Free Web NovelChapter 109: Power (3)
Victor closed the door to his mother’s bedroom, leaving it feeling like he had achieved nothing. She still controlled him, dismissing everything that he said. If his mother couldn’t take his words seriously, who would?
Victor understood more of why Ian would not be so welcoming. If he were in Ian’s shoes, he would be distant as well.
’Power,’ Victor thought.
His mother had made a good point. Victor needed to get some of the power that his family had. Only then could he get his mother to listen properly.
While Layla could control him, Victor knew that his father was the one with the real power. All he needed to do was be under his father’s wing rather than his mother’s. It was what his parents wanted and now he would be more interested in doing it.
Victor moved from his mother’s bedroom door in search of his father who had to be drinking at this time. He wished the two would not care about what the town would say about them splitting and just do it. Why stay together for so long when they hated each other?
Victor stared at the portraits on the walls as he walked by. There were many of the Kingsley relatives on the walls. Those from the past and among them were him, his mother, and his father. There wasn’t a single portrait of Ian to be found on the estate.
"Where is it?" Victor wondered. He could remember Ian doing at least one portrait so where did that one go? "Was it destroyed in the fire or does his mother have it?"
That would have made a good gift to show Ian his younger self. Victor wouldn’t be surprised if his mother had personally destroyed it. She truly was too cruel. As much as he loved her, he knew that she needed to pay for her actions over the years.
Victor knocked on the door of his father’s study. "Father."
"Come to have a drink with me?" Hank joked, holding his almost empty glass to Victor. He knew that this would start another argument with Layla if she were to find out that he offered Victor alcohol.
"No thank you," Victor declined the offer. Getting drunk to calm down from a family dispute was not something he wanted to get used to doing.
"You are your mother’s son. Always listening to what she tells you. Is she resting?" Hank asked as it was common for Victor to put her to bed. If Victor hadn’t returned home, Hank might have been still arguing with Layla right about now.
"She has fallen to sleep. I would not disturb her right now," Victor answered.
"Good. What is the reason you are standing before me? Do you have something to say to me or ask? About Ian?" Hank asked as that was all Victor was interested in these days.
There was much Victor wanted to ask about Ian but now was not the right time. "I want to start shadowing you. Learning what I need to do if I am to ever follow your steps."
Hank sipped his drink. "Is this your mother sending you to do this?"
The timing was a little too perfect to be coincidental.
"No," Victor replied. "I am doing this because it is what I want. It is time."
Hank liked what he was hearing. He would like to know if this was caused by Ian’s arrival. If Victor was starting to feel that everything would not just be handed to him. Hank wanted to leave all that he had to the son who wouldn’t die off in the next few years. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"I suppose it is time that you stopped relying on your mother. It has taken far too long for this to happen. Is it the competition?" Hank asked.
"No. I just want power," Victor honestly replied.
Hank laughed as it was quite the Kingsley response. "Good, good. Where has this side of you been? I like it. Your mother won’t like that you are following my ways instead of hers. I can never understand that woman. She wants me to give you all my attention but she wants to be in control of what happens to you."
Hank thought of sending Layla away so she wouldn’t get in the way of him moulding Victor to be something better. He couldn’t have her getting in the way of him preparing Victor.
Hank rubbed his temple as he could already hear Layla claiming that he was trying to send her away to bring a woman here. Sending her away might not be the best idea as she was so crazy that she might cause trouble for him.
"Tomorrow we shall start. Victor, I hope that you are true to what you say and should your mother be against anything that we do, you will not listen to her. I have two sons," Hank said, proudly acknowledging Ian. "Nothing is guaranteed for you."
Truthfully, Hank would love to pass on all that he had to Victor since Victor was the legitimate son. He was easier to tame than his wild brother and as of right now, Hank wasn’t certain that he could trust being alone in the same room as Ian.
Hank couldn’t welcome Ian back if he had plans to backstab his father so Victor should do well. Ian was merely useful as a spare for when Victor wasn’t in good condition.
"I will not fail you," Victor promised. In time, he would have enough power so he did not need to listen to his mother or father.
Then he could dig around to find out what happened to Noelle. Right now, it was like only he or Ian remembered that she existed. Two people on this estate would have a clue about where she went or what happened, but they wouldn’t speak so easily.
"Leave my sight," Hank lazily flicked his right hand to dismiss Victor. Since Victor wasn’t one to drink, he was quite a bore. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to have Ian come around to pour him drinks like his mother used to. It was fitting with the business that Ian ran.
"I will keep an eye on my mother. Enjoy your drinking," Victor said then turned to exit the room. Just as his mother needed to pay for her actions, he would have his father pay for abandoning a son.
Away from the Kingsley estate, Luke balled up a letter sent to him by the Callahans after he requested their presence in the palace. They had refused to leave the border.
Madilyn stood behind her husband, trying her best to massage his shoulders to calm him. "What troubles you now? Is it Alana?"
Madilyn didn’t like that Scarlet intervened in something that didn’t have to do with her and took Alana from the palace. They were so close to marrying Alana off.
"She is always causing trouble for me but it is Scarlet this time. The Callahans won’t be coming to see me. I am their king," Luke said, angered by the disrespect.
"Well, they have their leaders there and have always said they will not come unless- Sorry," Madilyn apologised, taking her hands off Luke’s shoulder. "They should come when the king calls. Has Scarlet told them not to?"
"Possibly," Luke answered.
"She’s interfering too much. I have told you to humble her. Why don’t we take away her title? It is not like she goes around introducing herself as the duchess. Didn’t you say she wanted to be more known as a businesswoman? Wouldn’t that be fun?" Madilyn asked.
It would be a good way to get Scarlet to bring Alana back in exchange for her title back.
"Losing a title is quite embarrassing," she added.
"I would need a valid reason to take it away from her. I shouldn’t have listened to you to invite Jack and that woman here. Scarlet took it as war as now I don’t have one of my biggest allies coming to the palace," Luke said, regretting his decision.
It was unfortunate that Scarlet came from two families who were the biggest allies to his family for many years. He had been so upset with her for taking Alana and then challenging him to see who had more power that he listened to Madilyn’s idea. It wasn’t working in his favour.
"Well, you cannot take back the invitations as that would only please Scarlet. You are the king. You must show her that you are the one with power. There are plenty of other families who are loyal to you. Do you truly need her relatives?" Madilyn asked.
Madilyn had yet to forget how Scarlet arrived at the palace wearing a necklace which belonged to a queen. That necklace should have been in her hands long ago.
Madilyn liked Scarlet but it was time it was recognised that the royals were the ones with power.
"Why don’t we invite Scarlet to the palace on the same day her ex-husband is coming? I’m sure seeing her storm off from seeing his new happiness might cheer you up."
