"Hmm. Well, I can't argue with that. There is quite an extensive paper trail." His brother said, staring at Brent. He was taking in Brent's whole stature, his body, before he sighed. "You've grown sturdier in the time I haven't seen you. Before, your 'warm welcomes' would leave you in puddles on the floor. I even prepared puppy pads to absorb all of your excess liquids. Now, I won't see them getting the use that they should." He sounded genuinely upset about that.
Fucking psycho.
"Do you want me to piss myself right now? I mean, it wouldn't mean much, but since you worked so hard to get the puppy pads…" Brent trailed off and nearly snapped at the man when he seemed to actually consider it. The man was insane, probably clinically, but put on a good show of being normal in public.
Well, honestly, what could Brent expect? He had a good relationship with his grandfather, but that didn't mean that he was a good person. All of Brent's family sitting in this room was the result of several generations of genetic experimentation.
Some of them were bound to have some fucked up wires crossed. Brent was lucky he got dealt the hand that he did.
While Brent knew that the people before him were evil creatures, he was under no illusions about who his grandfather had been. To many people, he was probably a devil that haunted them, tormented them. That stole things from them, ruined their lives. There was a part of Brent that never left that wondered if his grandfather was using his interactions with Brent to try and atone for some of the things that he had done.
After all, most people would take pity on a boy, a child who had been created against his will, without his mother's consent, and had thus ended the 'perfect' image of a family that cared about that kind of thing. Brent wasn't illegitimate. He was born from the same parents that the rest of his siblings were born from.
Except Brent was 'perfect'. He'd been born from a test tube, raised in a lab. Not even born from a woman. He'd been raised in an artificial womb, and that was the whole reason that his family had hated him.
His father had never prepared his wife, the mother of all of his children, that they had another kid on the way. Therefore, the public could only assume that when Brent showed up on the scene as a baby that his father had cheated.
It had ruined the family from the inside out. Any fragile peace that was between them shattered. Instead of blaming his father, the one who had done all of it, they had turned their anger towards the child.
It also didn't help that most of his siblings were older, spaced out in a nice, reasonable way. Brent was about 6 years younger than his oldest sibling. His father had completely disregarded how normal human bodies worked.
His mom was in menopause. She wouldn't have 'normally' been able to have children. They had also not made a big show of freezing eggs so that they could have a surrogate. So, unlike the rest of his family, Brent wasn't considered a 'full blood' even though it was clear to anyone who saw him that he was.
He looked like a spitting image of his great-great grandfather. That alone was one of the main reasons why Brent had been as bullied as he had. That, and why they had worked so hard to make him 'flawed' in some way. If it wasn't obvious that he looked like an important figure in the family, it was easier to justify their treatment of him.
Did Brent think any of this was normal? Absolutely not, at least, not anymore. It had taken a while for him to realise that normal families didn't make you hide in rooms when others came over. They also didn't yell at you when they were drinking and blamed you for all of their issues.
That was ages ago though, and Brent had gotten over it. After all, he wasn't the spitting image of their great-great grandfather anymore. The scars on his face, his missing arm, and the fact that he was bulkier than the other man had ever been really played into his favour.
"No Brent. While I appreciate the offer, there is no need to do that. We have a few other welcomes we need to do after this. I'm sure they will be used." He said with that same soft smile and Brent just nodded. He waited for the man to say something else, and finally, he got to the main issue.
Why Brent had been snatched in the first place.
"While we were reluctant to let you know that grandfather passed, it wasn't because we wanted to hold that information from you. It was more out of concern for your own safety and mental stability. We all know how unstable you are." Ah, right. Brent had forgotten that.
They had run a campaign when Brent was a teen about how he was the mentally unstable one of the family. It was hilarious given how he was pretty sane all things considered. But, they had louder voices and Brent had just accepted the charge in the public opinion.
It had left him when he'd gone to the front lines far away from his home, so Brent had forgotten about it. Brent felt his lips curl up slightly.
"Ah yes. My poor mental health. Yes. I tend to not take death well." Brent meant the words, but he found it fucking hilarious that he, a Field Guide, would have issues with death. His brother nodded sagely.
"Of course you don't. Who would?" He asked, before he continued. "So, please don't think we were attempting to hide it from you. We were just worried how you would take it. Plus, we were worried about the will." HIs brother sounded so sweet. Like a caring older brother.
Brent knew that what he'd just said was the real issue at hand. Brent blinked, confused. Truly, genuinely confused.
"Are there issues with the will? I thought he would have left everything to you guys." Brent said, meaning it. He did not want it. He didn't want a single cent.
Hmm, well, maybe he wanted to continue the deal about the prosthetics, but that was it! He wanted nothing else!
Though, if he got a decent sum, he wouldn't have to worry about getting anything from his family ever again…no! Brent didn't need anything from them! He could make his own money! He had his own money, he was just feeling bewildered and confused by the whole situation.
His brother stared at Brent, trying to examine Brent to see if he was serious, and seemed a little surprised that Brent was.
"You…are serious about that?" His brother asked and Brent nodded without hesitation. He didn't want anything to do with these freaks. Sorry grandpa, but Brenty-boy wanted not a single thing that would give them a reason to hunt him for sport.
He was one bad one-liner from that future. He could feel it. Colby would have already done it if his brother hadn't told him not to. Brent was sure that the fucker had asked, too.
"Yeah, I am. I thought I made it very clear that I have no desire to be involved in any of the family's businesses. I left for the front lines because I thought that would be the clearest sign I really don't want anything to do with them. No one even knows who I am out there. Just that I'm a rare A Class Guide who isn't tied to a Guild, like you asked me not to do." Brent said it casually, trying to not show any of the residual anger he had over the fact that they were still controlling him.
Still keeping an eye on how tight of a leash they had on him.
He could see it in the way that his brother's lips twitched slightly. Clearly, he liked hearing that. Then, his brother let out a heavy sigh, glancing towards the other family members in the room. He looked torn, and Brent wondered who the hell he was putting a show on for? They already all bought into whatever he was selling.
"I am so glad to hear that you have no ties to the family, Brent, even though it hurts me greatly. You're acting as if we've treated you terribly." Brent held his tongue. He knew better. His brother smirked. "It's just…rather tragic that our grandfather didn't see things the same way." Brent felt a sneaking, terrible feeling slide down his spine.
Oh no.
No no no.
They had both agreed that he wouldn't do this. Brent should have fucking known better. The man had cared for Brent, truly treated him as his own, but they'd had that conversation when they had last seen each other. Maybe the man had gotten sentimental in the last few months and changed it behind his back.
Brent couldn't hide the way his face twisted. He did not like this. He had a feeling he knew where this was going, and Brent's brother laughed at Brent's scrunched up face.
"What's wrong, Brent? You don't look happy. What do you think he's done?" He asked, curious, but Brent couldn't hold the small growl back from his voice.
"I believe the old man has done something fucking terrible. Please tell me he didn't give me anything. I had no plan to accept anything." Brent growled and his brother threw his head back and laughed.
He laughed and laughed and laughed.
Brent hated to hear the sound and to witness it. It was a very worrying sight.
"Brent, he left you everything." His brother told him, wiping a tear from his eye. His expression was amused, but Brent was sure he wasn't feeling that way at all. Especially since the whole room tensed. "In such a tight case there was no way that we were able to wiggle around it. You are inheriting everything, including the very mansion we're standing in." Brent's jaw dropped, shocked that he'd done something so horrifying.
"You're serious?" Brent asked, and watched how Colby shifted towards Brent for his disrespectful tone. Brent's brother smiled at Brent.
"Why would I lie about something so serious?" He asked, his tone silky smooth. Brent let out a harsh breath, before he let out a strained laugh.
"So, he left me fucking everything and instead of telling me, or even notifying me of something so important to you, you kidnapped me from the front lines when monsters were attacking and I was needed?" Brent asked, and that last little tidbit seemed to surprise his brother. Brent let out a harsh laugh. "Are you fucking serious? This could have been an email. I don't want anything from this family. I would have gladly signed pretty much any paper you gave me. I don't want to be here. I don't even want anything from this!" Brent's emotions got the best of him, but honestly, he had been holding it together pretty well. "People could have died because I wasn't there doing my job! All because of Will conflict? This is so like you." Brent exhaled.
The rest of the room watched him, appearing to be a little shocked about his outburst. Brent shook his head, laughing some more. Kellen was going to kill him when he found out the reason he disappeared. Hell, Brent wanted to string himself out for this.
"An email?" His brother repeated and Brent snorted.
"Yeah, a damn email. I could have gotten everything notarized on my end. I'm not after your fucking throne, brother."