A MAZE OF GREED

After his conversation with Rees in his office in the afternoon, Edwin returned to his chamber. For some reason, he felt restless.

Rees told him about his newfound friendship with Thea's best friend.

Ruth

That name got imprinted in Edwin's mind weeks before. His eyes didn't waver from the brown piece of cloth that rested in the wooden box on the table.

This cloth had become like his companion. It gave him the tranquillity to his furious mood, it made his agitated nerves come to peace, it gave him that feeling of taken care of, it made him feel less lonely.

And the reason... he was not aware of yet.

On many times his heart screamed at him to search every house of Vincardine to find who this hazel-eyed woman was. She had captured his mind and soul with just one sight of hers.

He was sure that she didn't belong to the guests that were present for the celebrations in 'the great manor'. Neither she was from his social circle.

Her dress gave away the identity of hers that she belonged to an ordinary class of people. Her panicked eyes confirmed that she was not invited that night. She broke into the premises of 'the great manor' along with another woman.

Edwin didn't hear any news about anything that went missing from the manor or any destruction caused that night. It made him believe that she was not here to steal anything or do any harm.

'Or she might have not got a chance to do that.' The second thought crossed his mind. But his heart didn't want to believe this thought.

There was something about her that drew Edwin towards her. Something strong, deep and pure. That magical thing had bounded his soul and the beast inside of him firmly, that no matter how much he tried it didn't let him get loose from it.

His mind needed the freedom from it but his heart... it was trying to find solace in it.

His mind and heart were in a constant battle of sanity.

He was relieved when Lester came looking for him. He needed some distraction from the vixen who had plagued his mind.

"Edwin, here you are! And I was looking for you in your office." Lester plopped on the neatly made bed.

"Why?"

Lester noticed how distant Edwin's voice felt. His forehead had fine lines of worry itched visibly.

"Nothing important. Just wanted to see your handsome face." Lester batted his eyes seductively at Edwin.

But his try failed as his actions didn't humour Edwin. How could they when all his mind was thinking was the person named Ruth with the most beautiful hazel eyes?!

Lester frowned a little at Edwin's disinterest. "What are you thinking?"

"Stuff"

"Like what?"

"Nothing much."

"Then tell me."

"Leave it."

"Why?"

"Lester, stop pestering me, Rascal!"

"Fine! Don't tell. I know you will tell me eventually and that time I will not listen to you." Lester crossed his arms over his chest with a serious face.

Edwin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever!"

Lester knew that something was bothering his friend, maybe the meeting that was conducted today had put him under stress. Edwin would not share his troubles with anyone unless he felt so and as his childhood best friend, Lester knew it well.

From the corner of his eyes, Lester caught the wooden box with an open lid on the table. It had a brown coloured piece of cloth in it. Supervising keenly, he concluded that it was not some expensive cloth neither it was an imported item.

Then why did Edwin put it securely away from everyone's eyes?

Before Lester could open his mouth to question him, Edwin sensed his friend's curiousness. He immediately closed the lid of the box and picked it to put it in a drawer near the vanity.

Lester narrowed his eyes at Edwin as if he was trying to peek into his mind to know what was going there but he failed. Edwin was a hard nut to crack. And no one could get anything from him against his will.

Deciding to not pester the topic further, Lester suggested. "You know what, let's go for a run." Lester jumped out of the bed with an excited face.

"What? Now?" Edwin gave him a confused look.

"Then when? Maybe tomorrow morning when every person of Vincardine is rushing towards their work?" Lester cocked his brow. His sarcastic nature was never Edwin's favourite.

His reply made Edwin pressed his lips in a thin line. "Okay, let's go. No need to be a sarcastic bitch!"

He said while removing his coat, which left him in his black shirt and black pants. They didn't need clothes anyway to go for a run.

"Ouch... that hurts!" Lester said mockingly as he also followed Edwin and removed his coat.

Lester had a smile on his face as he followed Edwin out of his chamber. "Idiot!"

Lester informed Theodora that they were going out for a run, unlike Edwin's habit of leaving 'the great manor' without any notice.

She was apprehensive about the idea at first but when Lester reminded her that it was the full moon night, she understood their choice to go for a run. She let them go but not before warning them to return back early before Agustus got a whiff of their absence.

After the incidences of deaths in the woods of Vincardine, he had made some strict rules to be followed by all family members and the guests of the family.

Both men stepped out of the main door of the building. The dark had already befallen upon the world, the noise of daytime liveliness faded to low whispers.

As soon as the two guards stationed not far from the main door noticed their lords approaching them, they rushed to their sides to accompany them.

"You don't have to come with us." Edwin said monotonously.

"Young Master, the Lord has ordered us to escort you wherever you want to go." One of the guards told politely.

Instantly the calm demeanour of Edwin changed into irritation. "Of course, he did!" he muttered under his breath with a clenched jaw.

Augustus had ordered his trusted guards to follow Edwin everywhere as he didn't want him to create more troubles for the family than he had already done. This was another reason behind Edwin and Augustus's strained relationship.

Agustus treated Edwin like a troublemaking teenager and always complained about everything he did. Edwin wanted his uncle to understand that he was not a kid anymore. He was a grown-up man and soon would take the responsibilities of the family, business and administration of Vincardine.

He didn't need preaching and restrictions all he needed was someone to understand his perspective. And even with a large family, he had no one to give him what he needed.

Lester was about to open his mouth when Rees interrupted him. "I will go with them. You don't have to worry."

The two guards didn't take this well but they knew better than arguing with the Young Master's personal bodyguard.

It was no secret that the many amongst the serving fleet of people who worked for the O'Dell family were jealous of Rees's achievements. Rees had managed to gain the Young Master's trust in a short period of time. And his growing closeness with the heir of the family was unsettling with them.

When the two guards didn't move and kept throwing daggers at Rees with their eyes, Edwin said in a commanding tone. "You hear him. Now move!"

Helplessly, the guards cleared a road for Edwin, Lester and Rees. Rees took his position in front of the two men. Edwin had cooled off by now and Lester... he had an amused look in his eyes.

*

*

*

"Are you sure that he will not cause any trouble?" The man asked doubtfully.

The woman who stood beside him to watch the exchange between Edwin and the guards from a window pursed her lips.

"I have done everything in my power and I am still doing it. But these days, it is getting difficult to understand his mind."

"Why don't you take advantage of Edwin's deteriorating relationship with Augustus?" The man suggested.

"I have already exploited that enough. If I do something more then their relationship will break and then God only knows what would happen." She sighed dejectedly.

Closing the curtain, she faced in the opposite direction from the man. Her mind was busy with the thoughts.

Watching her tensed form, the man approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. The woman hummed in bliss and leaned back onto his chest. The man nuzzled his nose in her neck and inhaled her enchanting smell.

"We can finish him if you want." With every word, his lips touched her earlobe sensually that made her curl her toes.

"No, we can't. If it was that easy then I would have got rid of him a long time back. But I didn't. I took efforts for him and had been patient all these years. We need him till the right time comes. Don't ever think of hurting even a strand of his hair. Understood?"

Though she melted in his arms, her voice came strong and firm. After placing a kiss on her neck the man replied.

"As you command, my lady!"