Shadows of the Heir

Chapter 4

Shadows of the Heir.

Benjamin’s POV

I woke up to the soft hum of the air conditioner in my room, wrapped in the crisp scent of luxury. My bedroom, like everything else in this house, screamed money. Being the son of a mafia lord meant I was surrounded by wealth, power, and fear, but never love.

My name is Benjamin Rufus, and I’m fourteen. Confused. Depressed. And utterly alone. Growing up in the Rufus family isn’t like any normal upbringing. Emotions are to be killed, weaknesses hidden.

My father made it clear long ago: ruthlessness and dominance are my birthright. Love, vulnerability, empathy, those are luxuries I can never afford.

I glanced at my phone: 6:20 a.m. Almost time to get ready for school. To push away the ache gnawing inside me, I opened my favorite porn site, scrolling through videos that made me feel, at least for a moment, something close to pleasure. I’ve always known I liked guys. Sure, girls throw themselves at me, the son of the powerful Rufus, but it’s never them I’m drawn to.

It’s the boys, their smiles, their eyes, their quiet strength. But I’ve buried that part of myself deep down, locked away where no one, especially my father, could find it. If he knew his heir harbored such thoughts…no. I can’t even imagine his reaction.

I found myself clicking on one of my favorite videos, my gaze lingering on the dominant, muscular actor. The way he held his partner, so sure of himself, so free to love. A painful longing welled up in my chest.

“I wish I could come out. Have a boyfriend. Be with someone who cares,” I whispered. But I knew better. For someone like me, love was a dangerous fantasy.

The intensity of the scene built, and I was lost in my own world stroking my hard dick with so much intensity filled with so much pleasure until

“Ewww!” My sister’s voice shot through the air, yanking me out of my daze. I scrambled to cover myself and closed the video in a flash, my heart pounding.

“Martha!” I yelled, scrambling to cover up, heat rising to my cheeks.

“What are you doing?” she sneered, half-giggling, half-horrified.

“I was…busy,” I replied coldly, trying to keep my tone steady.

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t care, but you’re late. Come down for breakfast.”

As she left, I muttered, “Nosy brat,” under my breath. Shaking off the embarrassment, I dressed for school, throwing on the crisp white shirt and green tie of my uniform. It always looked odd against my appearance, especially with my striking blue eyes that stood out, making me seem even more like an outsider.

Downstairs, my father sat at the head of the dining table, his face hidden behind the morning newspaper. I slipped into my chair as quietly as possible, hoping to avoid his gaze.

“Why are you late to breakfast?” His deep voice, rough and unyielding, cut through the silence without looking up.

“I…woke up late,” I mumbled, keeping my eyes on my plate as I began eating, hoping he’d let it slide.

“Really?” He slammed his fist onto the table, rattling the silverware. I flinched, feeling a lump form in my throat. I forced myself to meet his gaze, even as tears threatened to betray me. I couldn’t let him see me break.

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” I whispered, my voice barely holding together.

“‘Sorry’ doesn’t do anything, Benjamin. Actions matter. And for your lack of discipline, you’ll be assigned a mission after school today. Meet me for the details.” He stood up abruptly, leaving me alone with my untouched breakfast, every word of his cutting deeper than the last.

I clenched my fists under the table. Anger, frustration, and hopelessness churned within me. Why couldn’t he ever look at me with something other than disdain? I quickly pushed my chair back, barely tasting my food as I stuffed a few bites down and stormed out the door.

I didn’t take the family car to school. I didn’t want to be surrounded by the walls of our wealth, our power. I just needed to be alone, if only for a few minutes. I knew it would anger my father to hear I had walked to school, but I didn’t care. Not today.

By the time I arrived, Billy and his friends were already hanging around the gates, waiting for me like every other day.

“Hey, bro!” Billy greeted me, clapping a hand on my shoulder as if we were close. I forced a smile and gave him a quick nod.

“What’s up?” I replied flatly, not in the mood for their usual antics.

They laughed and shoved each other, cracking jokes about the other kids as they walked by. Every insult, every shove, they always took it too far. But when I watched them torment that one boy, my heart ached in a way I couldn’t ignore.

Daniel.

I didn’t know much about him, but I knew he had the greenest eyes I’d ever seen. They were full of sadness, and for reasons I couldn’t explain, that made me feel more connected to him than anyone else. Maybe because I saw a little of myself in him, quiet, reserved, maybe even lonely.

As Daniel passed, Billy and the others closed in, mocking him with taunts and sneers.

“So, how’s the pastor’s pet doing?” one of them jeered, blocking his way.

“Whose dick did you suck this weekend?” Shaun snickered, laughing as Daniel turned away, ignoring them. I held back, my heart pounding. I wanted to stop them, but the words stayed stuck in my throat.

For a second, Daniel’s eyes met mine. And in that brief moment, I could see it all, his pain, his loneliness, his resilience. I wanted to reach out, to tell him he wasn’t alone. But instead, I just stood there, helpless, pretending like I didn’t care.

I finally broke away from the group, muttering, “I’m heading to class.”

“Don’t forget about summer camp!” Billy shouted after me. “We’re counting on you to come, bro!”

I shrugged, unsure. “Maybe.”

The idea of spending a month at summer camp with Billy and his gang sounded miserable. Besides, I’d just end up spending most of my time alone. What was the point?

I entered the classroom, hoping to disappear into my seat. But as soon as I walked in, Daniel looked up, and our eyes locked again. This time, I couldn’t look away. Something about him kept drawing me in, no matter how hard I tried to resist.

“Hey, Benjamin!” A group of girls surrounded me almost instantly, each one vying for my attention. They giggled and tossed their hair, asking about my plans for the weekend, but I barely heard them. My thoughts were somewhere else,on Daniel, on my father’s cold words, on the mission waiting for me after school.

The teacher walked in, and the girls finally backed off, much to my relief. I exhaled, sinking back into my chair, my mind far from the lesson.

What would my father have me do? I’d done “missions” before, tasks he deemed necessary for a future mafia boss. But each one left a scar, a reminder of who I was expected to become. Ruthless. Heartless. Dominant.

I stole another glance at Daniel, who sat a few rows ahead. His shoulders were hunched, his head bowed as if carrying the weight of the world. In that moment, I envied him. He may have his own struggles, but at least he wasn’t being molded into something monstrous, something he didn’t want to be.

I wondered what it would be like to talk to him, to let my guard down, even for just a moment. But that would only be a fantasy. I was Benjamin Rufus, son of the most feared man in the underworld. And Daniel…he was someone I could never have.

The rest of the school day blurred by in a haze of dread and apprehension. When the final bell rang, I felt a chill down my spine. The mission awiated me at home, a reminder of the life am bound to.