Sarah walked through the front doors of The King's Castle, her heels clicking against the marble floor with sharp, tired sounds. The stress of the Crimson Valley project weighed heavily on her shoulders, and all she wanted was a quiet evening to decompress. Instead, she was greeted by the familiar sound of the television blaring and her mother's voice calling from the living room.
"Sarah! Come here, we need to talk."
Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath before making her way to the living room. Patrick and Jason were lounging on the sofas as usual, but something was different in their postures—they seemed more alert, more expectant.
"What is it, Mom?" Sarah asked, setting her briefcase down with deliberate control.
Amanda stood up, wringing her hands in what Sarah recognized as her practiced display of motherly concern. "Your uncle and Jason need more money for Jason's tuition. There were some additional fees that came up, and—"
Sarah laughed. Not a polite chuckle or a nervous giggle, but a genuine, incredulous laugh that cut through Amanda's rehearsed speech like a blade.
"Are you serious right now?" Sarah asked, her voice carrying a dangerous edge. "More money for tuition?"
Patrick and Jason sat up straighter, sensing the shift in Sarah's demeanor.
"That's complete BS, and I know it," Sarah continued, her voice growing stronger. "I called Jason's supposed college to find out more about these mysterious additional fees."
The color drained from Patrick's face. Jason's mouth fell open slightly.
"It turns out," Sarah said, her eyes moving between them, "that Jason isn't enrolled there. In fact, according to the registrar's office, he never has been."
Patrick shot to his feet. "That's not possible! You must be mistaken. There must be some sort of clerical error—"
"Really?" Sarah interrupted, pulling out her phone. "If you want to play this game, we can play it. Let's call the college right now. All together. We can clear this whole thing up."
The silence that followed was deafening. Patrick and Jason exchanged panicked glances while Amanda looked between them with dawning realization.
Seeing their con had been completely exposed, Patrick's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Okay, okay. It's true. We didn't want to say the real reason because we were afraid you wouldn't give us the money."
"And what exactly is the real reason?" Sarah asked, crossing her arms.
Patrick looked down at his hands. "I lost my job six months ago. To pay the bills, I had to borrow money from some... bad people. But these guys, they put so much interest on the loans that now we owe far more than we originally borrowed. If we don't pay it back soon, they're going to... they're going to hurt us. Maybe even kill us."
Sarah stared at him, a mixture of anger and disappointment washing over her. "You should have been honest instead of lying to me. Do you have any idea how insulting it is to be treated like a fool by my own family?"
Jason leaned forward desperately. "But will you give us the money? Please, Sarah, we're family. We're in real trouble here."
"No," Sarah said firmly. "You got yourselves into this mess, you can get yourselves out of it."
Amanda's face turned red with fury. "Sarah, you can't do that to your family!"
"I can't keep giving you money," Sarah replied, her voice steady. "It will only enable you to keep asking for more and taking advantage of us. This has to stop somewhere."
Amanda stood up abruptly and, without warning, slapped Sarah hard across the face. The sharp crack echoed through the room.
"I didn't raise you to be an ungrateful bitch who doesn't take care of her family!" Amanda screamed. "You will get the money for them, and I won't hear any excuses!"
Sarah touched her cheek, her eyes watering from the sting, but her resolve didn't waver.
---
Meanwhile, thirty thousand feet above the Atlantic, Aaron sat in the luxurious cabin of the private jet, his fingers drumming impatiently against the armrest. Natalie sat across from him, her attention focused on her tablet, but her expression was troubled.
"Sir," she said, looking up, "I contacted the bodyguards for an update. They reported that there wasn't any direct threat to Mrs. Prescott's safety, but there has been a recent development. Two individuals came to the house and were let inside. The guards assumed they posed no threat since they were admitted as guests."
She swiped through her tablet. "They conducted a brief investigation into these visitors. They appear to be related to Mrs. Prescott through her mother's side of the family. Patrick Melvin and Jason Melvin."
Aaron sighed heavily. "Yes, I know them."
"You're familiar with them, sir?"
"Unfortunately," Aaron replied grimly. "They're trouble. They only ever show up when they want something. Three years ago, they came asking for money to start a 'business venture' that turned out to be a cover for Patrick's gambling debts. Two years ago, it was an 'emergency medical procedure' that was actually funding for more gambling. Last year, they claimed they needed help with rent, but neighbors said they saw Patrick at the racetrack the same week."
Natalie nodded. "It seems this time follows the same pattern. After they arrived, Mrs. Prescott withdrew nine hundred thousand dollars and gave it to them."
"Nine hundred thousand?" Aaron's jaw clenched. "Why would they need that much?"
"Because they owe money to some very dangerous people," Natalie replied, consulting her tablet. "Jason and his father have severe gambling addictions. They've been borrowing from loan sharks and underground gambling rings. With the compounding interest and penalties, they now owe roughly four million dollars."
Aaron's hands balled into fists. The thought of Sarah being manipulated and threatened by these parasites while he was living it up in London made his stomach turn.
The plane touched down with a gentle bump, and Aaron could see a black sedan already waiting on the tarmac through the small window.
---
Aaron walked through the front doors of The King's Castle and immediately surveyed the damage. The pristine living room looked like a fraternity house after a weekend party. Empty beer bottles and food containers littered every surface, the expensive furniture was stained and disheveled, and there was a distinct smell of stale alcohol and unwashed bodies in the air.
Patrick and Jason were sprawled on the sofas in nothing but their underwear, completely at home in their squalor. Sarah sat on the marble staircase, looking utterly exhausted, her head in her hands.
Amanda appeared from the kitchen, her face immediately twisting into a scowl when she saw Aaron. "What are you doing back? Your friend must have kicked you out. Couldn't mooch off him anymore?"
Jason's attention turned to Aaron, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Look who's back—the loser himself! Aaron couldn't stay away long enough. He must have run out of money and now he's here to mooch off his wife again."
The irony of the statement wasn't lost on Aaron, but he ignored them completely. He walked directly to Sarah and crouched down beside her on the stairs.
"How are you doing?" he asked gently.
"She was fine until you showed up," Amanda snapped from across the room.
Aaron helped Sarah to her feet and guided her toward the kitchen, away from the toxic atmosphere of the living room.
Once they were alone, Aaron turned to face his wife. "What happened, Sarah? Tell me everything."
Sarah was reluctant at first, but something in Aaron's eyes—a strength and determination she'd never seen before—encouraged her to open up. She told him about the lies, the manipulation, the demands for money, and finally, about her mother's slap when she'd tried to stand up for herself.
After hearing everything, Aaron's blood was boiling, but his voice remained calm. "Get some rest, Sarah. Go upstairs and try to relax."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to clean up this mess," Aaron replied. "All of it."
Sarah hesitated, then nodded and headed upstairs. Aaron spent the next hour restoring the living room to its former pristine condition, scrubbing stains and disposing of garbage. When he was finished, he prepared dinner for everyone.
At the dinner table, the tension was palpable. Aaron waited until everyone had served themselves before speaking.
"Patrick, Jason," he said calmly, cutting into his steak, "you'll be leaving today."
Patrick laughed dismissively. "You can't kick us out. This isn't your house."
Aaron looked up from his plate, his eyes cold and steady. "I wasn't asking."
Amanda immediately stepped in. "You have no right to—"
"Instead of taking your lazy, ungrateful brother's side," Aaron interrupted, his voice carrying quiet authority, "you should be siding with your daughter."
Amanda's mouth fell open, shocked by Aaron's tone. She'd never heard him speak with such confidence and command.
Jason stood up, puffing out his chest in an attempt to intimidate Aaron. "You think you can talk to us like that?" He shoved Aaron's shoulder hard.
Aaron's response was immediate and decisive. His fist connected with Jason's jaw with a sharp crack, sending the younger man stumbling backward into his chair.
Patrick jumped to his feet to defend his son, but Aaron was faster. A precise kick to Patrick's stomach sent him doubling over, gasping for air.
"You've overstayed your welcome," Aaron said, his voice deadly calm. "You should leave now."
Sarah stared in shock. In all their years of marriage, she had never seen Aaron resort to violence. He'd always been passive, always backing down from confrontation.
Amanda stepped between them, her face red with fury. "Sarah! Are you going to allow him to do this to your family?"
All eyes turned to Sarah. She looked at her mother's angry, demanding face, then at Aaron's steady, supportive gaze. For the first time in her life, she felt truly backed up, truly protected.
"They have to leave," Sarah said quietly, but with unmistakable resolve.
Amanda's face went white with shock. "Sarah, you can't be serious. They're family!"
"Family doesn't lie and manipulate each other," Sarah replied. "Family doesn't take advantage of each other's success."
Amanda tried one last guilt trip. "If they leave, I'm leaving with them!"
Sarah met her mother's eyes without flinching. "That's your choice to make."
Amanda stared at her daughter for a long moment, clearly expecting Sarah to cave under the pressure. When she didn't, Amanda's expression turned to one of bitter disappointment.
"Fine," Amanda snapped. "But don't come crying to me when you realize what you've done."
Within an hour, all three of them had packed their belongings and left. As the front door closed behind them, Sarah felt a profound sense of relief wash over her, as if a weight she'd been carrying for years had finally been lifted.
"Thank you," she said to Aaron, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.
"Did we do the right thing?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty creeping into her voice.
"Of course we did," Aaron replied firmly. "You can't let people take advantage of your kindness forever."
"I'm worried about my mother," Sarah admitted.
"She'll be back soon, ready to cause more trouble," Aaron said with a slight smile. "But for now, we should relish the silence."
Sarah laughed, a real laugh that seemed to echo through the now-peaceful house. "You're right."
Aaron's expression grew serious. "I hate to say this, but I have to leave again. I rushed back to check on you, but I still have some things I need to take care of."
Sarah's face fell with disappointment, which surprised Aaron. In all their years of marriage, she had always seemed eager for distance between them. But now, for the first time, she actually wanted him to stay.
Aaron wanted to stay too, more than anything. But he knew he needed to ensure his new empire was stable before he could truly relax and focus on his marriage. Soon, he promised himself. Soon he would be able to share this new world with Sarah. But first, he had to secure it.