Chapter 1

‘You are rejected, Jones! You are a bastard, an outcast!’ A man shouted at an unseen object, facing the entrance and addressing the rest of the family members who stood around a body that lay lifeless on the bed and was covered in white cloth.

Jones who was crying and looking at his father's corpse on the bed, peeping through the window,

'He was the one who killed his mother some years after giving birth to him, and now he has done it again. He has kicked my brother out of earth like a ball. Jones must….’ He fumed seriously but was cut short by Jones outrageously from the outside.

'It is a lie! You are a liar.’

'Who is that!’ He asked angrily and sensed it was Jones' voice. 'Get that boy for me! He must be dealt with.’

Some hefty guys from inside moved towards the door in search of Jones. Jones saw them and turned away. He headed for the way out of his family's huge and vast mansions and ran for his life as if his heels would touch his back.

‘Hit him down!’ The man shouted again to the guys who were then in a car chasing Jones. They moved the car faster towards him. He put more effort, into trying to reach for the gate because his hope lay behind it only. Their car moved closer to him but he didn't give up. But before he could make it, he suddenly heard a bang and was hit from behind.

He screamed sadly and loudly with tears, ‘Nooooo!’ He crumpled to the ground.

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'Why are you here…I mean where are you going by this time of the day?’ Lisa's mom with her husband jammed Jones at the door when he was going to work and looked at him scornfully. He was a lanky guy of medium stature. He wore moderate blue jeans and trousers with a white top under a navy blue jacket.

'I'm going to work. But is it not too early to come here? Hope there is no problem?’ He asked with suspicion.

'What a foolish question you are asking! Do we need to take a Visa or make an announcement to the whole world before we can visit our daughter?’ Her father snapped into the conversation and pushed Jones to one. He looked at him like a lion which was ready to devour.

'That is not what I mean. I mean we are good.’

'Good! Matthew! Where is my Gem? Lisa….Lisa!’ Her mother said pitifully, moving towards her room.

Jones stood by the entrance where he was swept to, looking at their display and the castigating attitudes they were given.

'Oh My God! My daughter has suffered so much at the hands of this poor man. Look at her… look at how my beautiful daughter has been turned into a slave girl.’ She said mockingly, caressing her dazzling petite daughter with an alluring face.

‘I’m sorry to say but it is a must that you hear this. I don't and I will never do anything bad for your daughter. Ask her…I look and live like this to take care of her and make her happy. You get it wrong for those things you are saying against me. She is my wife and I'm trying my best to be a true man. That is why you will see that she has not met the awkward way you married her to me. I deserve all forms of respect. It doesn't matter what I do to make it happen; I always do my responsibilities.’ He said frankly.

'You are useless more than the kind of man you call yourself or think you are.’ Said Lanadisdainfully and firmly to him. He was shocked to hear such his wife whom he toiled both nights and days for.

‘Are you talking to me, Lisa?’ he asked, confused.

She continued. 'Yes, you, Macking Jones. Moreso, you aren't worthy of a person who can talk to my parents like that, Jones. Though you stood by my side when I was suffering from epilepsy and when I got nothing that you sponsored and got me a job which makes me thousands of dollars now, I have given you enough of my life, class, and attention. It is ridiculous to be seen with somebody like you at this stage of my life. You need to move on with your life.’

'My love for you is boundless and immeasurable. But if you are in a trance, Lisa, you need to wake up because what you are saying points out an ingrate in you. You also need to reason with what you just said about my help to you. And it is because I want to make you happy that I work hard, wake up early, and live as nothing to make you something. They have their lives already. This is our lives and our world; Lanadon't let anybody shatter it.’ said he, moving towards him.

'You are suffering for yourself. You might be working three different jobs a day, that is what you choose your life for. I'm done with you. Let everybody go his way before this issue gets worse. You look like a log of wood seeing you by my side but I don't know how to say it to your hearing that you will understand because you are a defiant. You are disturbing me with your disgusting fate. There are so many rich guys even younger than you who want my hand in marriage and I'm ready to sacrifice my heart to the one I have chosen over you. Jones, enough is enough! I'm no more interested in you.’ she concluded.

Jones was dumbfounded. Everything looked like a dream to him but to his in-laws, that was great seeing the man who saved the life of their daughter being torn off like a tissue of paper.

He intended to reply to her but he suddenly got a call. He picked it up quickly like a baby shivering from a tense cold, thinking of who it may be. His in-laws and wife looked at him and burst into a laughter of jest.

Some said mockingly, ‘Coward!’

'Hello.’

'Hello.' response from the receiver.

‘Who is this, please?’

'Is this Mr Mackin Jones?’

'Yes, it's me.’ He said eagerly.

'Your attention is urgently needed at Real Bank of London now. Thanks.’ the person hung up from the receiver.

Nobody heard what the caller said, but they were looking at Jones like the coward he had been called. Though the word ‘urgently’ rang in his brain, he was confused about who the caller might be and for what purpose. Had he been appointed as part of their bankers or had somebody wanted to give him money or had his family regretted chasing him out and wanted him back? It was obscure to him; how could one be given a job without applying for it or without being an expert in the field, how could someone he didn't work for or know give him money, how could the family that nearly killed him seek for him? He was thinking in his mind, trying to remember the horrible incident that happened to him 10 years ago but he decided to wave it off until another time.

‘I have to go, Lisa, I will be back!’ He departed confidently without looking at anybody.

‘And you will blame yourself for returning to this house.’ said her, shouting at his back.