Why are surprises unveiling itself to him in folds? Even his grandfather knows that Ava was pregnant. But he, the one who fathered that unborn baby, was unaware of its existence until it was too late.
At this time, the tears were in Adrian’s eyes. He wants to reply to his grandfather and tell him that if Ava Leon died, it only means that she died with the little life growing in her when his father beat him to it.
“Father, I want you to go to your room and rest. When it’s time, you’ll know everything that happened while you were away” Richard declared.
Grandfather didn’t resist this time. He let Adrian take him to his room. Before Adrian stepped out, grandfather said “I regret my actions today” he muttered.
Adrian was still contemplating on what his regrets were all about. He turned his back to his grandfather when he heard him continued “It were better than you died back then Adrian.
Your death would have only caused your parents a momentary pain. They would have survived it already. They definitely would have moved on, have more kids, live happily and would occasionally only remember that they lost a son called Adrian.
Why did I choose to be a part of a child who was void of any form of humanity? Why did I cause the Leon’s so much pain to this extent that more than two decades later, the pain only worsened.
Today, you’re dead to me Adrian. I withdraw your name from the lineage of the Lester’s. You are Richard’s son and I don’t know where he got his unfortunate son from.
Don’t ever come before me and address me as your grandfather. I only have a granddaughter and she’s dead. I’m an old man who has no heir. I wish I didn’t get to see this day, when sorrow will plagued my heart like a cancerous sore.
You should have died back then. I shouldn’t have secretly pleaded with Sam Leon to do something to save your life. It was better that you died. You were never supposed to live to see this day but I intervened.
In the end Sam Leon lost his son and now his daughter. Why did I do it, why did I do it, why…why…?” Grandfather Lester sobbed aloud.
Richard heard his father’s loud sob and he went upstairs in haste. He saw Adrian standing by the door, his eyes reddened and he seemed to stand stiffened.
“Oh…my daughter Ava.. my daughter Ava…I should have died in your place…oh my daughter…” Grandfather covered his face with his palm and sobbed.
Oh Ava, why does she have to die? Why didn’t the creator take his life from him and give it to Ava? Why does she have to die such a terrible death? Such a horrible way to die.
“Father.. Please be calm” Richard stuttered. It hurts him so much that Ava died. Why didn’t that anonymous email get to him at least a day before it did? Perhaps, he would have arrived earlier and got her out before this whole incident happened.
“How can I be calm…huh…Ava is dead, I lost a granddaughter. Ava was pure and I engineered everything. It’s all my fault, Richard. The evil and calamity that now befalls Sam Leon’s family was all my fault..”grandfather paused, and sniffled.
Seeing an old man sob so loud was agonising and Adrian felt he was tired of living. The pain that plunges his heart was too heavy for him to bear at the moment.
“You don’t have to blame yourself, father. I honestly didn’t want this to happen to our Ava” Richard said, trying to hold his father down but he threw his hands off, and stood up from the wheelchair.
Carefully he sat on the bed and said “Why shouldn’t I blame myself, huh Richard? What has Sam Leon done to us, what evil has he committed to deserve such a painful life?
Today I’ll tell you what happened that day” he said and sniffled before continuing “I was the one who pleaded with Sam Leon to save my grandson. I told him we couldn’t get a match for a bone marrow transplant for him.
I even wept before him and he took pity on me. He had to persuade his wife before she agreed to it. But you knew the story very well, he lost his son.
And the only daughter that now wipes their tears away has also been murdered by the same Adrian. If I knew this boy has no blood of humanity in his veins why would I ask that Sam give his daughter to my family, why would I?
It all started with me and now, it ended with me. Why didn’t I let Adrian die back then. Two lives were lost because of him, why?
Why would Sam experience the pain of losing a second child courtesy of my doing? Why did Adrian have to be saved, why didn’t he just die back then? His living has caused so much pain to others. That’s why he needed to die but I intercepted it. Now the pain seemed unbearable and it breaks my heart”
Richard was tongue tied. He didn’t wish for any of these to happen. But then, he wouldn’t have been happy if he lost his son also. This is really complicated and he doesn’t want to appear as being against his father before this son of his.
And to know that his father hadn’t known about Sam Leon’s death was another thing. What is going to happen when he gets to know that his friend Sam is dead and at Adrian’s feet?
“Leave my face this minute and never come before me as your grandfather. I disown you from my bloodline. You cease to be a part of my flesh and blood. Today, I renounce you as my grandson and you’re a total stranger to me henceforth” Grandfather Lester bellowed.
For the first time since this whole incident happened, Richard felt his fatherly emotions towards his son. This punishment is massive. He’d just be disowned by his grandfather and this is a grave punishment.
Adrian closed his eyes painfully. That’s right, he deserves it. Much more than that, he deserves to be a rejected grandson. His grandfather took the right step by disowning him.
“Father please…I beg you…” Richard was going to plead when Adrian interrupted him.
“No dad. Grandfather is right. He did the right thing, I don’t deserve to be his grandson. Grandfather is a good man, and I am nothing like him. I’m mean and evil, thoughtless and without sympathy.
I only ask you for one thing grandfather: forgiveness!” Adrian pleaded.