Chapter 3

With no money left with him, John had to run a great distance to the only well-renowned hospital in the city without care of the prying eyes and whispers that roamed the streets.

As he stared at his mother, John didn't realize the tears that had threatened to fall from his eyes.

This was not how he had planned his life to turn out. He was on the brink of divorce with his wife who had told him to his face that he was a wretched man. To add to his already existing misfortune, he was also on the brink of losing the one woman that really cared for him genuinely.

His mother just had a few days if the necessary surgery was not conducted on her but things didn't go smoothly. Whenever there was anything surgery, there was also something called bills which needed money, and this was something that he didn't have.

His gaze traveled to her body. The hospital gown that she had worn did some justice to her by covering her skinny body but her arm was not fortunate enough to be unseen. Her feeding tube was as dry as his pocket, if only she was conscious, she probably would have cried of malnutrition.

With shaking hands, he cupped her hand with his. This was the same lady whose hands were as fresh as that of a model even with her old age, well, that was all a disguise to hide the fact that she was dying inwardly.

If only she had told him that something was wrong with her, he would have stopped her from working and maybe would have been more than 'just determined' to strive to find a better job to take care of her.

Sometimes, he just had to ask himself if he was the problem because ever since she took pity on him… the moment he stepped foot at her doorstep, things hadn't gone well for her. He didn't know how her life had been before he knew her but he was sure that it was not as bad as it is right now.

He wished he could pay her back for everything, for the schooling, clothing, feeding, and protection from the society she had offered him even as a stranger but it wasn't as simple as it seemed.

With his qualification, he wasn't supposed to have an issue with securing a good job but it all seemed the universe was against him. The rejections, the firing, and the replacement all seemed to be planned out.

This time, he knew that it wasn't the full fault of his mother-in-law since this misfortune had befallen him even before having Beatrice as his wife. Maybe, he was just deemed to be unsuccessful.

All he did was send messages of assurance that everything would be okay but just when things seemed to have wanted to turn in his favour, it slipped off his hands.

It got to a point where he began to imagine things.

No, it wasn't possible. He didn't want to believe what his guts were whispering to him but it all made sense when he gathered all the shreds of evidence together. Could this be the handiwork of his father?

He shoved that strange thought at the back of his head and focused back on his mother. 'Maybe if I didn't come into your life, things wouldn't have ended up this way for you.' He whispered as drops of tears began to fall down his cheeks

"No, she can't die! Even if I am a loser, I can't be a loser in this one." Out of the blue, John blurted out, as if talking to someone in particular.

Tucking his hand in his pocket, John brought out his outdated phone which could do nothing other than send and receive calls.

He slowly typed the name 'Father' on his contact list.

"He was right, I will end up crawling back to him." He murmured as he stared at his phone.

He didn't want to result in this but desperation kicked in. He was ready to shove his pride and emotions, at least, for his mother's sake. He was ready to burn in hell– his father's hell just to make sure that his mother survived.

His father was right. He remembered what his father told him before he ran away from home. Those words that he now saw as words of wisdom. 'Without my money and social class, you are nobody out there'.

On his first attempt, no one picked up the call which did not surprise John. He knew his father well, if John was calling after fifteen years away from home, it could only mean one thing– he wanted to beg.

"He's probably practicing what to say to me," John murmured.

Again, he tried his father's line and hopefully for him, it was answered but the voice he heard at the receiving end didn't belong to his father.

"Hello?" An elderly man said, clearly shocked by the name on the caller ID.

He could remember that voice from anywhere even after fifteen years

"Butler Chad?"

"You… young Master John? It's nice to… "

"Why are you the one answering, where is Father? " John Interrupted.

"He is out playing golf with Ma'am, they will return to the house soon. "

John gritted his teeth as those words left the old man's mouth. He couldn't believe that the devil was still with his father. To what course will a gold digger pretend?

He thought his father would have chased her away due to his mistress' participation in his mother's death but he was wrong.

After witnessing his father's mistress push his mother off the stairs, thereby causing her to die on the spot. He had thought that his father would believe him when he tried to expose her but no, he didn't.

His father insisted that it was his mother's initial epileptic illness that killed her. Annoyed by his father's stupidity, John left his house with so much hatred in his heart.

"Tell Father that I have agreed to be his heir but on a condition that his properties be put to my name as suggested before my departure. And I want it to be done now!" John said, leaving no room for opposition.

"I'm delighted, Young Master John. Your father will be pleased to do that, please send me your address so I can come to pick you up and for some necessary documentation."

"I will see you soon." Immediately those words left his mouth, John hung up, let out a deep sigh and immediately sent the text message. He had to admit, he was quite excited that it was not his father that answered the call.

"Mother, help is coming, please hang on." He whispered.

**

In less than ten minutes after the text message, John's Butler was seen in the hospital. He even had some nurses show him the room John had stayed in.

"Young Master John." The butler called as he stared at a grown man who was seated close to a sickly person on the bed.

As John heard those words, he immediately got on his feet and turned to face the butler, only for a gasp to be heard.

"Good Lord, Young Master. You've grown into a man." The butler said as he tried to touch John but he was quick enough to move back.

"You said you came here for some documentation." John immediately cut in.

"Yes, I did." The next second, the butler pushed his focus to the tab on his hand, and after some minutes he showed the screen to John.

"Here, your father instructed that you sign it before a penny is given to you."

Immediately, John did as the butler instructed which made the butler bring out a black card from his pocket.

"You are the new owner of the billion-dollar firm, Sebas Tech Groups. You are to resume as their CEO. This black card belongs to you in which 50 million pounds will be sent to you for your upkeep every two weeks. Welcome back, young Master."