Chapter 78

"What are you insinuating?" Alexander's father asks.




Alexander spreads out his arms, looking around. "Did I insinuate anything? Everyone listened in on our conversation; I'm not insinuating anything; I'm saying the fact that there's a foul play that your wife is trying to play, and I want to get to the bottom of it." He said.




"Are you saying, my wife, your mother is lying?" Vincenzo asked.




"Did I say your wife is lying? Stop putting words in my mouth, old man; it won't get you anywhere."




"Can you answer a question without throwing back a question?" Vincenzo said, clearly pissed at his son's attitude. Hell, these days he wasn't sure the young man standing right in front of him was his son. Something had changed; Alexander no longer regarded, no longer respected; the boy that talked about taking over his empire now hated the idea of it. When he showed up here to his mansion, he had asked him what he was doing in his mansion, like he was some unwanted stranger. If he said it didn't hurt him, he would be lying. After that night, his weak twin was wiped off the earth so he, Vincenzo, didn't have to look at him and be reminded that he gave birth to a failure. Something had changed drastically around Alexander; maybe murdering his own son wasn't the best decision. But he had to do it; it is a surprise to anyone who heard how he adored Alexander and then loathed Alessandro when they had the same face; it was stupid.




"I'm your father, Alexander; it's high time you begin to acknowledge that." Vincenzo thundered, coughing profusely after his statement. He was sick and shouldn't over exert himself, but Alexander won't let him rest. They were in the presence of the workers; he had to show his authority even though it was no use at the end of the day; he'll be the one at the receiving end as his illness might get worse.




"Are you sure you aren't the one in need of a doctor?" Santos asked, concern written on his face. He looked up to Alexander, and there was a flash of worry/concern on his face; it was just for a second, as it disappeared as fast as it came.




"Get my girlfriend checked first." Alexander turned to the doctor. He was done exchanging banter with his dad because of that conniving bitch.




"Your mom," Vincenzo made to say, but a groan from Alexander stopped him.




"You really are a stubborn old man, aren't you?" Alexander asked, being neutral. He was neither angry, sad, or happy; he was just in between and intended for it to remain that way.




"She's not and will never be my mom; stop making us relate when we don't. She hates my guts, and the feeling is mutual; I can't stoop so low to call that bossy, bratty woman my mom; she's almost the same age as Jacqueline for crying out loud, dad." Alexander stated. Honestly, this is the calmest and longest he's talked with Vincenzo in a while.




Vincenzo felt this empty hole in his chest; it's been there for a while now, and nothing he's done to shake it off has worked. He knew deep down that it was caused by loneliness. When you've been with someone for as long as you can remember and one day they just wake up and the next thing they're showing is indifference towards you. Vincenzo felt lonely; he missed his son, and every day the thought that Alexander knew the grave sin he committed years ago sent him towards the death door. He knew Alexander; he was never going to forgive him for taking his twin brother from him.




"She's your-"




"Argh!" Alexander groaned in frustration; he couldn't believe his dad was about to repeat the same lines again.




Could he not see past her boobs and plastic face? That woman was ripping him from the inside out, and he had no idea.




"Vincenzo Vladimir, get a grip of yourself!" He said, his tone leaving no room for a conversation.




"And you should rest; take care of yourself. I don't think your fake wife is taking care of you as she should, and that's more reason to hate her guts." Alexander looked his father up and down, turning towards the direction of where his car was packed.




Once upon a time, Vincenzo Vladimir was his hero, the man he looked up to. He couldn't place a reason why he would order hitmen to kill one of his sons; good thing they missed, or he wouldn't be here.




Alexander sighed, turning on the ignition of the car he chose to take out. Going out while Jacqueline was sick wasn't the right decision, but one of his guards had called him for something important, and he couldn't just skip it due to how urgent it sounded.




Back at Jacqueline's room.




Penelope was seated beside Jacqueline, patting her head. She was beginning to run a fever, and Penelope had taken a wipe towel to use to dab her forehead.




"I didn't think I would live to see you, my grandchild, live and direct. I must have done a lot of good will in my previous life to be rewarded. It's unbelievable; when I told Cecilia, she didn't believe one bit, and she still doesn't. You saw that picture in my room that day, and I wonder why you didn't ask. I guess you're not the type to pry." Penelope wiped tears out of the corner of her eyes. She was a crying mess already. It took a lot of courage to actually speak to her, and she could only do it when she was unconscious. She had no idea how Jacqueline was going to take the truth when she finds out the people she called parents for almost all her time on earth aren't her real parents, or when she finds out the little sister she's protective of isn't her biological sister. It's going to be tough for her to come to terms with it. Penelope sniffed back her tears, wiping her eyes clean.




There was a knock on the door, and she hurriedly got off, composing herself immediately. Alexander was already suspicious of her relationship with Jacqueline, and he found out she was shedding tears while patting her head. He was going to probe until he knew the truth.




Penelope opened the door, and to her surprise and relief, it wasn't Alexander, but the doctor.




"I'm here to attend to Miss Jacqueline." He said, stepping into the room.




"There!" Penelope pointed at the bed, giving him a go-ahead.




"Ma'am, are you okay?" He asked the question directed at Penelope.




"Do I look sick to you?" She asked back, and he shook his head.




"Good, now attend to the person who actually looks sick and needs your help." She scoffed.




"Inquisitive idiots." She muttered under her breath.




VINCENZO'S VLADIMIR ROOM.




Vincenzo was assisted back to his room by his right hand in command.




"Thank you." He muttered a word of gratitude as he was placed on the bed.




The man nodded, giving him a cup of water to drink.




"Alexander is becoming a headache." The second in command, Antonio said, placing the cup of water besides the table.




Vincenzo spared him a glance, remaining silent.




"We both know the state of your health; it isn't getting better. Someone needs to take on the reins of the clan." Antonio continued.




"He will come around; he always does; he's just going."




"Through a phase." Antonio interrupted.




"I've heard that statement over and over again, and I'm tired of hearing it. Someone needs to take over immediately; we don't want a repeat of last week's event; people are beginning to talk. The other leaders are becoming insatiable."