Chapter 164
Lake:
I couldn’t see myself, but I could tell that my eyes had turned bloodshot red. I could feel the burning flames of my rage scorch my eyelids, I could taste bile at the tip of my tongue, already smell the blood that would have oozed out of his nose if I could dive my rolled fist into his face, and bury it deep down into his skull in such a way that he would never recover enough to speak such demeaning words about Jojo. I wanted to watch him fly to the other end of the room as I kicked him so hard, I wanted to get rid of the audacity he carried on his shoulder, and the smile on his face.
My mother must have noticed. She took a firm stance in front of me, I knew she was blocking me from his path, she knew what I wanted to do the most. She also seemed to know that I had no words for him, because she spoke instead.
“That is enough, Cole. You have said more than you ought to. You would not stand in my house and insult the mother of my grandchild. I say it now and I would hate to say it again. Please, leave with your men, and leave now.”
I wished more than anything that he would listen to her, that he would turn his back and leave, never to return. However, he did not. He stubbornly stood in front of my mother and stared down at her.
“Emerald, Emerald, Emerald.” He kissed his teeth as he spoke, shaking his head slowly.
“Trust me when I say that you really do not want me to go back to my old ways. You of all people know what I am capable of doing. I wouldn’t want to scare my grandchild. Just, just go in there and get me my grandson, that’s all I ask. Believe me, I would pay off Jojo, whatever amount she wants. She would never lack anything, she can take care of her mother, take her to a better hospital facility for better treatment, and…”
Hold on a second. My brows squinted of their own accord. I had never mentioned Jojo’s mother’s ailment to him. So how did he know about it?
“… who knows? I might even be kind enough to spare her father’s life and grant him a life sentence instead of killing him on sight. I can do a lot for her, her family would never know lack.”
I was still taken aback by his previous statement. And it was clear I was not the only one.
In front of me, my mother’s arms grew limb by her sides.
“How… how did you know about…?’
My father’s left brow arched in what looked more like mockery to me.
“What? Doris?”
My mother’s gasp was audible, so much so that it caused me to narrow my eyes on her. I watched as she staggered back, taking several steps backwards until she fell into the couch behind us. I ignored my father’s sinister smile and rushed to her.
She was visibly hyperventilating. Her blue eyes were widened, her fingers dug into the leather skin of the couch, her chest rose and fell as she gulped in air. Soon, to my utmost surprise… and confusion, tears gathered in her eyes. The first drop escaped her eyelids and rushed down to her cheek, more followed after it. I stood by her side and held her right hand in mine.
I squeezed it gently, urging her to look at me. I did not know what was happening, but it pained me to see her like this, all because of him.
“Mother, what’s going on? What is the matter?” I pressed on, but she did not reply me. She did not so much as look up at me until I squeezed her arm tighter.
She looked up at me sharply, her eyes bloodshot red with tears. She sniffed in, as if begging for air, before her lips quivered as she parted them.
“Jojo’s mother was… was… your father’s lover.” She coughed out.
From a corner, I heard a familiar voice let out a shrill cry, the sound of a human body falling to the floor followed next.
The cry rang in my ears like an alarm. I knew who the voice belonged to immediately I heard it.
Jojo! She had been listening all along. I was torn between rushing to her, taking care of my mother and getting my father out of the house.
My father took note of her presence as well. By the time I had my eyes on him, he was smiling in the direction of the door we had heard Jojo’s cry from.
“Oh! You are there.” He started, still wearing the same smug grin he had walked into the house with.
“We were just talking about you, my dear. Why don’t you go in and get my grandson? I’ll take him away, leave you with more money than you have ever seen, more riches than you ever thought you would see. Your life and the life of the ones around you would change forever, you would never lack anything. And your little sister? I know you love her so much. Tell me, you wouldn’t want her to trip, fall and lose her head, would you?”
I could not tell which annoyed me. The fact that I was allowing him throw subtle threats at Jojo or the fact that I knew he could do everything he said he was going to do. Still, enough was enough.
Irritation pricked the hairs on my skin, causing them to stand erect. Rage washed through me, adrenaline coursed through my veins. I could feel the vapour emanating from the pores of my skin. He had done and said enough, it was time for him to get out.
“That is enough!” I screamed at the top of my voice. The room fell silent immediately, the only sound being the clashing of my heel against the marble floor as I walked to the front of my father. I placed my feet on the ground, maintaining a solid stance. Both our onyx orbs landed on each other’s with equal intensity. I was as angry as he was determined and stubborn, if not more.
“You must leave right now. Jojo would introduce you to the child when she wants to, where she wants to, and how she wants to. Until then, you should turn around and leave immediately. For I would not tolerate your condescending remarks towards my mother or to Jojo.” I spat out. My eyes were on his all through, I was not going to back down, not for him.
He was without his smile, but he was not frowning either. He made a move to touch my shoulder, but I brushed him away.
“Lake, my son. Do you want to throw away everything we have worked so hard for all these years? Come on, boy! You have been searching for a son for a long time, this is the way to prove to the world that you are neither impotent, not incompetent!”
The smile was on his face now, it irked me.
“You did it son, I’m so proud of you.”
I felt my stomach turn at that statement. There was nothing more irritating than hearing him address me in that manner.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
“I do not need you to be proud of me, I have never needed you for anything. Whatever I have now, I worked hard for it. I work hard for my businesses, I work hard for my pack and the ones I love.” I had started now, there was no going back.
I took three more steps forward, closing the distance between us. My father did not move an inch. But I was not detered.
“All you ever did was lie to my face. You made me grow up without a mother, you filled my heart with hate towards her, and you made sure to fuel that hate with every day that passed. I grew up lonely, not knowing if the woman that gave birth to me was alive! I felt unloved, abandoned, alone. You have done enough damage already, so…”
He narrowed his eyes on me. The tension in the air was thick, so thick I could reach out and touch it.
“… get out.” I spat the last words with confidence. For the first time since he walked into the house, my father frowned.