Ch 07: The Abondoned house

Roy's wife, Maria, was a beautiful woman. Her father was a powerful landlord from a village in the Heilbronn province and a politician with immense influence.

Maria had come from a life of luxury and continued to live in the same comfort. She was a kind-hearted woman, considerate of others.

She was unaware of what her husband, Roy, did behind closed doors. She only knew that he held a man named Lucien in high regard. This sorcerer had a strong influence over her husband.

Maria was living a happy life, like a queen in her realm, where no one dared interfere.

It was midday. The blue sky stretched endlessly, the sun continuing its journey toward its destination.

The four friends were returning to their village in a Land Cruiser, after spending time in the city. The driver was behind the wheel, with a gunman sitting beside him, while the four friends were engaged in cheerful conversation in the back.

"Stop… stop… stop," Roy suddenly ordered, and the driver pulled the speeding vehicle to the side of the highway.

"Back up," Roy commanded. The driver immediately complied.

"What happened?" Jimmy Trout asked.

"Stop here," Roy said. The driver halted the Land Cruiser.

They were parked right in front of an abandoned house in the desolate forest along the highway. From there, they could all see the house.

Roy was staring at the house, and the others followed his gaze.

"What are you looking at?" Raid asked.

"Do any of you know who built that house deep in the forest, only to leave it to be destroyed by the sun, rain, storms, and neglect?" Roy asked, still staring at the house. "And why was it built here?"

"Why are you asking?" Zohran asked, confused.

"If anyone knows, tell me," Roy said.

All three expressed their ignorance. None of them knew who had built the house or why it had been abandoned.

"Every time I pass by here, that question pops into my mind," Roy said. "But I've never found an answer."

"Why do you even care? Someone probably came into some money, didn't know what to do with it, and a crafty property dealer convinced them to build here. What else could it be?" Jimmy Trout replied with a laugh, causing the others to chuckle as well.

At Roy's command, the Land Cruiser sped back onto the highway. The vehicle moved swiftly forward, leaving the house behind.

Roy kept his eyes on the house in the side mirror until it finally disappeared from view.

About forty kilometers from that place was Roy's village.

Roy's mansion was enormous. After crossing the iron gate, a straight road led directly to the mansion. The boundary wall of the mansion was lined with trees, and around those trees, three fierce dogs roamed freely at all times. To the left was a lush green lawn.

Maria saw that Roy had returned. She was standing on the balcony upstairs at the time.

Maria came downstairs and, upon approaching Roy, said, "You were supposed to return tonight. How come you're back so early?".

"Yes, the work finished early," Roy said as he sat down on a chair.

"Shall I serve dinner?" Maria asked.

"I've already eaten. Did anyone come by?" Roy inquired.

"No," Maria replied as she sat down nearby. "Was someone supposed to?"

"No, I was just asking."

"I'll go make some tea."

"Don't just order it... make it yourself and bring it," Roy said with a smile as he looked at her.

Maria smiled back and left.

Meanwhile, a maid entered and informed him that Desmond was here to see him. Roy immediately told her to send him in.

Desmond was a stout man who always had glasses perched on his nose. When talking to people, he would look over the top of his glasses rather than through them, only using them when he had to read something. He was a shrewd and skilled man, speaking in a sweet and soft tone, but no one ever realized when his words had cut deep. He was Roy's trusted secretary and confidant.

"Come in, Desmond," Roy said as soon as he saw him.

"Good evening, sir," Desmond replied in his usual obsequious tone.

"Sit down."

"I don't have time to sit. What I have to say will make you want to stand up," Desmond said in that same tone.

Hearing this, Roy looked at him intently. He knew Desmond never brought up trivial matters that would waste his time.

"What's the matter?"

"Your uncle has started construction on that commercial property," Desmond informed him.

Roy was taken aback by this news.

"How is that possible? I have a case against that property, and the verdict hasn't been announced yet."

"They're confident the decision will be in their favor. The verdict is tomorrow," Desmond explained.

Roy stood up abruptly. "Confident or not, work shouldn't be happening there."

"Your uncle has armed guards stationed there," Desmond added.

"We have weapons too," Roy growled, his tone fierce.

"But it's not wise to fight right now," Desmond advised.

"When I want to fight, I don't care about timing," Roy snapped.

"It's better to wait until tomorrow. Hear the court's decision first, then do whatever needs to be done. They only started this morning, and it's nearly evening now—how much could they have built? They're just laying the foundations," Desmond said, trying to reason with him.

"That land is crucial. I want control over it. When I set my sights on something, I make sure I get it," Roy declared.

"Well, Mr. Roy, your uncle is the rightful owner of that land. You tried to take it, but when you failed, you filed a bogus case. I have to say, it seems our arguments are weak. We might lose the case," Desmond said, peering over the top of his glasses.

Desmond was the only employee who could speak openly like this, and Roy didn't take offense. He knew that even if Desmond said something harsh, he would have a solution for it.

Roy looked at Desmond again and said, "I did make some mistakes when I filed that case. I had a feeling we might lose. But what do you think we should do?"

"Every problem has a solution," Desmond said, winking.

"That's exactly what I'm asking—what should I do?" Roy asked, his frustration showing.

"Your uncle is a powerful man, but his children, even as adults, are still just kids," Desmond said, stepping closer to Roy with a meaningful expression. "If you cut off the head of the snake, the body can do nothing."

Roy nodded in agreement. "You're right. My last resort is to eliminate my uncle and take control of that commercial land. Once he's gone, none of his children will be able to stand against me."

"Exactly, Mr. Roy," Desmond said, nodding as a strange smile spread across his face.

"Assign this job to someone," Roy ordered.

"Consider it done," Desmond replied and left. Just then, Maria entered with a tray of tea. She handed a cup to Roy and said, "You've given Desmond some orders again, haven't you?"