Master of Lust

In the subdued glow, the feeble silhouette of Evelina's grandmother lay prone on the bed, encircled by a chorus of beeping machinery. Rick bent forward, straining to perceive the rhythmic cadence of the elderly woman's breath amidst the orchestration of mechanical sounds.

Outside the room, pandemonium unfurled among the confused guard, perplexed nurse, and the unwitting young boy ensnared in the unfolding drama.

And to top it of, like an approaching tempest, Geoffrey, the butler, materialized in the doorway, his ire emanating palpably through the charged atmosphere.

"How could you let him inside the matriarch's room alone?" Geoffrey's voice reverberated through the room like distant thunder, causing the guard to instinctively straighten his back under the weight of the butler's ire.

"Mr. Butler," the guard stammered in his greeting, desperately attempting to mount a defense. Just as he let Rick inside the room, the guard wasted not a single second to inform the butler about Rick's approach. And it took Geoffrey less than a minute to appear in front of them.

"Shove your greetings up your ass. What is that boy doing inside?" Geoffrey's demand sliced through the air, the intensity of his fury palpable.

The guard, visibly anxious and shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot, began to explain, "It was the young miss. He informed us that she had granted him permission to visit the matriarch at any time." The explanation hung in the charged atmosphere, a feeble attempt to diffuse the rising tension that lingered like a storm on the horizon.

"You fucking imbecile!" Geoffrey erupted, his anger escalating to a fever pitch. His hand swung across the air with a thunderous crack, delivering a resounding slap to the guard. The force of the blow sent the guard stumbling backward, and in a cruel twist of fate, he collided with the unsuspecting young boy.

Despite the boy's earnest attempts to lend support, the gravitational pull of the falling adult proved overwhelming. They tumbled to the ground in a disarray of limbs, the guard inadvertently crushing down the boy. The nurse, a silent witness to the tumultuous scene, stood stupefied, caught in the crosscurrents of chaos, uncertain of how to navigate the unfolding drama.

The room seemed suspended in a charged moment.

Indifferent to the tumult he had left in his wake, Geoffrey forcefully pushed the door open, the resulting bang echoing his simmering frustration as he strode purposefully into the room. Unbeknownst to him, Rick maintained his quiet vigil, the outside commotion yet to penetrate the cocoon of stillness within.

The room crackled with tension, and Geoffrey's gaze fixed unwaveringly on Rick. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice a low, ominous growl.

Casually straightening up, Rick greeted Geoffrey with a nonchalant demeanor, unfazed by the butler's authoritative presence. "Oh, hi there," he quipped, a sly grin playing on his lips, "Took you long enough to arrive. Are you getting sloppy?"

"I am not here for a chat," Geoffrey retorted, his brow furrowing with displeasure. "What are you doing here alone with the matriarch?"

"Just checking on the old lady. No harm in that, right?" Rick responded, his words accompanied by a seemingly innocent smile that masked an underlying mischief.

Geoffrey's glare intensified, suspicion etched across his features. "You think we would believe that? What's your game, huh?"

Rick, with a lazy grin, responded in a tone that danced on the edge of insouciance, "No game, man. Just playing the concerned visitor."

Geoffrey, a man not easily swayed by casual banter, closed the distance between them. "If you're trying anything funny, I'll make sure you regret it."

"Easy there, Butler. No funny business. Just curious about the health of the rich and famous," Rick retorted, his demeanor remaining nonchalant, a veneer of indifference.

Back outside, the guard scrambled to his feet, offering profuse apologies to the now irate Geoffrey. The nurse, still bewildered by the sudden chaos, bent down to assist the young boy, checking carefully for any signs of injury. The boy, however, sported a determined expression, seemingly undeterred by the unexpected tumble.

Geoffrey, after issuing a final warning glance at Rick, turned around to leave the room.

"Hold on a minute," Rick interjected, disrupting Geoffrey's imminent departure from the room, "What's the hurry?"

Geoffrey pivoted, his countenance a blend of annoyance and curiosity. "What do you want?" he asked, a furrow forming on his brow.

"You didn't bother asking if I found anything or not," Rick remarked with a sly smirk, "You don't seem overly concerned about your dear matriarch. Or perhaps you're just dancing to the tune of your 'young miss'?"

"I know you're just trying to deceive that spoiled brat," Geoffrey retorted, a smirk of skepticism playing on his lips, "I'm not as gullible as she is. Your tricks don't work on me."

"You might think you've won, but little did you know, she called me and apologized already. Regardless of your machinations, I'm the one pulling the strings in this house," Geoffrey countered, a glint of triumph sparkling in his eyes.

"But that spoiled brat can still clip your wings and leave you stranded on some forsaken island, starving for a single grain of rice," Before Rick could retort, a cold and intimidating voice sliced through the escalating tension.

"Miss?" Both men swiveled to find Evelina standing at the door, her arms crossed and her gaze penetrating. She had overheard the entire exchange, and her displeasure radiated palpably.

"Miss? Aren't I just a spoiled brat?" Evelina's tone was glacial as she confronted Geoffrey, her glare sending a shiver down his spine. The room, caught in the crossfire of conflicting emotions.

"Young miss! That's not what I meant. He... This boy... He made me say it. He provoked me," Geoffrey stammered, attempting to deflect blame onto Rick.

"Is that so?" Evelina raised her eyebrows, her gaze shifting to Rick, "But I am just a spoiled brat, bewitched and fooled by him. Why do you think I will believe anything you say?"

"Miss!" Geoffrey tried to explain, but Evelina dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Leave. I'll deal with you later," Evelina said, turning her face away, refusing to look at Geoffrey.

Dejected, Geoffrey trudged towards the door with heavy steps, his hopes of reprieve dashed. Perhaps, somewhere deep down, he held onto the faint expectation that Evelina might intervene.

As he reached the threshold, Evelina redirected her attention back to Rick, her expression unreadable but laden with a sense of scrutiny.

"What is this? Why are you in my grandmother's room?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Relax, sweetheart. I'm just here to find a cure for her," Rick responded casually, his shoulders lifting in a nonchalant shrug. "You did bring me here for that, didn't you? Or was the old lady just an excuse, and you had something else in mind?" He winked teasingly, adding a mischievous flair to his words.

"Cut the games and get to the point," Evelina snapped, a hint of annoyance in her voice. Evelina had thought that Rick might turn out to be useful to her, but all he has done is make more and more trouble for her.

"What's the rush?" Rick grinned, a twinkle in his eye. "But you'll be pleased to know," he paused, savoring the suspense that hung in the air.

"I have, indeed, uncovered the reason for your grandmother's prolonged slumber," Rick declared, relishing the moment as Evelina's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope.

"Really?" Evelina's voice betrayed a mix of disbelief and anticipation, her attention fully captured.

"And not just that," Rick continued, drawing out the revelation with a flair for drama, "I also happen to possess a cure for her in these hands of mine."

~~~~~

"Turn off the light. I'm trying to sleep," an irritated Michelle groaned, her words punctuated by a frown as she spoke with her eyes tightly shut.

Jack, engrossed in a message he had just received on his phone, disregarded Michelle's plea and flicked on the lights.

"Damn it," Jack muttered, paying no heed to Michelle's warning as he focused on reading the message. "Get up. It's not the time to sleep," he declared, rising from the bed and standing up, his urgency evident

"What's going on?" Michelle inquired, attempting to open her eyes, but the light provoked a burning sensation in her sleepy eyes.

"Evelina is in Mother's room," Jack replied, donning a robe over his night suit.

"So, what's the fuss about?" Michelle, unfazed, waved off her husband's statement and reclined once more. "She has tried to cure her so many times. Nothing has changed. Don't make a fuss about it; come back and sleep.

Michelle, maintaining an air of nonchalance, seemed unfazed, but Jack, observing her carefree attitude, couldn't help but frown. "It is not that simple this time," he said with a hint of concern. "That boy she brought with her, he is there too, and he has caused quite a fuss."

"He has been silent all this time, so why is he causing trouble now? What is he up to?" Jack mused aloud, his thoughts racing.

"It can't be straightforward if he is stirring up trouble now."

"Is Evelina the mastermind behind all this?" Jack pondered, his mind swirling with an influx of questions.

"It's not the time to sleep. Get up and..." Jack started to urge Michelle once more, but to his surprise, she was already standing by the door, dressed in her light pink robe, and looking at him.

"Are you just going to stand there and gawk? Don't we need to hurry?" Michelle interjected, opening the door and striding away, leaving Jack a bit confused and staring at her retreating figure.

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