The Royal Contract

Chapter 1320: It felt like home

He watched outside his window as the car cruised smoothly on the almost empty street. She could hardly see anyone around except for a few passing cars.

He had never been in this place before, but he guessed this was where the rich people lived, seeing the high perimeter walls that covered the other side.

"What is this place?" He asked, wondering why they were circling this area. They had been driving for a while, so naturally, he was curious why.

He could only assume that Adam might live here or someone he knew, but what did it have to do with him?

"Serena lives in a house like this." Adam pointed to one of the large mansions inside a massive iron gate as he stopped just outside.

He already suspected a star like her would have a big house like this. But he had never imagined it would be this big as he stared at the size of the structure and the lawn surrounding it.

"So, what?" He knew what this lawyer was doing. But a big house was not enough to change his mind. He may have dreamt once of having a permanent roof over his head, but that dream had already sailed.

"I don't need a big house." He said, looking instead at the car that just passed them by. He guessed people who lived in this place also had nice cars as he stared at the shiny metallic sports vehicle that entered the gates.

"Ok. Then, let me show you another place." Adam suggested as he accelerated the engine and drove again in another direction.

He watched the dark road, thinking of all those times he had jumped from one foster home to another. Some were nice, but unfortunately, many of those places were something he chose to forget.

Nothing made him feel more at home than in the cold, dark, dirty alley where he had found a family. It toughened him, stopping the nightmares that plagued him every night.

"You know it would not change my mind. You are just wasting your time." He said as he stared outside his window, but only saw the young kid who would cry himself to sleep in one dark corner of a house.

Then, he would wake up screaming, soaking wet, and gasping for air. Then, he would pray that he had not woken up anyone else in the house. And nobody would walk through the door.

Why?

It would be as worse as his nightmare.

"I still have time. And I am going to use every minute of it." Adam seemed determined as he glanced at him with a friendly smile.

He shrugged his shoulder, finding an equally stubborn adversary. He guessed they would see about that as he kept his silence.

Then, he was back in that dark, eerie room, trembling in fear when he heard movements outside. That could only mean one thing.

He closed his eyes when the door opened, not wanting to see the anger in her eyes. He kept his body curled in a ball as tight as he could. That was his only way to protect himself.

"Didn't I tell you I don't want anything to disturb me when I am asleep?" The woman that everybody called Mom moved closer until she stood over him.

Even if he could not see her, he could feel the rage in her voice. It was only a matter of time before he felt the first whip of leather touching his skin.

"Aaahhh..." He shouted as the pain spread on his legs from the strong impact.

"You just never learn," Mom yelled again, causing him to jerk, terrified of what she would do next.

He knew that his punishment was far from over. In truth, it was just beginning. He would be lucky if Mom had been in a good mood, but he was not hopeful.

"I am sorry. I did not mean..." But the words died down in his lips as the next strike hit him hard on his thighs.

He twisted in extreme excruciating pain. He could already tell that bruises were not the only thing he should worry about.

He doubted he could walk or stand, for that matter, without feeling the pain. If that was the case, how could he do his chores in the morning?

"Please, I will be good and quiet." He tried to plead with her, wanting her to stop.

But she knew his begging would not make much difference. She would only stop when she thought she had taught him a lesson.

Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder, making him jerk his body away. But could he escape his fate? He was just a child. What could he do? Where could he go?

"Hey, Ken." The voice spoke gently. It sounded different. "Ken, wake up." Then, the hand started shaking him. "Wake up? I think you are dreaming." The persistent voice echoed in his head.

He hesitantly opened his eyes, afraid that something far worse would happen, but when he saw Adam, he felt relieved.

Suddenly, he could breathe again, feeling like the heavy load lifted on his shoulder. He blinked a few times as he tried to clear his mind, wanting to forget what just happened.

"Are you ok?" Adam asked him, looking concerned. The man still had his hand on his shoulder, slightly tapping him.

"Yeah! Why won't I be ok?" He finally answered, shaking off the fog in his head.

"You seemed to be having a nightmare," Adam told him, making him look away and stare outside again.

It was the only time he realized Adam had parked the car in an almost empty parking lot. He had no idea where they were, but he could tell it was a tall building.

"It is nothing. Probably just some silly dream of the movie I saw the other day." He pretended to have seen a horror movie. But, of course, that was a lie.

"Where are we?" He asked, wanting to divert the attention away from him.

He never liked talking about his nightmares, much more about his pasts. He preferred to bury them in the deepest part of his brain, hoping someday, it would never resurface again.

"Let me show you." He finally opened the door and exited. Then, he waited for him to follow.

Having no choice, he unbuckled his seatbelt and let the man show him around. He walked beside him as they entered a private elevator. It was the type that needed a card for it to open.

"So, what is this place?" He asked again as he watched the floors move upward.

"This is where I work." Adam finally answered his question when the doors opened to a spacious floor. "Come on."

He followed him into a door and inside a room. It was huge with a table and chairs, among other things. And when he moved toward the window, he could see the top of the other tall buildings around him.

"Damn, this is high." He said, amazed and fascinated with his new experience. It was his first time to be in a high place like this.

"What do you think?" Adam asked as he sat on his chair behind the desk.

"I think this place is cool." Ken nodded his head, thinking that he must be good at his job to be working here. "This is far better than your last office." It was indeed an upgrade.

"Yeah, I also think so." Adam looked around the room before he stood up. "So, are you ready for our next stop?" Then, he walked passed him and straight to the door.

Ken could not help but wonder what that man was doing, touring him to all these places. But he guessed he agreed with it, so he had no choice but to go along.

"Let's go." He said, still skeptical but confused. Only this time, the ride was not long, if compared to the previous ones.

But the place was no different from his alley. He could see tattoed gangs hanging around the corners. He also found a few beggars sleeping on the pavement.

.net

"This is where I grew up," Adam said, pointing to a building with a dark alley on the side. "That was my spot."

"No way!" He could not believe him. "You are just making that up."

He could not see this man as growing up in this place. He could not be part of a gang. He was too clean, proper, and he was a fucking lawyer.

"Nope." Adam shook his head. Then, he discarded his jacket, throwing it in the back, and rolled up his sleeves, showing him his arms.

Surprisingly, he saw the ink that covered some part of his arms. Then, he saw a familiar symbol of one of the gangs that ruled the street marked on his inner wrist.

He guessed Adam was telling him the truth. It was there on his skin. As much as he wanted to deny it, Adam was the exception. He had managed to escape this life.

Then, Adam was driving away again out of this place. He could only watch as they left behind the life that Adam used to have.

Could he also do that?

"I still don't understand why you are doing this." He asked when they stopped in an old building.

It was not the same as the ones they went before. It was old, and it was not a place for the rich. But it looked decent.

"Come on, let me show you my home." He ushered him into the building that had seen its better days. But it was still better than the other places he had stayed.

Then, Adam guided him inside a room that was clean and nice. It was not the five-star hotel that Serena had brought him, but it felt warm and cozy.

Somehow, it felt like home. The kind of home he had dreamt for him.