Mafia King's Brother

last piece of remaining

"Yes, the house will be yours anytime you come!"

Noah, who had just hung his umbrella beside the door, froze as he overheard his stepfather, John. Immediately getting the instinct of something going wrong, chills ran down his spine, his heart picked up speed, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

Knowing that John disliked interruptions while on the phone, he hastily unwrapped his muffler and, taking off his jacket, rushed towards the kitchen to seek answers from his mother, Beth.

As soon as he stood behind Beth, he asked with urgency, "What is he talking about?"

Startled by his sudden presence, Beth quickly glanced over her shoulder with widening eyes in agitation. "Noah! You scared me!" Resuming her task of chopping the carrot, she added, "I am almost done with salad. Freshen up quickly and get ready for dinner."

Frustration surged within and patience was wearing thin. He clenched his teeth with the ignorance of his mother. He refused to let his questions go unanswered.

"Mom!" he called out with a voice tinged with a mixture of determination and impatience.

Taking a deep breath, she placed the knife on the board and wiped her hands on her apron.

Turning towards him with a solemn expression, she muttered quietly under her breath, "I don't want to do this."

Sensing his mother's hesitance, he grew more curious and asked, “Mom! Can you not beat around the bush?”

“We–”

"Finally, the deal is done." The confession was interrupted by the sudden presence of John. His face lit up with a big smile, clearly pleased about the news he was about to announce.

Noah squinted in puzzlement. "What deal?"

Darting a quick glance at him, John shifted his gaze towards Beth. Confusion flickered in his eyes as he asked, "Haven't you informed him yet?”

“I–” Beth opened her mouth, a determined expression on her face, but then closed it again, exhaling heavily.

"I knew it. You wouldn't do it!" John grumbled in frustration. With disappointment written all over his face, he turned to Noah and declared, "I am giving away the cottage."

“WHAT?”

Noah's heart skipped a beat as the words sank in. His mind struggled to grasp the full extent of what he had just heard. It was as if the ground beneath him had shifted, completely upending his world.

Noah Ross, the high school student with an innocent and endearing look, stood at an average height with medium-length hair falling in gentle layers and a pair of green eyes standing out behind those round glasses. He always tried to keep himself away from any kind of trouble, as living with his family was already an unsolved problem which he had to deal with every single day.

After his alcoholic father passed away, leaving only a cottage in his heritance, his mother had had married John and gave birth to Mimi. John always taunted him and verbal abuse was what he always had to go through. And now the abuse had even reached to extent of playing around with his only property left.

"No, you can't–” His voice quivered as he found the courage to speak through trembling lips.

"Not giving it away completely,” Beth interjected, hoping to ease his frustration. “We're just renting it out.”

However, he had already reached a state of frustration when her words did little to ease him.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he took a step back. "No, you can't do that. I won't let you do that to me."

Glaring, John grumbled, "You have no right to go against what I've decided."

With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, Noah turned to his mother. "Mom, are you really going to do this? Even after knowing what that property holds for me?" His voice carried a faint longing, as if he yearned for her response to be in his favor.

Not receiving anything, his desperation grew, and he shook his mother's shoulder with increasing urgency. "Please, say something! Please say you are not doing it."

“There is no use in asking her,” John interjected, crossing his arms with a smug expression on his face. “Being the head of the family, I have the full right to decide what is right for us.”

“Head of the family my–”

"Noah, sweetheart!" Beth interrupted, taking his hand gently, attempting to persuade him. "You know how difficult it is for us to raise you and Mimi. We need the additional income to ensure our financial security. And as I have said earlier, we are not selling it away, we are just–”

Yanking his hand away, he interrupted firmly, "No, you can't give the last remaining piece of my father to someone else. I won't allow it."

In a voice laced with bitterness, John retorted, "Don't speak of someone who left you and your mother in misery. It is I who provided you with shelter and adopted you. So, you cannot go against what I have decided.”

With a mixture of determination and frustration, Noah declared, "Fine, if you take so much pride in adopting me, then consider yourself relieved of that duty starting today."

"Noah!" Beth urgently grasped his arms, her eyes filled with concern. Forcing him to turn towards her, she ordered, "Stop misbehaving. Apologies to your father right now."

"Step-father you mean?” he muttered, breathing heavily in rage.

“Noah!” her voice was a helpless whisper.

“Why should I apologize for fighting for my rights? Shouldn't you be the one apologizing to me for renting out my property without my consent?" he retorted. "My dad left it for me, not for your second husband to misuse–”

A loud slap landed on his face, cutting off his sentence. Silence descended upon them, freezing the air as mother and son locked eyes.

Shortly after, her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening with immediate regret as she whispered, "What… What did I do?”

Trying to hold back his tears after experiencing such a thing for the first time, he gulped hard and took a step back. Reaching out for his muffler and coat that he had dropped on the floor, he made his way out.

As he made his way towards the door, Beth desperately reached out to him with tear-filled eyes. In a regretful tone, she pleaded, "Noah, I... I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Jerking his hand away with force, he grumbled, “If you don’t want to see me dead, then follow me.”

“Noah!”

“Let him go and get the taste of hardship,” he could hear his step-father, as he exited the house with his heart heavy with disappointment.

Stepping out of the porch, the snowflakes came clinging to his body and disappeared. Ignoring them, he hurriedly made his way out of the gate, consumed by his thoughts. However, his world turned chaotic when a speeding bike came hurtling towards him.

Just as he turned towards the bike, his eyes widened in sheer terror. Frozen with fear, he found himself unable to move as the bike approached him rapidly.