"Good evening passengers. The flight from Syldavia to Bordoria is currently in the final stages of preparation for landing." The announcement boomed throughout the cabin.
Closing his eyes, Elijah sighed and leaned back into the seat behind him as he nervously toyed with his wedding ring while it sunk in that he was now divorced and was finally meeting his parents after years of being away.
There were a lot of emotions to process between getting betrayed by Melina and returning home. It was all too much to even try to figure out just how he was going to handle all of it.
After the plane finally landed, the passengers got up to leave, and since Elijah had no baggage, he left first class and entered the terminal.
With a cap on his head, Elijah kept his head down and his hands inside his trouser pocket, trying not to draw any attention to himself.
The moment Elijah stepped out of the building, it took only a couple of seconds for him to hear, "Master Maxwell!"
Stopping in his steps, Elijah turned around and saw none other than Butler James walking toward him.
Immediately, he noticed people staring at him and whispering, and Elijah lowered his cap, shrugging his shoulders to make himself look smaller.
"What are you doing?" Elijah whispered when Butler James arrived right in front of him. "You know I don't like the attention of others-"
"I'm sorry, master. I am just so happy that you are here, back with us," Butler James said, reaching up to take his hand and squeezing it. "I can barely believe this is happening."
Not holding back, Butler James rushed into Elijah's arms, hugging him tightly.
Even though Elijah was caught off guard at first, but then he hugged him back, smiling fondly, "It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"
Pulling out of his arms, Butler Elijah smiled weakly and let out, "Yes, master. You don't know how mad your mother has been since your father kicked you out of the mansion."
A few years ago, Mr. Maxwell, a well-known figure in the business world in Bordoria, and a man of high prestige, known by many, and respected by countless, looked into Elijah's eyes and said, "Son, it's time for you to get out of my house."
Looking back now, Elijah could only smile at his father's drastic decision to send him to another country to experience the real world for himself, because with such a status in Bordoria, he was never going to see humans for who they truly were.
Unfortunately, Melina was the first person he fully trusted with his heart, aside from his family, and the result was an ugly divorce with her, lies, betrayal, and humiliation.
Growing up with his family's money and title, the world was black and white for Elijah as a young man, but after his father kicked him out, he started to realize that sometimes the world wasn't so nice to those without money or connections.
"My mother should not be mad at him. I am grateful for the life lessons I learned because of his tough love." Elijah said, smiling at James, who looked shocked and bewildered.
"Something is different about you, master," James said, still not believing that he was talking to the same man who he watched growing up as a cheerful and modest child.
"I cut my hair,"
"No. That's not it."
Laughing, Elijah walked past his butler, heading for the black SUV that was parked a few distances away from them.
"Your Aura!! You have a new Aura, Master! One filled with dominance and maturity!" James exclaimed, following closely behind Elijah.
As he slightly shook his head, he chuckled faintly and said, "You took all that from a couple of words I said?"
"Well... No offense master, but I watched you grow up, and I remember a little boy who would cry whenever his father tried to discipline him. You were soft-hearted and sensitive, and you always cried when you felt hurt, scared, or mad." Butler James said in a soft tone.
"Ouch! Thanks for bruising my ego ."
"Sorry, Master. But what I am trying to say is now, I think your aura is so more mature, and more... I don't know... Strong? I guess I could call it that..."
Hurrying ahead of Elijah, Butler James opened the back door and stepped aside for him to get in, smiling when he said, "Thanks."
The drive was long and quiet because Elijah fell asleep, his head resting on the window glass and his fingers against his ring.
Staring at the band around Elijah's finger, Butler James weakly smiled before looking away with sadness in his eyes.
Finally, the three SUVs came to a stop in front of a fancy six-story mansion, with two large wings attached to one side.
The yard was enormous and surrounded by trees and bushes, and a fancy fountain, made of marble, dominated the center of the yard.
Securities standing their grounds on both sides, and guards patrolling around every corner with dogs at their heels.
"Master, we have arrived." Butler James said, tapping Elijah's shoulder gently, waking him up.
Opening his eyes, Elijah blinked slowly as a yawn escaped his lips before looking out the window and seeing that they had stopped in front of a grand set of stairs.
"Home," Elijah said softly, taking a deep breath.
When the door opened, he stared at the four security, standing outside of the car, bowing slightly when he stepped down from the car, with Butler James following closely behind him.
"Welcome home, master Elijah," All of them said in unison.
Stepping past them, Elijah walked up the stairs and then stopped in front of the huge wooden double doors before looking down at his hand.
With a frown, he slipped the ring off his finger and gave it to Butler James, commanding, "Throw it away!"
Not questioning Elijah's authority, Butler James took the ring from his hand and tucked it away safely in his pocket as the doors opened slowly.
Entering the mansion, Elijah breathed in deeply as he took everything in, the lush carpets, the grand chandelier, the dramatic staircase, and the extravagant paintings on the walls.
A lot has changed after a few years, and it kind of reminded him of how things used to be and the feeling of how it was.
"Elijah..! Son...! My child..." Mrs. Maxwell's cry echoed through the foyer as she ran towards him.
Hugging his mother tightly, Elijah laughed softly as he closed his eyes and whispered, "Mother,"
They stayed like that for a while, embracing each other until Elijah pulled away and looked her into her tear-stained eyes before kissing her on the forehead.
"You are home. My son is finally back..." Mrs. Maxwell cried, running her fingers through Elijah's brown curls as she squeezed him tighter in a hug.
"I missed you too, Mother," Elijah said as she withdrew from his grab, caressing his face gently as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Tenderly, he brushed his thumb against her timeworn skin, drying it and smiling warmly at her.
Then his eyes dance over her shoulder, watching his father walk toward them with the same unreadable expression he had always had since Elijah could remember.
"Greetings father," Elijah said, stepping away from his mother as he waited for Mr. Maxwell to approach him.
When he and his father were face to face, Elijah bowed slightly and said, "Father, I'm glad to see you again."
Clearing his throat, Mr. Maxwell nodded in response but continued saying nothing. But Elijah kept his composure, his chin raised, keeping eye contact with his father, his hands resting to his sides, and his back straight.
After a couple of minutes, Mr. Maxwell finally asked, in a soft yet cold voice, "It's good to see you again, son."
The calmness between these two men that she loves so dearly and the maturity she saw Elijah display was something that made Mrs. Maxwell feel so proud for her son.
For years, it seemed like he did not have the power to express his own emotions or handle them, and that led to him losing his confidence as a child and becoming even timider when older.
And that made it hard for her son to prove himself as a leader to his father, then a follower, and because of that, Romney and Elijah didn't have that father and son bond.
Now that Elijah was back, and he was showing signs of growth and control, she knew that things were going to start getting better for her son.
A sense of shock crossed everyone's faces when Mr. Maxwell pulled Elijah into his arm, giving him a manly pat on the back as everyone around them gasped in shock, especially the butlers and servants.
Silently, Elijah stood in his father's embrace, blinking blankly at his father's gesture, not knowing how to react, as his father was usually very emotionless and strict with his actions.
When Mr. Maxwell released Elijah from his embrace, he placed his hands inside his pockets and said, "Follow me to the study room where we can talk."
"Talk about what?!" Mrs. Maxwell asked, her tone filled with annoyance, causing her husband to flinch slightly.
"Mom, please... We are just going to talk. Nothing else!" Elijah pleaded, putting his hands on his mother's shoulders. "Okay?"
For someone that used to run to her to get his will, seeing Elijah be the want to talk her down made her realize just how much her son has grown up and matured.
"Okay," Mrs. Maxwell reluctantly agreed, smiling at her son.
After gently brushing his palm on her back, Elijah grinned at her before following his father down the hallway, keeping his head high and his mind on track, determined to show his father that he wasn't the pathetic excuse of a son he once was.
When they entered the study, Elijah turned around and shut the door behind him, walking towards his father and sitting on an expensive-looking leather chair.Both men sat in silence before Elijah finally spoke, asking, "What do you want to tell me?"Quietly, Mr. Maxwell stood from the couch, walked over to the desk and picked up the tv remote off it, holding it loosely in his hand, staring at the screen in a trance, and said, "Son, I know over the years we have not been as close as we should have been, but I am sorry. For everything. I'm sorry for not being there for you."Turning to look his son directly in the eye, Mr. Maxwell sighed heavily and admitted, "I have been too hard on you.""You were only making a man out of your son. A man that is capable of great deeds... a man that can lead, and a man that is respected and honorable. You did nothing wrong, father." Elijah replied, sighing as he rubbed the back of his neck.Huffing weakly, Mr. Maxwell sat on the couch, still staring
The sunlight streamed into the room through the window as Elijah sat up in his bed and turned around to see who entered his room.As the morning rays fell onto his face, his eyes met with Butler James standing on the other side of the room."Good morning, master." Butler James said politely as he closed the door behind him quietly.Pushing the cover off him, Elijah slid out of bed, running his fingers through his hair as he asked, "What brings you here, Butler James?""Master, your mother wants me to inform you that breakfast is ready downstairs." Butler James informed."Okay, thanks. Just let her know that I'll meet her soon," Elijah replied, rubbing the sleepiness out of his face as he headed toward the bathroom, closing the door behind him.After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he took a comforting shower, trying to relax as he did so. Then he stepped out afterward, wrapped a towel around himself, and walked over to his closet, grabbing a simple Sweatshirt and a pair
Furrowing, Matt clenched his fist, looked at the driver as he opened the car door, and stepped out with a toolbox in his grip.The breakdown felt way too staged in his opinion, and it felt like this driver was intentionally making it look as though the car was having issues.With that thought on his mind, a few minutes later, Matt pushed the call door open and climbed out, slamming the door shut.Then he walked over to the driver, and the moment he saw Matt, he snapped his brows and shouted, "Hey!! Hey!!! Get back into the car.""Why?" Matt demanded, glaring at him, placing his hands on his hips."Just get back into the damn car!!""Whoa! What's with the sudden hostile attitude, huh?!" Concern, Elijah pushed the car door open, stepped his shoe on the road, and got out of the car, glaring at the man."Not you too!!" The driver shouted back at Elijah."Look, pal, I will soon be done with fixing this, so you two should get your ass back into the fucking car, okay?" Now, Ryan, Rookie, a
The security quickly took out their weapons and darted them towards Elijah, Matt, Rookie, James, and Ryan, shouting angrily, "Get in your trash, now!""We just want to book a suite and get some rest," Elijah said, raising both of his hands and smiling weakly. "I have money to pay for this place." A lousy laugh came from the security as he shook his head, he was a robust, balding guy with rough skin. "Oh sure, I bet you can afford to buy a whole hotel, right? You're probably loaded or something." He mocked, shaking his head again, his eyes scanning Elijah from top to bottom. "Wait, I know you! Hey, Mark, doesn't this guy look familiar?!"The only thought that came to Elijah's mind was that they knew him because he was Melina's ex-husband, the CEO of Investverse company, and he just knew this was going to get pretty ugly, pretty fast."Yeah!! Yes!! He's that loser that Miss Hayes dumped yesterday!!" The other security guy shouted, laughing hysterically. "His face was on all the news
When the morning light hit Elijah's face, he blinked several times, disoriented by how tired he still was, then he yawned, stretched, and slowly rose to sit up while rubbing his eyes.Suddenly, the sound of a knock made Elijah frown, pushing the covers off his body and sliding out of bed, his bare feet hitting the floor lightly as he stood up.Scratching his bare chest, Elijah walked over to the wooden door, and when he opened it, Peach's eyes widened at the sight of his naked torso and black boxer, she immediately took a step back, muttering, "Sorry, I - I will come back later." When she turned to leave, Elijah frowned and asked, "You're already here, so say it. What do you want?!"Hearing the sharpness in his voice, Peach instantly stopped in her steps, not turning around to look at him, and mumbled, "Umm... your friends... Well, breakfast is ready downstairs... And they wouldn't eat without you." "Tell them that I will be there in a minute," Elijah replied before slamming the doo
The sound of an ambulance echoed throughout the hotel, followed by the sight of the paramedics rushing inside, along with two officers.The EMTs workers hurried over to Miss Grace's side, took her from Peach's arms, and placed her on the stretcher before taking Miss Grace out of the lobby, rolling her outside toward the ambulance.Striving to stop herself from crying, Peach followed after the EMTs, sniffing as tears trailed down her cheeks. "Who are you?" A friendly-looking lady gently asked her when she stopped in front of the ambulance."I am her daughter," Peach whispered, her voice cracking as more tears escaped her eyes."Oh, dear. Get into the ambulance." "Thank you,"Nodding, Peach walked to the back of the Ambulance and ended the vehicle, taking a seat beside her mother.Inside the motel, the two police looked at Germa and Stony's bruised faces, and one of them asked, "What happened to these two? What exactly went on here?""Officer, arrest those five punks. They were the o
When Peach raised her gaze from the floor and absentmindedly gaze to her right, she was stunned to see Elijah, Matt, Rookie, Ryan, and James walking into the waiting room.Her eyes widened, and a huge gasp came out of her mouth. Her heart thumped against her chest, making it harder for her to breathe as she wondered what they were doing there. When she and Elijah's eyes locked, Peach turned her eyes back to the floor, hating the unreadable expression on his face.With a calm look in his eyes, James said as he sat down beside Peach, "How are you feeling?"A weak smile formed on her face, and tears began forming as the thought of her mother still flashed in her mind."Well, my mama has to have another PCI surgery because she had another severe heart attack," Peach said, pinching her fingers together nervously. "My mama has been really sick lately. She has always been since my dad died.""I am sorry to hear that. Is there anything we can do for you? Anything you need?" James asked, eye
The room door slowly opened, and Peach walked inside to see Miss Grace, sitting upright on the bed, looking extremely pale and weak. But she didn't want her mother to worry about her, so she forced a smile and walked toward her."Mama," Peach whispered as she got near the bed, "are you okay?"Looking over at her daughter, Miss Grace smiled weakly and nodded her head, answering, "I'm fine, sweetheart. I'm just a bit dizzy and nauseous, is all."Placing her hand on top of Miss Grace's hand, Peach whispered, fighting against her tears, "I'm here, Mama. No matter what happens, I will always be here for you.""Oh, dear," Miss Grace whispered, reaching over to squeeze Peach's hand, "You have no idea just how much I love you."Smiling lightly, Peach leaned forward and kissed her mother on the cheek gently, saying, "I love you too, Mama."After Peach pulled away and sat down beside her mother, Miss Grace hesitated for a moment and then a look of concern spiked in her eyes as she asked, "What