save his parents.

But he was only fourteen years old.

Elias took out a silver ring from his pocket and gave it to Lucien.

The Veritas family emblem was engraved on it.

"Keep it safe."

"It is the proof of who you are."

"And one day..." he took a deep breath before answering.

"... You'll find why your family had to die."

The footsteps reached outside the room.

Someone tried to force the door open.

Elias drew his pistol.

"... Go."

Lucien hesitated.

"Elias..."

The old man smiled.

"Live long enough to..."

"Make them regret this night."

After saying this, Elias pushed Lucien into the passage.

The hidden door closed.

Darkness surrounded him.

Lucien slammed both fists into the door.

"Elias!"

No answer came.

Then came he sounds of gunfire.

Then Silence.

Lucien stood frozen.

His fists pounded against the cold steel door.

"Elias!"

His voice echoed through the narrow tunnel.

"Elias, open the door.

No one answered.

The silence terrified him more than the gunfire could.

His breathing became uneven.

His legs became weak and gave out beneath him.

He slid down the damp floor, covering his mouth to stop himself from crying.

Everything had happened so quickly.

Just an hour ago...

His father had been greeting guests with his usual smile.

Now, everything was gone.

Lucien squeezed the silver ring until it dug into his skin.

"I'll come back..."

He whispered through his trembling voice.

"I promise."

Taking a deep breath he forced himself to stand up.

The tunnel stretched into complete darkness.

He had no choice.

He began walking.

***

The underground passage seemed endless.

Cold water dripping from the ceiling.

The air smell of damp concrete and rust.

After every few steps, Lucien would look behind, hoping Elias, or his mother would somehow appear.

But no one came.

After what felt like hours, a faint light appear ahead.

Lucien pushed open a metal hatch.

Fresh air runged into his lungs.

He climbed out into an abandoned warehouse, nearly a kilometre away from the mansion.

Rain continued to pour from the sky.

From the warehouse entrance, he could see smoke rising above the city.

His heart sank.

The Veritas mansion was burning.

Bright flames consumed the hone where he was raised.

Fire trucks surrounded the property.

Police vehicle blocked every entrance.

Television helicopters circled overhead, broadcasting the disaster live.

Lucien stood there shocked.

His entire world disappeared before his eyes.

The rain hid the tears running down his face.

"No..."

His voice cracked.

"This can't be happening..."

He took a step forward.

Then another.

Before he could leave the warehouse, a hand grabbed him and pulled him inside.

It was Elias.

Lucien's eyes widened.

"Elias..."

Without thinking, he threw his arms around the old man.

"I thought..."

"I thought you..."

He winced in pain.

Lucien stepped back.

Only then did he notice the blood soaking through Elias' jacket.

A bullet had grazed his side.

His face was pale, but he remained standing.

"We don't have time," Elias said quietly. "They'll be searching everywhere."

Lucien looked towards the burning mansion once more.

"My parents..."

Elias lowered his eyes.

"I'm sorry young master," his voice was filled with grief.

"I couldn't save them..."

The words shattered the last piece of hope Lucien had been clinging to.

His knees gave away.

He collapsed onto the wet pavement.

The rain mixed with his tears.

He didn't scream.

He didn't cry out loud.

He simply stared at the burning mansion with empty eyes.

Minutes passed before Elias finnally spoke.

"Your father knew this day would come."

Lucien slowly looked up.

"What...?"

Elias reached inside his torn black jacket and took out a small, black flash drive.

He placed it onto Lucien's trembling hands.

"Mr. Veritas told me that if anything were to happen to him..."

"... I was to give this to you."

Lucien stared at the tiny device.

"What's on it?"

"I don't know."

"He only told me one thing."

Elias looked directly onto Lucien's eyes.

"𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞."

A cold chill ran down Lucien's spine.

Not the media.

Not the police.

Not the beard of directers.

Not even family and friends.

Someone close to the Veritas family had betrayed them.

And that person was still out there.

Waiting.

Watching.

Lucien closed his fingers around the flash drive.

The frightened, fourteen-year-old died at that time.

In his place stood someone else.

Someone who had lost everything.

Someone with nothing left to fear.

He looked at the flames one final time.

His voice was quiet.

Steady.

"I won't ask for justice."

"I'll uncover the truth myself."

"And when I find the people responsible..."

He clenched the silver ring in his hand.

"𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠..."

"... 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞."

The rain continued to pour.

Far away, the mansion collapsed into fire.

Behind the smoke and flashing police lights...

A pair of unseen eyes watched Lucien from a black luxury car.

The figure smiled faintly.

"So,"

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝."

The car slowly drove away into the night.

𝔼𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 1

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