The next day, in Mike's mansion:
"Sir, are you sure you want to go to the party?"
"Yes, of course. I'll be there… Have you found out more about that kid?" Mike asked.
"Yes, sir. Here's the file," she said, handing him a neatly bound folder with a bow. Mike opened it and skimmed through the pages.
"So he's Aiden, a university student… and he's even pretty in the photos," he remarked, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"But sir, he stays with the Smiths and he's going to be at the send-off party," she added.
"Ah, that explains why Charlie has been so protective of him. Seems like Damien's new boy," Mike said with a sly grin.
"If you'll excuse me, sir," the lady said, bowing before leaving the room. After she left, Mike pulled out his phone and typed: "Hoping to see you this evening."
---
Later that afternoon, Aiden was in his room, packing his clothes into a box while chatting with Mrs. Kate, the head maid, who was assisting him.
"Have you packed your things too? I heard you're going with us," he asked, concerned.
"Yes, I already did. That's why I came—to keep you company," she smiled warmly.
"Since you're here, can I ask you some questions?"
"Of course."
"Since when have you been working for the Smiths?"
"Oh, the Smiths… I think over twenty years now."
"Wow, that's a long time. No wonder you're head maid," Aiden chuckled.
"I suppose so. I started before Charlie was born," she replied.
"Can you tell me what it's like working for them?" Aiden asked, curious.
---
Mrs. Kate had been with the family for decades, raising the twins and never quitting—a remarkable feat.
"So you literally raised the twins… but why is Damien so strict with everyone and rude sometimes?" Aiden asked while folding clothes.
"Strict? No, dear. We all owe him our lives, especially me… he did so much for us."
"In what way, ma'am?" Aiden pressed, intrigued.
"Sit down, dear. I'll explain," she said. Aiden complied, sitting beside her as he continued folding.
"The Smiths were the first family I ever worked for. I was brought to them by my father, who gambled away everything he had. They took me in and never treated me like a servant. They even allowed me to finish high school. After that, Mrs. Smith became pregnant, so I took over running the household. She gave birth to the twins, and I helped raise them, relieving her whenever the children needed attention. Then came Charlie… But a few years later, a tragic event happened," she sighed heavily.
"What happened?" Aiden asked, concerned.
"Just months after Charlie's tenth birthday, Mrs. Smith asked me to take the children on vacation. It felt strange, but I had to comply…"
---
FLASHBACK
"Kate, early tomorrow morning you'll be leaving with the children to Japan. Here are your flight tickets and passports," Mr. Smith instructed, handing her the documents.
"But sir… Charlie is too young to travel!"
"Please, Kate. Do this for us. Take them to my mother; we'll come after a few days. She knows you're coming," Mrs. Smith said.
That night, the maids and workers were dismissed, and security was tightened. It was a nightmare for Kate and the children.
"Why?" Aiden asked.
"Because we were told to leave the house that night and stay in a hotel. Charles had a fever, Charlie was asleep, only Damien was fine. He carried Charlie while I took Charles to the car. I told Damien to pack some of their things while I rushed Charles to the hospital."
---
Damien had been in the house packing when he heard voices downstairs. He ran to check but slipped on the stairs, tumbling down and landing on the floor. Through a slightly ajar door, he saw the horror unfold.
"You think you can get away with everything? You stole my beloved brother and now think you can take everything else, right?" a sinister voice taunted.
Little Damien witnessed his parents being shot.
"Mom…" he whispered. His mother, hearing him, turned to him with tears in her eyes.
"Charlton…" she called, giving her last breath. Damien fell unconscious from the trauma.
The intruders, assuming he was dead, left the mansion disfigured with blood and corpses. Kate returned from the hospital to find the house in chaos and Damien lying motionless. She called an ambulance immediately.
Damien was rushed to the hospital. His parents didn't survive. Charles and Charlie were sent to Japan by the driver, while Kate stayed by Damien's side.
---
Two Years Later
After two years in a coma, Damien finally woke up. Kate had cared for him like her own child. When he awoke, blurred memories surfaced, and he could only recall the word "Mom." The monitor beeped rapidly, and doctors had to stabilize him.
"You have to be careful with him," the doctor advised. "He's been in bed for two years; his feelings are unstable."
At seventeen, Damien awoke cold and distant, determined to uncover what truly happened and reclaim his family's legacy. He grew into a formidable young man, taking over the family business while Charles built his own empire.