Phil

Mum must be kidding me. Mr. Fred ain't a murderer. He can be anything else but a murderer? Hell no! Mum is wrong. She's definitely wrong!

I walk back to the couch and slump on it, shock written allover my face.

“Did you have to make up such a story just to separate Tabby and I?”

Mummy walks over to me and sits next to me on the couch.

She cups her face in her hands and fixes her eyes on the wall.

“I can't lie about such a thing Philip.” she says. “Fredrick was your dad's business partner when you were young and a lot happened between them. Your dad showed signs of being successful and since Fred didn't want him to make it in life, he made plans to kill him.”

“But dad died in jail, didn't he?”

“That's what everybody believes but I know the whole truth. Fred hired some prison wardens to poison him.”

“But mum, how did you know all these?”

She looks distant and in deep thoughts, as if contemplating on whether to tell me or not.

“I hired a detective who unraveled every hidden mystery. After your dad died and a report came your dad was beaten by other inmates, I didn't believe it because your father was tough and he always defended himself against bullies.”

“Mum, why are you telling me this today? Why today mum? When I'm deeply in love with Tabby?”

I'm really confused. All I know about dad's death is that he died in jail after being accused of stealing from his business partner. All along, I didn't know that the said business partner is Tabby's father.

But coming to know that he killed my father tears me apart!

No, I can't take this!

“You were only seventeen when he died and since you were already in campus, I didn't want to divert you from your studies. I just wanted to create a serene learning environment for you.”

“But mum, when were you planning to tell me this? You should have told me before I got engaged to Tabby!” I lament.

“I only came to learn that they live near us that same day we met in their house. I didn't know they had shifted to our estate. I'm so sorry!”

“I can't leave Tabitha mum. I'm deeply in love with her! We are deeply involved mum. I'm sorry!”

“What else do you want to hear from me son? Tabby's drug dealer of a father killed your father. You're now fatherless because of him. Do you want to continue being with the daughter of the man who rendered you fatherless?”

“Leaving Tabby won't be such an easy task mum. I love her so much to break her heart. Can't you just accept her for who she is? Her family or where she comes from doesn't matter at all!”

“Son, there's something else you need to know.”

My face is cupped in my hands and I can feel wetness dripping down my cheeks into my palms. I'm crying and I'm too proud to admit.

Am I not a man?

“Please mum, don't break my heart any further. The only heart I have is already shattered into pieces and I don't have a spare one! No room for more heartbreaks mum!”

I look up at her and I'm sure my eyes are red from all the crying.

“You need to hear this before you make your final decision.”

I nod, all attention focused on mum. I hope what she's about to say won't shatter me apart completely.

“That company, which Tabby heads belonged to your father!”

“What? How can that be possible? Stop playing games with my mind mum.”

“That's the truth son. Your uncle's couldn't access the documents to your father's company because he had entrusted them with his lawyer who betrayed him by handing them to Fred who in turn killed the lawyer.”

“But Mr Fred has other companies?”

“Yes he does. It just happens that he was so greedy to let that one go. He wanted to render your father penniless even in his death. Such a greedy man!”

I can't believe whatever mum is telling me! That man committed all those atrocities? Is he that evil?

Darkness has already crept in and Tabby has been calling without getting any answer. She has sent several messages too, asking where I am but I don't reply to any. I'm confused. I just don't know what to do!

So this man wants to employ me in my own father's company to be just a general manager while his daughter remains the CEO? That won't be possible!

He'll be in for a rude shock!

I stand up and pick the bag I had packed. I'm going to meet Tabby and I'll pretend that everything is okay.

“Are you going to her after all I've revealed to you? Do you want to get killed?”

“Tabby ain't a murderer mum. Let me go to her before she gets worried!”

“Be careful around her son. If her father gets to know that we know her killed my husband, he might harm us. Just take care.”

I hug her goodbye and walk out to my car. I let myself in after unlocking it, throwing the bag at the back seats. I then drop a text to Tabby telling her I'm on my way then reverse out of the parking lot, driving at a supersonic speed.

Even before I arrive at our house, I've already come to a decision. I've made up my mind. Tabby is innocent and I won't touch her. I don't leave her. I'll only deal with her if I come to realise that she knew these things all along but decided to keep them from me. Otherwise our plans to get married go on as usual.

As for her dad, Mr Fred, I'll so deal with him! First of all, I'm accepting his offer then I'll milk him dry slowly by slowly till he has nothing more to be milked! On Monday, I'll report to work in his company...sorry, dad's company. I'm sending my resignation letter to my current employer tonight! After that, I'll kill him with my bare hands for making me an orphan! At the end of the day, he'll know that I'm a true son of my father... He'll know why I am called Philip Edwards!