RESTRAINT | H.S. AU (Editing)

f i v e

The Don's family name Styles came from a long history of politics and power. They are known to be bloodthirsty for power. They excell in almost everything and they never accept failure. That explains their long history of dictatorship and owning almost half of the earth.

Harold Edward Styles III is the youngest leader in our generation. At twenty eight years old age, this young man holds too much power in his hands. His father, the great Desmond Styles is currently the incumbent leader of the country . But like his son, he is also cruel. His mother, the lovely Tessa Styles died when Harold was still a teenager. The cause of her death is still unknown to these days but rumor has it that she is still alive somewhere. That she framed her own death so that she can escape from the hands of his cruel husband, Des Styles.

Speculations say that Des moved mountains and earth to find the body of his wife but to no avail it is still yet unfound. It even made the speculation stronger, that Tessa Styles is faking her death to hide from his cruel husband and son.

It could be a speculation but it could also be the truth. No matter what the truth is, the damage to the Styles family has been done.

***

Today is my birthday.

I am now officially twenty one years old. The coming of age that I could have been legal to do anything I want. A beginning in which I could have been free from my mother's tie. But all the luck in the world seems to avoid me because instead I am captured to become a slave.

I wonder where is my mom right now. Is she worried about me? Is she even thinking about me?

My mom is the only family left to me after my father died six years ago. After that incident, my mother never treated me the same way. She became cold towards me.

But who am I to complain, she never left me atleast. She gave me a roof to live in and food to eat. Though the latter is almost next to impossible because as soon as I reached the age she thought I can be left on my own to find my own food, she just left all her responsibilities as my mother.

I was only twelve the time it happened.

At that very young age, looking for food to eat is impossible. No one hires a kid to be paid to work so I ended up begging in the streets. At first, my young pride can't handle begging to other people but then my grumbling stomach will eat itself if I don't swallow my pride leaving me with no choice. While my mother was saving her own ass, I was left doing things the normal kids at my age won't usually do.

Yes, today is my birthday but who cares? I never had a chance to have normal one. Because instead of blowing candles to my cake and unwrapping excitedly all my presents, I am working my ass just to get a piece of bread at the end of the day. No one knows when is my birthday except for my parents ofcourse but I doubt the remaining parent I have even remembers it.

So I start the day just like any normal day, waking up early to meet my daily routine schedule. I begin with my daily work out as what had Nicole forcibly implemented for me to follow.

The workout is seriously killing me. The body cramps I experienced every after workout is painfuly outrageous. It is too much for me but according to Nicole, the more pain I feel after the better result I'll get. I don't even know why are they so frustrated to make me fit.

"After 10 sets of squats, go take a shower and proceed to the Don's room." Nicole speaks without even looking at me. Her eyes are busy looking at her electronic pad. My eyes widen from surprise. He wants me to go to his room? I thought no one is allowed to get in there.

"After you visit the Don, report to me asap." And without waiting for my reply, she turns her back at me. Nicole seems to be very annoyed. She left me all confused as to why the Don wants me to go to his room.