Lord of Entertainment C35 Made up

An hour into my stay at the Whitlock house, I could feel the weight of Mariana's curiosity. Her questions, though well-intentioned, were becoming increasingly difficult to navigate with my supposed amnesia. Fortunately, she seemed to pick up on my discomfort and gradually eased off.

Mariana's eyes softened with concern. "Well, why don't you have a rest, Arthur? It must have been very taxing for you..."

I shifted in my seat, seeing an opportunity to make my exit. "Um... Actually, I need to go to Rockwell Theatre to perform..."

Mariana and Layla exchanged surprised glances. "Oh, yes..." Mariana said, realization dawning on her face. "You're working at that theatre as a music artist now, aren't you?"

I nodded, careful to keep my expression neutral. "Yeah... I'm earning quite well there."

Layla chimed in, a hint of pride mixed with lingering skepticism in her voice. "He's become really famous, Mom. If you haven't seen, the newspapers have already covered his... unique grunge music performances."

"Of course I know," Mariana replied, her eyes shining as she looked at me. "I'm so proud that people are finally appreciating your weird- I mean... special music style."

I chuckled, appreciating the diplomatic way she avoided calling it 'weird' again. Standing up, I said, "Well, I'm already an hour late, so I should get going. I'll catch the bus..."

"Wait, son." Mariana's voice took on a more urgent tone. "Alejandro can drive you. And please, take some of the Whitlock security men with you..."

I quickly shook my head, careful to inject the right amount of discomfort into my voice. "M-mom," I stumbled over the word, as would be expected given my 'amnesia', "I'd be uncomfortable that way... Can't I go on my own?"

Mariana's face creased with worry. "Son, we don't know who might be targeting you. After that car crash, it's clear someone was trying to harm you. It's not safe..."

Layla nodded vigorously, turning to me with concern etched on her face. "She's right. And brother, I think before you lost your memory, you must have known someone was after you. That's probably how you managed to survive, but... you lost your memory in the process."

Mariana nodded in agreement with Layla, their united front of concern presenting a new challenge to my plans.

As I listened to Layla's theory, I felt a spark of inspiration. Her words were providing me with perfect material to embellish my story as Arthur Whitlock. I had to suppress a smirk at the irony.

Seizing the moment, I furrowed my brow, as if struggling to recall something. "You know, I think you might be onto something, Layla. I... I have these flashes of memory..."

Mariana leaned forward, her eyes wide. "What is it, dear? Go on..."

I nodded slowly, feigning concentration. "Before I knew it, I woke up in an unfamiliar place. I was... saved by a stranger at the last minute. And the car I was supposed to be in, I faintly remember something about it..."

"What is it? Please, tell us everything you can recall," Mariana encouraged, her voice gentle but urgent.

I paused, pretending to gather my thoughts while actually crafting my tale. "I think... I gave that car to someone," I said vaguely, knowing the ambiguity would work in my favor.

Mariana and Layla exchanged glances, nodding for me to continue.

"Then I entered another car," I added, injecting a note of urgency into my voice. "I think I was trying to get away from someone." The repeated use of 'someone' was deliberate, leaving room for interpretation and future elaboration if needed.

Layla's eyes narrowed as she looked at Mariana, a silent communication passing between them.

"Can you remember who was chasing you?" Layla asked, her voice tense.

I shook my head, adopting a frustrated expression. "It's... I don't know. It's all so hazy." I paused, then continued as if the memory was slowly coming back. "I only remember that this person's men somehow caught up with me in another town. They seemed to know I wasn't in my original car. Then they... they used some kind of powerful magic spell. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in an unfamiliar place."

As I finished my fabricated account, I watched Mariana and Layla's faces grow serious. The tension in the room was palpable.

Mariana reached out, grasping my hand. "Oh, Arthur. You've been through so much."

Layla's jaw clenched, a mix of worry and determination in her eyes. "We need to find out who's behind this. They're clearly powerful and well-informed."

"That's very useful information, Arthur."

I whirled around, startled to see Ark standing in the doorway.

His sudden appearance was a stark reminder of his power as the head of the Whitlock family. I hadn't even sensed his presence, a fact that both impressed and unnerved me.

Ark's eyes bore into mine, searching. "Can you remember anything else?"

I shook my head, feigning discomfort. "That's... that's all I can recall right now. It's still so hazy... I wish I could remember more. It's all so frustrating."

Mariana squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Don't push yourself, dear. The memories will come back in time. For now, we need to focus on keeping you safe." She turned to Ark. "Let him breathe, dear. I'm sure the memories will come back gradually."

Ark nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Of course."

Seizing the moment, I made my move. "I should head to the Rockwell Theatre now. Please... I'd prefer to go alone. I need some space to process everything."

"But..." Mariana began, worry etched on her face.

To my surprise, Ark interrupted. "Let him be, my dear. I think it's fine for him to go alone. Anyone would feel uncomfortable being constantly watched."

Mariana nodded hesitantly, clearly torn.

Gratitude, both genuine and calculated, colored my voice. "Thank you, fa-father..."

Ark's smile was understanding, almost kind. "It's fine if you call me Ark. You must feel strange using 'father' when you don't fully remember everything about me yet."

I returned his smile, nodding. "Thank you... Ark."

With final nods to Mariana and Layla, I turned to leave. As I walked away, I could feel Ark's gaze on my back, heavy with unspoken thoughts.

The moment I stepped outside the mansion gates, my smile faded. I wasn't fooled by Ark's apparent leniency. No doubt he would have his men follow me, albeit discreetly.

Sure enough, as I made my way down the street, I could sense hidden eyes tracking my movements. But I maintained my oblivious act, my posture relaxed and unguarded.

Inwardly, my mind raced. Ark's intervention was unexpected, a wild card in my carefully laid plans. Was he truly being understanding, or was this a test? Either way, I needed to be more cautious than ever.

***

(Ark Whitlock POV)

As Arthur's words echoed in my mind, I found myself piecing together a complex puzzle. His account of giving the car to another person could explain the unidentified charred corpse. It was a crucial piece of information, one that aligned with our recent discoveries.

The mystery of the second car, however, presented new questions. Arthur owned several luxury vehicles, but he'd only taken one out that day. Could he have been so prescient as to arrange an alternate vehicle under a different name? It spoke of a level of cunning I hadn't previously attributed to my son.

My thoughts raced. Was Arthur truly outwitting his pursuer, only to be discovered and nearly killed in the process? And then, somehow saved, but at the cost of his memories?

As I mulled over these possibilities, Mariana's voice cut through my concentration, sharp with annoyance.

"My dear, why have you let our son go off on his own? Don't you realize how dangerous that is? You, of all people, should know better." Her eyes flashed with a mixture of concern and irritation.

Layla chimed in, her tone equally reproachful. "That's right, Father. How could you allow this?"