Free Web NovelChapter 101: Secret (3)
When Victor finally entered the doors, he found something that was unlike what he had overheard his parents describe it to be. Ian’s business was described as one filled with drunks and smaller than what he was seeing now. One that would embarrass the Kingsley name but he didn’t see that.
Victor had sat in plenty of bars with his friends and those had men being lifted out because of their behaviour. Men of high status were the ones being carried out. This one was more calm.
"Where is he?" Victor wondered, looking around for Ian. He hoped that he had not finally gained the courage to be here and Ian was not present. "Excuse me," he approached one of the guards. "Where can I find Ian Kingsley? I am his brother. Is his location not to be shared?" Victor asked as the guards didn’t give him a response.
He knew this wouldn’t be easy but he wasn’t expecting it to be this hard. Victor liked to think that he shared a great resemblance to Ian so no one could doubt that they were brothers. If his hair was a little longer, he might look a lot more like Ian or his father.
Instead of asking around, Victor tried to find himself a seat to wait until Ian would be present. He had come too far to just return to the carriage without making any progress.
Victor wasn’t seated long before he saw Ian enter the front door. "Ian!" He called to get his brother’s attention.
Victor couldn’t stop smiling as he found himself lucky that he entered before Ian. He continued to wave as Ian just stared at him like he didn’t believe what he was seeing. This didn’t last long as Ian soon became uninterested in his presence and continued on his way.
Victor stood up to follow Ian causing the guards to head toward him.
"Don’t," Ian ordered the guards and so they stopped. "Have you forgotten where the estate is?" Ian asked, facing Victor. It should be common sense that Victor was not welcomed here so why was he here?
Victor’s arrival meant that soon the evil woman would be coming here. Though Ian wanted his answers about the ashes, he was not in the mood to hear Layla’s voice.
"Ah ha. You haven’t lost your humour. I know my way home but I am here to see you. W-Wait," Victor stuttered, attempting to reach out to touch Ian, but he stopped before he could. He didn’t know what to do with his hands for a moment but then put them behind his back. "I only wish to speak in private."
Ian knew that Victor was foolishly stubborn so it wouldn’t be easy to get him out of here without getting the attention of all his customers. He didn’t need it to come out that he had tossed Victor from here. "Make it quick."
Victor was surprised that Ian didn’t turn him away. He gladly followed Ian to where they could speak in private. "Your business seems to be doing well. My mother was wrong about it." ƒгeewebnovёl.com
"When has she ever been right about something? If you have come here for idle chat, please leave. I have no interest in sharing what I have done over the years or why I am here. If they sent you here to convince me to return, then leave," Ian said as his answer hadn’t changed.
"They don’t know that I am here. If my mother knew, she would be on her way here. Father, he has tried to get me to come to you, but I am here for my reasons. We are brothers, Ian. Regardless of what anyone thinks, I will always view you as my brother," Victor promised.
No one could change that they shared the same father.
"How kind of you," Ian replied.
Victor tried to keep his smile but it was hard. "Why do you dislike me so much? I have done nothing to you. I’ve only ever tried to be your brother."
"Whenever you come around, my life becomes fucking difficult because of your mother. I have asked that you stay away from me. I would bet this place that your mother still has someone watching you and when she is informed that you are here, I have to put up with her shit," Ian answered.
Ian stopped leading Victor to his office and turned to face him. This was good enough as Victor had to leave soon. "You always rush to my side whilst ignoring what follows. We are not children. You know how your mother is yet without any consideration for me, you keep showing up."
"I will stand up-"
"I doubt it. She has her hand so far into your back to control you that you cannot bring yourself to go against her. Until you come close to standing up to her, do not come near me," said Ian.
Ian had too many problems of his own to be adding Victor’s problems to it. Most of Layla’s torturing or punishing him as she called it came from Victor being where he wasn’t supposed to be and Ian had long asked Victor not to show before him but Victor wasn’t one to listen.
Ian didn’t care for many of Victor’s visits as a child and seeing it now that he was grown upset him once more.
"I only wish for us to be family. It was not my intention to hurt you," Victor softly spoke, regretting his decision to come here today. They were older now so he believed that it would be different.
"It might never have been your intention but I have always ended up having to protect myself because of you. I have been out of your life for many years. Continue to do without having a brother," Ian advised Victor.
"I can be useful to you now. I have overheard many of their conversations and know many secrets. Let me make up for all the trouble I have caused you," Victor proposed, continuing to walk toward Ian.
He owed this to Ian. Victor wasn’t useful in the past but he wanted to be right now.
"Then, tell me what happened with Noelle," Ian answered. This was the only way Victor could be useful now.
Victor opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t get any words out. He didn’t know what happened to the woman who used to watch over Ian. Shortly after Ian left, she seemed to have left the estate.
"Once again you’re useless and a bother. Isn’t it about time that you stop depending on your mother to care for you? Do you plan to be babied and controlled by her all your life? Get out of my sight before I have you dragged out. You’re making my day more unpleasant," Ian said, turning his back to Victor.
To Ian, it made no sense to try bonding with Victor so it was best to keep Victor away. He returned to get revenge on that family for what they did to him and what they might have done to Noelle.
Forming a bond with Victor would shatter in the future when it came time to get rid of Layla. Despite how cruel she was to Ian, she was a kind mother to Victor.
Victor didn’t see it now, but later he would come to hate Ian and call him a bastard. Then, Victor wouldn’t care to be brothers so Ian was saving Victor from regretting this moment.
