Chapter 3 Trauma

Henry's Pov:

Another day passes, and my pursuit of vengeance draws nearer. I had sworn to my father that I would destroy the William family, and nothing would stop me from fulfilling that promise. Not a single day goes by without me reliving his final moments. They were too young to die, and they weren't ill or anything and everything was perfectly fine until that man took everything from us. He's the reason I'm an orphan. As I heard my phone ring, I forced myself to relax.

"What is it, Kyle?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

"We've tracked her down, but she's using a fake name, which delayed us. We managed to get her picture from the undercover maids at her family manor. All our men are out looking for her now," Kyle reports over the phone.

"You've been working for me for three years. You have until tonight to find her. Fail, and I'll put a bullet through your head," I say, ending the call abruptly.

Kyle is a trusted ally. I've known him since his college days. Besides Will, he's the only person I trust. Will and Kyle have been my family since I lost everyone else.

A few hours later, Kyle calls again.

"We've found her. One of my men followed her home. We'll have her new name by tomorrow," Kyle says.

I smirk.

"Good work. It wasn't that hard. Now, get me everything about her by tomorrow," I instruct.

"Thanks, I'll get you everything," Kyle replies. He rarely uses my last name.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, sensing something off.

"Grammam's sick again," he says, hesitantly.

"Get her admitted to the hospital now!" I command, pulling out my second phone to dial the doctor's number. He's helped her before and can do so again.

"She refuses to go. I spoke to her just now," Kyle says, his voice thick with emotion.

"I'm coming over. I'll convince her," I say, heading for the coat hanger.

"Come tomorrow. She's asleep now," Kyle sighs. Grammar is close to all of us. Though related by blood to Kyle, she's like the grandmother I never had.

"Alright, I'll be there tomorrow. Take care of her. And don't worry about the rest right now," I say.

"Yeah, I will," Kyle responds, and I end the call.

I throw my phone onto the bed and lie down beside it. Sometimes, I wish I could sleep more than an hour. Every time I close my eyes, I see them. It's a pain I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. As the hours pass, sunlight creeps into my room, and my eyes grow heavy.

"Henry! Suzy! Come inside, the cookies are ready!" Mom calls from the kitchen.

Suzy and I rush inside, the smell of fresh cookies filling the house. We giggle and wrestle over the cookies.

"Henry, let your little sister have one first," Mom says. Suzy sticks her tongue out at me.

"It's not fair! You always favor her over me," I pout.

"Henry, you know that's not true. I love you both equally," Mom reassures with a gentle smile.

"No! Mom and Dad love me more!" Suzy laughs.

I don't believe her, but I can't hold back tears. I run out of the house and head straight for the arcade, my eyes still wet. Before I leave, I hear Mom calling after me. I felt guilty for running away, but Dad had said she was carrying our siblings, and I just needed a moment to myself.

At the arcade, I sit and cry for a bit, and after two hours, hunger drives me home. Standing at the door, I realize I need to apologize. I grasp the doorknob and find the door already unlocked. As I enter, the house feels eerily quiet and dark.

"Mom? Suzy?" I called out. I hear muffled sounds from the living room and find blood covering most of the floor. Mom and Suzy lie on the bed, clinging to life.

"MOM!" I ran to her side.

"No! Suzanna, stay with me!" I plead, holding their hands. Suzy remains still as Mom strokes my hair, and I try desperately to stop the bleeding.

Suddenly, I'm no longer a twelve-year-old boy. I wake up, sweating and breathing heavily from the nightmare.

I get up and shower, trying to wash away the sweat and calm myself. It's been nineteen years, and the past still haunts me.

After getting ready, I head to Grammam's. After hours of convincing, she finally agrees to go to the hospital. Once her tests are done, I leave to get the files. Though I'm an orphan, I've built a tech empire from scratch using skills learned from Dad. My company is now worth billions. Power and wealth are crucial for my revenge, and it's within reach.

As I exit the building, I decide to take a walk. Turning a corner, I bump into someone. A woman falls with a startled cry.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" I ask as she looks up. Our eyes meet, and I feel a warmth I've never felt before.

She's flustered, apologizing while stuttering. I notice her perhaps she's a tourist. She's looking for a painting workshop across the street. I decided to help her, though I had to wait for work.

I regret my decision when I see Will at the workshop. He'd mentioned something before, and now I understand. Of course, he'd pair us up. I would have preferred he didn't tell the others. As we sit down, my phone vibrates. I tell her I'm going to get the aprons.

It's Kyle.

"Is she okay?" I ask, concerned.

"She is. I didn't get her new name before, but we've just received her picture. Her name's Mia. I'm sending you her picture," Kyle says.

I try to ignore the coincidence, but when the picture arrives, I smirk. It's her. Fate seems to be pushing me toward my revenge. She walked right into her doom.

This makes things easier. The way the world works can be amusing. I plan to make her life as miserable as I can. Returning to the table, I hand her the apron. Our hands touch lightly, sending jolts through me. I need to understand why this is affecting me. Does she know what's coming? It doesn't matter. Because one thing is certain: I'll ruin her sooner or later just as her family ruined me.