Raindrops fell on his fingers as he stayed by his window, hand extended, lost in the intensity of the weather. Droplets, as sharp as spikes were cold against his hot skin but it failed to keep the fire burning inside him down.

Nothing could make him forget what he had lost. His identity, his career.

Edward had minded whenever Mr. Blake credited his brother, Elvis for the works he had done, for the things he had achieved for the enterprise he had invested his time and energy upon. Atddition to that, he had a sense of accomplishment keeping him motivated. He establised himself as the core, the one Mr. Blake wouldn't discard.

Now that he was proven wrong and Mr. Blake had fired him, Edward was on edge, and for first time out of strategy. Since the last past a few weeks, he had been shuffling around either at mansion or the penthouse.

The knock on his door snapped Edward out of his glooming thoughts. Turning back, he saw Elvis standing at the doorway, wearing his night suit.

Edward nodded to come in and walked over to the couch.

“Why aren't you at the office?” Elvis inquired, sitting on the adjacent couch. “I haven't seen you lately. In fact Martin is now heading the project which was yours.”

Edward leaned over to his cabinet, pulling out a bottle of scotch and two glasses. “I don't work where I'm not needed.”

Elvis pushed back his brown hair. “What do you mean you're not needed there. Come on, Edward. We are not just brothers, we are partners. You need me, I need you.”

Edward pushed down the glass and poured the liquid. “Who said I ever needed you?”

His brother was offended. “What is up with this behavior, huh? I get that you're a little broody sometimes but that doesn't excuse you for being an asshole.”

“Good talk,” Edward finished his drink. “I'll see you in the morning, and certainly not at the office. Stop expecting me there.”

Elvis ignored his drink and looked baffled. "And why shouldn't I expect you at the office?"

Edward stared silently for a few moments before answering. "You should ask dad."

"I did." He said without missing a beat. "He gave me the same answer."

Edward chuckled in disgust. "Ofcourse he would."

"Are we done playing hide and seek or not, Edward?" The younger brother was seemingly pissed, falling short on patience. "What the hell is going on? And I'm not leaving without a proper answer."

"I'm fired, Elvis." He spilled finally, glancing at him in menace as he raised from his seat and strided toward him. "And since it's not abundantly clear, I must confess you are the center of  my mess."

"What are you talking about?" Elvis stood up as well, standing in front him, glaring eye to eye.

"Oh come on!" He shouted. "Don't tell me you never doubted how shady our father is. A two faced snake to be precise. He uses people like tissues. Use and throw."

Elvis sharply looked over. "Shut the hell up. Dad is not—"

"Not a bad person." Edward mimicked, finishing off for him. "Ofcourse he feeds you with a silver spoon, tricking you into believing it's all him, taking care of each one of you. But it is?"

"That's bullshit. I know you have a knack for manipulating others." He shot back. "Like right now, trying to pin your fault at me. I'm not the center of your mess. It's you, always complaining if things don't go your way."

Mocking him, Edward laughed. "You fool! A stupid fool. You'll see."

"Enough!" It wasn't any of the brothers but Mr. Blake himself at the entrance, seeming a wild hunter and Edward was his target.

.......

"It's a bad idea." Still inside the car, Estella shook her head.

"It's an interview and a chance to assure she wasn't being chummy with your boyfriend. From what I have gathered from my source, Edward was in her one of the frequent contact list."

"So what?" She said. "She must be his client. Besides what kind of girlfriend goes behind her boyfriend's back and spies on him." 

Tanya rested her hand on her shoulder and passed her a reassuring smile. "I am just looking out for you but don't worry, I'll interview her as if I met her tonight."

Estella agreed, biting her lips silently, and finally settling to put her mind at ease. A little later, Tanya pulled over at hotel's parking lot, and both of them made their way to the destination.

Thea was renting a room on the third floor, a room both girls found unexpectedly expensive and luxurious. Thea at first insisted she wanted to be alone but Tanya being at the consistent one managed to grab the ten minutes of her life.

Staring at the room, the unique interior design that was beautiful to the eyes came as a contrast to Thea's current state.

Dressed in a pair of pajamas, her makeup free had agony written all over it. Estella grew uncomfortable, glancing sideways to her friend if she was also planning on ditching the inteview and spare the poor girl of her hard time.

Tanya was just as apprehensive as her but she was bounded by her work and it demanded to be invasive at the cost of other person's space and consent.

In a small voice, Thea asked them if they wanted something to drink or eat. Estella asked for plain water and all of them rounded at the kitchen area and occupied the stools around the coffee table.

"So, pop up your questions," Thea said to Tanya after she introduced Estella to her. "You won't be getting eleventh minute."

"Sure." Tanya fished out a notepad and pen from her sidebag and laid out her question. "How are you related to Senator's son?"

Thea rolled her tired eyes. "Ugh, everybody knows now. I don't think repeating it would change the answer."

"So you agree that you blackmailed his son?"

"Seems like it."

"Why did you do it? You worked at a prestigious company and served as Nicholas Morrison's secretary, leading a decent life. Did you think you'd get away with the blackmailing?"

"Yeah, I did." All of her answers were short so Tanya got the idea she wasn't up for a full fledged conversation.

Ignoring she continued. "You're a smart woman Thea. Earned your degree with shining A's and yet you threw it away like that. Don't you have any regrets?"

"Maybe."

Tired of her blunt answers, Tanya took a sharp breath. "You do know what you say goes out and it would further impact your career that's left. Do you really wish to jeopardize that and make it harder for yourself?"

Thea sneered a laugh. "You come at my door and asking me questions knowing obviously how must I be feeling? Do I really have to spill it out how one feels when her whole life crashes and turns to dust. Or how much hard it is to come out and look in the eye of person who knows what exactly I've done." She said. "Yes, I'm suffering but if you are here to make me feel more worse than I already do then you might wanna walk out of my place."

"I know its hard." Tanya said immediately. "That's why I reached out to you to know your side of the story."

"My story is pretty out loud in the public."

"They are but you see there's one thing I don't understand that the police has the five most frequently contact of yours in the past six months and senator's son is not one of them. His son is quite the public eye and yet nobody saw you even once with him. Are you really a perpetrator?"

"Just like you said I'm smart and I have means to find my ways." Thea said. "I was clever about having an another phone and especially not seen with him in public. It handled it pretty privately but god wasn't at my side."

"Then I guess I was wrong all the time." Tanya muttered. "The senator withdrew the charges after filing a suit and settled the matter. What could have changed his mind in your opinion?" 

"He was kind enough to give me a second chance. Maybe that was why." She answered with same resting look on her face. "I'll do better for everyone's sake."

"How do you know Edward, by the way?"

Estella wanted to smack Tanya for betraying her like that. Resisting to not drag her out of there to avoid embarrassment, she nugded her friend. Tanya pretended to be engrossed with her work as she flipped the pages of notebook.

"You mean Edward Churchill—"

"Yeah that one." She comfirmed.

"Well I don't know how he is involve in any of these things. Why'd you ask?"

"It's just I saw you talking to him a day before the scandal."

Thea crossed her arms. "Have you been stalking me, Miss Singh?"

"No, it was a pure coincidence."

"I hope so." She said sternly. "Now since your ten minutes are over, there's door. Sorry for my lack of hospitality. Time has been rough lately. " 

"You haven't answered my question yet."

"I had told you wouldn't be getting any extra minute."

"Wouldn't hurt you to answer this one." 

"He's someone I know. Not much important."

"Really?" Tanya objected. "Cause if he is not that important then why is he the most frequently contacted person in your list?"

"Don't make me call the security." She set out her tone firm and Estella got up, grabbing Tanya's arm. "Please leave."

"What's your deal with him?" She stood firm, despite Estella's resistance. "Looks to me you are way close to him than you're letting on. By the way, he has a girlfriend."

"Stop it, Tanya." Estella snapped at her. "You said you wouldn't. Why are you putting me in a position where I wouldn't be able to face him after pulling this."

"It's really related to my work." Tanya said, rather lighthearted.

"Oh I beg to differ." Estella said.

"Are you his girlfriend?" Thea looked at her and she responded in postive. Their was a slight shift in her expression as she studiously stared at something.

Her gaze made Estella concerned. There was something she wanted to say but Thea was lip sealed, lost in deep thoughts.

Tanya nudged Estella who mouthed her about her action and expressed her disappointment. "Let's leave now."

"Wait." Thea now spoke. "There's something you must know. Edward's not what he seems."

"What are you trying to say?" Tanya asked.

"Just be careful."

........

Mr. Blake stepped in, his eyes grim at the eldest son of the house. "You never stop whining, do you?"

Edward averted his eyes at the window and witnessed another striking of lightening. He felt like it was him getting electricuted.

"Dad, it's okay." Elvis said, sensing the  tension in the air. "We were just discussing if Edward could join the office back."

Mr. Blake crossed his arms at the back. "I'm afraid that's going to happen any soon. Edward is overdue on some work of mine and unless he's done with it, he can't work at the office."

Elvis looked exasperated. "Look if its that important, I'll do it."

Edward eyes brighten for a second as he found Mr. Blake face half paled. Elvis the perfect son willing to follow his father's path unaware of his dark side. What a scene!

"Elvis, leave the room." Mr. Blake announced in a stren voice. Elvis wanted to ask further but he wouldn't answer back him. Casting a look at his brother, he walked out.

Edward chuckled, rather sarconically.
"Goodness! Don't want your precious son to get his dirty, do you?"

"We will talk about it a little later because you there's a pressing matter that needs your undivided attention." Mr. Blake went over to rge cabinet and helped himself with some scotch. After he took a sip, he took his phone.
"Take a look at it."

Curiously he checked it out and Edward heart skipped a beat. He watched himself in the video beating a guy in a fit of rage.

Victorious, Mr. Blake drank some more. "I had someone tail you the night you were fired."

"And he recorded it."

"Not him but someone else who was coincidencently at the scene." Mr. Ake answered. "Didn't I tell you to always clean up your mess and well and never leave a clue behind."

He handed back the phone to him. "I'm sure you had it clean pretty well after I left."

"It wasn't easy to persuade victim to not pursue legal methods to get you punished." He said. "But I won't be holding him back unless you get what I had asked to do. Book a flight and get your eyes on the girl."

"Nice try but I won't do it." Edward reached his closet and searched for his black hoodie.

"This is my last warning, Edward." Mr. Blake emphasised. "And this video be airing in every news channel if you didn't oblige. I won't wait longer."

He put his hoodie on. "Oh, I don't think so." He said, confidently. "All this talk of taking everything away from me, father, I'll bet odds against all.  There's no chance you'd let that video circulating around. I mean the damage it would do to your goodwill."

His father looked on. "I've been in this business longer than you've been alive, boy.  This is my game. You can't se rules."

Edward challenged with a smug look. "So go on, call your bluff. I'll strike when the iron is hot."

.....