THE BILLIONAIRES WIDOW (Book 2)

Chapter 4

Character

***Henry Jacobs***

Remind me why am doing this again? Never mind I don't care about this guy anyway he keeps writing bad stuff about me. Men what did I do wrong to you? Don't answer that it's rhetorical and I think you are a little cynical, and it's not euphemism that's just who you are. We both know Arya is not my daughter, Lilly must have slept with one of my friends I think Bardwell their ears are so alike and the guy was home a few days before I came in. Call me skeptical but I don't believe she is my daughter, and as for JJ he is just an i***t. A son is supposed to take after his father and he is just... I don't know. I can't talk anymore it’s a shame to talk about it.

Author

Henry was a troubled man and by troubled I mean he was the real definition of trouble. If trouble was a person then it would have had his face, shoulder knees and toes. Not funny, don't sing along. Things were not going well for Henry after he came from the hospital. The loneliness even made it worse for him. He felt like he was not needed and he was not. His wife and daughter were having fun in a billionaire’s castle miles away and his last born son was learning to take care of himself after leaving the nest. Not even once had he called him to beg for anything as he thought.

He was not sure whether he was getting better or worse but one thing was for sure the great Henry was falling. His bullet proof ego was starting to get porous bit by bit. It was allowing in regrets and soon it was going to allow in some sense and remorse, kindness maybe he needed them. All the virtues and his family too.

The man knew it too. He didn't have much time left to live. The best he could do was start making peace with the world and that would have forced him to get off his high horse, take fault and accept the reality of matter. He had failed as a parent and Arya was a witness and a living example.

"Buckle up soldier" He said laughing hysterically.

All alone in the living room with the TV on. Even the cat had taken refuge somewhere else where it was needed and taken care of. Henry was now hallucinating. Back to his time in active service. His entire living room to him was an exact replica of the Pakistan and Afghanistan border. And the chairs and any other I objects looked like the Taliban fighters. He laughed a lot then started to cough.

"Stay strong soldier, you survived the Taliban you can survive..." he stopped to cough, readjusted his gun and pointed to another direction,” Bravo four, this is alpha six I have eyes on the target permission to fire"

Unknowingly he started playing the role of Bravo four. He even changed his voice to a more commanding one, “Alpha six permission to fire"

Henry pointed at the door. He fired a lucky shot, the door flew open bringing him back to reality.

"Jesus dad! What are you doing?" JJ asked closing the door behind him.

The smile on Henry's face said it all. He had won. JJ had come home himself. With fruits and vegetables.

"This house smells like a pigsty" JJ said blocking his nose.

He took the vegetables to the kitchen, did some cleaning there washed the utensils that were stranded at the sink for a record one week. When he joined his father in the living room he found him watching news.

"What are you doing here?" ungrateful Henry asked scrolling through the channels.

"Two people called me, Arya and your doctor they both wanted me to come so I did, even though you behave like a prick you are still my father and a part of me still has hope you will change", Noted JJ.

Henry dropped the remote, "You called me a pick"

"Yeah that's exactly what you are, seriously dad can't you just lower your ego and get mum back in this house?"

He bowed his head in shame. Something had changed about him and JJ could tell. He looked more remorseful than he usually was. Or he was just pretending. Putting on an act. Which version of Henry could take a lecture from his own son? Not even a happy, an extremely happy version could.

"Shut up, just because you brought me a couple of vegetable bags it doesn't give you a right to yell at me!" He blurted.

"Am not yelling dad..."

"Ooh so am a liar? Tell me what you are trying to do?"

"It was a suggestion that you clearly don't want to hear about I'll be in the kitchen" JJ said walking away.

"Don’t you dare walk out on me!"

JJ turned around to take one more look at his father. The old man needed his help no matter how stubborn and self-righteous he was and felt. Henry threw a resting pillow at him. JJ grabbed it stylishly and shook his head walking away.

As the father seethed with rage and a dern sense of fulfillment, the son was busy cooking in the kitchen. He would have sent his wife but Henry was unreasonable, he needed someone who could put up with him leave alone blood ties and she couldn't. Living in the house was suffocating her already.

****

It was a busy morning in the Richards castle, almost a week since the fall of their breadwinner. Life had to go on though not as usual but they had to find a way to adjust to life without Ben. In the dining room was Alicia, she had woken up earlier that day. Her first day at the office after postponing for days. Ben’s business was scary, she had a glimpse of it and she was sure it had something to do with his death. Taking his place meant she carried the target on her back. Paul was organizing on how she was going to take up everything with the help of Scott who was missing in action for some time. After taking that shower Scott would black out and when he came round he realized meeting Arya’s mum was tougher than he expected.

Meanwhile Melissa was not talking to him. She was sad, salty and in a foul mood, easily irritated by the secrecy of the entire family. Even the workers had a nerve to keep secrets from her. She deserved it though, Melissa didn't treat them right. Not as human beings. A case in point was the maid she falsely accused of stealing her jewelry. Though she was still enjoying a hefty salary at the comfort of her house it was unfair for Melissa to use her as a scapegoat. That's what she did best. Use people and the pain of being used she had no idea.

"Good morning mum" Jake said.

"Morning Jake" Said Alicia staring blankly in the white ceiling, the chandelier was hanging above the long vanished dining table.

Jake was struggling with his words. He stole a glance at her and came up with something,” You’re here all alone, how can I start off your day?"

"Bring my husband back from the dead?"

She now on a serious face. For a minute Jake was regretting why he started a conversation with his boss. He was standing there embarrassed not knowing what to say, whether to leave her after ruining her morning or just stand there and wait to hear what she was going to say next. As for Alicia she was putting on a show, when she realized Jake was scared out of his mind she broke kayfabe and flashed a smile. Though she did not hear it Jake exhaled slowly.

"Ooh you are joking", embarrassed Jake said.

"Caught you, bring me some tea" she finally made her order.

"Tea coming right up", said Jake making fir the kitchen. He stopped for a few seconds and turned around “and Mrs. Richards"

"Yes?"

"Am sorry about Master Ben, you may not replace him no one can but you can be better than him. You can take care of us, all of us back there who depended on him," he said pointing to the kitchen, "we are not scared even though our captain is no more our co_captain is here with us"

"Thank you Jake, you can make a good Motivational speaker"

"Unless stage fright isn't real mum"

They both burst into laughter as Jake went on his way. One by one the other family members started pouring in. Paul and Scott came in almost the same time.

"Morning, what's up with you two?" Alicia asked staring at them.

"What?" Scott asked looking around.

"Let's just say Scott here is avoiding Arya’s mum and he also doesn't have somewhere to sleep" Paul said forcing a smile.

The mother looked at the son. The son was still looking a Paul with sympathy. He did not want his mum to know and Paul just gave her a summary of all his misfortunes. He shifted his gaze to his mum.

"What did you do?"

"Why does it have to be me every tkme we fight?"

Approaching footsteps were heard. They were not the usual maids rubbers and her perfume also caught their noses.

"Because it's always a man's fault either directly or indirectly" Lilly said waking towards them.

She knew how to make an entrance. They all struggled to catch a glimpse of her.

"Goodmorning everyone... Goodmorning young man you must be Scott" She said standing behind him.

The D day was there. He was scared of his lotger. Pint if correction... Scott was terrified of his mother and lily was doubling that level of terror. Her presence was sending a cold wind through his lower abdomen, increasing his heartbeat and making him de like jumping out of his own skin.

"Yeah... Yes. Scott. Am Scott", He stammered.

"It's nice to finally meet you, funny how I have been here for a week and we haven't met yet" Teased Lilly taking a seat opposite Scott's.

"It's a big house you know and I also had some stuff to the care of but I will create time" He said in his defense.

"How about this," Alicia said with a grin on his face. Scott gave her that sympathy look he was giving Paul a few minutes back, "I just forgot what I wanted to say"

He would have taken a sigh of relief were they not that close to him. All kinds of fruit and beverage was brought on the table. Those who wanted juice served it, tea lovers the same. Coffee fellas like Scott enjoyed their drink too, milk people like Paul were not left behind.

"Morning everyone" Melissa mumbled when she got to table.

"Morning, we were not properly introduced" Lilly said.

Melissa was struggling to keep it together. To be nice and forget she was Arya’s mum and treat her like another woman who deserved a happy morning.

"My name is Melissa price Richards"

"Yeah, I knew I cm recognize you. FCNN?”

"Yeah" She said lighting up. A fake but favorable one because of the eyes of caution that were looking at her.

It was a family rule not to let strangers know of any fighting, first introduced by the late Ben who was good at creating family drama.

"Good, and in this family you are?"

"Scott's wife, legally married" She said showing her the ring.

Vindictive Melissa could not give up the fight without something to smile about.

"Congratulations, has anyone seen Arya?" lily asked.

"She might he in the gym or seeing her doctor" Alicia said.

"I will find her for you" Jake offered.

"Thank you, I would love to accompany you", Lilly suggested getting up with her plate of pancakes, grapes and a glass of mango juice.

Melissa succeeded in ruining her morning but not her appetite. No daughter of hers would sleep with a married man.