Chapter 2 : Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Zain poured out every single drop of the wine down to the floor and held the neck of the bottle like he was about to use it as a weapon.
He turned to his stepbrother, piercing his soul with an ice-cold gaze. "What do you think, Michael?"
Michael, his stepbrother, swallowed loudly, not helping himself to frantically stare at the bottle in Zain's hand.
He was afraid that his stepbrother had finally gone mad and might strike him with it.
His heart pounded fast as he scanned his surroundings, trying to figure out a quick way to escape his current situation.
Michael's body failed him as he lost his composure, trembling in fear. He could barely hold out Zain's icy cold eyes.
Zain's eyes brimmed with an unquenchable fire for vengeance.
Left to him, the bottle in his hand should have landed right at the centre of his step brother's head.
Zain had built up this killing intent on instinct and it was all thanks to these people.
If they had not abandoned him in his previous life, then he wouldn't have been left to fight alone in the apocalypse for years.
Right in time, a third party stepped in between Michael and Zain to calm the situation. It was Michael's mother and Zain's stepmother—Caroline Hargreaves.
"Are you okay, Zain?" she asked, her voice sweet and caring. If Zain did not know any better, it would have been easy to fall for this pretence of hers.
"Looks like you are not yourself today. Don't mind your brother, Michael. But you know, Zain… he is still your brother, regardless and it's not his fault that his fiancée's family insisted on an accommodation in the main city.
"See it as us being fortunate that you have a house that perfectly fits what they want. Houses are hard to find these days, and even when you do… the rents come at cutthroat prices."
Although treading carefully to not anger Zain any further, Caroline moved in measured steps to approach him and rub his cheek.
"Just consider it and help him. When it's your turn, you know we will come around for you too."
'Like hell, you all will,' Zain scoffed internally, knowing full well that it was only lies that came out of Caroline's mouth.
Zain could see through Caroline's plans like they were glass and read beyond her cunny words like basic elementary alphabets.
Zain knew that he was nothing to these people and he didn't particularly know why.
Whether it was a transferred hatred for his mother down to him or just pure despise for him and him alone, he didn't know.
He didn't care to find out either.
Zain nodded as if agreeing to what Caroline was telling him as the latter started to smile and rub his cheeks even more lovingly.
"I've heard you," Zain finally spoke and then held up four fingers, surprising everyone.
"Four million," he said.
They started to murmur among themselves, confused at what Zain was talking about.
As far as they were concerned, this young man had truly gone mad!
"What are you talking about?" Caroline asked, the words taking time to leave her throat.
"Oh? Sorry about that, stepmother. Maybe I wasn't clear," Zain added. "Four million dollars."
Caroline's lips twitched and she almost staggered back in shock.
'Is he selling it?' she wondered, unable to believe that Zain would do such a thing. 'Does this bastard actually want to sell the house to us?'
"You want to sell this house to us for four million dollars?!" a man suddenly lashed out at Zain. "You ungrateful brat! After all we did for you?"
Zain sighed and shook his head.
This man was his drunk father. It was a miracle that he was not drunk today.
A man who never cared to look at him or even ask for once what was going on in his life.
'After all you did for me, indeed,' Zain sneered.
"Regardless of how you see it, I have the papers for this house. If you want it, you pay me. Moreover, I'm giving it out at a cheap price. We all know that a house this big in the setting won't sell for anything less than 7 million."
Zain paused and smiled maniacally. "After all, we are all one big happy family, aren't we, dad… stepmother?"
The murmuring continued as the members of the Hargreaves family did not believe what was happening with Zain right now.
The Zain in front of them was extremely different from the Zain that they used to know.
"Are you really going to sell this house to us, Zain?"
Zain nodded. "Like I said, at a cheaper rate because we are family. But if you are not interested, that's fine too, I will just find another buyer. After all, I was going to sell it anyway whether you all came or not."
"Are you kidding, Zain?!"
"Even if we agree. Where does he want us to get such an amount?"
"Be reasonable, young man. Four million is a lot of money!"
Zain did not answer one word that they spoke to him.
Instead, he took out his phone and dialled a number.
*Ring* *Ring*
"Hello."
(Good day, Mr. Hargreaves. How are you?)
"I'm fine, Ken. Sorry to bother you but I'd like you to do something for me."
Everyone was watching, waiting to see what stunt Zain wanted to pull.
(What's that, Mr. Hargreaves? Is it about our last chat?)
"Yes! I'm glad you remembered," Zain answered excitedly. "I'd like you to help me with finding a buyer. I'm ready to sell my house."
"""WHHAAATTTT!!!""" the Hargreaves blurted out in a frenzied chorus.
The Hargreaves couldn't believe that Zain would truly want to sell the house.
Ken, on the other hand, was quick to accept the offer of finding a buyer, especially now that Zain was practically selling at a cheaper price than what was outside.
"Wait, boy. We will buy it," one of the grannies present said.
Ken, hearing this, immediately replied.
(I can get you a buyer in 3 days, Zain. 3 days is enough)
Zain's lips curled up into a demonic smile.
The Hargreaves had fallen for his first trap.
'Bingo!' he celebrated in his mind as he abruptly ended the call with Ken.