The Life of Aurelius Valemont: The Heir (Part 3)
Aurelius: Age 9
I saw Dada come out of Mama's room—again.
His steps were loud, his presence even louder. He didn't care who saw the tears in Mama's eyes, or the bruises that Yumi tried to cover with powder. I clenched my fist. My teeth gritted hard. I hate him. I hate him so much.
It's already late, the hallways dim and quiet. Mama's sobs echo faintly through the walls, but I followed Dada anyway—quiet like a cat.
He walked far, deeper into the estate. Into a part of the mansion I rarely went. I knew this place—dark walls, tall doors, guards in suits with sharp eyes.
He entered a large room with golden handles and black velvet curtains. I peeked through a narrow slit.
Inside, men in black suits bowed deeply before him—lower than I'd ever seen anyone bow. They lined the walls, stiff and silent like statues. He sat on a leather throne-like chair in the center, arms resting, chin lifted. Cold. Ruthless. Like a villain king from a nightmare.
My chest tightened.
They called him sir, but I knew that wasn't respect—it was fear. One man stepped forward and whispered something in his ear. Dada gave a faint nod, then snapped his fingers. The man disappeared like mist.
I could hear their voices...
"She won't last much longer. The medicine's slowing her down."
"Keep her isolated. We don't need the child interfering."
"He's smarter than we thought."
I stopped breathing.
They're talking about Mama.
And... me.
I quickly backed away from the door. My heart pounded so loud I thought they might hear it. I ran through the halls, back to the one place I felt safe—Mama's room.
But this time, she wasn't there.
I didn't move. I didn't blink. I just… listened.
The man who whispered something wrong in Dada's ear—he was dragged to the center. Two others held him down, and Dada…
He stood up. Calm. Collected. Cruel.
With one hand, he removed his gloves slowly. With the other, he picked up something sharp from the silver tray nearby.
No one dared stop him.
The man screamed. It echoed so loud that I had to cover my ears—but my eyes stayed wide open.
Blood spilled on the floor. The men didn't flinch. One even took notes.
I bit my lip until I tasted blood too. My stomach turned. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run in and stop him. But I couldn't.
Because that man on the floor… could've been anyone.
And I realized right then—
My Dada kills people.
This wasn't a punishment. This was a message.
Don't fail him. Don't cross him. Don't question him.
The blood glistened under the chandelier. The man had stopped screaming. He wasn't moving anymore.
And yet—Dada didn't even look at him twice. He just wiped his hands with a silk cloth, sat down, and said coldly,
"Bring in the next."
And for the first time in my life—
I wasn't just scared of Dada.
I was scared of becoming like him.
I don't know how long I've been standing here. Maybe hours. Maybe days. My legs feel numb, but I can't stop listening.
Dada kept talking in that cold, sharp voice like he was reading a grocery list—
except this list was about people. Places. Codes. Weapons.
Lives.
I heard him mention names I've never heard before. "Eliminate." "Erase." "Silence."
One of the men asked about the consequences.
Dada just leaned forward and whispered,
"There are no consequences for those who rule."
I felt cold.
Colder than the night breeze crawling through the hallway walls.
Colder than Dada's voice.
I wanted to close my ears, but I kept listening.
Why?
Because I have to know. I have to know everything.
So I can stop him.
So I can save Mama.
I didn't notice Yumi calling my name in the distance. I didn't even notice the tears running down my cheeks.
I just stood there, behind the curtain—
and kept listening.
Because one day,
I'll use everything I heard to destroy everything he built.
I walked back to my room. My feet were heavy. My chest was tight.
The hallway was quiet—too quiet, like it knew what I just saw.
Yumi was there, waiting. Her eyes widened when she saw me.
"Aurelius…" she whispered.
But I didn't answer.
I just walked past her. My eyes… felt empty. Like they'd seen too much.
Because they had.
I sat on my bed. Staring.
I didn't cry. I didn't sleep. I didn't speak.
Because Dada...
Dada is cruel.
Dada is the villain in my story.
He hurts Mama.
He laughs while others suffer.
I'm only nine.
But I know what evil looks like now.
And I swear—
I will never become like him.
Even if it means becoming something else entirely…
I know Yumi knows I didn't sleep when I should've. I didn't even hear her bedtime story last night.
But still… she tucked me in. She kissed my cheek like Mama used to.
I didn't know when sleep came. But it did.
I was too tired to resist.
...
When I woke up, everything felt strange.
Quiet. Cold.
I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
Peter… Yumi… the maids… even the butlers—
All of them were there.
In my room.
They were dressed in black.
Their heads were bowed.
Yumi sat beside me, holding my head gently in her arms like I was still that little boy asking for bedtime stories.
"Yumi…?" My voice cracked. "What's going on?"
She didn't answer right away.
Her lips trembled. Her eyes were red.
Then, with a voice so small and broken, she whispered—
"Madam Anastasia… your mother… she's dead."
I blinked. I didn't understand.
She held me tighter.
"Master Victor… he killed her… I'm so sorry… Aurelius."
...
I didn't scream.
I didn't cry.
I just stared.
Because everything inside me shattered.
Yumi held my hand tightly. I could feel her shaking, but I didn't know if it was because of the cold or because she was crying.
Peter stood on my other side, silent as always.
We were at the funeral.
But I couldn't cry.
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't feel anything.
Just... empty.
What hurt the most wasn't just the coffin.
It wasn't just the silence.
It was that Dada wasn't even here.
Mama was gone.
Forever.
And he didn't come.
Everyone else was here.
The maids.
The butlers.
The guards.
Even the gardener.
All of them bowed their heads in silence.
As they lowered the white coffin into the ground, I tugged at Yumi's sleeve.
I couldn't hold the question back anymore.
"Yumi… what happened? How… why?"
She knelt beside me, eyes swollen, voice trembling.
She looked like she didn't want to tell me.
But she knew I already knew part of it.
And I needed the rest.
She whispered,
"Your father… Master Victor… he hurt your mama every day. Every night. She was sick… not just in her body… but in her heart. He broke her piece by piece, until there was nothing left."
I clutched the heart locket Yumi gave me.
I didn't say anything.
But in my mind, one thing was clear—
He killed her.
And the world let him.
The next day came… but it didn't feel like it.
The sun rose. The world moved.
But not me.
Yumi stayed beside me. Always.
She fed me, bathed me, dressed me, held me.
She didn't say much—just stayed close, her hands always warm even when mine were cold.
But no matter what she did, everything felt numb.
I couldn't feel the spoon in my mouth.
I couldn't feel the sheets on my bed.
I couldn't even feel the tears on Yumi's face when she kissed my forehead goodnight.
Sometimes, it felt like I couldn't breathe.
Other times, I couldn't hear.
But there was always that ringing.
That loud, terrible ringing.
The kind that burns deep inside your ears and echoes through your chest.
The kind you feel in your bones.
The kind that screams when you can't.
And under that ringing, I knew what it was.
Rage.
Rage at my father.
The man who killed my mama.
I did not cry.
I couldn't.
Tears were for the weak. And I couldn't be weak anymore.
I held the locket Yumi gave me against my chest.
Tightly.
Like a secret.
Like a vow.
End of chapter 43.
CHARACTER PROFILE:
Name: Victor Valemont
Age: 45
Status: Alive
Birthday: July 7
Zodiac: Cancer
Gender: Male
Height: 6'3"
Role: Aurelius' Father, Husband of Anastasia, Villain, Leader of VARAK, Mafia Ruler
Personality: Charismatic. Manipulative. Cold-blooded. Calculated. Unforgiving. Authoritative. Demanding. Cruel. Merciless. Perfectionist. Paranoid. Abusive. Silent but deadly. Emotionless. Strategist. Intelligent. Ruthless. Respected. Feared.
MBTI: ENTJ-A — The Commander
Appearance: Towering height. Broad shoulders. Black slicked-back hair. Cold steel-blue eyes. Pale complexion. Wears only black suits. Sharp jawline. Cold expression. Always composed. Always intimidating.
Voice: Deep. Calm. Slow. Dominant. Ice-cold when angry. Commanding.
Likes:
Absolute control
Discipline
Fear and loyalty
Victory
Secrecy
Obedience
Silence
Clean, sharp suits
Winning without mercy
Dislikes:
Weakness
Disobedience
Sentimentality
Love
Questions
Anastasia's kindness
Aurelius' innocence
Failures
Background:
Victor Valemont is the man everyone fears — the true King of the underground world. The founder of VARAK and the head of the Valemont Empire. His rule is law. His words are final. Those who oppose him disappear. Those who fail him are never seen again.
He married Anastasia not out of love but strategy. A beautiful pawn he couldn't control. He hated how gentle she was. He hated how she glowed. So he dimmed her light — with violence, with fear, with silence.
To Aurelius, he was never a father — only a shadow. A nightmare. A ghost that haunted his childhood. He never said "I love you." He only said, "Be better."
He's a man who doesn't believe in softness — only power.
Symbolism:
Victor is the monster in Aurelius' story — the reason why the boy must become strong. He is what Aurelius must defeat… or become.