Master of Lust

"How many rooms are in there?" Rick inquired.

Evelina shrugged. "I don't know, maybe 50, perhaps 60."

Geoffrey interjected, with a proud face, correcting them both. "There are 108 rooms," he informed Rick and Evelina.

"Whoa... That many? Why on earth would you need so many rooms?" Rick was astounded. "My entire village could fit inside there."

"You live in a village?" Evelina was taken aback. "Do we even have villages left anymore?"

"Well, not exactly a village, but something similar," Rick clarified with a shrug.

"How much does this house actually cost? Can I buy it for $20,000,000?" Rick inquired.

"Pfft... You wish boy. You can't even buy a single bathroom in there, let alone this whole mansion for 20 Million. You must be out of your mind, boy," Geoffrey shook his head in disappointment.

"It's quite a shame. You must not have had a very fulfilling childhood," Geoffrey remarked as he stepped forward, taking a place beside Rick. "Getting impressed by a mere glimpse of our modest house. Peasant."

"Your house?" Rick's eyebrows shot up as he heard the old butler. His hand swiftly moved towards the old man's waist, gripping his flesh between his thumb and finger and giving him a painful pinch.

"Aahhh!!!" The old man Geoffrey yelped, crying out in pain.

"You old dog, are you eyeing your master's property?" Rick scolded the old man, persistently pinching him, "Bad... Very bad."

"Ungrateful, disloyal, dogs like you should be dealt with as soon as possible," Rick berated the butler. "Che... Calling you a dog is an insult to the loyal ones." He clicked his tongue in disdain and finally let go of Geoffrey, but not before giving him one last hard twist.

"Rick, stop," Evelina swiftly intervened, pulling Geoffrey away from Rick and creating some distance.

"Why are you so determined to oppose him?" Evelina questioned, her brow furrowing in puzzlement.

"I'm being paid for it," Rick replied, although his words carried a hint of sarcasm despite being truthful.

"Why else? I'm assisting you in training your dog," Rick continued, his words laced with a touch of humor. "Just making sure that no matter how big the balls grow, they always stay beneath the dick."

"If this unruly, rabid dog of yours isn't kept in check, it'll only bring you more troubles," Rick continued, offering his advice to Evelina. "It's a good thing that I'm such a generous guy. Otherwise..." Rick left his warning hanging, the implication clear.

"Enough, both of you," Evelina decisively put an end to the matter. "Rick, I have brought you here to evaluate my grandmother's condition, not to insult my staff. I hope you won't cross that line again."

"Then kindly ask your dog to stop barking at me all the time. He might be your dog, but he's been getting on my nerves from the very start. And I may be new to this mess, but I don't appreciate being provoked," Rick concluded the argument. Even the rabbit on his shoulder shot an angry glare at the old butler, its tiny brain seemingly hatching some devious scheme.

Listening to Rick, Evelina shot a disapproving glare at her butler. How could she have not noticed that her butler was needlessly provoking Rick at every opportunity? It's just that she had chosen to overlook it until now. But maybe not anymore.

"Bring the luggage," she ordered and then proceeded to lead Rick into the house.

~~~~~

In the midst of the grandeur of the magnificent hall, which resembled more of a royal palace than a typical house, a gathering of people had assembled for what appeared to be a get-together or an extravagant party.

The crowd encompassed various generations, with lively individuals in their twenties, middle-aged attendees in their forties, and even a few wise elders in their late fifties and sixties.

The hall resonated with the clinking of glasses, bursts of laughter, and the unmistakable sound of joyous conversations. Champagne bottles popped, wine glasses were raised, and everyone was in high spirits, fueled by the abundance of liquid courage flowing freely.

In a swanky corner of the fancy living room, the young crew had totally staked out their own epic party zone. They were straight up cracking up, like rolling on the floor, in hysterics, and having a wild time that only the boundless energy of youth can dish out.

Intoxicated, they were totally lit, feeling the high from the thick cloud of drugs in the air, and didn't give a fuck about anyone else in the room.

By the huge fireplace, a bunch of the older peeps were huddled, deep in lively chats. The main focus was this classy pair, probably pushing late fifties, decked out in fancy threads. They were beaming, totally into the conversation with the other guests, spreading good vibes all around.

An elderly dude, his shaky hands holding a glass of red vino, hollered out, "Here's to Jack and Michelle!" A bunch of cheers echoed, and the sound of glasses clinking filled the room again. "We've known everyone in this room since forever," he continued. "Us old school folks have been through it all together.

Our first smoke, wild nights with drugs, hitting up the casinos, and some other stuff about the strip clubs, oh boy, we wouldn't want to tell that to our wives. Hahaha..."

Upon hearing the old man's words, the whole room erupted in laughter, and the ladies shot their husbands some serious side-eye.

"But Jack... Our dear Jack here was always slow on the uptake, a late bloomer. A real mama's boy. Wouldn't even take a leak without his mom's say-so," the old timer teased, and the whole crew burst into laughter alongside him.

"Come on, old Joe... we've all moved on from that. No need to dig up the past," Jack said, blushing as he urged the old man to stop.

"But now, he's not tied to his mom's apron strings, not taking orders from his mom. Our buddy Jack is about to step into the big shoes of the former Matriarch and steer the Bloodthorne family to even greater heights. Cheers to you!" Everyone raised their glasses in celebration.

As the news spread, the whole gang gathered around Jack and Michelle, offering their hearty congratulations.

"What's going on here?" A startled voice cut through the merriment, and all eyes turned towards the doorway. Evelina stood there, a disapproving frown on her face, casting a sudden hush over the room.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, and puzzled looks were passed around like a secret code. It was as though the party had hit a sudden roadblock, and awkwardness slithered in like an unwelcome intruder.

"Eve... Evelina?" Michelle who was in the spotlight, the one everyone was celebrating, appeared taken aback and surprised by Evelina's unexpected entrance.

Michelle couldn't contain her confusion. "Wait, what? Why?"

"Yo, isn't it my dear sister?" A guy suddenly perked up from his spot at the table, his eyes half-lidded, a stoned grin on his face. He was clearly feeling the high of the drugs, "But hey am I dreaming, or are you still alive?"

Evelina clenched her fists, struggling to keep her anger in check. "Out..."

"Evelina!" Jack intervened, calling her name. "These are all my guests. You can't be rude to them."

"Everybody out, and I'm not repeating myself," Evelina's firm voice pierced the room, her eyes resolute as she addressed everyone as she completely ignored Jack.

There were a few hesitant nods, but most people felt unsure about ending the celebration on such a tense note. There was an air of tension and confusion. Then, a glimmer of hope surfaced in the room as an elderly couple exchanged a knowing glance. The woman gently pulled her husband's arm, and the two of them gracefully started making their way towards the exit with a sense of urgency.

The actions of the older couple acted as a trigger, encouraging others to follow their lead. Slowly but surely, the room began to empty out. The exodus of guests commenced, one by one. Even the heavily intoxicated ones stumbled a bit on their feet, but with the help of others, they managed to vacate the living room.

One by one, the guests bid their farewells, exchanging promises to reunite soon. The house, once teeming with life just moments ago, now felt increasingly empty. In the end, only a few were left, standing awkwardly in the nearly deserted room.

Within a mere five minutes, the room had been completely cleared. Evelina, the man, the woman, Rick, and a handful of other servants, along with the elderly butler, were the only ones who remained.

Evelina instructed Geoffrey, "Clean everything up. I'm heading to visit grandmother," before announcing her intentions without giving the couple another glance.

Jack, his brows furrowed, couldn't hide his frustration. "Stop right there Evelina."

"I don't know, but now it's gonna be impossible to look anyone in the eye the next time we meet. All thanks to you."

Evelina, having overheard Jack's comment, couldn't help but scrunch up her nose. "Seriously, Dad? This is about family, not about appearances! Grandma is still with us, and you're already acting like it's a celebration of her passing? Way to go, Dad."

"What do you mean I am celebrating her passing? She's my mother too. I don't need a lecture on how to care for her," Jack crossed his arms, feeling defensive. "I was just trying to build a connection here. Business doesn't thrive on sentiment alone. But you've messed things up for us."

The tension in the room was palpable as Evelina and her father engaged in a fierce stare-down.

"Is this how the wealthy handle their family affairs? Quite fascinating," Rick, who was standing behind Evelina grinned as he watched the young man stumble and plop down on the table, struggling to stay on his shaky legs.

"And who the fuck are you?" Jack inquired, clearly annoyed by Rick's remarks.

"Me?" Rick grinned, pointing a finger at himself. "Good evening, sir. I am your beloved son-in-law."

* * * * *