Viktor answered with a thoughtful expression, "For now, Taya says she doesn't have any concrete information that could help us. But if the people behind them are smart, they wouldn't be making moves for a while. Because the way I took care of those men will surely send a strong message to their leader, and I am sure if he got some brains, he wouldn't make any moves until he figures out who killed his men so easily."
Brad slightly nodded and sighed as he said, "Trouble never ceases to find us. I sometimes feel that being more powerful is troublesome than having no power at all. But of course, the benefits that power brings is too much for me to complain about anything."
"Why? Do you miss the good old days when we were all just a small happy family? Just you, Dina, Taya, and me in that old house?" Viktor asked with a smile.
Brad softly laughed, "Those days surely had their charm. I reminisce about those days then and now, especially after Dina passed away. Sigh, I really miss her." Brad said with a wistful gaze.
"Don't worry, Brad. She will patiently wait for you and still love you in the next life."
Brad chuckled, "So you are a believer of reincarnation?"
"Well, I don't consider anything impossible since my own existence is proof itself. There could be many things in the world or the universe we have yet to understand or learn about. Just like how I have no idea who or what I really am or where those ancient ruins I was sleeping in came from. There are too many questions to ask, and I have the time, but I have no idea how to seek the answers," Viktor said with a slight head shake.
Brad narrowed his gaze and asked, "But do you really want to find those answers? I mean, as long as you are happy and well, it really doesn't matter, right? Also, don't you think that there could be a good reason why you lost your memories? I can't think of a way for you to possibly lose your memories. So whatever happened is beyond mine or anyone else's knowledge."
Viktor nodded as he said with a glazed expression, "You are right. I have thought about these things before as well. But there is a burning feeling inside my heart that I forgot something very important...something that might have been a precious memory for me. This is what always drives me to find answers and sometimes makes me restless thinking about it."
"Oh…" Brad raised his brows as he felt that Viktor's true past could be very well complicated and said, "Then I guess you shouldn't try to force yourself to remember but let those memories find you."
"But how?" Viktor asked with a slight headshake.
Brad said with a light shrug, "I don't know much about amnesia or what kind of memory loss you suffered. But what I can tell you is that memories, even if they are erased from our brains, important ones that we hold very dear will always remain within our hearts and soul. And when you need them the most, these memories might find you on their own."
Viktor had an incredulous look on his face and said after a few moments, "When did you become so spiritual, Brad? Is it those books you have been reading?"
Brad awkwardly smiled, "Hoho, at my age, things like spirituality and the abstract concepts of soul interest me the most, and I even wrote some books on the same topic. If you see those books in any bookstore, be sure to buy one for support, ha."
"Haha, I can't wait to see the gibberish you have written," Viktor laughed, making Brad clear his throat in embarrassment.
He then continued with a proud smile, "You should read mine as well. But don't read them in public."
"You write books too?" Brad asked with a baffled expression.
"Novels...romantic ones, you know."
"But when and why? I never saw you write when you were staying with us."
"Who said I don't write? I only write when I get inspiration, and staying in that village for all those years made me feel bored. So I decided to write some for my own pleasure and published it to see if people would enjoy it," Viktor said with a shrug while Brad shook his head with a smile, wondering how many youngsters were going to be corrupted by reading his novel.
As the hours passed, the two kept on talking like best friends till they landed in the airport in the Twilnola Isle by 1 PM.
The airport was quite crowded, and Viktor saw many tourists from various countries walking around, which made him realize again that this place had become even more of an exotic location.
But precisely because of this, only those who saved up enough money or were coming from wealthy backgrounds could afford a trip to this island since everything was expensive here. At least, that was what Viktor felt after going through many brochures and catalogs while he was on the plane.
"You still speak Ishian, right? Because mine is quite rusty," Brad said with a dry chuckle.
Viktor rolled his eyes, "Please. I have been to this place once and that too for just a brief stay. But still, you are lucky I speak Ishian. Having too much time on your hands can motivate you to learn all sorts of things."
"Hoho, that is good enough."
"Don't tell me you pulled me along as a translator?" Viktor asked skeptically.
Brad coughed, "Ahem. Of course, not. What do you take me for? If I wanted a translator, I could have hired one."
"Alright, alright. I was just asking," Viktor said with a chuckle.
The two then slipped into a public restroom, and as planned, Brad put on his fake beard and wig, making him look like a man in his sixties who just had too much money in his hand and had no idea how to spend them other than visiting this island.
Viktor didn't have to change his clothes since the clothes he bought as Dorian was big enough to perfectly fit him when he assumed his true appearance. That was why his clothes seemed baggy when he wore them as Dorian.
But now, his t-shirt was hugging his body, highlighting his well-defined muscles, solid pecs, and biceps, making him appear hot enough to spellbind any passing by girls.
When Brad came out, Viktor chortled, seeing his funny appearance with a patterned flower shirt with many colors and especially his wig, which was black hair that reached till his shoulders and a well-shaped full beard. But the funniest thing was his black sunglasses, and Viktor could hardly contain his laughter.
If anyone else saw how the proud and powerful Brad was looking like this now, they would think that he either lost his mind or that someone was impersonating him to destroy his image.
No one would in their dreams imagine that such a serious man could look so funny. But they had no idea that when Brad was with his family, he would be himself and act as he pleased.
"What? Is there something funny written on my face?" Brad asked in a disgruntled tone seeing how Viktor wasn't appreciative of his disguise, which took him days to come up with. He had to think a lot before choosing what kind of wig and style he should go with.
Viktor grinned, "You look like a perverted senior trying to hide his seniority to score girls."
Brad gulped and looked at the mirror again, wondering if he really looked like one, but still, he felt that he looked quite younger and stylish.
"Seriously, Brad, at least remove those lame sunglasses. We are inside a building now," Viktor said as he shook his head.
Brad shook his finger, "That's where you are lagging behind, Viktor. See, this is the new fashion these youngsters follow these days. We don't wear sunglasses for its utility but for style."
Viktor admitted defeat, "Alright, alright, as you wish. But don't blame me if girls call you a pervert, haha."
Brad harrumphed as he picked up his hat and left the restroom as Viktor followed him with a smile.
"So after checking into our hotel, we should visit the famous beach and get some tan," Brad said in a spirited tone as the two walked through the pathway, enjoying the beautiful greenery on the outside.
"The Bellena Beach? Of course, isn't that a given," Viktor said with a wink.
Brad shook his head, knowing why Viktor was looking forward to going to the beach.
Brad observed the people walking around him, including families, the vehicles passing to and fro, and then after thinking about something, he asked Viktor, "Viktor...I always wondered one thing. With you being the most powerful man in the world, why did you never try to control the whole world? Won't ones with such power usually do something like that just like we see in movies?"
