Chapter 8 The Code of Vitalis

Reginald forced a smile, though it looked noticeably strained.

"This is my sister's house," he said. "I received a call that it had collapsed, so I came to see the damage. If necessary, I'll have it rebuilt"

Marcus’ eyes swept over Reginald from head to toe. The pair of rubber gloves on his hands were covered in dust, and bits of broken concrete clung to the knees of his trousers. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he had been doing. He had been searching the ruins for the code of Vitalis.

Marcus let out a faint, mocking smile, "You don't need to concern yourself with this place anymore," he said calmly. 

"This house belongs to me now. I'll decide what happens to it"

Without waiting for a reply, he brushed past Reginald and walked toward the collapsed building.

Reginald remained rooted to the spot. His mind struggled to process what he had just heard.

After a few seconds, he turned around, "Mr Ethan," he called out, unable to hide his confusion. "I don't think I understand. What do you mean this house belongs to you?"

Marcus looked back at him, "I don't enjoy repeating myself," he said evenly. "But since you and my father have known each other for years, I'll make an exception"

He slipped one hand into his pocket, "I bought this property from your nephew. Legally, it belongs to me now"

His expression turned cold, "So I'd appreciate it if you stop trespassing on my property and get out"

Reginald's face froze, “Marcus had sold the house?”

“When? Why hadn't he told me?”. A hundred thoughts crashed through his mind at once.

“If Marcus had sold the house..then the book…”. His breathing became uneven.

“Had Marcus moved it before selling the property?”

His face twisted with fury, "No!". The shout echoed across the quiet village. 

Marcus watched him with an amused smile. The panic written all over Reginald's face was impossible to hide.

Reginald finally turned to leave, but before taking more than a few steps…

"Hold on", Marcus's voice stopped him.

Reginald slowly looked back. Marcus folded his arms arrogantly, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Reginald stared in confusion, “ Forgetting what?”, he asked.

"You entered someone else's property without permission," Marcus said. "Don't you think an apology seems appropriate"

For a brief moment, Reginald's face darkened. He had spent years looking down on Marcus. Now he was being asked to apologize because he had unknowingly trespassed on property owned by the son of the richest man in the country.

His fists clenched inside the dusty gloves, but he had no choice. Not when the man standing before him was Ethan Liam Voss.

He lowered his head slightly, "My apologies, Mr. Ethan"

Marcus gave a satisfied nod, "That's much better"

Reginald turned around and walked away without another word. Marcus watched until the car disappeared from sight.

"It isn't so bad being the richest man's son after all," he thought with a faint smile. "Money certainly commands respect"

The smile disappeared the moment he entered the collapsed house. Theo quietly followed behind while Marcus made his way to what remained of his old bedroom.

Ignoring the broken beams and scattered debris, he dropped to one knee and reached beneath a fallen wooden cabinet.

A few moments later, he pulled out an old cloth handbag that belonged to his late mother. His heartbeat quickened as he opened it.

The smile on his face vanished because it was empty. His fingers searched every corner of the bag again, but found nothing.

His breathing increased, "N-no..."

He emptied the contents onto the dusty floor and searched once more.

"W-what happened?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

Marcus felt dizzy as he searched the bag again. From the look on Reginald's face earlier, it was obvious he hadn't found it either. The confusion and frustration Marcus had seen couldn't have been fake.

Because one side of the house had collapsed, he couldn't search every corner of it. That was why he had been so happy when he found the handbag lying in the part of the house that was still standing.

“Reginald was the only relative he had left. If the code of Vitalis wasn't with him, then where was it?”, he wondered.

That book was the only thing that could save his real body... and countless other people.

"I need to find it. I have to". He began searching everything in sight.

Outside, Theo waited inside the SUV. Marcus had told him not to follow, so he had no idea what was happening inside the collapsed house.

Minutes passed, sweat covered Marcus's forehead, but the book was nowhere to be found. Out of frustration, he kicked a basket of clothes across the floor.

He was about to continue searching when something suddenly came to mind.

He hurried back to the basket and started going through the clothes.

"Keep it in a place nobody would think of looking". His late father's words echoed in his mind.

He searched faster, then his fingers touched a small key lying at the bottom of the basket.

He let out a long breath, "Thank God... it's still here"

Clutching the key tightly, he walked out of the house.

"Theo", he called

"Yes, sir?"

"Let's go"

Theo started the SUV without asking any questions. A short while later, they arrived at the village's local vault, where residents kept important belongings before leaving the village.

People turned to look at Marcus as he walked in. At first, he felt awkward because of the way he was dressed. Then he thought about it again, no one here knew who he was. Even if they gossiped about him, it would only reach Reginald the next time he came to the village.

Ignoring the murmurs around him, Marcus walked to the counter and handed over the key. Moments later, a small wooden box was brought out and he opened it 

The moment his hand touched the code of Vitalis, he smiled. The very book that had made Reginald send him to prison was finally back in his hands.

"Thank goodness," he murmured as he left with the book hidden beneath his shirt.

By the time he returned to the Voss estate, Victor and Sophia were already waiting for him.

Victor looked at him and asked, "Where are you coming from, Ethan? I've been waiting for quite a while"