EDWIN

After I went home, I got a message from Everett. I was quite shocked to see the notification because usually, I'm the one who messages her first. This was the first time she messaged me. I wanted to see the message she sent me, but I knew what would happen if I opened it,I wouldn't be able to resist reaching out to her. With a heavy heart, I blocked her number. My dream of working at that company felt less important compared to the fear of losing her. I went to bed feeling deeply sad.

The next day, I was very bored. I thought it had been a while since I visited the orphanage, so I decided to go. When I arrived, I saw children crying and the director being beaten. Rage surged through me. A few thugs came forward to confront me, and I felt a dark satisfaction as I fought them off. My fists connected with their faces, the sound of bone crunching under the force. Blood splattered as one went down, another lunged at me with a knife, but I disarmed him and sent him sprawling to the ground. The boss, who was beating the director, saw the carnage and finally surrendered, kneeling down with fear in his eyes.

I approached him, my voice cold and unyielding. "Who sent you?"

He looked terrified and replied, "If I give you the information, he'll kill me."

"If you don't tell me, I'll be the one who kills you," I warned, my tone dangerous.

He stammered, "No, sorry, sir."

"Don't drag it out," I said, my voice low and menacing.

"He's Mr. R-------"

Bang.

Before he could say more, a gunshot echoed through the room. The suddenness of the violence left a chilling silence, deepening the sense of chaos.

I helped Mr. Charles to his feet and ushered the children inside. We started cleaning up the aftermath together.

"Thank you, Edwin," he said, his voice filled with exhaustion and gratitude.

"It's okay, Mr. Charles. What made you come here today?" I asked, trying to understand.

"Well, it's been a while since I visited the orphanage. I missed my daughter."

"I'm sorry you had to see this devastation," he said, his guilt palpable.

"If I hadn't come, I'm sure they would have burned this place down," I replied, frustration evident in my voice.

"They threatened me for information about the investor, but I wouldn't tell them anything, even if it meant my life."

"That's incredibly brave of you," I said, feeling a mix of pride and concern.

"I'm proud of that," he said, though his eyes were distant. "But there's more to this than just money."

"What do you mean?" I asked, sensing there was more he wasn't saying.

"There's a lot of power and secrets involved. Some things are better left untouched," he said quietly.

"Why are they after you specifically?" I pressed, feeling the tension rise.

"It's not just about me," he said, glancing around as if checking for eavesdroppers. "They're after something hidden—something that could change everything if it got out."

"You're stronger than they think, Mr. Charles. We'll get through this," I assured him, though the mystery only deepened my worries.

"There you go. You're cleaned up. Don't forget to take the painkillers and go to the hospital."

"Yes, Edwin. Thank you for everything."

"It's okay, Mr. Charles."

"Edwin, can you call me 'Father'? It's—"

He was interrupted by my embrace and calling him "Father." He returned the hug, his gratitude evident.

"Then I will go meet my daughter. You can rest now."

"Thank you, Edwin. And be careful. They won't stop until they get what they want," he warned gravely.

"I will, Mr. Charles. We'll keep this place safe."

As he left, a heavy sense of unease lingered. I searched for Mia, finally finding her alone on the terrace. The weight of the day's events and the looming danger made me more determined than ever to protect her.

Mia was crying on the terrace when I found her. I went over and hugged her gently.

"Daddy," she called out to me, her voice sweet and fragile, melting my heart.

"I missed you so much. Where were you? I thought you wouldn't come again," she said between sobs.

"I missed you too, darling," I said, trying to comfort her. "I'm sorry I was caught up with things. But I'm here now."

She stopped crying as I wiped her tears away. I picked her up and said, "See what I brought you." I handed her a small gift.

She looked at it and asked, "Is it the same one from last time?"

"Oh, this one? I thought you forgot about it, Daddy," she said, her face brightening.

"Why would I forget my baby's request?" I replied, smiling.

"Oh, Daddy," she giggled and kissed me.

"I promise I'll come and visit you once a week. But you need to promise me that you won't cry unless there's a really good reason," I told her, my heart aching at the thought of her sadness.

"Pinky promise, Daddy," she said, locking our pinky fingers in a solemn vow.

We spent a lot of time together, and before I knew it, it was almost 8 PM. I said my goodbyes and reminded Mr. Charles to get to the hospital right away.

Once home, I took out my phone and dialed the number of the person who would soon face their reckoning.

When the call connected, I didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I told you not to touch the orphanage, yet you had the audacity to threaten the director. Are you really that eager to see hell?" I said, my voice cold and dripping with menace.

"Consider this a final warning. I'm not just talking about consequences; I'm talking about total annihilation. I warned you that if you crossed the line, I would unleash a storm of retribution that would make the fires of hell look like a gentle breeze."

The gravity in my tone was unmistakable, underscoring the danger and destruction that would follow if they didn't heed my warning. The line went silent as the weight of my threat settled in, and I knew there would be no turning back.

"Start the countdown for your downfall, Mr. Rutherford, my dear stepbrother. Your time is running out."