Chapter 1: Hadeon

“I don’t have a criminal for a son. You’re a disgrace to this family!” My dad shouted at me in a fit of anger.

We were in his office, standing two meters apart from his desk. He had just found out about what I did to my half-sister, so he immediately called me.

I simply pushed her down the grand staircase of this mansion. Tsk.

“Whose fault is it that changed me like this?” I asked.

“What did you just say?” Is he deaf or pretending to be?

“I said, you are the reason why I became like this!” I shouted at him.

“How dare you say that it’s because of me that you’ve become like that.” He walked towards me.

“Why? It’s the truth-“ but before I could finish my words, he slapped me with his bare hand. The force of the slap left my left cheek numb.

“It’s not my fault you turned out like that. You chose that kind of personality for yourself,” he said to me, keeping a distance as he spoke. “You’re just like your mom.”

My ears perked up at those words. How dare he. I clenched my hands.

“You don’t have the right to talk about my mother,” I gritted my teeth as I spoke.

“Why? It’s the truth. You acquired that criminal behavior because of your mother.”

I clenched my hand tighter. He was just accusing Mom of killing Aunt Elisa.

“It’s not her fault. Mom couldn’t have done that,” I angrily retorted. “If you hadn’t cheated on Mom, you bastard, our family wouldn’t be this complicated and broken.”

“Why is it acceptable to engage in extramarital affairs and have a child while you’re married? It’s even worse because it was Mom’s best friend. You should be the one in prison, not Mom.”

“You…”

“It’s true, though,” I pointed out. “Mom would never get angry at Aunt Elisa, and their friendship would never have been broken if you hadn’t cheated on Mom and had an affair with Aunt.”

“You have no right to speak to my mom that way. Never.” I forced a laugh at him.

“Now you’re trying to absolve yourself of your sins. You have more sins than Mom. Sins you’ve never paid for.”

“Your mother is obsessed with me.”

“Well, now you know.”

I know Mom is obsessed with you. She craves your attention and love. She gives you everything, yet you never reciprocate even with a small amount of attention or love. And she’s been blinded by that so-called love.

“Why did you cheat on her if you knew she would do anything for you?”

“You know I never loved her.”

“Of course you don’t, because you’re in love with Aunt.” I knew that my parents had entered into an arranged marriage when they were teenagers, orchestrated by my grandparents. The marriage was forced upon them due to our family’s business.

The question is, how did I come into existence? Well, Mom found a way to have Dad’s attention. She believed that if I were born, she would have Dad’s attention. After all, she’s not called the villainess of the Taylor family for nothing. And that’s how I came to be, born out of her love.

“But why did you have to do that to Mom?”

Despite him giving me numerous reasons, I just couldn’t comprehend it. Why did he accuse Mom and put her in prison without considering who was truly at fault? I couldn’t fathom the idea of Mom killing Aunt Elisa.

She may be perceived as a villain in her own way, but my mom couldn’t harm a single ant. She’s neither a psychopath nor a criminal who would kill her own best friend, who happens to be having an affair with my dad. While it may seem like a strong motive, it’s simply impossible. If Mom truly had intentions to harm Aunt, why didn’t she do anything when she found out about her pregnancy with Dad while she herself was pregnant? Why did she take care of her instead?

“She deserves to be in jail.”

“You don’t even know what really happened. You’re just accusing Mom!” I shouted. “It’s you who deserves to be in jail, not Mom.”

“The scene speaks for itself. Stop denying the truth,” he said. I simply shook my head in response.

“It’s just because the scene implicates Mom as the murderer. You intends to put her in jail.”

“And now you’re doing the same thing she did a year ago,” I retorted, ignoring his words. It was a relief that his supposedly brilliant child didn’t turn out to be a complete disaster.

“She’s still alive and breathing, though,” I smirked at him.

“You!” He pointed at me. “Get out of my office. I might do something even worse to you.”

Tsk. I left his office.

As I walked down the hallway, I spotted Nanny. Her name is Isabelle De Guzman, the second mother figure in my life. She was the head of the household staff in the mansion. She took care of me when Mom was imprisoned and treated me like her own child, unlike my supposedly brilliant father. Mom had entrusted me to her, as she had told me.

“What happened, my child?” she asked me with concern as she approached. “What happened to your cheek? Why is it swollen and bleeding?”

“I’m fine, nanny,” I replied. She may be old, but she never quit her job just to take care of me.

“Are you really fine? Your wound is bleeding, son. Please don’t tell me that you’re used to getting injured by your father,” she said softly, her statement tinged with sadness.

I didn’t realize that the slap had left a scar. I didn’t feel any pain from it. This wasn’t the first time he had hit me. My father punished me every day. He always saw my resemblance to Mom in my facial features, which he despised.

“I’m fine, nanny. Don’t worry about this small scar,” I assured her, pointing to the wound on my cheek. “I’ll take care of it later.” I offered her a smile.

“It’s as if your mother is with me whenever you smile,” she said, her voice carrying a tinge of sadness as she spoke those words. “I miss your mother.”

She had been by their side ever since Mom married Dad. She treated Mom as her own daughter, acting as her protector against Dad’s abusive hands.

I offered her a bitter smile and said, “I’ll go to my room.” Before leaving, I kissed her forehead as a gesture of gratitude.

Once inside my room, I switched on the lights, revealing the design that greeted me upon entry. Most boys prefer a black and white theme, but my room was different. It embraced a dark, bloody eclipse theme. Dim red lights illuminated the space, while the bed was adorned with a deep crimson hue. The curtains mimicked the colors of an eclipse. The maids were afraid to enter and clean, leaving me responsible for maintaining its tidiness.

I sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, knowing what would come next. I was certain he would send me away to a province, far from this mansion, to keep me away from him and his daughter, to prevent any further trouble.

With determination, I rose from the bed and made my way to the bathroom. I retrieved my first aid kit to tend to my wound. After treating it, I promptly returned to the bedroom to gather the belongings I would need.

I grabbed my suitcase and swiftly selected clothes from the walk-in closet. Once I had them, I placed them carefully on the bed. Then, I retrieved my travel bag and began organizing my electronic devices—laptop, tablet, USBs, CDs—and my MP3 player. I made sure not to forget my watches and eyeglasses. With all the essentials now in my travel bag, I started folding my clothes into compact pieces, creating more space for other items.

“Did I forget something?” I pondered as I continued folding. Then it struck me—the album.

Hastily, I made my way to my secret locker where I kept the precious album. Retrieving it, I sat down and began flipping through its pages. There was no way I could leave this album behind. It was the sole remaining gift from my mom, a homemade compilation of our pictures with handwritten captions and letters.

I vividly recalled the painful memory of Dad burning all the belongings that reminded me of Mom when she was imprisoned. He incinerated her possessions and any gifts she had given me. Everything, except for this album. Nanny had saved it for me, understanding its significance as the only tangible connection to Mom.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. With urgency, I concealed the album amidst the pile of clothes on top of my bed.

(Knock knock knock)

“It’s open. Stop knocking,” I replied irritably, not bothering to look at the person who was at my door. I continued folding my clothes, feeling the presence of the unwelcome guest entering my room.

“I’m glad I don’t have to tell you anymore,” he said, making himself comfortable inside.

Bastard.

“I will transfer you to Laguna. You’ll be staying there permanently,” he declared.

Permanently? It’s only good for you, I chuckled inwardly.

“You can choose which university you want to attend. You can do whatever you please. But…” His words trailed off, catching my attention.

I smirked at what I heard, already anticipating his next statement.

“I must warn you, never do anything that would bring disgrace to our family’s reputation. Is that clear?”

I couldn’t help but find it amusing that he was more concerned about my reputation than anything else.

“Fine,” I responded curtly.

“I’m warning you,” he said before leaving the room.

What did I expect? Words like “Be safe” or “Take care”? That’s only something he would say to his precious daughter, not to me.

“My child?” a gentle voice called from the doorway. I looked up and saw her saddened face. “Are you leaving?” she asked as she approached and took a seat beside me.

“Don’t cry, nanny.” I gently wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Now, you can spend time with your grandchildren.” I smiled bitterly. “I won’t suffer anymore. I am finally free. You won’t see me with scars or wounds inflicted by his hands.”

We engaged in small talk about my upcoming move to Laguna, a place I still knew little about. She helped me fold my clothes and pack them into my suitcase. I carefully placed the album in my travel bag.

“Don’t forget about that, okay?” she said, looking at the album with concern.

I met her gaze. “Of course, nanny. This is the only gift I have left from Mom,” I replied.

She also gave me instructions, cautioning me against getting into fights or creating conflicts. We made our way down the stairs together, but she continued to shower me with more advice. Despite no longer being a child, I couldn’t help but chuckle at her motherly concern. Nevertheless, I listened attentively to her words.

“Take care of yourself there,” she reminded me.

I smiled at her, a warm and genuine smile. “I will, nanny. And I won’t forget to call you, okay? I’ll keep you updated every day.” I understood her underlying message.

She still wore a sad expression. “Don’t forget to take your medication and rest. I’ll miss you,” I said while embracing her.

“I’ll miss you too,” she replied, hugging me back. “I won’t have anyone as handsome as you to take care of.” Her words brought a smile to my face.

I kissed her forehead one last time before putting on my poker face again as I noticed him standing by the front door. What was he doing there? Did he want to witness his soon-to-be criminal son leaving the mansion with his own eyes?

“Your driver will take you to Laguna. I’ve already arranged a condominium for you to stay in,” he announced.

I didn’t bother looking at him.

Laguna.

“I’m off, nanny,” I said before entering the van. I preferred to be inside, away from the sight of that man’s face. If he didn’t want me as his son, I didn’t want him as my father or my mother’s husband.

The van began to move once I had settled comfortably in my seat, and my luggage was securely stowed inside.

After a few minutes, I reached for my phone in the bag beside me. I dialed an unknown number, cutting off the automated greeting.

“Skip the pleasantries. I need you to research universities in Laguna,” I stated firmly.

“I’ll gather information on all the schools and send it to your email tomorrow, Moriarty,” the voice on the other end replied.

With that, I ended the call. Let me choose my own school. It would be a mistake to let you decide, Father.

The driver broke the silence with a question. “Sir, would you like to grab a bite to eat? There’s a fast food chain up ahead.”

“Yes, let’s go to the drive-thru at McDo.”

I look outside at the window. Who would like to travel without eating yet and at night seriously? Tsk. He really wanted me to get away from the mansion immediately before his daughter came back from the hospital.

I check my phone for messages from the organization.

I’m part of organization. This organization is only open for a villain people. An organization gives missions originating from individuals seeking revenge and other motives. I have been part of this since last year after what my father did to my mom.

I login my account to the page. This page is highly-protected by the founder of this organization. Only those involved in this are able to see this page. Since illegal transactions occurred within the organization.

There are many posts of accomplished missions. But only one post caught my attention. The post that was posted by the rank 1 – Maria Clara. She went on a risky mission again, ha. She never failed any mission she got. And her customers are always the VIPs.

There are two types of customers in this illegal organization.

The VIPs – the one who rewards a million as long as you accomplish it. Also they are the ones who always give a risky mission. Not only that, sometimes this mission gives you an opinion to kill.

The commoners – the one who rewards a 1k – 10k depends on the mission they give you. A Simple mission will be given by them.

For me, I get the commoner mission. To punish my half-sister for what she did to this customer.

I posted the mission and attached some pictures as proof. I signed it as accomplish task with the customer codename on it.

We use codenames, even our customers. Our identity needed to be hidden and never be disclosed to anyone. Except Maria Clara. I know a little information about her but she did not know any single information about me. Via a confidential person I know.

I wait for my customer message. I lean my head first as I wait.

(ting ting ting)

As I hear my notification, I look at the message that has been sent.

From: Dark Queen

Thank you for accomplishing the task. I will send the money to your account.

Received

Seconds pass another message has been sent.

From: Dark Queen

I already sent it. Reply if you see it already.

Received

After reading it, I checked my account first before replying to the message.

Dark Queen sent you a ₱7, 000 pesos (seven thousand pesos) in your account.

To: Dark Queen

Already seen it.

Sent

Thanks to this person, I teach my half-sister a lesson even in small ways.

I’m half way through logging out of my account. Suddenly, the driver asks. “Sir, what do you want to order?”

“One Burger, fries, fried chicken with rice and a coke float. You can choose what you want to order for yourself,” I answered.

I log out my account. And put my phone in the bag. I lean and close my eyes. I didn’t notice that I had already fallen asleep

“My baby”

“Do you know why I name you Hadeon?”

“Because Hadeon means destroyer.”

“Maybe you can destroy your father’s cruel heart.”

“Always remember, even many people look at you as a villain. Don’t mind them. Be yourself.”

“I love you baby.”

“Ha.” I sat down while catching my breath. I felt the tears on my cheeks as I placed my palm to my face.

“Mom.”

I check the time on my watch. It’s already 8:30 pm. I put my phone in the bag and dialed the police station number.

( Ring ring ring)

[“Hello, this is PO2 Montello what I can do for you?”]

“This is Hadeon Azazel Manson. Can I talk to my mother, Laetitia Taylor-Manson? I’m her son.”

[Mrs. Manson, someone called for you,” I heard someone say to my mom.]

[“Who is it?” Mom asked.]

[“It’s your child,” the voice replied as the phone was handed over.]

“Mom?!”

[“Why did you call? You know your dad,” she said.] She always worried when I called her without my dad’s permission. She knew the consequences it would bring.

“I’m fine, Mom. I’m away from him now. He sent me to Laguna.”

[“Baby.”] I could hear her sobbing, which ignited a boiling anger within me. [“Be safe and take care, baby. Please don’t put yourself in any trouble. I’m sorry.”]

“It’s you who needs to be taken care of, Mom. I promise you, I will free you from that prison. We’ll be together again, with a nanny, far away from my despicable father. We’ll live a happy life without him. No more pain caused by him. We’ll set you free, Mom. I promise.”

[“Baby-“] Her voice was cut off by the police. [“Your 5 minutes are up. Say your goodbyes.”]

[“Love you, baby. Please stay safe.”]

“Love you too, Mom. I will. Stay safe as well.”

And that was how the call ended.

“Sir, your order is here,” the driver quickly said after the call.

I simply nodded in response.

I received my food and began to eat.

I will free you, Mom, no matter what it takes. Even if it means my father becomes my enemy.

I won’t forget the meaning behind my name. But I’ll be a destroyer in my own way. No one can stop me. Even though I won’t be evil or a traditional villain.

After all, I’m Hadeon Azazel Manson. A man who will do everything in his own villainous ways.

Because my second name, “Azazel,” represents the fallen angel or demon. The combination of destroyer and evil suits the villainous persona of Moriarty. I’m Moriarty, part of a villain organization.