CHAPTER 5

Edward stared at the men kneeling in honor of him and was struck with amazement. Having observed them for a minute, being lost in a moment he thought would never happen to a peasant like him, he emerged back to reality.

"Young Master Loyld?" he said, his voice laced with disbelief. "I think you have the wrong person. My name isn't Loyld. You better call the person you are looking for," Edward said as he struggled to get to his feet, and the man assisted him.

"Are you not Edward? The biochemist who graduated from Presvile University with first-class honors last year? The one whose mom is diagnosed with kidney disease? The guy who was made to work as a mop boy in a company despite his amazing qualifications? And also, the one whose wife cheated on him with an influential man?" the man said, and Edward stared at him, shocked, as he wondered where someone of such repute or position must have known him from. Maybe it was him they were looking for.

"Excuse me, have we met before? How do you know all these things about me?" he curiously asked, and the man smiled.

"Because you are the one we came here for."

"But you called me Loyld. I'm Edward David, not Loyld," he replied.

"No, that isn't the name of your biological father. Your biological dad is Mr. Loyld, a popular medical scientist who invented drugs and cured many diseases before he passed away. He was influential, and the whole world used to look up to him."

"Wait, you mean Mr. Loyld, the one who had the biggest pharmaceutical company in the late '90s?" he asked, and the man standing in front of him nodded. Edward found it hard to believe this. How could he be the son of a man who was like a god in the world of medicine? He was the Einstein of the medical world. There had not been any man on earth who had reached the level of Mr. Loyld in the pharmaceutical world before or after his demise. He had the most calculative and wildest imagination ever; he found cures for the most challenging diseases ravaging the world, saving countless lives. Could a man of such status really be who these strange men were saying a nobody like him was related to?

"Hahaha! This is so stupid. It's very obvious you guys don't know how to lie. I know you are here for something. You might be hired assassins sent by Mr. Richard to kill me so I would never be released, but don't worry, I already have no hope of leaving here alive. With the kind of encounter I had today, I'm not sure I will make it up to a week here," he said sadly.

"Young master—"

"Don't call me master. Are you too blind to see that I'm just a poor, frustrated boy who has been stigmatized for being poor? Do I look like someone who had a god-like personality as a father? Please go look for your master elsewhere and leave me alone," Edward finally unleashed the pain in his heart and broke into tears. These were the tears he had tried so hard to hold back when he caught Sandra in the bathroom with Richard, but now he couldn't control it anymore.

"Your mom is lying sick in the hospital and has no hope of getting surgery, while you are here rotting in prison. If she doesn't get help, she wouldn't even last up to a week, and I know you wouldn't want that to happen to a woman who has been taking care of you from birth. I can get you out of here in a day and even give you money for your mother's surgery if only you can come to see my master, Mr. Lakes."

Hearing this, Edward was calm as if his head was processing what he had just said. Did he just say they could get his mom a new kidney?

"Why didn't your master come along with you guys?" he asked.

"He can't. Mr. Lakes is in a critical condition that requires him to stay out of the public. Believe me, Mr. Lakes would have come to see you himself if he could, but he can't," Donald said and bowed.

Edward turned his head to see some prison officers who stood in their numbers at the far end, watching him closely, as if he was about to escape. Then he turned back to Mr. Donald. "What about them? How can you take me out of this place when they are watching?" he asked.

"Don't worry. Mr. Lakes already pulled some strings for your sake. They would allow you to go with us under their supervision till you are brought back to your cell," he said.

"Where's your master?" Edward asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Don't worry, I'll take you there," Mr. Donald replied.

At his words, Edward agreed, and the door was opened for him. As Edward entered the Sprinter, his eyes widened at the luxurious interior. The white seats were made of premium leather, soft to the touch, and adorned with intricate stitching. The dashboard and trim were finished in a sleek, glossy wood grain, giving the vehicle a warm, sophisticated feel. The floor was covered with cream-colored carpeting, and the ceiling was lined with a soft, velvety material that added to the sense of comfort and refinement.

A beautiful lady sitting on a chair with a table in front of her stood up, and Edward's eyes locked onto her. She was elegantly dressed in a black suit, her hair pulled back into a sleek bun.

"Welcome, Lord Loyld," she said, her voice soft and soothing. She held his hand, guiding him to take a seat, and he sank into the plush leather, feeling the softness envelope him. Then she opened the drawer at the side of her seat and brought out a first aid box. "This will hurt, sir, but please bear the pain," she said, cleaning up the blood on his face and treating his wounds. Edward relaxed on the seat comfortably as the air conditioning chilled him off. Mr. Donald smiled to see him being comfortable, and Edward nodded in gratitude.

The drive was silent, with neither Edward nor Donald saying a word to each other. Minutes later, the car entered a street and halted in front of a large golden gate, stopping for a security check. The security check was quick, and the gate automatically opened, allowing them to proceed.

Edward was overcome with emotion as his eyes fell on what was behind the gate. There was a beautiful fountain seated in the middle of the large compound, sprouting water incessantly. Around the fountain were beautiful flower pots.

Edward also paid attention to the numerous security guards who were guarding the mansion, and they all bowed as their car drove in. He saw leisure parks, a zoo, and beautiful ladies walking about serving some men who were seated and having fun.

"I thought you said I was coming to meet Master emm—"

"Lakes?" Donald reminded him of the name.

"Yes, Mr. Lakes. Why are you bringing me to a resort center or government lodge?" he asked, and Mr. Donald chuckled.

"This isn't a resort center. This is actually Mr. Lakes' house. The house is so big that he has everything you can think of," he said.

"Wow, Mr. Lakes must be so rich then?" he said aloud.

"Yes, he's very rich. All thanks to your dad who gave a peasant like him such an opportunity," Mr. Donald said, and Edward glanced at him weirdly and averted his focus from him, thinking Mr. Donald was just being delusional for saying his dad made a man like Lakes rich. He still didn't believe that his dad was Loyld.

After passing so many buildings, they stopped at one house which was done with an amazing design. Donald exited the car first to open the door for Edward, who stepped out cautiously.

They both proceeded to the door which opened automatically, and they climbed the staircase which led to a room with a golden door. Donald knocked on the door and said, "Young Master Loyld is here." Donald said, and an old husky voice responded from behind the door.

"Come in with the young master." At the command, Donald pushed the door open, and Edward stepped inside, pausing to admire the breathtaking interior decor.

His gaze fell upon several portraits hanging on the walls, but one of them caught his attention.

"Wait, isn't that my picture over there?" he asked Donald, pointing to the portrait.

"Yes, young master Loyld, that's you and your parents, Mr. and Mrs. Loyld," a different voice in the room replied. Edward shifted his gaze to the direction where he heard the old husky voice and saw an old man lying on the bed with an oxygen support attached to his nose to aid his breathing. The man looked frail and very sick. His hands were connected to several tubes that were conveying different liquids into his body. A single hair couldn't be spotted on his scalp.

Edward turned to Donald, who went to the old man and lifted him up to sit on his bed. Then he saw a tube connected to the throat of the old man.

"Is this Master Lakes?" he asked, and the butler nodded.

"Yes, young master. This is Master Lakes," Donald nodded. Edward was stunned by what he was seeing. All his life working in a lab, he had never seen a sickness as severe as Mr. Lakes'.

"What kind of sickness is this?" he asked, disgusted by the sight of it.

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