Adrian raised a brow. What is his father saying? Sacrificing their own child, how? He glared at his father and the latter was furiously staring at him in rage.
He knows that Sam Leon pleaded with him to remember the past, to reciprocate their kindness and not forget the past favour they’ve shown to them.
But he didn’t know what he was talking about that day. His mom also doesn’t know. He asked her days later and she claimed not to know anything.
“… did you remember when Adrian almost died, when he had acute leukaemia and we needed an urgent bone marrow transplant? We all got tested and none of us was a fit or compatible to donate to him.
And Adrian was dying. We were worried that we’d lose our son and you started sobbing. And time was running out on us and we had only a short time left to either get a donor or watch our son die.
My parents were worried and I was the most worried one because he’s my son. And when it remained less than 48 hours for Adrian to either get a donor or die, a miracle happened that changed everything.
It wasn’t the massive bank account that saved him. It wasn’t wealth, power and popularity that saved your high class son who happens to be the most handsome billionaire in the world according to your naive assumption .
We were ready to give up everything to save him but we couldn’t. Did you remember the emotional pain you went through, the tears, the sleepless nights and endless sniffling, hoping that help comes from somewhere, anywhere to save Adrian.
And at that time, Sam Leon was an employee of this family. And he has a son, a baby of less than a year. He couldn’t hold back himself. He pleaded with Clara and decided to help out.
The baby was a perfect fit for Adrian but the doctor failed to tell us that complications might arise and the baby might be in danger. We didn’t know and the Leon’s didn’t know either.
The surgery was successful but a few hours later, Sam Leon lost his son. He saved Adrian’s life at the expense of his son. And that was when the doctors opened up that they needed to save Adrian and equally thought they could manage the baby’s condition.
Clara never had another child. The family was broken. Sam felt guilty about persuading his wife to that end and Clara went into depression.
That was when grandfather suggested to Sam Leon to adopt a child while still hoping that Clara would have another child. And that adopted child was Ava.
You see why my father loved Ava so much? She was well raised and her coming into that family made Sam Leon to be a happy father again.
And today you killed that man, Adrian. And you were not pleased until you connived with your mother and killed that daughter they have. And you think everything will be alright henceforth?
Clara is in a coma. She’s between life and death. The news of Ava’s death hit her hard and if that woman dies, you killed her too Adrian. You and your mother are murderers.
Did Sam Leon and his daughter deserve this inhumane treatment from you? You are alive today, thanks to him. He saved your life at the expense of his only child.
And he died at your feet. His daughter died in your hands and his wife’s life is also in your hands. You think you will get away with it?” Richard concluded, in a broken voice and he stormed off, going upstairs.
Adrian was quiet. His mind is void of anything but guilt. That’s what Sam was pleading to him to remember? That’s why he told him and his mother to remember the past?
They saved his life, like a kind of exchange? The life of their son for his own life? He was supposed to be a son to them instead of his own parents.
He raised his head and glanced at his mother with moist reddened eyes and Anna was all tears too. None of them could say anything to each other.
Then everything that happened that day, Sam’s pleas and the certainty that he has concerning Ava came afresh to his memory. Then his plea and his gaze is fixed on him until his last breath.
He had fixed his gaze on him. He had thought he knew about the kindness he showed to him. He didn’t know a thing about it until a few minutes ago.
He stood up from the sofa and walked with heavy steps towards his room. He needs to be alone. His mind was muddled up right now. He needs to lock himself up and think alright.
Anna stared at the retreating back view of her son. If she felt this dazed, wouldn’t he break down with guilt? How will he feel now, knowing that he owes his life to Leon?
That night, Adrian could not sleep. He sobbed. Ava didn’t really do anything to him, he disliked her simply because she was arranged for him contrary to his desire.
She doesn’t deserve any of the harsh things he’d said to her nor the way he’d treated her. He didn’t mean that she should die. In fact when he went to see her and threatened to deal with her parents, he didn’t do anything.
But his words seemed to find a way to get manifested before his own eyes. Sam Leon died and he should be blamed for it. He knew the man had been sick but his refusal to let Ava off led to his heart being heartbroken and that was the reason why he died when he did.
He is a murderer. There’s nothing anyone can say that would ever be able to exempt him from the death of Sam Leon and his daughter, Ava.
A man who saved him. A family who were the closest to him at that critical time of his life. How could he have treated that family the way he did?
His father didn’t tell me about it. His grandfather was mute about it either. Why wasn’t he told the reason why Ava and himself must be married, why didn’t they tell him?
Next morning, Adrian descended the stairs, clad in a black suit and a black shade. He was going to perform the funeral rite for his late wife when he heard his father talking to Alice.
“… I do not accept your resignation, Ms. Alice. I’ve lost a former employee and now, accepting this resignation would be too hard for me to bear” Richard declared, refusing to accept the letter from Ms Alice.
“I want to leave sir. I’ve only waited for you to return before doing so. I don’t have a life here, nor can I find happiness and satisfaction here. If after Sam Leon’s hard work here, he could be treated the way he was, then who am I?” She insisted.
She said, eyeing Adrian Lester. The idiot killed his wife now and wants to give her a proper burial. Of what use, what is he trying to portray, that he was a doting husband to her?
He might have lost Ava, but he lost his own unborn baby too. The things we bring upon ourselves are usually the hardest ones to bear.