“I was your father’s biggest bully in High School.” Antoine began to narrate over a cup of tea. “He was an outcast. Wilfred was the quietest guy I know, almost mute. He doesn’t talk when not necessary, even for the sake of communication. He was inflexible, but he was a genius. I did horrible things to him that traumatized him.”
Wilfred Robertson was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Not long after, he married his psychiatrist. Her love for him was so deep, but handling him was the challenge. It affected her mental health that resulted in insanity.
“Her memory triggers his disorder. I regret not telling you this. It is the biggest secret of the Robertson. That’s also the reason why he retired early in showbusiness.”
“He did?”
“I guess you didn’t hear about it. Also, he had to hide you because of his illness. He was also afraid of himself. I felt responsible for his sickness, so I devoted my life in service of him.”
It was the first time that Cade witnessed his father’s other personality. They called him Freddy, the one who was so obsessed with his mother. The big boss of the Doom Association. A ruthless leader.
“Wilfred doesn’t want you to be like him.”
Cade flew back to New York where Elsie was waiting for him. She welcomed him with a big hug at the hotel that made him blush.
“I thought I lost you,” she said.
He inhaled the scent of her hair.
“You cannot lose what’s never been yours,” he whispered.
“What?”
“I said, you’ll be alright. I already settled everything. I mean most of it.”
“What did you do?”
Cade stared at her face for a long time. If the truth would set him free, he would rather be imprisoned for the rest of his life.
“I… I told them to use me as their test subject instead. The experiment is life-threatening, but I can handle it. Don’t worry. Also, Stan is okay. We’ll be able to see him soon.”
Her eyes swam with tears. “Is that true? Thank you, Cade.”
Whether she was grateful that he took the risk that was for her, or because Stan was alive, he didn’t want to know. He had no right to count all his sacrifices or to be chosen.
***
A huge collision between a truck and a bus made the Isrelite Hospital buzz in the afternoon. Nurses rushed to cater to the victims of the crash. Most of them were students from Mchalmmond High School. No one died, but the truck driver escaped. His identity was unknown.
Cade covered the wound on his abdomen as his face contorted. The nurses were pushing the wheeled stretcher he was on. His skin went white due to blood loss before he was delivered to the hospital.
In a few hours, Cade’s surgery went well. He awakened to the sound of pouring rain. Ten years have passed, but it felt like yesterday when he was troubled about surviving. Nothing had changed since then. He was still fighting for his life—a battle no one else knew.
Cade pulled up the blanket when the chills entered his room together with familiar footsteps.
“How come you didn’t get any injury from the accident, yet you got stabbed?” Stan asked. He was wearing a white coat.
“I tried to stop the driver from escaping,” Cade flatly said.
“This is not the first time that you got involved with criminals, Cade. You frequent the hospital for the last five years.”
“It’s because I have an amazing doctor who saves me all the time.” Cade smiled sheepishly.
“I’m sick of you, moron.”
Stan sat on the chair beside the bed.
“I know you’re hiding something from me. How can a librarian get hurt most of the time? Last time I check, the books in Mchalmmond library didn’t have sharp pages.”
Cade wasn’t impressed. Stan had always been a fast thinker.
“You know what? I became obsessed with books to the extent wherein I transformed into the main character. The last novel I read revolves around a policeman with psychic abilities. That explains why I felt the urge to save some students from a child trafficking scheme.”
“I’ll try to make some sense of that answer. Though our brain cells are like parallel lines.”
A nurse stepped inside the room.
“Doc, someone is waiting for you in the lobby,” the nurse said. Her eyes gleamed as she looked at him.
“I’ll be there.” He glanced at her lips. “You look dehydrated. Please drink some water.”
Her mouth parted as Stan turned to her with his benevolence. She didn’t hear the next thing he said.
“Nurse Eve?”
She blinked when Stan called her name the second time.
“Adam? Y-yes, doc!” she replied and hurried to the door.
“Whoah… The rumors are true. Female doctors and employees swarm in this hospital because of you,” Cade said. He gave a lopsided grin.
“Why? What did I do?” Stan sounded like he defied a law.
“Nothing. And that’s the issue.”
“What issue?”
“Whatever, Stan. You’re still clueless.”
“Hey!”
They were startled when Theo marched inside and yelled.
“W-what?”
Cade was taken aback when Theo’s expression hardened. He was in his black suit.
“What are you up to? Did you know how many complaints I got about you? Most of them came from students,” Theo said.
“Why are you so worked up? You can make them drop their charges. I hired you for a reason,” Cade replied.
“Do you think it’s easy to defend you just because they are minor cases? What have you been doing to the students?”
Cade grimaced. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal, huh?”
Cade ached when Theo pressed his hand on his wound.
“Hey!” Stan pushed Theo’s shoulder. “Do you know how many hours this took to finish? This will take longer to heal, you jerk.”
Theo pointed at Cade. “Tell this dude to get his life together, or he will need to find another lawyer who can tolerate his bullshit.”
Theo calmed down when he received a call from his legal assistant. He went back to his law firm and met an unexpected man he haven’t seen for years.
“Mr. Thomas.”
The old man was hesitant, but he forced a smile.
“You haven’t forgotten me,” he said.
“How can I forget you? Please sit down and state your business.”
Mr. Thomas handed him a document about his lawsuit.
“I want you to defend me. I will pay double the price.”
Theo was fidgeting with his pen while reading the document. “Why did you choose me?”
“Because you never lose a case.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Because you’re great at your job.”
Theo frowned. “No. It’s because I choose my battles wisely. This time, I won’t choose you.”
“Why? Is it because of what I did to you? Is this your revenge?”
Theo remembered the exact words Mr. Thomas planted in his mind.
‘You know what? Your future is written on my palms. You will become a burden to society. All you will contribute are crimes and inconvenience. You will reach nothing spectacular. Not even a noble profession that’s worthy of respect.’
Theo sighed.
“This is assault, sir. I’m not taking your case not because of revenge. You assaulted a student.”
“What’s so hard about it?”
“It’s a losing game with or without evidence. Do you know why? Because I experienced it myself.”
“See? You’re taking this case personally. You lack professionalism.”
“My point is, you will be put in jail. I assure you that. With or without me. That is based on my professional judgment as a great lawyer.”
Mr. Thomas slammed the table.
“Do you know what’s absurd? You didn’t change. You still emphasize my flaws like I’m the problem. Why don’t you check yourself in the mirror? You might find a bigger problem.”
Mr. Thomas was about to speak when Theo’s phone rang. “Please excuse me.”
His legal assistant informed him that someone filed a lawsuit against Cade.
“A lawsuit? How big is that?” His nose wrinkled.
Cade became a librarian devoted to developing bullies into better students. He would punish them by any means may it be violence or a lecture that would force them to be kind. Cade didn’t believe in positive discipline. His mission ten years ago taught him that personal development was best learned through operant conditioning, specifically negative operants.
He was a full-time librarian and a part-time mafia boss. Cade accepted a deal with his father in exchange for everyone’s safety. He became the successor of the Doom Association and dealt with shady transactions.
Cade would visit Lily every month and talk to her for hours. He would sob in silence at her grave.
“If I told them the truth, I would be left with nothing. But why is it that I still feel lonely when I have everything?” Cade said.
“You should’ve called me.”
Cade turned to the lady beside him. Elsie grew up into the beautiful woman he had always imagined.
“What’s up?” he asked.
Elsie gave him the warmest hug he was addicted to.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t look out for you,” she said.
“I’m fine. I know you’re bombarded with tasks. Being a cop isn’t easy.”
Elsie got a new dream and joined the police force. She wanted to protect her loved ones, far from the weak teenager who relied on her friends to survive.
“We have a bigger mission this time,” she said.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
“Remember the Doom Association?”
“Yeah. They made our lives a living hell a decade ago.”
“We are hunting their mafia boss.”
END