All Along, You

XXIII - DESPERATE MEASURES

Kinn locks himself in his office. He found out a lot of things a few nights prior. Well, he watched so many clips and where it's obvious that Porsche and Vegas are siblings, other things don't really make sense.

How did Vegas end up with Gun? Vegas and Porsche must only be half-siblings, judging by Vegas' uncanny resemblance to his uncle.

His father once said that Gun forced Nampheung. Did that result to Vegas being born? Counting the years he's been married to his aunt Lin, he did it during the marriage too. Did Nampheung abandon Vegas? It seemed unlikely based on how she and her husband Pat treated Vegas so lovingly in those video clips. So, what happened? Did Porsche and Vegas end up being apart because Gun wanted nothing to do with Porsche and Chay since Vegas was his only biological child?

If that's the case, then why did it take so long for Nampheung to re-appear? What happened to their family? Was she really sick all these years? If so, why? What happened to Porsche's family back then? How come his father did not tell any of them? Why did she only appear recently, years after Gun had died? Why?

Kinn felt his head spin. It would be easy to say he should mind his own business but he knows deep down that it's impossible. Not if he wants to keep his empire running, and not if he wants to sleep soundly at night.

Kinn remembered meeting Vegas for the first time when he was about seven years old, Vegas was probably four or five, he doesn't clearly remember. For sure, though, those who are older than him do. And if his theory proves to be right, he's going to face a bigger problem. Kinn would ask his father, except, if he wanted Kinn to find out from him, why wouldn't he tell Kinn himself?

There was only one way to find a more unfiltered version of the truth. Kinn decided to make a phone call.

The person at the end of the line answers

'Kinn' he said.

"Kim, I need your help"

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Kinn realized that just because you're put in-charge, doesn't mean you know everything. And just because Kim isn't always on the scene, doesn't mean he knew nothing.

"So that's why you broke things off with Chay?"

"Do I need to answer that?" His brother coldly asked back.

No. Of course not. Kinn wanted to assure him but then, for what? There was pain in Kim's eyes, and he was the least emotional of the siblings, so Kinn did not want to pry anymore.

"I knew that if we continued, it's either I slowly die from guilt while seeing him happy with me while I hid the truth, or we end up becoming like you and Porsche now. I tried so hard to keep everything to myself. I hoped that Porsche wouldn't find out. I didn't want you to experience what you did" Kim said to him as he took a sip, hiding the vulnerability in his facial expression with a wine glass.

"You can be mad that I didn't tell you, Kinn. I just thought it would have been for the better" It sounded like an apology and Kinn nods. He cannot go back to the past anymore anyway and besides, despite Kim's cold demeanor, he knows his brother cares about him, about their family. And that would be the only reason why he'd kept a painful discovery on his own for such a long time.

He patted Kim on the back. He's kept the pain to himself, then. He left the one he loved because of guilt but he couldn't just drop the bomb on everyone for the sake of his family and his brothers, especially considering Kinn's relationship with Porsche back then. He looked at Kim and wondered if he regretted not telling him, seeing how things turned out anyway.

They both stayed seated until the wine ran out.

Kinn sighs. No one in their family could claim to be a good person. You can't expect anyone to just become a saint but at least you should be loyal to family. He did not find much in his own investigation. At least, not more than what Kim already knows.