“What is it about?” Riley asked his mother, but she looked as if she wasn’t sure.

“I do not know, sonny, I do not know. Let’s see, maybe some good news? Perhaps your grandfather would like to share with you the secret? Because what else would be that important to call us, so suddenly, to his office? Luckily, we were both at home,” Thea said it all more to herself than to him; she looked puzzled.

When they entered, Riley knew it was not good news. Fuck! The atmosphere was icy, as if the air had just frozen.

Riley’s grandfather sat there; he was silent.

Grandfather was always sparing with words, but not today. He started by saying that from now on, his daughter-in-law, Thea, would serve her punishment. Riley’s mother, upon hearing it, looked struck and said nothing.

Riley was surprised as well. He wanted to ask, to say something, but his grandfather waved his hand and added that his grandson was here to listen only.

The atmosphere was even worse than a minute before.

The punishment, which grandfather continued at a slow pace, was of a practical kind. Thea would not be allowed to function as the Clar family member. Not to overcomplicate, grandfather said further, no asset of the Clar family could be managed—sold, bought, or used by Thea without acceptance. She could keep the surname and her Crystal; she would be helped, given money for living, but she also would be confined within her residence.

Until further notice—with this, grandfather finished his speech.

“What is going on, fuck? What did mother do?” Riley was shocked into silence; his thoughts were running in circles.

After a pause, which was deadly silent, his grandfather decided to give an explanation.

Riley listened, truly not sure what had just happened or why.

… The punishment was caused directly by Thea’s actions, grandfather added, and then took a storage device from his desk. He said that there were recorded all the details about brutal interrogations that caused the deaths of several victims and dirty businesses or transactions that shouldn’t take place.

Riley stood as if somebody slapped him. His mother did what?

He knew she was sometimes doing silly things, like corrupting smaller officials. Or that she, which also infuriated Riley, was bribing his friends to leave him alone because she thought they were not suitable to be friends with Clar.

It was annoying, not good for sure, but not deadly. What he understood, she did what? What brutal interrogations?

The fucking what?

Riley didn’t need to ask to get to know.

Grandfather described more of what she did. Riley listened and was in shock. He was in such a big shock, he thought his head would explode.

His mother, again, did what? To people he knew? 

So, about this girl that Riley liked a year ago, and he was heartbroken for a week because she stopped answering his calls, was it that as well?

Riley’s mind, as if he couldn’t fully grasp it, went blank.

Then his grandfather added the one last thing. He said that Riley probably should be aware of the latest victim. It was a girl named Rowan. Riley woke up, and his first thought was, Rowan, fuck, why? And then a second thought came, mixed with a shiver of fear and a rush of heat.

Taj. What about him—was he beaten too…?