Chapter 17: His Past

In the eerily dark building located in the outskirts of the city, three men were making their way to the top of the building.

It was already 9 in the night and the brightness of the stars was no use in this dark building which would be a great spot to film a horror movie.

Dressed in black suits with the uppermost button of their white shirt being unbuttoned, they didn't look like gentlemen; much more like a gangster.

Among the three men who were going up to the top of the building, the man on the middle was a familiar face equipped with devilishly handsome looks.

He was none other than Aston Kang, who was nicknamed the 'Nation's Prince'.

Of course, he was not shooting a movie. This was real. Besides, he doesn't seem to be pleased to be there at this hour. But he was not being dragged there. He went there, voluntarily.

The moment he reached the top of the building with two men next to him, at least 20 men dressed in suits appeared on the scene.

Mocking smiles, smirk and snickers; the reaction on their faces was the proof that they despised this top celebrity, who used to be one of them.

Not even a minute passed before one of the men kicked him on the legs which made Aston dropped to his knees. Before him was a chair but he could not see the person sitting there because the back of the chair was opposite to him. Yet he still knew who would be sitting there because he was very familiar with the place and the men there.

This place was his past which he wished to erase from his memory.

With his knees still glued to the cold floors, he asked, "What do you want this time?" He was not scared... no... so far from being scared. It's just that he was too tired and busy to pick a fight.

With that said, the chair turned around and the boss of that place revealed himself. A man who was in his late 30s with a well-built body and muscular looks. He was Lester Yun, the Big Boss of the Red Tiger Gang.

"Hello, Mr. Top celebrity; or should I say 'Hi, my ex right-hand man." He said with a playful smile as he played with a pistol on his right hand as if it was a toy.

"I really hate repeating myself, Lester." Aston glared at the man right in the eyes, refusing to back down which earned him another hard kicked from the gangsters.

"How dare you!" One of the gangsters was about to give him another kick but Lester stopped him by raising his hand.

"You cannot do that. He's the nation's favourite and of course, he's still my most favourite among here." Lester stated with a smile.

"Just tell me what you want." Aston had become tired of their nonsense. Did they already forget that he was not one of them anymore?

Quitting a gang was never easy, much more like an impossible task, but he managed to achieve the impossible and reached where he was now.

"Okay. I'll get straight to the point." The smile which plastered Lester's face the whole time disappeared in a split second as if he was a different person. "We need money to get our men out. They were captured yesterday."

"Again? Why would I do that? This is not the first, second or even the third time." Aston's coldly brushed the man off.

"You are a man who has many things to lose, while we are just a bunch of gangsters with nothing to lose," Lester said to him in a clear manner. "Do you know our difference now?" He bent down to match Aston and grinned from ear to ear. Maybe his lunatic side had just come out.

"You are wrong, Lester. I don't have much to lose. As long as I can find my sister, I won't hesitate to bet everything I have. Even my life, I can bet it all. Other things don't matter to me."

His sharp gaze landed on the man who was once his master. "Fame? Wealth? They mean nothing. All that matter to me is to find my sister."

Lester flicked his hand and nod his head at him. "That's the exact reason why you should listen to me. Because I'm the only one who knows where your sister is."

Aston sighed at the man. "That again? I won't fall for that anymore. Even 8 years ago, you said that you know where my sister is. That's how you convinced me to work for you and this lousy gang!" His tone became higher and higher until it became a yell.

He always tried his best to not be troubled by their words but whenever his lost sister was concerned, he always loses his ability to control himself.

Why did he fall for this man's lies eight years ago? If he didn't believe him back then, his life won't be this mess up!

"Oh! Is that so? Then this might change your mind." Lester take out some photos from the inner pocket of his coat and threw before Aston. "I won't need to explain those photos to you. You will know it better than me."

Aston lowered his head and looked at the photos on the floor. His face turned pale as soon as he saw them. He immediately picked up the photos to have a clear look. He tightly clenched his fist when he saw the bag and the young girl in the photos.

It was the same bag which their father bought for them just before he passed away. They got the same school bags on their birthday because they were twins. His sister was older than him with just a few minutes.

The photos were enough to convince the actor because the girl in the photos might be at least 13 years old as the school bag was already so small for her. They were 10 when they received the gift and it still fits them well at that time. It was the same year when they got separated.

One thing was for sure, Lester clearly knows where his sister was taken after the death of their parents.

Aston glanced at the photo for a while and then put inside his inner pocket. He was fumed with anger on the inside but for his sister's sake, he gets ahold of himself. If he could find his sister, he was willing to swallow his pride again and again.

"How much do you want?" He finally gave in to his old master.

"Finally let go of your pride?" Lester said to him with a malicious smile but suddenly, his face becomes deadly serious again. "But you must first show me your sincerity. I have become more greedy because you just show me your stubborn nature. You know, Aston. I'm still hurt by your departure from my gang while you were such a great and reliable subordinate." He pointed him on the head with his pistol.

Despite the end of the pistol being clashed with his forehead, Aston's didn't react nor move. His eyes were glued to the floor, unfazed by the bullet that could make it's way to his head anytime.

The moment the pistol was withdrawn from his head, he asked again, "What more do you want from me? I'll do anything you ask."

"That's what I want to hear." Lester handed the pistol to one of his men and rose from his seat. "Apart from the money, I want your time. As I said before, I'm still infuriated by you going against me and I want you to suffer for that."

He bent down to match Aston who was still kneeling on the floor and roughly grabbed him on the chin. "Give me two hours to torment you as I please." A wicked smile appeared on Lester's face.

"If I did that, will you tell me the place where that photo was taken?" His safety or all the dangerous things that could happen to him didn't cross his mind for even once. All Aston cared about was finding his sister.

"Of course. Give me a number and I will send the address as soon as you enter this place to be at my disposal for two hours. Don't worry. I won't kill you. I want you to live a long and successful life."

"Fine. I will do as you say but I will choose the time." He agreed while stating his only condition.

"That's not a problem. You're the one who is in a hurry anyway. See you soon then." Lester and all his men retreated from the building, leaving Aston all alone in the dark building.

Aston knows that the location of that photo might not even help him in finding his sister. But even if there was just a one in a thousand chance to succeed, he will still give a try.

After all, reuniting with his long lost sister was the only thing which gave him the desire to live throughout all those dark and tormenting years.

Being tormented for two hours was nothing compared to all the things he went through in the 27 years of his life.....