THE PROMISE
The heavy pressure and tension between the two men flooded the living room. No-one speaks, and no-one blinks. Their gazes clash and the two ladies can feel the oppressive and ominous aura dominating the air. Chaise gave the man a hostile look. Lunaire and Sumire looked at Chaise questioningly when he called the hunk by his full name in his firm tone. Sumire was now feeling anxious in her place, it did not cross her mind that her father would know the man she was going to marry.
"Sir," Mort replied in a formal, deep tone with a slight frown. He is expecting to meet Chaise again, but it didn't occur to him he will meet the man in this situation. Sumire clung to Mort's right arm and her grip tightened when she noticed her father's scrutinizing look at her.
"You knew each other?" Lunaire asked, looking back and forth at Mort and her husband who eyed the handsome hunk in repugnance.
"Sort of." Chaise shortly replied and gaze at the emerald green ring on his daughter's finger. 'How on earth did they meet each other?' He asked himself in astonishment.
"Ah, then I'm the only one who needs to introduce here." Lunaire merrily said as she approached the hunk with grace. Mort quickly notices the resemblance between Sumire and the sylphlike woman standing in front of them. Sumire obviously got Lunaire's striking beauty, only the mother had a tear mole in both the corner of her hazel orbs. The maiden possesses her father's stormy dark gray eyes, beautiful but disastrous. Sumire and Chaise ooze the same strong aura. Both are rebellious, bold, and stubborn cold.
"I am your mother-in-law, Lunaire Massoullève." Lunaire introduced herself with a playful smile while winking at her daughter, Sumire.
"The name's Mort, mother." Slightly bowed, the hunk properly introduces and glances down at Sumire who couldn't meet his eyes. Her cheeks and ears burning red.
"Oh! This is exciting! I can't wait to see your babies with him, sweety." Lunaire exclaimed in gaeity. "I'm definitely hundred percent sure, they're gonna be handsome and lovely as you two are." She added, squealing, making Sumire smile awkwardly at her mother.
"Stop this insanity, Lunaire. You have no idea who Mort is. He is someone Sumire shouldn't have met. If possible we will never make a deal with them or any sort of connections." Chaise butts in and groans, depressed upon Mort's presence in the place.
Chaise looked at his daughter who was dearly in love with the young man. 'I know she has been fascinated by death since she was a child. Who would have thought that--' Chaise's thoughts interrupted when Sumire suddenly spoke.
"Dad, how did you two meet?" Frowning, the maiden curiously asked. "Tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it." She added but Chaise answers her with a deep sigh and choose to ignore her.
"Ladies, give us some privacy." Chaise said in a stern tone and walk ahead, he entered the nearest guest room. Unbothered, Mort followed after him leaving the two ladies in the living room.
"Mom, what is Dad planning to do?" Sumire asked and face worriedly at her mother. She wanted to follow them but Chaise stopped her. Lunaire answered her with a shaken head. She didn't have the slightest idea of what was going on but she was certain that her husband finds Mort's presence unlikeable.
"Don't worry, baby. Whatever happens, I am on your side. I will support all of your decisions. Momma always got your back." Rest assured, Lunaire said and hug her daughter.
.........
"You promised." Chaise made a short but emphatic remark after they entered the guest room. He faced him with a strict look on his face like a father should do when confronting his daughter's suitor. Expressionless, Mort remains silent and stares unemotionally at him.
"How could you approach her like that knowing that she is my daughter? What do you need this time? Tell me. I will grant every of your wish. And I want you to leave after that, away from my daughter's life." Sighed, Chaise look directly into the hunk's man. All he wanted was Sumire's safety and happiness. He doesn't want his daughter to be involved in this man's dangerous world.
"I make such no promises." Standing taller and bigger than him, Mort replied detachedly. The loud silence reigned between them. Chaise couldn't determine if the hunk was kidding or serious. He finds his answer utterly disagreeable.
"You clearly-" Chaise was cut off when Mort preceded and didn't let him finish speaking.
"You made me promise not to appear in your life or from any Massoullèves though it's just a coincidence that we met decades ago. I utter no words. Technically, I didn't make a promise." Mort added making Chaise's jaw drop. He had a stoic expression on his face.
Chaise's hand reaches the side of his head throbbing in pain and gently massages it. He could feel the veins pulsating and gave Mort a hostile stare. 'How did it happen?'
15 YEARS AGO...
The sun sets in over the horizon rising above the ocean. Its glitters and gold stretch beyond the veil of black infinity reigning in the west. The pleasant sunset and the calm whisper of the wind humming through the place make everything looks peaceful and serene. Chaise visited one of his lands that he planned to turn into a farm for crops and livestock. Wearing his sunglass, Chaise's gaze travel the vast grassland when his eyes caught a handsome 15-year-old boy who had gone astray from his land. Standing under the giant tree at the top of the mountain. The glowing sun burning in red illuminated a quivering path across the water. The young boy had quietly watched the sun setting in the wide vast ocean.
Chaise removes his sunglass, eyes squinting while walking his way to the boy. He should have confronted him as he was considered a trespasser, but Chaise noticed the strange emotion cruising the young lad's emerald eyes as if that was the first time he had seen such beautiful scenery and the beauty of the world. He saw the freedom in his mesmerizing green orbs.
The young lad was unaware of Chaise's presence approaching in his place. He was too overwhelmed at the sight of the sunset. Chaise patiently waited for the youth to finish admiring the breathtaking scenery ahead.
10 minutes later, the young boy slowly looked to his left side and there he saw Chaise standing in the near distance. His expression turn frosty cold in just a second and his pair of emerald eyes went lifeless. Chaise was a little bit surprised at how quickly the boy's expression changed into something indescribable. It's like he had changed into a completely different person. 'Is this really the kid from earlier?' Chaise doubtfully asked himself.
"Go home now, kid. It's almost dusk, your parents might scold you." Chaise said that the young man remain unmoved in his place instead, he kept looking at him blankly and it gives him creep.
"Are you the owner of this land?" The young lad asked in his accent, his tone is colder than the sea breeze. He interrupted Chaise's thoughts. 'He's smart.' Chaise complimented his wits in the back of his mind.
"This land is mine and you are trespassing. My advice to you is to leave before I call the police." Chaise said in a threatening tone to scare him out but the young man didn't seem to care less.
"No." Firm, The boy shortly replied. Chaise sighed heavily and slightly scratches the corner of his eyebrow. The side of his lip curved up, he knew this lad is a stubborn type in just one glance. "Your parents-"
"They're dead." The young man interrupted him for the second time, leaving Chaise's word hang in the air. Chaise gulped hard and was too stunned to speak at what he heard. He couldn't find a word to utter. He felt pity for him even though he knew the young man obviously did not want to be pitied.
"I'm sorry." Chaise formally apologizes. "How about your relatives?" He unwittingly changed the topic. The young man ignores his latter question.
"Allow me to build a shrine at this place." The young boy said in a commanding tone making Chaise astounded. He had the look of tyranny even at his young age.
"Why shrine?" Curious, Chaise asked and cast a scrutinizing stare at him. This is the first time he had seen such a peculiar kid.
"I need a place to live." The lad replied. Confused, Chaise still couldn't fathom what the young man has in mind. He couldn't read him.
"I can give you a place to stay. Just tell me what you want. Condo? Penthouse? Villa? name it." Chaise said, but the young boy wasn't surprised or impressed at all by his offer.
"Then how about this part of your land. I'll build my own home here." The boy boldly said. Chaise gasped at his daring response. His demand was naturally accompanied by a command that no one would ever defy. After a short silence, Chaise eventually agreed to him.
"Sure. Do you need anything else?" Chaise asked further but the young lad didn't answer him. The boy look coldly around the place and was already planning what design his shrine would have.
"Ah, I forgot to ask your name. Tell me." Chaise slightly chortled when he didn't get a response.
"Mort." The young boy shortly replied. The gentle breeze stirred his hair messy as the sun dipped below the horizon, and the fleeting colors of dusk began to fade away behind him.
"Tell me your complete name, I have all the right to know since I am kind of your savior." Chaise further questioned him. The lad sighs at the man's stubbornness.
'I can't stand him.' said the young boy and faced him with a cold, serious expression. He answered his question. "Mort Dmitriv Aslanov is my name."
He was gazing in stupefaction, Chaise's blood runs cold after knowing his name. The cold wind blows between them as he was nailed to the ground, petrified. For the first time, he regretted his decision but there was nothing he could do. He is aware that he can never take back his word.
"You are a fucking liar son of a-" Chaise didn't continue what he was going to say when he suddenly felt the danger oozing around the young man. He turned into an indifferent cold and the glint of bloodlust cruised in his eyes. Chaise was stoned in his place.
"You can have this land by yourself. I don't need it anyway. Take it all." Jaw clenched, Chaise's hand turns into a fist, and lips purse into a thin line. "Just promise me that you'll never gonna show me or any Massoullèves again. Let's pretend we never met." Chaise said and turn his back on him, hurrying to leave the place.
Chaise didn't expect this day to meet the heir of Aslanov in person. He doesn't know them personally but his brother, Chadwick tells him about the tale of that infamous family name in the underground.
"Even if I tell my brother about this, he won't believe it." Chaise murmured to himself as he found his way towards his car. Teeth gritted, "Fucking mafias!"
............
"So you remember." Chaise opens his eyes only to narrow at the hunk in front of him, growing into a huge and strong man. He sighed heavily when Mort spoke, he was brought back to the present and now it was making his head throbbing hard in pain. This man is now a pain in his ass.
"I remember all too well." Mort coldly replied and stride forward. He looks him in the eye emotionlessly which Chaise is slightly taken aback.
"I am telling you, Sir. No matter what the reason is, I am not letting her go. Even if you are the one who gets in the way."
