CH 37

The day started as Matthew thought it would, the same as the day before. The load today wasn't really that different from yesterday or even the month before that, but the routine had gotten to a point where it is nothing for him now.

Work back then had taken quite a toll on his body, since it didn't get the same amount nutrition it used to have. This made Matthew who looked like a man before he left home to look closer to his age as the bulky body trimmed down and was simply cutting the excess fat and muscles away and only left the more essential muscles.

"Hey son, can you take care of Kylie later? I've got something I have to do later."

"Umm, sure? What is it? You know, that you have to do?"

Matthew had loosened up more as time passed. He was basically back to his more cheerful self before he had to leave the family. He hasn't told them about them yet, but he was planning to. Maybe someday soon. Maybe not.

"Nothing special, just doing a gig to get Kylie that dress for her graduation." Billy had a simple smile on his face as he went a little faster than normal so that Matthew won't see the face he makes afterwards. It hurt him to lie to the kid after all.

"Got it pops, I'll handle it." But Matthew wasn't someone he could fool. The kid had more experience with handling people than Billy was, as even on their first day he already knew something was up with Billy just from the way his back looked. It was looking the same as it did then as it was right now.

The two arrived at the construction site just before the assigned time. By now the building was close to completion, even having the name of the building already placed in front.

'Pantheon Industries? Sounds like a rich prick naming his toy.'

There was a prejudice from Matthew towards rich business men, women too. He has seen how much these bastards throw away a few piles of cash and ask for the life of others like it was nothing.

Why? He didn't care, the bastards were petty. Even asking him personally to kill a fellow business man just to get back at the man for getting a promotion he wanted. Matthew denied of course, but the others accepted anyway.

'Those fools will get the family in danger, just because of their growing greed.'

He couldn't help but sigh as he wondered if it was the right thing to do to leave the family. He had grown up there after all, and the legacy of his parents were left behind there.

Matthew's change in mood did not go unnoticed by Billy, but the man just slapped Matthew's back and went toward the locker room first.

"Ow!"

"Haha!" Billy was laughing it off, but the laugh died down quickly when he received another text. He knew that the only person who would contact him this way was Max. He opened the phone and read his message.

'Killing intent.' Matthew wondered why the man's jovial laughter stopped as he took out his phone. That was then when he felt a danger coming from Billy that he had never felt before, a feeling he had known ever since he was able to handle the family business.

The gentle giant's aura quickly returned like it was a fleeting moment, or maybe it didn't happen at all? But Matthew couldn't help but down himself as the man just smiled at him while wearing the harness and the safety helmet.

"Get to work son, the topping off party will happen later so you have to finish your load quickly. Don't want to arrive and just have the scraps left, they usually bring out some good food at these things. Who knows, you might even meet the boss."

Billy was sharing some veteran advice to the kid while he tried to put on the hard shoes and tied the strings.

'He's quick with his hands, isn't he?' He looked up to see that Matthew had finished faster than him, but he only gave the boy a smile.

"What's a topping off party?"

"It's when the building has already built all the floors, including the roof top. They hold a party on the highest floor to celebrate since it means that the job is almost done." Billy took the lead and went outside the locker room. He began stretching his arms and legs while breathing slowly.

"Don't worry though, we still have a lot of work to do so you won't have to find another job too soon"

The two then went about their day as they finished their work before 4:30 which was only an hour away from the topping off party.

"Hey, Pops. I'll be changing clothes first."

"Yeah, I'll be right there." Billy was thinking about the job Max asked him to do. He contemplated for a while before deciding not to do it. He had enough of the man's incessant demands and was finally going to free himself from the shackles he placed on himself.

'Nah.'

The troubles of skipping his debt would only make things more complicated. He'd rather not go through such a tiresome thing and just follow through, after all, this was the best thing for him and Kylie.

"I was about to think that you'd be skipping work Billy." A voice sounded out from behind the locker room as it opened from the outside.

A group of three men were standing side by side while the man in the middle looked at Billy with arrogant eyes. His red hair that was clearly colored with cheap hair dye was tied up in a messy man bun. He placed his arms on his waist while scanning Billy from his feet to the top of his head and shook his head, a smile plastered on his face.

"I really hate that look Billy, everything about you just screams 'waste'." Billy was not responding in any way to the man and just kept on wearing the safety equipment that he had removed beforehand. It was when he was tying his shoes that he felt a hand push him to the ground and he couldn't help but lose balance.

"The only thing good about you is your precious little daughter! That pretty flower will grow up nice and sweet. You lucky bastard! I'm not sure how a sorry fellow like you could ever have a part in making that. Maybe your dead wife didn't tell you everything?"

The men around Chris laughed while Chris just took a leisurely walk towards his locker to get something from it. He covered it in a white cloth, but Billy was able to take a good look at it. Billy was now shaking in anger, but he took it like a man. His humiliation was nothing in exchange for the happiness of his daughter.

"You better stay down Billy boy, and do your job properly next time. I don't wanna have to come here again just because you feel like taking your time."

Chris and his men took their leave while Billy sat back up again on the locker bench. His clenched hand opened and four wounds that mirrored the tip of his fingernails were bleeding quietly as he continued tying his shoes.

....

"Where the hell is that old man?"

Matthew was now in the rooftop where the rest of the crew had gathered. A few were already sitting in a makeshift table put together by using a few of the scrap plywood that was not going to be used anymore. They used the few chairs and sat around the table as they took out a few of the dishes that would be served for everyone.

"Hey, I got you guys a better table than that."

A sudden young voice took the attention from everyone as they stared at the direction it was coming from. There were three people walking up the stairs that were still just a concrete mess, but it was enough to do its job.

"I brought more food so don't hold back! Take it as my gratitude for doing a good job." The black-haired young man was wearing a spotless suit and tie getup that made everyone realize who the man could be.

His handsome face with his slightly bridged nose, red lips and sharp eyes coupled with the sharp eyebrows made a few of the women workers want to look at him for a while. The men however looked towards the woman on his left.

The beauty was wearing a rather long floral sundress that reached just above her ankles. Her white skin had a pink glow that made them want to touch it while her voluptuous body which were reflecting over her dress drew their eyes. This caused her rather thick eye brows scrunched together while her red lips turned into a frown.

It was one thing to look but they were now scouring very inch of her body. She was about to call them out when she felt an arm wrap itself around her waist which caused most of the men to avert their eyes. The few who did were now in a lost that would make them sorely wish they weren't part of.

"Let the feast fill your stomachs, I'll award a few of you who did such a good job that I want to personally recognize your hard work." The man took out his phone and scrolled down the screen, seemingly looking for something. It was then that the few leaders of the construction site had come to his side.

"Sir? Are you perhaps Zel Huertazuela?" The man gave a gentle smile that seemed to be a confirmation in their eyes. It made them more active in their new job, hugging the thick leg.

"Oh, I heard of you for so long sir! The man who has taken it to himself to find a cure for cancer! We have heard reports of your endeavors and would like to personally thank you for your work sir!" Max was the first to talk to Zel as he placed a hand on his chest while bowing deeply. The men behind him had also followed his lead and so 4 men had taken a position of servitude in front of Zel.

"Please, I don't do it to get your praise. I would rather not talk about that right now as it's not the place for that kind of discussion. Tell me, which man here is the best worker?" The men who were pretty much neglected showed no signs of dissatisfaction as he disregarded their praises. However, when the question came up, more than a few answers were given.

"I have to say that it is that man over there! His name is Lexer Fernandes. His workload would be stacked for the day, if it weren't for the fact that he cannot work more loads than what was allowed then it would have been a given that he'd stay here all day!"

An assistant of Max held out his hand and pointed towards a dark-skinned man who had the biceps of a gorilla. His large upper body drew the attention of the men as he grinned at the compliment. Of course, he was expecting the boss to reward him if he was chosen.

"Is that so? And what time does he usually go home?"

"6 pm sharp sir! Like every man here."

"Really? Every man?" Zel's gentle smile seemed to be teasing them as they felt confused as to why he would doubt their words. It was a law that men should not be allowed to spend the night in the site since there was too many hazards that cannot be seen at night which would endanger the workers.

"My men have told me about a couple of men working late in the night, sometimes they go home at 7 pm, while at extremes, they even last until an hour before midnight." Zel looked around to find any reactions that would give him a clue to what he was finding.

He saw a familiar face in the back as a young man was eating his food silently while staring at a certain man in front of him. Tracing that gaze made him find a middle-aged man who seemed to be the foreman, a glow flashed in Zel's eyes as his gentle smile turned sinister for a second.

"I won't keep you guys in suspense, I know their names anyway. I just wanted to see which of you I can trust." Zel stood up from his seat as he read out a couple names from his phone.

"Matthew Pierce and Billy Benson. Come and greet your boss! I got you guys some gifts!"