Constanteen's Mansion
Richard slowly pulled away from the embrace.
His eyes were still red as he walked back to his seat.
Sat down.
Leaning back like a king returning to his throne.
Rick remained standing.
Watching him.
A long silence passed.
Then
Richard spoke.
"So…"
His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest.
"…you didn't come all this way just to tell me bedtime stories right?"
Rick exhaled.
The weight returned.
Heavy.
Real.
"I need money brother."
No pride.
No hesitation.
Just truth.
Richard didn't react immediately.
He just stared at him.
"How much?"
Rick hesitated for a second.
"The price for 20 stacks of cocaine. If it's still the same."
Richard didn't blink.
Didn't flinch.
Instead
He smiled.
Slow.
"That's a lot of money…"
A pause.
"…Fetching that kind of money is something I will be cautious about."
Rick said nothing.
Because he knew what Richard was talking about.
Richard leaned forward slightly.
"So what do you need it for."
Rick clenched his fists.
"It's for my family."
A pause.
"My children's future. I don't want them to live the life of struggling anymore."
Richard watched him carefully.
Then chuckled.
"Look at you…"
He shook his head.
"The wild badger…"
"…begging for scraps."
Rick's jaw tightened.
But he didn't respond.
Because this wasn't about pride anymore.
Richard's expression slowly changed.
The mockery faded.
Something serious took its place.
"I'll give you the money."
Silence.
Rick looked up surprised.
"Really? Thank you so much brother."
But Richard raised a finger.
" Noo, not so fast. I will give you the money but on one condition."
The air tightened.
"You come back."
Rick's eyes narrowed slightly.
Richard stood up.
Walked toward him again.
"You don't just walk into my world, take what you want… and disappear again."
"You will return as who you were meant to be."
"The Wild Badger."
"My elder brother."
Rick's expression hardened.
As Richard gave a smirk.
"You come back… and take your place beside me."
A pause.
"…No."
"You come back…"
"…and rule what was always yours."
Rick looked down.
Thinking.
Struggling.
Images flashed in his mind
Maria.
Marco.
Misheal.
His wife.
A normal life.
A peaceful life.
Then
Reality.
Poverty.
Humiliation.
Powerlessness.
He closed his eyes briefly.
"When my children are done with school…"
He opened them again.
Determined.
"I'll come back."
Richard studied him.
"…You're serious."
Rick nodded.
A pause.
Then
Richard smiled.
This time real.
From his heart
"its a deal then."
They stepped forward.
And shook hands.
Rick exhaled.
For the first time since he walked in
Relief.
Then he spoke.
"…You should come see them."
Richard raised a brow.
"See who?"
"My children."
A faint smile touched Rick's face.
"Your nephews."
Richard scoffed lightly.
Turning away.
"I'm not the type who craves to see children."
A pause.
He poured himself a drink.
"But…"
A small smirk formed.
"I'll come around."
He took a sip.
Eyes distant.
Thoughtful.
"And when I do…"
A pause.
"…I want to see what kind of life you chose over power."
Rick smiled faintly.
"You'll see."
Richard glanced at him one more time.
"I hope for your sake…"
"…it was worth it."
"It is."
Williams Mansion
Same Night
The room glowed with warm golden light.
Crystal glasses.
Expensive liquor.
Soft music humming in the background.
Three men.
One table.
One family.
Mr. William poured the drinks himself, slow, steady, like a man who enjoyed entertainment in a circus.
Pacho leaned back in his chair, still riding the high of the day.
Carlos sat opposite him, relaxed… but his eyes were alive, enjoying the moment.
"So…" Mr. William said, handing them their glasses.
"… tell me how my son spent his glorious day chasing a woman."
Pacho scoffed.
"I don't chase women."
A pause.
"They chase me."
Carlos snorted into his drink.
"Yeah, got one girl and now he's cocky."
Mr. William chuckled.
"Don't mind carlos, tell me about it ."
Pacho took a sip.
Then began.
"She laughed."
A small smile formed on his lips.
"She actually laughed… and the credit goes to me."
Mr. William leaned back.
Interested now.
"And?"
"She said she had fun."
A pause.
"And then…"
He hesitated slightly.
Carlos leaned forward immediately.
"Oh? Don't pause now, Romeo."
Pacho scratched the back of his head.
"…She asked me to marry her."
Silence.
Then
Mr. William slammed his glass on the table.
"THAT'S MY BOY!"
He stood up instantly.
"Cheers to my son becoming a man!"
"And defeat to the Dimitri's."
They raised their glasses.
CLINK.
"Cheers!"
Carlos raised his glass too.
Smirking.
"Hold on… I'm also becoming a man, aren't I?"
A pause.
"I deserve a toast too."
Mr. William froze.
Slowly turned to him.
Then burst out laughing.
LOUD.
"YOU?!"
He pointed at him.
"Sometimes I wonder what planet you came from!"
Carlos grinned.
Mr. William shook his head.
"You're more of a man than I am sometimes…"
A pause.
"…and that scares me."
Pacho leaned in, grinning.
"He's the big bad hawk of the family."
Carlos raised a brow.
"Hawk?"
Pacho nodded seriously.
"Yeah. You don't just watch… you wait… then ruin people's lives."
Carlos smiled slowly.
"I like that."
They burst into laughter.
Mr. William sighed, still smiling.
"Well, my sons…"
He straightened his suit.
"I'd love to stay and drink you both under the table…"
A pause.
"…but I have a business meeting tomorrow."
Carlos smirked.
"Legal or illegal?"
Mr. William paused at the door.
Without turning
"Profitable."
He left.
"Sleep well, Dad!" Pacho voiced out
Silence settled again.
Pacho leaned forward.
"So…"
A pause.
"…about Rihanna."
Carlos's eyes sharpened instantly.
"What did you tell her?"
Pacho winced slightly.
"…Nothing."
Silence.
Carlos blinked once.
"…Nothing?"
"I panicked," Pacho admitted.
"She laughed it off, saying I should take my time."
Carlos slowly stood up.
Walked toward him.
"Come here."
Pacho frowned.
"Why?"
"Just come here."
Pacho leaned slightly forward
Carlos knocked him hard on the head.
"USE YOUR BRAIN, YOU DICKHEAD!"
Pacho grabbed his head.
"OW—!"
Carlos stared at him.
"You were proposed to… and your response was silence?"
Pacho groaned.
"I'm the elder brother here, you know that right?"
Carlos smiled.
"Then start acting like it."
Pacho rubbed his head.
Grinning despite the pain.
Carlos paced slowly.
Thinking.
Then he stopped.
Turned.
"Good."
Pacho blinked.
"…Good?"
"Yes."
Carlos nodded.
"It's a good thing you didn't answer."
Pacho frowned.
"…How is that good?"
Carlos stepped closer.
Eyes sharp.
Voice low.
"Because now…"
A pause.
"…we seize the moment."
Pacho's confusion slowly turned into curiosity.
"Huh?"
"You're going to propose to her."
"…What?"
"At Esmeralda's birthday next week."
Silence.
Carlos smiled wider.
"In front of everyone."
A pause.
"In front of Maxim."
Pacho's eyes widened slightly.
"…Oh."
Carlos leaned in.
"And when she says yes…"
His voice dropped.
"…Maxim will loose his mind."
A beat.
"And when Maxim does loose his mind…"
A slow smile.
"…he makes mistakes."
Pacho exhaled slowly.
"Damn…"
Carlos stepped back.
Satisfied.
"And when he makes mistakes…"
"…we will take advantage of it."
Pacho stared at him.
Half impressed.
Half concerned.
"…The big bad hawk has spoken."
Carlos shrugged.
"Whatever."
Then his expression darkened slightly.
"As for Esmeralda's birthday next week…"
A pause.
His smile returned.
"I have something special planned."
Pacho raised a brow.
"How special?"
Carlos chuckled.
"Special enough…"
"…to make her entire family regret ever touching mine."
Silence.
Pacho leaned back.
Shaking his head slowly.
"…Remind me never to be your enemy."
Carlos smirked.
"That won't be possible."
Pacho sighed.
Then pointed at himself.
"Still the elder brother, by the way."
Carlos looked at him.
Blank.
"…But still my kid brother."
Pacho burst into laughter.
"You are just unbelievable."
They looked each other in the eye and burst into laughter again.
Pacho hugged him
"You are the greatest gift God gave me."
Carlos pushed him away
"If not for Rihanna, I would have concluded that you are gay."
They both laughed again
"I love you brother."
"That's gayish man.'