The story of Max Villareal

The story of Max Villareal v.3

"But dad, that's not fair! Why can't Emma come too?" I wailed, it was the first time I've disobeyed my father ever since my mother's death. "Emma? EMMA?" my father roared, "Elsa is the only female name you'll ever need to know apart from your sister. Emma means nothing!" he sneered. "If you invite her, or ever meet up with her except in your silly adventure club, there will be consequences...for her. And you of all people, Max, should know exactly how I treat the people who stop me from helping you reach your full potential," my father said, nodding to my mother's portrait in the corner of our sitting room. He left silently...leaving me to stand there...I've never felt so alone in my whole life.

My father decided to organize a slumber party for the adventure club members so that I can 'get to know' Elsa a little more. He said that my relationship with her has to get a move on or else... The terrible thing is that I can't invite Emma...I wish I had someone there who made me feel at home.

Days later, Lucas and Elsa came around to the mansion for the sleepover. "Come in, come in!" my father greeted them in his fake-friendly voice that he usually uses when talking to his customers. "Where's Emma?" Lucas asked immediately, my father raised his eyebrows as I seethed silently. "Emma has fallen ill, so she won't be able to make it this time", I gabbled. My father gave me an approving wink and led our guests into the sitting room where Luna and my older brother Hugo was waiting. "Hugo, don't you have teenage things to attend to?" my father hinted, nodding towards the door. But Hugo was so dense that he couldn't take a hint and replied, "Oh I'm free tonight, Fathe..." he was saying as I noticed Luna muttering something in his ear and he changed his mind and said, "I actually have some homework to do," he said as if he was reading a script. My father glared at him as he stumbled his way out of the room, then nodded satisfactorily at Luna as he went over and sat next to her on our Victorian sofa.

Hugo was actually originally supposed to be the heir to the company but my father banned him from having anything to do with our family business ever since he developed PTSD after finding out about our mother's death. He now attends cooking school to avoid any contact with anyone from the industry. After all, ever since Hugo was diagnosed with PTSD, Father has seen him as a burden of our family. He couldn't bear to let other people know that he had a son with mental problems, he was so worried about the news spreading, he actually killed the doctor who diagnosed Hugo and all the maids in the doctor's office that day. When he employed new personal maids for Hugo, my father forced them to sign a contract that states if they spread one single rumor about my brother, it would be off with their heads.

Back at the sleepover, we were all sitting on the couch watching TV as I felt Elsa nudging nearer and nearer to me. "I need to get something," I muttered and raced up the stairs towards the direction of my room. After calming myself down under the covers, I walked across the landing and saw my father talking to Elsa! I peered down the banister, straining to eavesdrop on what they are talking about without getting caught. "Elsa," I heard my father whisper...