Chapter 2 1

Knight WAS packing his clothes when someone knocked on the door. Thinking that it might be Cloud who would offer to help him pack, He ignored it. He prefers packing his bag alone and personally. He doesn't like anyone touching or going through his stuff.

But the person outside knocking on the door was persistent. Definitely not Cloud. Cloud knows that if he doesn't let him in at the first knock, it means he doesn't want to let him in.

"Come in!" He said in a loud voice so that those outside could hear him.

The door to his room opened.

Knight zipped his trolley bag before glancing towards the door.

He was stunned to see his brother looking at his luggage.

"You're leaving?" Midnight asked. He nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh." His brother looked down. "I'll get going then. Sorry for disturbing you."

"Wait." He stopped his brother, then walked closer to him. "How's your back?" Midnight smiled. "I'm okay."

Knight can see through his brother. He's not okay. "I told you not to lie to me."

His brother looked away. "It still hurts, but I can handle it. Papa has allowed me to visit you, but you're leaving. See you again after you get back."

He sighed and messed with Midnight's head. "Something's bothering you. What is it?"

Midnight shook her head, then smiled at him. "Nothing. Have a safe trip, Brother."

He sighed because he saw that his brother was trying to smile so that he wouldn't worry.

He knows a fake smile when he sees one because he's an expert at faking a smile. And as much as possible, he doesn't want his brother to ever learn how to fake a smile and happiness in front of him. He didn't want him to be like him, who learned how to control his emotions in front of people.

He doesn't want his brother to be a fake. like him, even though he's pretending to be him.

Midnight, his little brother, exists only to be his shadow-to be him when it's needed. They look so much alike-except for their height; he's a little taller than his brother, but that wouldn't be noticed if they weren't close together-even though they're not twins and his father uses that.

In dangerous situations, if there are threats but he still has to make a public appearance, Midnight will come out as him-as Count Knight-so he can be protected because he's the firstborn. Only a few people know that Midnight Velasquez exists. To the outside world, there's no Midnight. Except for the people inside the Palace, everyone knows that Lord Kelleon Velasquez has only one son. Him. Knight Alastair Minrod Gutterez Velasquez

Midnight doesn't exist. He was made to take his place in dangerous situations. When his father knows and foresees that his life will be in danger, Midnight will let Knight out so that even if he is shot, he will still be safe.

Midnight is his double.

And he keeps on asking himself, How can his father do that to his own blood? How? Midnight is a good kid. So he needs to be powerful so he can get Midnight away from the life their father made for him.

He will give him his identity, no matter what.

"Midnight." He hardened his voice and infused it with authority. "What is it?" he asked again. "Spit it out."

Midnight looked at him. "Don't leave?"

He raised two eyebrows at him. "Was that so hard to say?"

"Kinda." This is the answer. "I know you're busy looking for our sister, and I don't want to monopolize your time and attention."

"Stay here. Don't move." he ordered Midnight, who was standing by the door, then turned to his cell phone that was on the bed to call Cloud.

"Yes, my Lord?" Cloud immediately answered on the other line. "The plane is ready."

"I have to cancel." Cloud chuckled. "Was it the puppy-dog eye or the fake smile that softened your cold heart, my Lord?" He sighed. "Fake smile."

"I thought you missed your friends; that's why you're going back to the Philippines.

"Midnight needs me."

"Okay. Got it, my Lord. By the way, I already got a hold of Mr. Kavotzki, the CEO of KNVel Trading in Italy, who also laundered millions from your Company. What shall I do with him?"

He smiled coldly and said, "What else? Show him how nice Count Knight Velasquez can be. You have to be hospitable and polite, Cloud."

"Of course, my Lord. I shall use my katana to show how hospitable my Lord is."

"Thanks, Cloud." He ended the call, putting a smile on his face before facing Night. "I cancelled my flight. What do you want to do?"

Midnight's face instantly lit up. "Really? Yes!" It was like a child who had been punched in the air and then smiled widely. "Ice cream, then Billiards and Tennis."

He laughed, then approached him and put his arm around him carefully. "If that's what you want, that's what you'll get."

Night looked at him. "Won't Papa be angry? He forbids me to eat ice cream for a month as part of my punishment."

He ruffled his hair, then sent a message to Cloud to drive them. "I'll take care of it. Trust me, okay?"

Midnight nodded with a happy smile on his face. not a fake one. That's good.

"Are we going out, Big Brother?" He nodded. "Yeah."

"Won't Papa be angry?"

"There is no ice cream here in the palace; how are you going to eat it?" He asked his brother. "We'll go out. Then no one else will see us. We'll just be inside the car. Cloud will drive us." Midnight grinned. "Can't wait."

Laughing, he ruffled his hair. "You can eat all the ice cream you want, but no take home, okay? You might be punished again. I hate seeing you in pain." Midnight nodded. "Yes, Brother." "Good."

Midnight and I walked side by side towards their secret passage so they could get out of the palace. They cannot pass in front because the guard will stop them.

After leaving the palace, Cloud was there immediately. The car is ready, as he ordered here in the text he sent.

He immediately let Night ride before him.

"Where to?" Cloud asked.

"Ice Cream Parlour," he answered, then bent down to look at the passenger seat because he was in the backseat and his brother was in the front. "Seatbelt on, Night," he said while fixing his hair, "why is your hair a mess? Fix it."

"I'm not going out." Midnight's defence

"Even so. Adjust your collar."

Cloud sighed before helping Midnight straighten his collar. "There. anything else," Cloud glanced at him, "my Lord?"

"Gone." He then turned to his brother. "Which ice cream parlour? Los Alpes or in La Romana? You pick."

"La Romana," Midnight said quickly with a blessed smile.

"La Romana it is," said Cloud, then started moving the car.

Arriving at the ice cream parlour that Midnight chose, Cloud was the only one who went down to buy his brother a drink. When it returned, it brought three kinds of ice cream and gave all of them to Midnight.

And before Cloud start the engine of the car, he looked back at him, who was in the backseat. "Where to, my Lord?"

"Just roam around while he's eating. No destination."

"Yes, my Lord," Cloud said, then immediately revved up the car's engine and started it.

"Brother, is your friend kind?" Night asked him. "Will you introduce me to them?"

Knight took a deep breath. "When the right time comes,

"Can I also call them brother?" He smiled. "Of course it's brother Val and brother Shun. They're good friends of mine."

Midnight peered at him in the backseat. "You think they'll like me? Won't they find it creepy that we look alike even though we're not twins?"

"I'm sure they'll accept you." Midnight smiled. "That'll be nice," he said with a faraway look on his face, "Except for you and brother Cloud, no one wants to talk to me in the Palace. It'll be nice to talk to other people every now and then."

"It will happen; don't worry."

Midnight smiled again. "Okay," he said, and he went back to eating.

Their car roamed around for an hour before it stopped in front of their secret passageway inside the palace. They need to get back or their father will catch them, and he will surely punish Midnight again.

Midnight looks sad as he stares at the entrance. "Going back again," he whispered. He held his pulse. "We have to. There's no point in hiding and running away. They'll find us anyway."

Midnight nodded, then entered their secret passage first.

"Brother, let's play billiards and then Tennis," his brother happily told him as they walked side by side. "You're not leaving, right? So it's okay if I monopolize your time, right?"

He smiled at his brother. "Of course we'll play billiards and tennis, but I won't let you win just because you're my little brother."

Midnight grinned at him and said, "I can beat you fair and square."

"No way, you punk." He laughed and said, "You can't beat me." Midnight laughed. "Of course I can. Watch and see."

"Prepare to lose," he joked.

Midnight stuck out his tongue at him. "You'll lose."

He shook his head, laughing.

When they were inside the palace, walking towards the entertainment area, someone blocked their four guards. Fuck! The knight cussed before looking at the guards with an emotionless face. "What is it?"

"Lord Kelleon requests your presence, my Lord." That's one of the guards.

Knight felt his brother freeze.

He immediately smiled at Midnight. "It's okay. You go to the Entertainment room first. Ask Cloud to play billiards with you."

Midnight nodded silently and followed what he said. He was guided by the guard to where his father was.

in his private office inside the palace.

"Father,"he said, slightly bowing to it.

His father dismissed the guards before he spoke.

"I heard you took Midnight out." This did not surprise him anymore. His father has eyes and ears inside the palace. "You know I forbid it."

"I will take full responsibility for what I did, father," he said in a low but firm voice.

"I told you to stay away from him. You're soft when it comes to him. I don't like it."

His jaw simply dropped. "Father, he's sad and-"

"I don't care." He looked into his eyes. "Or would you rather want me to send him to a place where you can't see him even from a distance?"

Knight stopped clenching his fist.

His father is not bluffing. He can and will take Midnight away from him to a place where he can't see him. That's what happens when he and Midnight get close.

He was ten and Night was nearly nine when their father first took Midnight away. He waited years for him to bring back his brother. and then, when they were eighteen, his father took Midnight away again for the reason that they were getting closer than needed. Midnight came back when he was already nearing twenty-one.

But Midnight never complained. He would just smile at him after years of being separated. Even if they don't see each other for several years, the brother always has a smile for him when they meet. And when he asks him what he did, he immediately shuts up and doesn't want to tell him.

He wanted to push his brother to know everything, but seeing his worried face, he couldn't. "Father-"

"Stay away from him, Knight, or I will send him away." his father threatened. "And for what you did today, Midnight will be punished. One hundred lashes." No! Midnight's back was still hurting!

"I will take full responsibility, father," he begged his father. "Please-"

"Knight Alastair Minrod Gutterez Velasquez! How many times do I have to tell you not to beg?" His father's voice boomed and echoed inside the room, making him flinch. "You will become the head of the House of Velasquez! A Count never begs! A Royal never used the word 'please'! You will not beg, you hear me?!" "Yes, father."

"You want to take full responsibility?" "Yes, father."

"Then tell me firmly and force me! Don't waver! You want something, then have it forcefully if you can't. Now... Midnight will be punished-"

"No." He looked at his father dead in the eyes, man to man. "Punish me instead. I'm the one who took him out. It was my decision, not his."

"Don't be an insolent child."

"You can add more lashes for going against your wishes," he added. "Punish me."

His father smiled, making his insides die slowly. "Good. That's my son. Take full responsibility like a man, like the head of the house of Velasquez."

"I prefer to be punished now," he requested.

His father called someone on the intercom, and when the door opened, he saw his personal bodyguard. Orlando. His father's personal Ultor

"One hundred and twenty lashes, Orlando. Make it painful." His father ordered. "Make him feel how painful it is to go against his father. And don't pass out, my son, or else your brother will be punished severely." "Yes, Master."

Orlando silently led him out of his father's private office and towards the basement, where he would be punished.

He's used to this. People think that being Lord Kelleon's son is a blessing, but contrary to everyone's knowledge, it's hell. No one knows what happens to him in the basement. Only a couple of people. Not even Midnight knows, and he prefers it that way.

Midnight must not know this. He wants his brother to see him and talk to him without guilt on his face. He couldn't protect her completely, but he would make sure to protect her smile for him. That's all he can do for Midnight. For now.

That's why he's striving to become powerful and strong. Just wait a bit, little brother.

Knight was speechless as Orlando tied his hands and feet. Then Orlando spoke. "Is this what you really want? I can go and drag Midnight down here.

"I will take full responsibility." He said that his face and voice were emotionless. Orlando tsked. "Your love for your brother will be the death of you." "Then so be it."

"You don't have to be punished, my Lord.

"Just do it, Orlando." He then closed his eyes. "Better me than my brother. I can take it."

Orlando tsked again before holding the whip tightly. "This will hurt."

"I'm used to it." His father likes it when he takes full responsibility or when he takes half of Midnight's punishment. because for his father, it's a sign of strength, courage, bravery, and unwavering determination that a good noble lord and the head of the house of Velasquez have to have.

"Then..." Orlando started moving the whip on his hand, "take it like a man, my Lord."

Knight held back his scream as Orlando lashed him. Whip after whip on his back, but no sound came out of his mouth. He held it in-the screams of agony and excruciating pain-until the very end of one hundred and twenty lashes.

"Lord Kelleon will be very pleased to know that you didn't pass out, my Lord," said Orlando while removing the rope from his hands and feet. Then he called someone outside the basement room. "Cloud! Take your master!"

Cloud entered the punishment room in the basement while he swayed, trying to balance himself but couldn't.

Cloud immediately came to his aid. "My Lord!"

He held onto Cloud's shoulder to keep him from falling and weakly begged him. "Don't let Night see me like this..

"Of course, my Lord."

Hearing that and trusting his butler's words, Knight let himself pass out.

KNIGHT awoke weak and in pain, his back throbbing. He was lying on his bed and didn't want to move, but when he saw what time it was-it's 10:30 p.m.-he tried to get up and was stunned to see Cloud sitting on the only sofa inside his room.

His back is already bandaged, and it looks like Cloud has cleaned his wound.

"Hey..." His voice sounded weak.

"My Lord." He immediately stood up, poured water into the glass that was on the centre table, then approached him and said, "Drink this. I put some herbs to calm your nerves."

Knight forced himself to hold the glass and drink.

"How many hours did I sleep?" he asked.

"All day, my Lord."

When he returned the glass to Cloud, he gave him a whole cake.

"Father will punish you."

Ever since he was little, cake wasn't allowed in their household for a reason.

"Let him punish me then," said Cloud. "I don't mind. You need cake after what happened."

"Thank you," he said as he started eating the cake.

Cake has been his comfort food. Ever since he was little. Cloud bowed. "You're always welcome, my Lord. By the way, your friend Valerian called, asking if you're going back to the Philippines. I told him you're still busy at the moment. Not to worry, I didn't tell him that you had been lashed."

"Thank you." He grunted when he moved and felt his back ache.

"By the way, my Lord, Midnight hasn't eaten yet."

As Cloud said, he immediately stood up and spread the cake container on top of his bed. "Where is he? Why hasn't he eaten yet? I hope you forced him!"

"Your father forbids him to eat," Cloud said. "He said he ate ice cream, so he shouldn't eat any more."

"What?!" He snapped at Cloud. "Fuck! He must be hungry!"

"My Lord, you're back." Cloud stopped him. "If you keep moving, your wounds will open and bleed."

He took a black t-shirt and put it on. No one can see his blood if the colour of his clothes is black.

"I have to go see him. Prepare a meal for him, Cloud. I'll take full responsibility if father asks." He then hurried out of his room and almost ran between his and hers.

To hell with his back. To hell with his pain. He can endure. He has to see his brother.

There was no guard outside his room, so he was able to enter easily.

"Midnight-" he paused when he saw him asleep.

Knight let out a relieved sigh. Thank God.

He carefully closed the door, then approached his brother and sat on the edge of his bed. It was frozen while lying down, maybe so that the wounds on its back made by the whip wouldn't get pierced. He raised his hand to stroke his brother's hair.

He didn't listen for the whole day.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Midnight stirred in his sleep before slowly opening his eyes. "Brother?" He asked as if to make sure. He smiled. "Hey..."

He immediately got up and sat facing him. "Where did you go? I asked Papa, and he said leave because you don't want to be with me because he scolded you because of me because I ate ice cream. I'm sorry."

Knight wanted to correct Midnight. He wanted to tell him that he wasn't around because he passed out after being punished. but he didn't want his brother to know that.

"I just have to do something," he said.

Night looked down. "I thought we were going to play billiards, then tennis." "Maybe tomorrow?"

Night's face fell. "Father told me to pack today."

His eyes widened in fear. "No-"

"It's okay." Midnight smiled at him. "I'll probably be gone for a few years, and then I'll be right back." "No, Night-"

"It's okay." Midnight forced a smile at him, and it made his heart clench in pain. "Maybe it's for the better that Father is sending me away, brother, so you can focus and be the boss. I'll be cheering for you."

"No, Night, I'll talk to Father-"

"We both know we can't stop him," Midnight whispered. "So be a boss, okay? If I'm not back in three years and you become a boss, come find me. I'll wait for you, Brother."

"Night, let me talk to my father first. I can change his mind," he insisted.

His brother shook his head. "It's okay. I'm doing this for you, brother, so you can focus your attention on becoming a boss, on becoming powerful and stronger. I promise I'll be a good man and won't do anything to get punished, so you don't need to worry." "Midnight..."

"Just promise me when you become a boss that you'll come find and get me."

He couldn't do anything but nod and hold out his hand. "Promise.I'll come find you and get you."

Midnight smiled trustingly at him. "I'll hold on to that, Brother."

"Promise,"he said.

He and Midnight did a forearm handshake. "Promise."

Midnight and I both smiled when he turned to the door when someone knocked and it opened.

Cloud enters with food on the tray.

"Eat up," he said to his brother. Midnight grinned. "Thanks! I'm famished!"

Knight just stares at his brother while he eats well, and Cloud supports him by reprimanding him to eat slowly. and Night was just chuckling and shoving the food into his mouth. Be a boss... His need to become powerful has never been this strong.

"Done." Midnight's words woke him up.

"I shall take these and clean up," Cloud said before walking out of the room with the tray empty of food.

Midnight went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and then went back to bed.

"Let's play chess?" Midnight asked him.

"Sure," he answered with a smile.

And that's how they spent their night. playing chess and talking until past midnight.

"Sleep," he said to his brother. "You and Orlando must be early tomorrow." Midnight sighed. "Okay."

Seeing his brother feeling down, he took off the necklace around his neck with a compass pendant and put it around Midnight's. "Here. Take this. Mom gave it to me before she died. She said that through this compass, she can always find me and look after me even after death. So I'm giving it to you. Even if I'm not by your side, just think that I am with you because of this. If you're still not back after three years, I'll find you."

Midnight held the compass pendant and smiled at him. "Thank you, Brother. I'll keep it. I promise."

"Good. Don't lose it."

Midnight stood up, smiling, and hugged him tightly. "Come find me, okay? I trust you, Brother."

"I will find you, little brother. Trust me."

Midnight nodded, then let go of his embrace and lay down on his bed.

And in that moment, he doesn't want to leave his brother. He will not see him again tomorrow. Fuck!

It will be years before they see each other again. And he can't do anything about it.

He lay on his side next to his brother. "I'll sleep here. Is that okay?"

Midnight nodded with a smile. "It's fine. I like having my brother around. I feel safe whenever you're with me, brother. No matter what I go through, no matter what Papa makes me do, no matter how much he tortures me, as long as I know you are behind me, I will not give up. As long as you won't abandon me, I'll keep on fighting."

He ruffled his brother's hair. "I'll die first before I abandon you, little brother."

"I know." Midnight smiled. "Good night, Brother."

"Good night, Night." he whispered back.

Midnight closed his eyes, and Knight watched as his little brother fell asleep beside him.

Tomorrow, he will not see him again for the next three years.

Knight was adamant to find his brother after three years, after he became a boss; that was his promise to Midnight. The promise that he will keep and will not break

But Five Years Later...

There was still no Midnight, and Knight couldn't find him to keep his promise. He failed.