Raphael Winchens (Special Chapter)

Raphael was not a greedy person.

Ever since he was small, even though he had the opportunity to enter the competition to inherit the nepotism enterprise of the Winchens family, he never took the chance. All he wanted was to live comfortably.

He had never really been obsessed with buying so many expensive things, perhaps old books were an exception, he had always loved books especially those written by authors who lived in the Victorian era. Spending his free time while reading calmed him down, since he was young he imagined his life sitting relaxed without stress, maybe occasionally playing with his pet, living in a stress-free and healthy condition.

Perhaps his father influenced this way of thinking, Raphael often saw how busy his father was taking care of the Winchens properties, sometimes he was not at home, he often went abroad, rarely spent time with his family.

Such a life did not look good in his opinion.

Yes the father got so much wealth and properties in his hands, not to mention the power and prestige he got from other people.

A great man carrying the name of Winchens.

The other cousins were always excited when talking about the Winchens inheritance competition.

'If I inherit Winchens family' properties, then my wealth will never run out.'

'All of Winchens' property will be in our hands, we can buy anything, we can have good connections with governments and other elites.'

'Having Winchens property would make me look cool, and lots of beautiful women would want me.'

Hearing such words, Raphael was never interested in them.

Again, Raphael was not a greedy person, he was smart, smarter than the other cousin in his generation, even the whole family could see his potential to inherit.

Though, they were surprised when Raphael refused to participate in the competition.

It was a shame to waste the potential of a man named Raphael.

He was fed up, every time he met his family. They would always ask the same question, which he had heard countless times, 'Won't you change your mind and join the competition?'

They should be happy because the number of competitors for the successor competition decreased, which would increase the chances of winning for his other cousins. Maybe they said it just for formality, or maybe they genuinely regret that Raphael, who had great potential, did not join the competition.

Whatever it was, Raphael remained firm in his refusal.

However, as he grew older, he began to feel a strange feeling within him.

He didn't know exactly when this strange feeling emerged, but Raphael was sure he had never felt it before.

Greed.

A strong desire to possess something poisoned his mind, as if if he didn't hold it, he would snap at any moment.

The person responsible for this was his childhood friend, Ezra Jonathan Pier.

Every time he saw that man, he had the urge to keep him by his side. Sometimes he was even amazed at his own thoughts.

It was a terrifying thought that devoured his common sense, and if he listened to that urge, it was likely that the other person would hate him and runaway from him.

That time when they were about 14 years old, when they sat together playing games in his room. Raphael suddenly spoke in a low voice.

'Why don't you stay here?'

He did not even know why he suddenly said that, Ezra stopped, turned to him raising an eyebrow, 'Are you an idiot? I have my own family and home.'

--Yes, that's right, that's the answer. What is the connection between him and me? ...

Raphael often asked that.

When he graduated from middle school, the Winchens family would have their own teacher. Most of his cousins studied at home, not mandatory of course, they could still go to school outside but most of them would attend a high-quality expensive school.

The decision he made after that stunned people, once again they didn't expect Raphael to do it.

'I want to go to the same school as Ezra.'

His mother made a face of bewilderment mixed with worry, but then she gave up trying to convince Raphael, knowing well how stubborn her son was.

They went to school together, always in the same class, following Ezra wherever he went just to make sure nobody got too close to what was his.

He was irrational filled with greed.

But he remained cowardly and didn't say anything because he was afraid of being hated.

Once again, a new emotion within him.

Fear.

Since he was little, he had never been afraid of anything, not even his own father, he had never felt anxiety, fear, greed or anything like that, all these emotions were something he had never felt before, and the person responsible for all this was the dark-haired man, those beautiful hazel eyes with green hues in the center, which had the shape of sharp eyes with fire dancing in them, never failing to draw him deeper into them.

To the point that it made him think, 'Maybe I should become a successor so that I can have enough power to keep him locked with me.'

It was a thought that would make anyone who could read his mind shudder.

It was also the first time he wanted something so badly, but he had no idea how to get it.

Someone who lived with pride and abundant wealth who had anything in his hands, but having difficulty possessing one person.

'Ezra, what's that in your hand?'

Raphael saw him holding a plastic bag. Ezra answered shyly with a red face, 'Chocolate. It's the first time someone has given me chocolate on Valentine's Day.'

'Who gave you that?'

He couldn't hold back the cold voice that came out of his mouth, Ezra as if noticing the change in his tone, raised an eyebrow. 'It's from the girl next class, Melissa.'

Looking at the plastic bag intently, finding it hard to hide the fact that he hated it. 'You're going to eat it?'

'Yeah, I think ...'

Staring at Ezra with reluctant eyes. Ezra who saw Raphael's changed expression, snorted. 'What's wrong? You look upset? Besides, you've already received so many chocolates from girls ... why are you making that face?'

Throw it away.

He wanted to say that, but Raphael's lips were tightly shut. Ezra heavily sighed, 'You're weird, Raphael. Don't tell me you don't believe that I got this from a girl because it's my first time?'

'No, it's just..., What if I give you a chocolate, will you eat mine or the one given by the girl?'

'......'

Ezra was at a loss for words, he remained silent for a moment as if he didn't know how to answer that question.

'I was just kidding, haha.'

Seeing Raphael laugh, Ezra's face relaxed again. He glanced at Raphael and also let out a small laugh, 'Haha, if you give me chocolate, I will eat it because you often buy expensive chocolates, so it's a shame not to eat them. I think I'll eat both, but too much chocolate will make your stomach hurt.'

'So you'll choose to eat my gift rather than that cheap chocolate?'

'You— ... Ah, Raphael, so that's what you're trying to say, she gave me cheap chocolate and you're worried about that? I don't care, it's homemade chocolate, made with feeling.'

No. He had no worries about it, it was just that the sight of that chocolate from an unknown girl annoyed him somehow.

Raphael tilted his head, made with feelings— so everything made with feelings, he will accept it?

Raphael's gaze turned cold. Without hesitation, he snatched the plastic bag from Ezra's hand, strode quickly to the corner of the hallway. Ezra shouted, asking to return the chocolate to him, but Raphael was still walking nonchalantly, as if he couldn't hear him, throwing it away in the trash.

Ezra was stunned. He scanned into every nook and cranny of his face trying to figure out what the reason was for this guy to do that. Raphael made an expressionless face, they exchanged looks like that for a moment.

'You trust that girl too much, what if she put poison in that chocolate.'

Noticing the way Raphael lips moved, Ezra stared at him with white eyes, he growled, 'You crazy man! Raphael are you out of your mind?! Why did you do that?! Poison? What are you talking about?!'

'Am I wrong? You don't know what kind of ingredients she put in that chocolate.'

Ezra clenched his teeth, and the veins in his temples were clearly visible, but then he took a deep breath and turned around. Walked forward leaving Raphael behind, 'Bastard, you're such a jerk!'

'Why are you angry? I'll buy a new one for you. Or do you want me to make it for you?'

Ezra stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at Raphael with a smile on his lips, as if he didn't realize he had made a mistake. Ezra blinked rapidly, filled with bewilderment.

'Damn it, seriously you ... leave me alone, don't follow me.'

Hearing that, Raphael immediately froze, seeing Ezra walking away from him, he followed the man and tightly grabbed his wrist, 'Don't say that ... Ezra, I'll buy a new one.'

Ezra pushed his hand away and gave him a deadly stare, 'You... I don't know if it's because of your wealth that you act like you can do anything, that chocolate is mine, someone made it for me and gave it to me, I should be the one to decide if I want to throw it away or eat it. I don't hate you for this ... Just for today, leave me alone.'

--You act like you can do anything--

Those words from Ezra echoed in his mind.

He stood motionless in the school corridor, staring at the man's back which was getting farther and farther away, until he was no longer visible.

Wrong. There was something he could not do.

Controlling other human' emotions. He could not do that.