The Heir - Stay ll

Chapter 21: the way

ZACHARY

Shu Ji helped us get out of prison in a not so hussle way. The mansion actually has so many hidden passages, and all you have to do is keep a keen eye around the place.

"Mag-ingat lang kayong dalawa. Hindi niyo alam kung maaring may biglang sumalubong sainyo sa lalabasan niyo." Was the warning he gave us before we left.

"Do you think we can trust him?" tanong ni Zyle

"I don't know."

"Hm, me neither. After knowing the fact about his daughter, hindi manlang ba sya tatakas para sa anak nya?"

"He definitely has a plan in mind. And we don't know it."

"Zyle." I called so he stopped on his tracks and faced me. "I want to tell you this. And I want you to take it seriously."

"What?"

"Never trust anyone. No matter who, or what they say."

"Not even Harper?"

I sighed. He still became a part of the dark. "Not even Harper."

.....

As we were on our way to the passages, natigilan kami nang marinig ang mga yabag ng paa. I immediately tried to look for somewhere to hide, while still being alert.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Zyle said

"No way" I said

"Zaczac, there's no other way." He smirked and easily climbed up to the ceiling. "Come on!" He urged. Oh please, not the spiderman thingy.

I was left with no choice but to do as what he said. We were now both doing our best to hold our arms and legs to the walls, while our backs leaned on the ceiling. It was difficult to fight gravity.

The passages doesn't have any light to brighten up the way. Our breaths literally stopped when an old man came to pass, walking with a cane on his hand, and a flashlight on the other.
It definitely is no other than the boss.

After making sure the old man has distanced far enough, we jumped back to the floor.

"Wait, where are you going?" Zyle whispered loudly

"You go continue walking to the outside, I'll follow the old man."

"But what if he kills you?!"

"He won't. And you know why."

"You can't pretend you're Harper, we don't even know—"

"Just go." I said with an intent look in his eyes. He sighed, giving up. We turned our backs opposite to each other, and continued with our own paths.

I kept my steps silent as I stayed conscious on the surrounding. The old man is five meters away from me.  Thankfully, he's slow walker given by his age. It was easy to chase after him without him knowing.

My eyes rounded when he pressed a block, opening another pathway. It won't be too long at muling magsasara ang daanan. I rushed to get through it before the walls shut close. I have to take risk. This is the only way I could find answers with my questions.

And because I rushed, it was no doubt the old man heard me.

A cold edge of a cane raised my chin. Napapikit ako nang dahil sa nakakasilaw na flashlight na itinutok saakin.

"What brings you here, Harper.." his voice wasn't deep at all. It was exactly the voice an old man would have. Airy. Yet was quick to inject fear to the inside.

I put my hand forward. "Let me hold your light for you."

With no hesitation, he gave me the flashlight he's holding and continued on his way. This old man beside me. I wonder what kind of thoughts did he feed with Harper.

The flashlight was no longer needed when a bright room was revealed to us. I tried my best to keep a blank expression, as we stepped on the marbles and be greeted with the white room.

It's a laboratory. Filled with smoking tubes, while the others containing potions with numerous columns.

"Just a short while, these potions are going to be finished."

"And?"

"If we can't own the company, then I have no choice but to do this the 'silently brutal' way." He said. "Since life is short, then let's make their lives even shorter."

"You're going to poison them"

"Precisely. And in the end, Li Fei gets the consequences. Just what would people do if they found out that the stars they've been looking up to, will die because of his carelessness?"

"But your grand daughter, Zeiri is also his artist."

"Bloodline no longer matters at this time."
"The entertainment is mine. It's what I live for, and it's what will people die for."

He's swallowed by his greed and jealousy.

"This potion right here, is invented to rot their organs in seconds." He said facing the bottles. "Although, I still am not hundred percent sure it would work."  He stared at me. "To assure it does, why don't you try take a drink?"

My heartbeat stopped. He knows I am not Harper. Naramdaman ko ang malakas na palo sa sikmura ko ganoon rin sa likod na siyang nagpabagsak sa tuhod ko at nagpadura sakin ng dugo.

"If being a bad guy is the only way to live longer.." I struggled to stand. "Then I can be worser." I said and all the potions he's been working hard off, exploded one by one, with the lights suddenly dimming dark.