"She is no more," Astrid replied with a simple, serene smile, no more sorrow in her tone.
"I am sorry," Ewan began, the apology instinctive, before he could finish.
"It's okay... I don't feel bad, she died when I was young, so no hard feelings..." Astrid managed. When the phone beeped with a notification sound, a sudden excitement burst clashed her face. She immediately opened the app and noticed a Wyatt message. Without delay, her finger was flying over the keypad, and the background, Ewan's presence, and everything blurred to her as she sank into the phone.
Ewan's brows narrowed in confusion, and he silently watched her curiosity in her moss green eyes; her finger movements were quick across the keypad. Who is that? Does she have a boyfriend...? But I have never seen her get along with any man.... Then who might that person be? An inner jealous question and tension erupted in his mind like an uncontrolled volcano. "Okay, Astrid... Can I get going?" He asked, interrupting the silenced rigidity moment between them.
But Astrid shook her head without moving her eyes, and her gaze was glued to the screen.
"Have a good evening. Lock your doors tight," Ewan said, his voice flat, his smile faded. He stood absently, listening to Astrid excitedly grin over the phone. He moved slowly towards the main door like a snail on the road.
"Hey... Stop..." Astrid called out, her head snapping up, and immediately ran over towards Ewan. "Can we do a project tonight? Are you free?" She asked, pleased as a child asking for a toy, hoping for a positive reply.
"Huh?" A surprised breath escaped Ewan's lips and opened wide. "Why are you asking suddenly?"
" Umm. I have an important, busy schedule tomorrow.... Can we discuss our topic today? Is that okay for you? You can stay tonight, I don't mind." Astrid's voice held a hint of hesitation as she made a pleading baby face to him to stay.
Ewan thought, a sudden reminder of Astrid's excitement over the phone. This is the chance to figure out the person! "Okay..." He gave a gentle nod, and a genuine smile curled on his lips.
"Really! Thank you so much... Ewan! You're such a kind person," Astrid beamed louder with full energy at her words. She grabbed his hand, practically dragging him towards her room.
Astrid pushed her room door excitedly with a sharp crackling sound, and both stepped inside.
Meanwhile, Ryan stepped inside Ewan's room, directly opposite Astrid's. The energetic grins from the hall faded, replaced by a heavy, dead silence. Ryan's gaze landed on Ewan, who lay on the cold floor, an injection syringe abandoned nearby with a few blood drops dried on the white marble.
"What the hell did he?" Ryan muttered, rushing to Ewan. He pulled him up to a half-sitting position, but Ewan's body went limp like a jellyfish. Ryan tapped Ewan's cheeks gently to wake him up from the drug effect, but there was no sign of response on his body.
He immediately went to the window side, pulling back the curtain to get enough light. After the bright sunlight entered the room. As he opened the glass window, a fresh, pollution-free breeze entered the room. The morning sun hitting Ewan's sleepy face, his eyeball started moving slightly, which was considered him was alive.
Ewan shook his head slightly and shielded his eyes from the direct sunlight with a palm. He rubbed his tired eyes, yawning like a child.
"What the hell is this?" Ryan demanded, pointing to the injection showing in front of him. "What have you done? Are you serious, Ewan?" His voice conveyed concern and disbelief about his action.
Ewan simply rubbed his eyes, yawning without a word.
"Talk, Ewan? At least speak a few words a day... People think you're mute," Ryan murmured, waiting for a reply.
"Water," Ewan murmured, his lips looking dry and patchy.
Ryan rolled his eyes, controlling his patience. He opened a room fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and twisted the cap, and handed it over to Ewan.
Ewan's almond eyes were still half closed, and he weakly grabbed and drank slowly. His Adam's apple goes up and down every time he swallows water in thirst.
"Where did you get this?" Ryan repeated the same question, without leaving a chance.
"Don't start in the morning.... Leave me alone, you and my father are torturing me...." he murmured. He weakly rose, gripping the bed for support, and then lay on the bed again.
Ryan remained silent. Alone! Ewan, how can I make you understand the situation? I have no idea what your dad is going to do if I don't make a decision quickly. My entire family's future is in your hands," he thought, as his mind raced back to last night's conversation with Arthur Huxley.
The room was filled with dim golden light; the other side of the rack was full of books and machinery. "Yes.... Mr. Huxley, Architect. Ryan bowed down, symbolizing his gestures towards him. Then stood up straight.
"How's Ewan's mindset and his activities?" He asked directly without any drama, came to the point, circling Ryan like a threatening predator.
"Everything is fine, Architect... He is recovering. We've seen some improvements in his behavior," Ryan answered in a deep, loud, confident voice.
A knowing smirk appeared on Arthur's lips, and within a fraction of a second, his hand ran over, striking Ryan's cheek with a sharp thud. The rooms were silent, and everything blurred to him in that slap. A clear print of Arthur's finger mark appeared on Ryan's face, but he didn't flinch or show pain, standing perfectly straight. Arthur sloppily wiped his hand, feigning pain, and fluffed his sleeves up. "Say it again?" He roared.
"Architect... He is doing fine than before...." Ryan's words slurred and trembled more than before, but he fixed his coat and stood straight, pretending to be confident.
Really?" Arthur raised his brows and directly threw a stack of medical reports at Ryan's face. "Then explain this." Arthur's tone left no room for argument as he settled into a luxurious, high-tech chair in his mansion office.
Ryan's gaze went down. He half-knelt, scrambling to gather all the reporting papers. Reading out and noticing the heart beat ECG report with a graph, his brain function, and the level of dopamine receptors. What the hell... Everything seems low, and his health became weaker... He wondered, staring at the report and realizing how weak Ewan's condition was.
"Now explain?" Arthur questioned.
"Sir... I did everything to make him normal, but it doesn't work..." Ryan answered a some hesitation in his tone.
Before that, Arthur interrupted the conversation. "What have you done? Just giving some advice to Ewan and comforting him as a child.... I can't blame you either, it's my fault for trusting a useless shit person like you.... " He groaned, his eyes fixed on Ryan, and a clear threat waved passing through them as he grabbed the sharp metal gun from the drawer and placed it on the table. "I think I need a replacement for you. "
Ryan's eyes fixated on the gun. His heart raced, an inner turmoil brewing. He understood Arthur's next move. "No! Sir... Please give me just one more chance..." he pleaded, fear etching his words as he clasped his hands, begging for mercy.
"Chance..." Arthur repeated the word, chuckling with a villainous laugh. I'm only keeping you because you have the key to my mission. When he accepted the wiping technology. The moment he accepts the wiping technology, you'll be six feet under the ground." His mind reeled at his truly devilish plan as he rubbed the gun's muzzle on his forehead. "Chance? How many chances do you think I have? Do you think I'm dumb?" He chuckled softly, a jarring sound that tried to lighten the tense mood.
"No, sir," Ryan replied in a hesitant tone.
"Have a guess why your memory didn't get erased? Why do you live in the luxurious high-class life, not others?" Arthur raised a question.
Ryan blinked, confused about how to answer and remain silent, watching Arthur.
"Tell me...."
Ryan still remains silent.
Arthur yanked Ryan's shirt, his jaw clenched tight, his voice deep and menacing. "Just because I can do anything I want. If I want to kill you, it means I can, I can beat you.... I can do anything I want. No one's gonna question me!" he roared as his knuckles hit Ryan's jaw hard with a sharp thud.
Ryan's lips were slightly torn from that heavy punch, and the blood started bleeding, and bruises were on his jaw, and the red spider veins were visible beneath his skin. Yet, he remained silent and stood straight.
"Look, Ryan..... You're every move was being watched.... If you've done anything wrong... I am not responsible for your life or your innocent family..."Arthur warned him, and he adjusted Ryan's crumpled shirt and coat genuine manner.
"Okay, sir..." A hesitation in his tone. Ryan started, "Architect... why can't we just reveal Astrid's death... instead of faking it?"