CHAPTER FOUR

GEORGE POV

"Who is her father?" My dad said, his voice rising in fury. I was already trembling with fear.

"I said who is her father?!" he asked again, his voice now seething with rage. "Will you say something, Tell me who she is". He asked again with anger. I couldn't bring myself to utter a single word. I was frozen in fear but I knew that my silence would only make things worse. I have to say something but how will I.

"Oh, I see, she is a child of nobody, I knew it" He said, clapping his hands. "George, why did you always have joy in shaming me?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. 

"Oh yes, at first, you wanted to be a caterer. '' I could hear Sandra giggling when we came to realize she was still in the living room.

"Sandra, I'm so sorry you are witnessing this" My dad said, his voice now calm. Please go, and I promise to resolve this matter with my son and I will appreciate it if your father doesn't know about this"

"Of course I won't tell my father, don't worry." She replied, turned and left the house.

"George, did you see what you caused?" My dad said, his voice raised again.

"I'm sorry sir" I said when I finally found my voice.

"And what has sorry repair" He said, his eyes already red with fury.

"Do you know, if that girl tells his father, our company will lose a lot?" My dad said again.

"Oh, dad, I knew it, I knew you want to use me to gets contracts for the company, you don't even care about what gives me joy, you don't care about who I love, all you want is your money to keep increasing" I said, even though I don't know where that courage came from. 

"Will you keep shut" My mom said, slapping my back "How dare you talk to your father like that, he is doing this for your sake".

"For my sake mom, for my sake, you say, It should be for my happiness if it really for my sake, it should not cause my pain, if it really for my sake" Tears were already fighting their way down my cheeks as I spoke.

"Do you know how I felt when I had to give up the thing I loved most? I put my passion aside to pursue a dream that I didn't even believe in." I felt the frustration and disappointment welling up inside me as I spoke. "And now you're telling me to marry someone I don't even have feelings for". My words came out in a rush, my emotions getting the better of me. I could feel the anger and disappointment that had been building up inside me for so long finally coming to the surface. I had to forsake what I love doing most, I leave my passion to pursue the dream that they said I must do.

"I'm getting married to Charlotte and no one can stop that"

"Oh, I love your confidence son", my dad said, a mocking smile on his face. "You see, I'm doing all these for your sake but you don't seem to appreciate it, sit down let me tell you a short story" My dad said, his voice a little calm and we all sat, even though I'm still frustrated.

"I have a friend, his name is Martins" He began. "He was a successful businessman, he was so rich and fulfilled. But unfortunately for him, he fell in love with a woman by the name, Purity, Purity came from a very poor family". He paused, turning to look at me with a serious expression on his face. "Let me tell you, that was a mistake he came to regret."

The story my father was telling was obviously meant to be a cautionary story, and I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I knew where he was going with his story.

"Why did he regret getting married to the woman he loved?" I managed to ask.

"I'm coming to that son", He replied.

"He sponsored Purity through the university, gave her whatever he wanted, sponsored his siblings but the grateful woman never saw that." My dad continued.

"George, do you know what happened to Martins?" He asked, turning to me.

"No dad" I replied 

"Do you want to know?" He asked again.

"Yes sir, I really want to know" I said again.

"Purity finished her undergraduate degree and then went on to complete her master's degree and even her PhD".

"Wow, Mr Martins really tried for her" my mom said.

"Yes, he did, he even set up a business for her".

"Wow," I exclaimed. "But dad, what makes him regret? I asked as I was already impatient.

"George, follow me gently, I know you are eager to hear the end of my friend, Martins" My dad said with a smile.

"Purity, got pregnant some months after the wedding. My friend was so happy, he threw a small party in which he invited all his friends. I went there as well. Purity delivered a bouncing baby boy after some months. Martin was so happy. The naming ceremony was the talk of everyone. But Martins made a big mistake".

"What was the mistake dad?", I asked.

"He changed the names on all of his properties to his son's name" He said.

"But that should not be a mistake, daddy," I said.

"Yes, it should not be if Martins was the biological father".

"What do you mean, Honey?" My mom asked.

"Purity had the child for another man," he continued. "She said she loved this man and couldn't abandon him, so they made a plan to deceive Martins. The man pretended to be Purity's elder brother who Martins also sponsored to school , but behind the scenes, Martins was being used and manipulated. And he never even knew it. To cut my story short, My friend, Martins, died from depression, all that he had was taken.

"George," he said as he stood up,his voice resounding through the silence of the room. "I'm telling you this story because it's personal to me. It happened to my best friend, and it devastated him. That's why I don't want the same thing to happen to you." He turned and left the room, leaving me to ponder his words.