Chapter 41

Audrey
Ever since I set foot in this city, luck hasn't made me smile. I think leaving my old town was the best thing that ever happened to me. I could have been still struggling with my ancient life if I had continued to be stubborn not to listen to my sister and I kept dealing with my old life misery. I didn't know that my that town was giving me bad luck. I've been looking for work for ages, but I've had no luck. Everything I did fell apart, like I was under a curse. But hardly I arrived here, I had a job and very well paid elsewhere. Even in my dreams the most times, I never thought I would have such a good job. And what about the house, what am I saying, about the palace in which I live? It is just a jackpot. Even in my maddest dreams, I could have never thought I could ever live in such a castle. So Muse was living the good life as much, but it's years later that she decides to give us a sign to come and enjoy it too? This girl is so selfish, and that's was since her childhood. She has always monopolized all attentions and compliments from our parents and neighborhood while i was just the ugly little duck. To think that Mr. Hawam considers her as his own daughter, and that she even has the right to inherit all this great empire after his death. Only people like her are often lucky, I don't even know what he has done to deserve such favors. What's the weirdest, is that she doesn't even pray for him to die quickly so that she can become the patroness of the place very soon. She made me want to give her a pair of slaps that day at the hospital when she was crying like he was already dead. She did everything to save his life. So me in her place, I would have stayed in peace, waiting for him to die in order to get into possession of my heritage. Anyway, I don't even want to put my head in Muse's business, at the risk of getting angry for nothing.
I came home from work this Friday with a big smile on my face. I find Mr. Hawam and my mother sitting in the living room, watching television. I greet them warmly, then I continue to my room. I must admit that the comfort in my room is quite high. It's true that Muse's room, compared to mine and our mother's, is night and day. However, my room is no less comfortable. I like to lie on the soft and cozy bed. I could spend all day just lying on the bed fiddling with my phone. I love this life so much. Doing nothing is so good. I was fed up of doing all tasks when I was in my hometown with my mother only. I had no right to complain, as if I were a slave. Thank God, this is now remained in the past. However, as always, my mother wanted to play poopers when we first came here.
"So you can't go down to the kitchen to help out can you?!" She said to me thundering in her annoying voice.
"And why should I do it?As far as I know, there is a house staff to take care of all the chores in this house?!" I answered her looking annoyed.
"But you can't live like this, lying lazily on the bed all day and doing nothing. Look at your sister, she still helps out in the kitchen from time to time."
"Ah mom, please stop annoying me! If my sister wants to, she just has to do all the chores in this house, it's only up to her. However, as far as from me, I don't intend to move a finger." I had summoned him as clearly as possible. It's not true! My mother has this dirty habit of always being on my back. When there were just two of us in our old town, I worked as an exclave. Now that I have no reason to keep doing it, she still wants me to keep doing those chores. I always knew that she didn't love me, this woman. She has spent the past few years mourning the ghost of Muse, having dreams of seeing her alive. Everything for her is Muse, while I have always been there for her, taking care of her in illness as in health. She is just ungrateful.
So I'm lying on my bed smiling like a teenager who has just met her first lover, just remembering Pen's kind words to me. He is so attractive. When he lays his charming eyes on me, I literally melt. Never had a man made me so charming in my life. I hope he'll allow me to be his girlfriend on this Sunday date. I can't wait for this to happen. I was already very far into the film I was making in my head when I heard light knocks at the door.
"Come in!" I answer by imagining that it must be my mother. However, it's not my mother, but rather that nosy muse. She walks towards me, coated comes to sit next to me on the mattress.
"Good evening Audrey, how was your day?" She asks me, turning to me. I answer him with a big smile, definitely, this smile invites itself even when I haven't called on him.
"My day went very well."
"It can be seen from hundreds of kilometers that your day was more than good. You are radiant, and especially that smile, I know it very well. So tell me everything." She responds by pretending to be interested.
"Yes, you are right. It was one of the best days of my life." I reply more excited.
"Go spit it out!"
At Muse's insistence, I finally tell her about my date with Pen. I was dying to tell this to someone, I'm so excited.
"Actually, I went on a date with the hot guy I told you about."
"Your boss at work?!" Exclaims my amazed sister.
"Yes! You realize it, he too was interested in me from the beginning. I who believed that he could never look at a girl as insignificant as me!"
"Hey! Stop saying that ok?! You are very important and very beautiful. The man who will have you as his wife will be very lucky." Muse compliments me very seriously.
"You talk because you don't know this man. Even you, he would affect you." I retort.
"I don't want to see him to tell you that you are a beautiful woman. Give yourself some value and all the men will fall to your feet." Muse responds by being serious as always. So as not to pull back and forth, I tell him
"Whatever! He gave me an appointment the day after tomorrow and I can't wait to be there."
"I'm glad to see you so happy, but be very careful. Take it easy at first. Get to know him before you commit to anything. Above all, don't make him feel like you're begging for it in this relationship." She advises me as if she were my grandmother.
"Okay, thanks for the advice! I promise to think about it!" I answer with the aim of getting rid of her. Finally, she comes out and leaves me alone in my room.
Muse thinks she's too wise, or my eldest. Why does she allow herself to insult me? Did I tell him that I needed his advice twice? I tell her how happy I am, instead of being happy for myself, but all she can say is that I'm careful. It shows first that she is probably jealous of me. She's been so used to having everything for herself and nothing for others, she doesn't want to be happy for me. She talks to me about begging for love, as if I were the first to approach Pen. So for her, a hot, handsome man can't court me unless I beg him? Anyway, I don't handle it at all. I'm going to go to Pen's meeting and whatever happens on the spot. If we have to end the evening in bed, I'm ready for that. We only saw once, they say. So I intend to make the most of this life.
Euniel
On the same day that I left my father's house, that same day I also returned to my hometown. I couldn't stay there any longer. That was enough for my dose just in one morning. All the little love I felt for him was gone in the blink of an eye. I can't believe anyone can be as petty as he is. His last sentence leaves everything implied. I could understand that he was aware of everything from the beginning. As soon as I get back from the airport, I go to Mr. Hawam's to tell him and Muse about my meeting with my father, or should I rather say Nicolas. They are waiting for me to take stock. We must move forward with our projects.
Arrived at the Hawam residence, I enter the large residence and find them seated in front of the television in the living room. After the greetings, Muse asks for food and drink. Fortunately, by the way, because my stomach was already starting to rumble. Because before when I left home before leaving for the trip, I hadn't taken anything to eat. Likewise, I hadn't had time to go to the restaurant before boarding. On my return too, my driver was already present and I was eager to come and give my father an update. I eat copiously the DG chicken they serve me. It is a specialty of our country. Chicken cooked in plantain fries. It is a very popular and appreciated dish in this country. After feasting on this meal, I turn to Muse and our father. We're getting to the heart of the matter, since I don't have to spend a lot of time in this house.
"So boy, how did things go with your father? Why did you come home so early?" My father asks me the question after I've finished eating.
"Don't call this man my father again, because he isn't and never has been." I decide by responding harshly to my father.
"From the tone you use to speak, I can guess that your discussion must have been very heated." Muse intervenes by seeing clearly.
"I'm not telling you!" I exclaim.
"What happened there? Has he decided to tell you where your mother is?" Muse questions me with a curious air.
"No, not at all! He preferred to wall himself in his lie. He denied knowing the truth about the fact that I am not his son. He was categorical, wanting to convince me that I am his son. He really believed that I was going to buy his lie again. He reiterated that my mother would have left home to go on an adventure. According to him, he behaved badly towards me when I was a child because it was his way it was up to him to take revenge on my mother. He wanted to make me pay for my mother's act in a way." I tell them under their watchful eyes.
"And you believed it?" She questions me.
"Of course not! It could be read miles away on his face that he was lying to me. I didn't believe a single word from him at all. I found him pathetic. 'realize it, he's not even ashamed to ask forgiveness for all the wrong he's done to me, as if that's going to erase his lies and his crimes."
"What if he was telling the truth? Maybe he too was just a victim of those people behind this Machiavellian plan. What if he was only one of their victims, as much as your mother?" Muse observes speculating.
"This man is anything but innocent!" I am convinced of myself again.
"That's just what I told him. He doesn't act like a man who could be tricked." Our father adds by supporting my opinion.
"Already, as a psychologist, I can tell when a person is hiding certain information from me and that's what I was able to detect in him. On top of that, he told me before I left his house, I didn't know what I was getting into." I reply to better explain my doubts to Muse.
"Wow! In other words, he's clearly stating that he knows more than he's let on to you. So he's fully aware of those people behind your mother's situation." Take back Muse by confirming my beliefs.
"That's just it. So that explains everything. Your father knows the whole truth very well from the start." We join our father in our thoughts.
"Yes, that's for sure! But how are we going to get to know these people lurking in the shadows? If at least Euniel's father had agreed to collaborate with him, we would be well on our way. But there, we came back back to square one."
"Not necessarily. This is information that advances us a lot." Our father intervenes in disagreement with Muse.
"Ah yes? How does that get us, knowing that my father is not ready to let go of anything concerning the truth? No need to remind you that he is not going to talk!" I respond with curiosity.
"There is always a weak point for everyone. He is playing tough at the moment, the fact that we know he knows the truth is a big step for us. Indeed, we will direct our action towards him and hopefully we'll be able to get him the wishes we want. You just have to get to his weak spot." Explain our father in a relevant way.
After returning from my father's, I come across Sandra who was waiting for me at home. I had completely forgotten that I had left it at home this morning. While I had hoped to be able to rest, I think I must forget that. Indeed, I will not be able to scroll this time. Just seeing her makes me realize that she's not ready to go in that I haven't told her everything in great detail.
As soon as Sandra sees me, she hastens to come and take my suitcase. This is how Sandra is. She is perfect, I would even say very perfect. She knows how to take care of the house and her man. I have nothing to reproach him for, the only downside in our relationship is only the lack of love on my part for him. Yet I have been trying to love him for over a year. You have to be mad like me not to love such a good woman. Indeed, I often blame myself for not being able to give back to Sandra all the love she gives me.
"Come take your bath, I've just taken it. In the meantime, I'm going to go and prepare the table for your meal." She told me after we went up to my room.
"Thank you Sandra, but don't bother serving me food. I first went to my father's before coming back here."
"Did you go to your father's? I don't understand that. I thought you had traveled to go to your father's. Where have you been since you left the house this morning?" She asks me about her guards.
"I was at my other father's. Anyway, I'll explain everything to you after I take my bath." I say to cut it short.
I'm going to take my bath quickly. I go out to find Sandra who is still waiting for me in the room. So I get dressed in a hurry, then I come back to sit on the bed where she is sitting.
"So your trip, how was it?" She questions me with an interested air.
"The trip went well. No incidents, I thank God!"
"And your father, did he finally tell you whether or not he is your biological father?" She questions me again more and more curious.
"He denied everything and he didn't say anything to me that could help me. In any case, I expected no less from him. He was always like that." I replied with a calm tone.
"Maybe he's telling the truth, and he doesn't know he's not your biological father. Who knows, it could be that your mother didn't tell him for some reason. only she could know. Or at most, this story that you wouldn't be your father's son is far-fetched. Who knows if deep down, he's your real father and that it's rather you who deceives you." She responds by taking my father's side.
"There is no probability that I was wrong. This man is not my father, that is not the question because I am convinced of it. As a psychologist, there are signs that can't fool me." I tell him sure of myself.
"Okay, then I wonder why he's hiding the truth from you."
"That's exactly what I'm looking to find out and believe me, there are so many unclear things in this story and I intend to shed some light on it."
"Can I at least know who your biological father is?" She questions me with great interest.
"You'll never guess who knows. It's Mr. Hawam, Muse's father." I replied to Sandra's greatest surprise. She can't hide her astonishment and exclaims
"Are you kidding me there!?"
"No, not at all! As sure as I have a nose in my face, he's my father." I tell him with certainty.
"What a hell of a story! And your mother, do you have any idea where she is?"
Sandra's question surprises me. In fact, I don't remember telling Sandra that my mother had left our house when I was little. Besides, I never told him about my family, nor my childhood. Hearing him ask me such a question surprises me a little. So I ask him with a suspicious tone
"How do you know my mother wasn't home? As good as my memory is, I don't remember ever telling you about my mother, nor saying that she ever had to leave the house."