Chapitre 4: 4 - Sympathy

The truth was as bad as Dr. Gordon and Ren feared. The fact that Fang survived and was able to stay sane made the two men admire the teenager from the depths of their hearts.

Never had they imagined that one of the directors of the Orchid Orphanage could be so depraved and devious. It was clear that Fang was not the only one being forced into indecent acts. Any attractive child over the age of fifteen was apparently considered fair game! There were three of them currently, two girls and Fang. The fourth one - a boy - had committed suicide a few months ago. Since then, Fang's situation had become even worse.

Ren was aghast at how much of Fang's suffering the infernal book had dismissed in a cavalier fashion! Now that he knew the truth, Ren recalled some reactions of the Male Lead which seemed wrong at a glance throughout the book. Now he could see that it was untreated PTSD.

Fang was trembling by the time he finished his tale, refusing to look up at the two men.

"I'll take care of it," Ren said firmly. "Excuse me for a moment." He stepped out of the room and went to speak with Pax in his study. Pax had already received some information on the misappropriated funds. The school fees couldn't be siphoned since Ren had directly paid the school, but a large chunk of the living and study expenses that he'd sent to the orphanage had been stolen. One of the excuses given for abusing the children was that perverts paid for the maintenance of the orphanage, and if the chosen teenagers didn't obey, everyone would starve to death or be reduced to begging on the streets.

Ren clenched his fists so hard that his nails tore into his palms.

"How do you want to handle it, Master Ren?" Pax asked. He had never seen his boss so angry.

"Find some decent people to take over the orphanage, and until you find suitable people, send our some of the company's HR and therapists to handle it. Take along some doctors, nurses and paramedics from our new hospital recruits. Assess the building and prepare to move to a better location if required. I want the children to live safely and happily and I want everyone who hurt those children to be brought down. Ask Wolf if his gang wants to take it up. They can do whatever they want; I'll cover everything and pay double. These disgusting creatures need not see the sunrise tomorrow." Ren's golden eyes flashed.

Wolf was the head of one of the most influential mafia gangs in Cosmopolis. He was also the original villain Ren's first boyfriend. They had broken up several years ago, but Wolf wanted to have an occasional fling with him every now and then. Dr. Ren hadn't met him yet.

Pax paused. "Are you sure, Master Ren? There are at least thirty people involved."

"Do you know how many children they have driven to death over the years, Pax?"

Pax looked at the glaring red number on his tablet. "I understand, Master Ren," he said.

Ren patted his assistant on the shoulder. "Thanks, Pax. I'm sorry I'm troubling you with such a horrendous task... it's ok if you don't want to. I'll speak to Wolf myself."

Pax shook his head. "I'll speak to Wolf. He...may want to visit."

Ren chuckled. "If he can do everything perfectly, I'll personally cook dinner for him tomorrow. Tell him that."

"Yes, Master Ren."

"Thanks, Pax."

Ren walked back to the room where Fang was, took a deep breath to calm himself and went in.

Fang looked up as he entered and hurriedly looked down again.

"I...you can send me back now," he murmured in a small voice.

Ren and Dr. Gordon exchanged a troubled look.

"Go back where?" Ren asked quietly.

"To...to the orphanage..." Fang whispered.

"Why?" Ren asked.

Fang looked up at him, shocked and wide-eyed. His purple eyes were red-rimmed.

"You don't want me to leave?" he asked, disbelieving.

Ren frowned. "Why would I want you to leave? You can stay here to recuperate...and if you're uncomfortable, I'll take you to a hospital."

"But...I'm dirty..." Fang whispered.

"Not at all," Dr. Gordon said. "You're all cleaned up."

Fang hung his head. "I... I'll leave tomorrow, then."

"We'd better let Dr. Gordon decide that," Ren said casually. "I have plenty of rooms, Fang. You're welcome to stay here as long as you want."

"Really...? Your family...they won't mind...?" the boy asked.

Ren flushed. "Actually... I've been disinherited. I've lived alone since I was fifteen. Everyone who lives here works for me."

Fang stared at him. "Fifteen? You started your company at fifteen?"

Ren nodded. "I received a little inheritance from a relative, along with the disclosure that I wasn't my parents' child at all. They were naturally furious and threw me out. I figured I had to do some useful work if I wanted to live well, so I started Sirocco. I've been lucky that it worked out well." He smiled. "My parents won't see me, but I do meet my little brother from time to time."

Purple eyes filled with amazement and admiration, and a hint of sympathy. "What about your biological parents?"

"Never saw them; heard they were killed soon after my birth...talk about a bad omen, eh?" Ren joked. The villain was a bit pitiful, too, he thought. No wonder he was twisted. The protagonist's parents were a bit much - discarding a child they'd brought up for fifteen years just like that.

"I'm sorry," Fang whispered.

Ren reached out and ruffled the boy's dark hair lightly. "There's nothing for you to be sorry about, Fang. Don't worry. Dr. Gordon will tell you that worrying makes your immunity weaker."

"It does," Dr. Gordon said immediately.

Ren grinned at the teenager. "So...what do you want to eat?"

"Don't feed him the junk you eat!" Dr. Gordon scolded Ren. "He needs light, nutritious food - and so do you, Master Ren!"

Ren threw up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Yes Sir! Please advise the cook, Sir!" he pretended to speak like a junior soldier.

Dr. Gordon huffed and went out.

Ren sighed. "We'll be stuck with either porridge or soup, I'm afraid..." he lamented.

Fang looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

Ren wailed dramatically. "Et tu, Fang? Then fall, Ren!"

Fang giggled.

Ren smiled and went on to narrate horror stories featuring Dr. Gordon's"healthy food" that he was forced to eat for nearly a month while he was recovering.

When Dr. Gordon and Jules the cook appeared with the meal, they found the two of them chatting and laughing like old friends.

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