Adrian read the posts and comments and took them all in. He didn’t murder Ava Leon, nor her dad. Ava Leon was still alive but Sam Leon died before him but he didn’t murder him.
Those who don’t know his story that accuse him wrongly would one day cover their face in shame when they will eventually know the truth.
But Clem kept deleting them online. Anna had made a confession and had been arrested by the police, that’s what mattered.
Patrick drove Luna home. He was protecting her. Her name has been mentioned and no one knows how they did it; her picture was now littering on social media.
The pictures of the young beautiful Luna and her present pictures. He doesn’t want the journalists to recognise her and starts bothering her with questions.
“Lay low now, until everything is suppressed” Patrick advised when he got to her home. The bond was already forming.
He never imagined that Aunt Anna was this mean and callous. Thank goodness she didn’t hurt him, he would have died already and be forgotten, that’s if he’s the same person as the baby she talked about. He can’t really say until the DNA result is out.
“I’ll stay if you promise to always check on me,” Luna requested. Her shaking voice made Patrick emotional. He nodded and said he’ll check on her every day until everything gets over.
For the next three days, Patrick Connor kept his promise. Everything went silent. The Lester mansion was like a graveyard. The servants talk in whispers. No one brushes shoulders with the other and Richard remains in solitude.
It’s not that he was happy that Anna was jailed, her case was immediately tried and she was found guilty. After all, she’s the first witness against herself using her video confession.
But everyone should be responsible for their actions. That would make them all to be careful and thread gently. He will stay back and see how things unfold.
He isn’t in any form of contact with Luna. He stayed off, letting her get accustomed to their son. Her happiness lies with Patrick now.
Adrian has greatly recovered. He could walk around carefully but he confined himself to his bedroom and study. He now controls the affairs of the conglomerate via virtual meetings.
He was nursing his wounds. Wounds on his flesh caused by the bullets, wounds on his heart caused by his failures in relationship and marriage and that of his mother.
His heart is heavy. Much heavier than how he felt when he thought Ava died. This one was heavier than the weight of a bag of sand. But he’ll navigate through and survive.
But amidst this whole thing that is going on, why hadn’t Patrick Connor checked on him. It’s unlike him and yet, he claims to love him.
He summoned courage and called him but Patrick wouldn’t answer his phone. After several attempts, he stopped. Maybe he wants to stay away for a while. He is never going to believe that his mother’s words were capable of making him avoid him.
Three days later, Richard went to check on Adrian in his room. They both hadn’t seen each other in days and these few days seemed to be like months of separation.
“Are you getting better, Adrian?” Richard asked. He looked way better than he was, when he was brought in. Looks like he will return to who he used to be soon.
“I feel better” Adrian responded and took his medicine, gulping them down with water. He would be stepping out the next day. It’s time he returns to the Adrian Lester he used to be.
“Has Patrick been in contact?” Richard asked. He was worried about his son. He doesn’t know what he thinks about Adrian at the moment. Considering the fact that Anna Lester that ruined his mother is Adrian’s mother.
“No, very unlike him. I still don’t understand how Patrick would be comfortable, not reaching out to me at this period of my life” Adrian complained. Or could it be that something happened to him that he couldn’t reach out to him?
“It’s not his fault at all. As you are grieving, finding this period a time to be strong, he is also experiencing the same and in fact, much more than you are experiencing it” Richard defended.
Adrian chuckled. He cannot believe there’s anyone experiencing this phase of his life more than he was. Patrick cannot possibly be weeping more than the bereaved.
“What can he possibly be experiencing that he cannot at least reach out to me?” Adrian queried. The answer is definitely ‘nothing’. Patrick loves him and he knows it.
Sighing softly Richard replied “He is confused and hurt more than you do. You know why”
Adrian shrugged. He doesn’t know except his dad was going to tell him.
“Patrick is Luna’s son. Invariably he is my son, your brother” Richard disclosed and the glass of water in Adrian’s hand carefully slipped off his hand and before he realised it, the noise of it shattering into several pieces hit them.
“What did you say, dad?” Adrian was alarmed.
Richard just stared at him speechless. He is surprised, he knows he would be. He was also surprised when he realised that the same Patrick Connor, his son’s friend, was actually his own son.
Adrian’s gaze was on his father but his mind and soul wandered to those years in the past. Within a few seconds, he thought about Patrick growing up in loneliness.
His foster father Patrick Connor who named him after himself because he was a childless widower struggled hard to take care of him and when he eventually died years later, Patrick’s upbringing was not easy.
He would share his meal with him. At the university, he remembered paying his tuition fee and yet, he is dad’s son? He lived in poverty and didn’t get everything he wanted while he lived in luxury and abundance?
“Oh no…no…no…this isn’t the truth right…Patrick Connor is not my brother dad, just tell me the truth” he stuttered.
“Fortunately, he is Adrian. Patrick is Lester!” Richard reaffirmed.