Chapter 4 BENEATH THE SURFACE.

CHAPTER 4

Pierre was often regarded as a mysterious figure, with an aura that commanded respect and inspired fear. His striking features, including his round face, sharp jawline, and piercing red eyes, left many wondering about his true nature.

Gaspard whispered to his mother, "Did he say something?"

She whispered back, "Don't think so."

Despite being the eldest, Gaspard harbored a deep-seated fear of his younger brother. He dared not speak to Pierre directly or linger around him, lest he face dire consequences. A past encounter had left Gaspard hospitalized for a month.

Aimee chimed in, "I'm sure he won't last longer than you expected."She replied,taking a drink from the cellar.

Henri added, "Instead of focusing on a weakling like Logan, why not focus on Ravissante? She has a lot on her plate."

Aimee's expression turned sour. "That witch... she's always plotting something. I'm sure she won't stay idle either."

Henri suggested, "Try to visit the old woman in the hospital and gain her attention."

Aimee refused, her voice rising. "No, no, no! I'm not going to do that. We all know she hates me unconditionally. She dislikes my existence, everything about me."

Gaspard intervened, "Try to go there and do some meaningful research. She might say something unexpectedly, who knows?"

Aimee reluctantly agreed, "Fine... fine... I'll just do it." She stormed upstairs, her anger palpable.

As the conversation came to a close, the tension in the room lingered. The family's dynamics were complex, and the air was thick with unspoken emotions.

•

"So insignificant!"Ravissante's face contorted in rage as she hurled the glass cup at the wall, shattering it into pieces.

"Mom, what the hell is going on here?" Leon exclaimed, narrowly avoiding the flying glass.

Ravissante's expression turned venomous. "Shut up and get that good-for-nothing man to clean up this mess!"

Leon sighed heavily, accustomed to his mother's toxic behavior. "When will you stop treating your husband like a slave?" he lamented, disappointment etched on his face.

Ravissante's demeanor shifted, her voice taking on a sinister tone. "You see, Leon... I'm delighted you referred to him as my husband." Her long fingers trailed across Leon's face, her touch sending shivers down his spine.

However, her mood swung violently, and she exploded, "Stop telling me how to treat and control him! He's my husband, not yours!" Her eyes blazed with fury, captivating Louis's attention.

Leon stood his ground, his voice firm. "And he's my father, so stop treating him like a slave!"

Louis intervened, cautioning Leon, "Hey, what's going on here? Why are you shouting at your mom?" He attempted to push Leon away from Ravissante, but Leon jerked his hands off, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Stop being a fool, Dad! It doesn't suit you," Leon lashed out, his chest heaving with emotion.

Louis tried to reason with him, "Can you stop this, Leon? This isn't the best time for..." But Leon walked out on him, tears streaming down his face.

Leon felt suffocated by his family's dynamics. He hated the constant tension, the feeling that he didn't belong. Sometimes, he sought answers, but they seemed invalid.

As the door slammed shut behind Leon, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy with unspoken emotions.

‡

"And in some markets , commerce are considered, unaccessible,to implore..."The class teacher continued her lesson, but Ryan's attention was diverted. He felt an intense heat emanating from a pair of piercing eyes. He turned to locate the source and was taken aback. Molly's gaze was fixed on him, her eyes burning with an unspoken intensity.

Ryan's eyes widened, and he struggled to compose himself. "Molly...?!" he stuttered.

The teacher intervened, "Mr. Ryan Wells, are you alright?"

Ryan adjusted his tie, attempting to regain his composure. "Y-yeah, I'm good."

The teacher nodded and continued her lesson. Ryan's eyes drifted back to Molly, and he was met with the same intense stare.

"What's going on?" Ryan wondered, his heart racing.

He raised his hand, requesting permission to use the restroom. "Ma'am, may I be excused?"

Upon exiting the classroom, Ryan hastened to the school store, where he leaned against the wall, gasping for air.

The sound of Molly's voice startled him. "This isn't the toilet."

Ryan's eyes snapped towards her, his expression a mix of surprise and trepidation. "W-what... what is it? What did I do to you?"

Molly's gaze remained fixed on him. "You're angry?"

Ryan composed himself, standing up straight. "What have I done to you?"

Molly's expression turned grave. "Are you dating Kyle?"

Ryan's eyes narrowed, attempting to grasp the context. "W-why do you ask?"

Molly's intense stare never wavered. "Are you and Kyle a thing?"

Ryan's voice trembled slightly. "We're just friends... yeah, just friends."

Molly's response was a simple "Hmmm." She turned and walked away, leaving Ryan bewildered.

Ryan exhaled deeply, grasping the pole beside him for support. "That was terrifying. Why would she confront me about Kyle?"

Kyle's voice interrupted his thoughts."What are you doing here ?"She asked from behind.

"Gosh, thanks Goodness you are here ,are you alright?"He asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm always safe, Ryan. What's wrong? You suddenly left the class."

Ryan's eyes scanned the surrounding area, ensuring Molly was nowhere in sight. "Kyle, are you alright?"

Kyle's expression turned concerned. "Yeah, I'm good. What's going on?"

Ryan's voice dropped to a whisper. "Nothing... let's just leave."

As they departed, Molly emerged from the corner, her expression enigmatic. "Funny..." she muttered to herself.

5 PM

"It's been a stressful and gloomy day..." Harper yawned loudly, stretching her muscles and cracking her knuckles. She had just finished her day job, fortunate to have had a relatively light workload.

"A stressful day, indeed..." she muttered to herself, her thoughts drifting back to the morning's events.Her encounter with Logan and Madam Sharon's headache. Everything replayed quickly in her mind, and she shrugged her shoulders, hastening towards the doorway. In her haste, she accidentally collided with a passing figure, spilling their drink onto the tiles.

"I'm so sorry... really sorry..." Harper apologized, swiftly removing a towel from her back to clean up the spill. She began to wipe the drink from the stranger's clothes.

"Don't worry about it; it's not a big deal," the stranger replied in a gravelly voice, gently grasping her hands to stop her.

Harper's eyes widened as she felt the chill of his palms. "Why are his palms so cold?" she wondered, her gaze drifting upwards to meet his.

Her jaw dropped as she took in his features. He was disarmingly attractive, with piercing red eyes that shone brightly, complemented by his full brows.

"Is anything wrong?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Harper managed to stammer, "C-can I know your name, please?"

The stranger turned back to her, a hint of a smile on his lips. "It's Pierre... call me Pierre," he echoed.

TBC.....