a brother’s reckoning

As the approaching men drew nearer, the pot-bellied man suddenly rushed forward, his voice trembling. "Guys, everything's fine! We were just messing around with the kids—nothing serious," he shouted, desperation and fear evident in his tone.

"Just messing around with the kids, you say?" a familiar voice called out, calm yet commanding.

The group turned toward the source of the voice, their expressions shifting to shock as Graham stepped forward, his figure looming with authority.

Jude's eyes widened in recognition. "Brother!" he exclaimed, running to embrace him.

As Graham opened his arms to receive Jude, the pot-bellied man's gaze fell on the tattoos etched across Graham's forearms. His face paled as realization struck—he had just messed with someone powerful, someone dangerous.

The pot-bellied man immediately straightened, his voice shaky as he stammered, "L-long live, Leader," raising his hand in a sign of respect. The other men with him quickly followed suit, bowing their heads.

June, Sophia, and the others rushed to Graham's side, relief washing over their faces.

Graham's expression softened as he turned to them. "Is anyone hurt? Did they hit any of you?" he asked, his voice steady but tinged with concern.

Before anyone could answer, the pot-bellied man interrupted. "No, sir! We didn't touch anyone—"

Graham's sharp glare silenced him mid-sentence. "Did I ask you?" he said quietly, his calm tone carrying an edge of menace.

He turned to his men. "Take them away."

Without hesitation, Graham's men moved swiftly. The pot-bellied man and his group were overpowered, their hands and legs tied with ropes before being hauled off one by one.

Once the area was cleared, Graham gestured to Jude and the others. "Come with me," he said simply.

They climbed into a car, silence falling as they drove away from the scene.

A collective sigh of relief filled the vehicle. Graham, keeping his eyes on the road, glanced at the rearview mirror and noticed the bruise on Tom's face.

Breaking the silence, he asked, "Who hit you?" His voice was calm but carried an unspoken promise of retribution.

Tom hesitated, but June answered for him. "It was the pot-bellied guy. He slapped Tom across the face."

Graham's grip on the wheel tightened. "He'll pay for that," he said coldly. "I'll make sure he faces consequences before their zone leader deals with him."

"Brother… is it over now?" Jude asked softly.

"Yes," Graham replied, briefly meeting Jude's eyes in the mirror.

June, still tense, asked, "How did you know we were in trouble? And how did you find us?"

Graham gave a small smile. "I told you I'd handle it. I wasn't just saying that to comfort you. I made sure to track them and be ready in case they tried anything."

Sophia, sitting quietly until now, leaned forward. "Please, can you help me find out who's behind all this? I want to know why they're after me," she said, her voice soft but firm.

Graham nodded. "I'll find out. Don't worry. From now on, they'll protect you as family. They owe you that much. It's their way of making amends—and showing they're not all as bad as that pot-bellied fool." He let out a faint grin as he pressed the accelerator.

Zara, seated beside Tom, smiled warmly. "You were really brave today," she said, her tone teasing yet sincere. "I wasn't expecting you to stand up like a hero."

Tom shifted awkwardly, keeping his gaze away from hers. "Thanks," he muttered, managing a small smile that quickly faded.

Sophia broke the momentary silence. "Where are we going?" she asked in a near whisper.

"To Jude's house," Graham replied. "It's been a while since I've seen my family."

Jude's eyes lit up. "Wait, really? You're coming home?"

"Yes," Graham confirmed, his voice calm.

June, however, scoffed, looking away. "You won't be welcomed just like that."

Graham's expression didn't falter. "I know," he said, his tone steady. "I just want to say hello."

"Not after you cowardly ran away and caused the family trouble. Now you want to say hello to them? Tch." June's words came sharp, his voice low but loud enough to fill the silence in the car.

The weight of his accusation hung in the air, leaving the group quiet.

Graham sniffed, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, though he tried hard to maintain his composure.

After a deep sigh, he finally spoke. "Sometimes… the way we think things are isn't really the way they happened," he said, pausing to wipe his eyes with his left hand.

Sophia and the others sat silently, sensing the tension. This was clearly a family matter they didn't want to interfere in.

"No one ever asked me what really happened," Graham continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "Everyone just judged me. But I know… the day y'all find out the truth, it might already be too late to…" His voice trailed off as he stared ahead.

June let out a bitter laugh. "Too late to what? I don't see anything sensible about your existence," he muttered, his tone deliberately cutting as he leaned back against the seat.

Graham's face darkened, but before he could say anything, Elena softly muttered, "June, please stop."

Graham's grip on the steering wheel tightened as the sting of June's words hit him. His emotions were barely under control, and the car jolted slightly as they passed over a bump.

"You're only saying what they told you," Graham said, his voice rising with intensity. "You don't know anything about me." He paused, breathing deeply to calm himself before regaining control of the wheel.

"Stop the car," June said suddenly, his voice low but firm as he lifted his head.

"What?" Graham asked, glancing at him through the mirror.

"I said stop the car," June repeated, louder this time.

Without a word, Graham pulled over abruptly, causing everyone to lurch forward.

"What the hell?" Zara muttered, rubbing her head where it hit the back of the front seat.

June threw open the car door and stepped out, slamming it shut behind him. "Hey, dude, where are you going?" Jude asked, alarmed.

"Go! Go with him—go with your fucking brother who ruined our family!" June shouted, his anger boiling over as he stormed away.

Jude moved to open the door, but Graham stopped him. "Jude, let him go. He'll find his way," Graham said firmly.

Reluctantly, Jude sat back in his seat, clenching his fists. "It's already late at night. I don't know why June is like this," he muttered.

"It's my fault," Graham said quietly, his voice heavy with guilt. "That's why I never wanted to show up again until you came to me for help."

"Brother, it's not your fault," Jude said, trying to comfort him.

They drove the rest of the way in silence, the tension lingering in the air. When they finally arrived at Jude's family house, Graham pulled over and stopped the car.

"Get down," he said, his tone firm and final. He avoided their gazes, his expression unreadable.

After everyone stepped out, Jude walked over to the driver's side. "Brother, you should visit sometime. I believe there's still a way to fix things—"

Before Jude could finish, Graham drove off without another word, leaving them standing in silence.

The group waited outside, expecting June to arrive shortly since the house wasn't far from where Graham had dropped them. Minutes turned into hours, but there was no sign of him.

By 2 a.m., they decided to head inside, assuming June had gone somewhere to cool off. Sophia and Elena, unable to return home that night, stayed with Jude's family. They called Elena's mom, assuring her they were safe and would stay the night.

Despite the roof over their heads, no one slept well. The unease of not knowing where June was lingered, and they were forced to lie to his parents, saying he was staying at a family friend's house. It wasn't the first time they'd used this excuse, but it didn't make it any easier.