Elias could hardly believe his ears.
'You're hired.' The words had been ringing in his head ever since Alexandre had uttered them, replaying over and over until they no longer seemed to belong to reality. Was he dreaming?
Yet the firm handshake, the CEO's infuriatingly composed expression, and the receptionist's cheerful congratulations on his way out had all seemed rather convincing.
Elias let out a slow breath and stared blankly ahead. He could not even remember walking out of the building.
One moment, he had been standing in Alexandre's office, trying to make sense of the unexpected turn his interview had taken. The next, he was sitting behind the wheel of his car, parked outside the building, with the keys resting in his hand and absolutely no recollection of how he had gotten there.
He blinked at the windscreen. Then he blinked again.
"...What the hell just happened?"
The question hung unanswered in the quiet confines of his car.
He leaned back against the headrest and dragged a hand down his face. His mind felt as though it had temporarily disconnected from his body, leaving him physically present but mentally somewhere far beyond reach.
'I should've asked more questions.' Elias shut his eyes. The thought came a little too late.
He could hardly march back into the building now and demand an explanation. Besides, Alexandre had already mentioned another meeting and Elias had no intention of making himself look like an incompetent fool before he had even started working there.
He would have to deal with it on Monday. For now, he had more pressing matters to attend to.
Elias straightened in his seat and slipped the key into the ignition. He was just about to start the engine when his phone vibrated in his trouser pocket.
With a faint frown, he reached for it, only to find a message notification glowing on the screen. The number was unfamiliar, but Elias didn't need to see the sender's name to know who it was.
His grip tightened around the phone. With a growing sense of dread, he opened the messaging app and read the message.
Come home tonight.
Don't make me repeat myself.
— Your beloved big brother, Claude.
Elias stared at the screen, his expression darkening by the second.
"Beloved," he muttered under his breath, the word dripping with sarcasm.
Of course. Who else would have the audacity to summon him "home" as though he were some errand boy waiting to be ordered around?
He exhaled slowly through his nose and let his head fall back against the headrest. The conversation he had with Claude from earlier was already giving him a headache, and the evening had not even begun. Whatever reservations he had about returning to that house, the thought of Aiden made refusing considerably more difficult.
"Damn it, Claude."
He dragged a hand down his face, resisting the urge to throw his phone onto the passenger seat and pretend he had never received the message in the first place.
For a moment, he considered ignoring it altogether. Let Claude wait. Let him wonder whether Elias would show up. It would serve the man right for thinking he could summon his younger brother with a few curt words and an unnecessary reminder of who was in charge.
Nevertheless, Elias knew better than to entertain the thought for too long.
Claude had mentioned Aiden for a reason and Elias was not about to risk missing something important concerning his son simply to spite his older brother.
With a resigned sigh, he tapped out a reply, keeping it as brief as possible.
Fine. I'll be there.
He hit send before he could change his mind. Glancing at the dashboard clock, Elias realised he still had enough time to make one last phone call before heading to his childhood home. He scrolled through his contacts and stopped when he found his mother's number.
After a moment's hesitation, he dialled and she answered on the second ring.
"Elias? Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, Mum. Everything's fine." Elias paused, searching for the right way to phrase what he was about to say. "I just wanted to let you know I'll be home a little late tonight."
"Oh?" A brief silence followed. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing bad. Claude wants me over for dinner."
Another pause followed, noticeably longer this time.
"...With your father?" she asked hesitantly.
"And the rest of them, apparently," Elias replied nonchalantly, as though the thought of spending an evening under the same roof as his father and stepfamily never bothered him in the slightest.
His mother let out a soft sigh. Elias could almost picture her rubbing her forehead, already anticipating the tension that would inevitably accompany the evening.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to, sweetheart."
As much as Elias wanted to decline the invitation, he knew he could not bring himself to do so. Claude had mentioned Aiden in the text that morning and that alone was enough to make him reconsider. Whatever his older brother had planned, Elias was not willing to risk his son over it. Besides, the last thing he wanted was to give his mother another reason to worry.
"I know, Mum," he replied softly.
There was a brief silence between them before his mother spoke again, her voice gentler this time.
"Just take care of yourself, all right? And don't let them get to you."
A faint smile tugged at Elias's lips, "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."
"It's a mother's job to worry, sweetheart."
"I know." He chuckled quietly. "I'll call you later, okay?"
"All right. Drive safely, darling."
"I will. Love you, Mum."
"Love you too."
After exchanging their goodbyes, Elias ended the call and placed his phone in the passenger seat. He sat there for another moment, staring through the windscreen as he gathered himself for the evening ahead.
Then, with a resigned sigh, he started the engine and pulled out of the parking space, setting off towards his childhood home.
***********************************
Elias was in no hurry to arrive.
With every mile that passed, his reluctance to attend the family gathering grew. He had no idea what Claude wanted from him, but knowing his older brother, he doubted the evening would be as simple as sitting down for dinner and exchanging pleasantries.
Claude was an ambitious man who rarely did anything without a purpose. Even though this was the first time in decades that his brother had summoned him back to the family home, Elias could not shake the suspicion that there was an ulterior motive behind the invitation. Claude had never been one to reach out without a reason and Elias had no intention of believing otherwise now. Whatever his brother had planned, he had a sinking feeling that he would soon regret agreeing to come.
Then again, he had a little to no choice.
At the thought of Aiden, Elias tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Claude had deliberately brought his son's name into the conversation, knowing full well it would make refusing the invitation far more difficult. It was a calculated move and Elias resented him for it.
As much as he wanted to turn the car around and head straight home, he could not bring himself to do so. Whatever grievances he harboured against his family, he was not going to let them interfere with anything concerning Aiden. If enduring a few uncomfortable hours under the same roof as the people he would rather avoid was what it took to ensure his son was all right, then so be it.
For Aiden's sake, he would put up with it.
Even if it meant walking straight into whatever trouble Claude had waiting for him.
The familiar streets gradually gave way to a quieter neighbourhood, where sprawling estates stood secluded behind towering gates and meticulously trimmed hedges. Elias had travelled this route countless times in his younger years, yet each turn stirred an unwelcome sense of familiarity. Memories he had long since buried crept back unbidden, pulling him towards a past he would much rather forget.
By the time he reached his destination, the knot in his stomach had tightened into something almost unbearable.
Elias slowed the car before the towering wrought-iron gates of the mansion, his gaze settling on the imposing structure beyond them. The house stood as grand as ever, its elegant facade and sprawling grounds untouched by the passage of time. It was a picture of wealth and refinement, the kind of place that left a lasting impression on anyone who laid eyes on it.
To Elias, however, it was nothing more than a reminder of everything he had once tried to leave behind. Elias reached for his phone and checked the address, even though he already knew it by heart.
459 Crescent Hill.
There was no mistaking it.
This was the house where he had grown up, where he had once belonged—or at least, where he had once believed he did. Every corner of the property held a memory, some fond, most of which he would rather not revisit.
Elias pulled down the sun visor, revealing a photograph of Aiden nestled neatly in its holder. His little boy was smiling at the camera, a pacifier tucked into his mouth, his tiny face brimming with innocence that made Elias's heart ache.
He reached up and gently traced his fingers over the photograph, caressing the image as though he could somehow feel his son's warmth beneath his touch. For a moment, he simply stared, committing every little detail of Aiden's smile to memory, as if afraid he might one day forget.
Closing his eyes, Elias pressed his lips together and made a silent promise in the depths of his heart. 'For Aiden.'
He shifted the car into gear. The tires rolled forward, crunching on the gravel as he approached the gates. As he drew closer, they slowly swung open, creaking as if welcoming him into the estate. The mansion stood regal against the dusky sky, its windows reflecting the last rays of sunlight.
Elias parked his car and sat for a moment, staring at the grand structure. He could see well-manicured gardens framing the building, shadows dancing among the hedges. Everything seemed the same, yet he felt no warmth of home coming from it.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the cool air. Each step toward the front door echoed in the stillness. A moment of doubt crept in as he glanced back at his car, but his resolve hardened with thoughts of his mother and Aiden. This was a pivotal moment, one he could not afford to avoid.
He raised his hand up and was about to knock on the door when it swung open unexpectedly, jolting Elias out of his thoughts.
"Young Master Evan!" cried out an old butler in surprise and Elias recognised him instantly—he had been there when his parents were absent, a constant presence in his childhood.
"Grandfather," Elias greeted him quietly. The old butler ushered him inside, locking the door behind them.
"It's been so long, Master Evan! You've grown up bigger and taller!" The butler, recognised by Elias as 'Grandfather', exclaimed.
Elias smiled sheepishly, "I'm not a child anymore, Grandfather. Of course, I'll grow bigger and taller."
The butler's eyes glimmered with sadness. "I… I'm not your grandfather anymore, Young Master… You left, and I broke my promise—"
"It's not your fault. My parents' divorce was inevitable. You'll always be my grandfather," Elias interrupted, glancing around. "And since I left, I'm not 'Young Master Evan' or any titles that go along with 'Evan'. My name's Elias. Elias Bennett. You can just call me 'Eli', Grandfather."
The butler nodded, understanding. "Very well, Mr. Bennett—"
"—Eli," Elias stubbornly insisted, and the butler sighed with a smile.
"You haven't changed, Eli." Without a word, they closed in for a hug, a moment transcending the boundaries of their former roles.
Servants are not allowed to be in close contact with the masters and mistresses they were serving. However, Elias was different. He made it clear that he bore no ties to the Rivers and he was just here as a visitor. He was just a grandson hugging his grandfather. There was nothing wrong with that.
Unfortunately, their reunion was interrupted by a familiar voice that Elias wished was just a dream.
"Eli…? Is that you…?" Elias carefully let go of his grandfather before turning around slowly, his heart racing in anger.
"Kyle McKenny, what are you doing here?" Elias spats coldly, glaring at the man who had abandoned him without a second thought.