*What a rude brat, couldn't even knock *. I thought as I walked in.
"Please have your seats". I heard my dad's voice.
He and my mom sat on a couch and opposite them was another couch.
"Did they redecorate?". I wondered.
My dad's study never had 'excess' furnitures. It wasn't like he couldn't afford it.
His previous study was just bland, but now he added a touch of style and elegance.
"Of course they did, you're so blind!". Xavier bumped into me purposely and walked by me to sit.
"Must you be so annoying!". My blood boiled.
"My babies, I hope you're doing alright ". My mom took the chance to hug me and my brother totally choking us, while ruffling our hairs.
My mom was always a natural beauty, with her unique sky blue eyes and white long dazzling hair, everyone thought by the age of 40, she would have grown fat and ugly, but they were dead wrong, she was still as glittering like a shooting star.
"Mom, stop this!, we not babies anymore". I frowned.
"Last time I checked your 14th birthday is just around the corner, and little Xavy just clocked 13". She continued
"So you're still my little babies ". She just jumped on us totally crushing us.
It was like she was fat, it was just that she was really good at compressing all her body weight on others.
After a while, she smiled sweetly at us and sat down beside my dad.
I was fixated on my dad Zayne Cain, it had been a whole three months since I had spoken with him.
It wasn't like we were ignoring each other, he had just been working on a particular research and spent almost all his time on it.While my mom Million Cain seemed like she was back from one of her exotic trips.
" We're gathered here to discuss on the betrothal ceremony of Xander". My dad went straight to the point not wasting any time on pleasentries.
Not like I expected any of that from him, my dad wasn't a chatty person and certainly didn't seem like he cared about how we were or felt, just how we could benefit him.
Being a strategic business man and a researcher, he mostly saw humans as tools to be used rather than people.
"Betrothal!". Luckily there was nothing in my mouth to spill out.
"What are you guys talking about?". My parents were silent.
"Mom!, say something, what betrothal are you guys talking about!". I demanded answers.
Even Xavier was on my side, which was a rare sight to behold.
"Yeah mom!, I thought betrothal was for all those royal bul..
"Well it isn't!, I thought you two would have grown up by now ". My dad's stern voice echoed round the room.
*Grown up!, how old do you think we are*. I thought but didn't let my displeasure show.
He turned towards me and continued with his eyes as dull as ever.
"Your betrothal ceremony with Amavel Mendel will commence on your birthday six days from now". He just kept on dictating my future right in front of my eyes.
"We really need this agreement, don't screw it up". He warned.
"Meeting dismissed ". He was prepared to stand up.
"Hold up a sec, why can't you just go for a 'regular' partnership agreement or something?". Xavier asked.
"We tried but this was the only way". He answered.
"Well I'm not about to used as your bargaining chip, and besides what's so important in this partnership". I frowned heavily.
*Who the hell did he think he was, spilling commands like someone passing down a verdict*. This greatly increased my hatred for him.
Well I never really liked him before, we never had that good father and son bonding time, because he was always too busy with his research, even too busy for his own family.
"We're in a bit of a financial issue .....
"Did you just say financial issues!!". I laughed.
That meant have been the funniest thing I've heard in a long while.
"So you want me to believe that you're broke, what that?". I just stared at them.
"Dad I'm not a fool, there's no way you would have squandered over 500 billion!!".
" .....". My dad refused to reply but I could see through his expression that he looked pissed.
"Love, don't say something like that". My mom said trying to calm my dad.
But I couldn't care less if he was angry.
"Mom, please don't start on that". I continued
"You actually expect me to believe that one of the richest families in the whole of Glazir is going bankrupt ".
"It isn't like that....
"If it's like that then, how were you able to see over 60 million you wasted on your extravagant trip, huh mom?". I interrupted her.
"Enough!!,okay enough!, you aren't even going to get married to her right away, it's till you're twenty ". My mom continued in a more gentle tone.
"And besides,there are lot's of benefits for you, youll get the whole Mendel group to yourself, since unlike us the whole group belongs to one person, her father Elliott Mendel who has already agreed to hand everything over to you ".
I knew that I've heard of that name from somewhere. The Mendel group was a promising group, they were focused on the in importing and exporting of different kinds of goods, it was a very good business with all the fame they had obtained, but the whole company suffered from one little problem which was that the president of the group ( Elliott Mendel) was a greedy b*st*rd.
He couldn't care less how others felt as long as his pocket was full, which wasn't a really good trait.
My mom was fully right about the 'unlike us' part. I came from a very large family.
The Cain's family wasn't just about my parents and I, but it's was a whole dynasty on its own. My dad had three siblings, two were younger than him and also ladies, while the other was his elder brother. They all had families which made every 'extra' (extended) family dinner or banquet a war zone, a battle ground to prove who was better.
Even though publicly the Cain family was known for its involvement in technology and one of the continent's best. That wasn't the real truth.
Each family member had its own role to play and my family (parents) were into research. Not just any research but research on the supernatural; demons to be precise.
I and my brother was banned from their research facility, well not totally, but banned from going to some specific'areas' due to the research.
They were also involved in other aspects of research like medicines and all those, but I was alone fascinated in the supernatural research which sadly, I was banned from till I was eighteen.
"You'll also get to travel overseas".
"Outside the shores of Glazir?!". I asked amazed.
"Yes!, and you'll get to stay there as much as you want ". My mom added .
It wasn't like I couldn't go overseas anytime I wanted (infact my mom took me a lot when I was just 9, but I really wanted to go now that I was older), but the offer seemed really tempting, maybe it was because of how hard it was normally to go overseas.
Even though, I was filthy rich, going overseas was a very hard process, let me explain.
Being a member of the Cain family, going overseas is always business oriented ( even my mom lavish trips are slightly business oriented) meaning it was already registered like that in all our documents for going overseas. So changing it would be really hard mostly because of the
paperwork.
*
*
At the end of the day, after all the discussions, I agreed, after all owning a company, going overseas and just for the small price of an arranged marriage wouldn't be so bad.
"Okay mom,see you in six days". I hugged my mom while I stood up to leave the room.
She told me she would be leaving in two hours to quemosa for a business deal.
"Xavier, come on let's go". I tugged his sleeves.
"No,no,no!, well like to have a word with him". My mom shook her head.
Xavier just lazily sat on the couch not minding me at all.
"Okay then". I sat back.
"Noooo, privately". My mom whispered slowly.
"Oh, okay!". I chuckled awkwardly and left.
I was going to tell Linda about the new development.
Wasting no time, I hurried down the stairs and outside.
Xavier POV
"Xavier how did we do". My mom asked when we checked that Xander had already left.
"You didn't still tell him, but at least you got him away from those orphans". I continued.
"That's good because his feeble mind wouldn't have been ready for 'it".
"Yes we decided against telling him, you're the only one who should know ". She nodded.
"Yep, because I should always make sure my darling brother doesn't get his 'perfect' hands dirty".
*While dirtying mine*. I added in my head.
"That's a good boy, looks like someone deserves a hug". My mom hugged me .
*So I guess I've been reduced to nothing but a worthless shield protecting my perfect brother from the deepest and darkest secrets of the Cain family research facility I wished I never knew*.
I stared as my mom as she smiled brightly feeding my dad grapes.
*How could they still smile and eat after all the horrible things they've done *. I wondered as my mind derailed back to when I was 8.
This flashback isn't just for Xander but also Xavier, how did Xander Cain turn into Alouis Mento?? and how did Xavier Cain become a total villain?.
Continue reading to discover!!!.