HIS RESURGENCE

Episode 5

HIS RESURGENCE

Chapter 5

It was already a week after Xavier had returned back to the mansion and had accepted his fathers decision. A week which means it was the day Alex and Clara were getting married.

Alexander his brother stood on the altar with the priest dressed in the most regal and expensive suit and smiling waiting for Clara; his soon to be wife to join him for their vows.

Clara walked in, beautifully dressed In white with a charming smile on her face with her father alongside her as they approached the altar. 

The crowd were awestruck at the beautiful wedding scenery and kept clapping and cheering at how beautiful and handsome the couples looked.

He had come to terms with his father’s decision, but still watching it did not make it any easier for him, his heart was bleeding as he watched them.

'That was the woman he was to marry ' he thought as he looked at Clara and how beautiful she was in that white elegant dress.

'It should have been me standing there and not him' his heart bleed as he looked at Alexander smiling like he had just won a lottery.

Perhaps Clara was a lottery for Alex but she wasn’t for him. She was the woman he loved. The woman he still loved.

'This day should have been the happiest day of his life but the reverse was the case. It was the saddest day of his life. Watching the love of his life walk down the altar to another man.

A tear dropped from his eye in agony and he immediately wiped it off with his finger not wanting anyone to see him.

He watched his brother and Clara stand before the priest and make their vows and afterwards they kissed. 

The crowd applauded with cheers of joy and praise as both couples had finally become husband and wife. A union he couldn’t put asunder to.

Xavier couldn't bring himself to clap, he couldn't smile, he couldn't cry. He just stood there dejected and sorrowful.

He couldn't wait for it all to just end so he could go drink himself to stupor once more after all that was what he was good for anyways.

*

*

The wedding reception continued immediately after both couples made their vows. The reception wasn’t really for the couples, it was meant to be for strengthening of power and making more influential friends as Benjamin Whitlock always said.

Gentle romantic music was playing in the background and everyone was having a lovely time. Some gossip while others were trying to build a network that would be of favor to them.

Many were congratulating the newly married couples, others eating and drinking, some others meeting new people and whatnot. 

Xavier was at a corner with a glass of champagne in his hand.

He emptied the glass in his mouth and swallowed the champagne in one go.

He sighed afterwards since it was not enough to help his mood. He needed something stronger to dull the emotional pains he was feeling at the moment.

And he could not get any until this wedding was over and he would allow himself to get wasted. 

He beckoned on the waiter passing with a tray to come over, he placed the empty glass on the tray and took another glass. The drinks were doing nothing to soothe his pain.

From the corner of his eyes he saw a group of people whispering and laughing, passing him occasional glares and inappropriate stares. 

"Yeah that's him" 

They whispered amongst themselves but he could hear them clearly. 

"He’s the bastard of the Whitlock family. I heard his mother isn’t known”

“No one knows his mother only Benjamin Whitlock"

One of them said,

"To think he was the one to marry the beautiful lady Clara today?"

“Wrong match if you ask me”

"Ugh, I wouldn't have attended the wedding if that was the case” Another said with distaste.

"Neither will I”

"It’s a good thing that lady Clara didn't get to marry him, how would he have taken care of her?”

“He is so poor and wretched!”

“Look at him, he is wearing an outdated Armani suit”

"She would have suffered dearly with him"

"Of course he'd never be able to take care of lady Clara, what did you expect? He's a failure, just look at him groveling over there”

They all laughed at him again as they kept throwing hateful glances at him.

Xavier gulped down the drink again and placed the glass on any available tray he saw and sighed, he needed to get out of there.

It wasn't the first time people had been giving him stairs and bad mouthing him since he arrived at the ceremony. 

But what could he do? Absolutely nothing. 

he couldn't confront them since that would only make it worse. And his father and everyone else will always pin the blame on him, so why bother. He would just let them say whatever they like.

"Xavier!"

“Xavier!”

He heard his father calling him. He sighed then weakly turned around towards his father’s direction.

Benjamin Whitlock was standing with one of the guests' family and he knew the reason his father would seek his attention is when he wanted him to pitch some business strategies.

He approached this father and when he got a full face of the guess, he couldn't recognise the man and his wife and all he knew even without being told was that they would be business associates or one of the top brass in the society if not the whole of America.

"You called, father" he said as he met them, he bowed politely to his father and the guests. 

The guests of his father consist of an elderly man and a woman who he had assumed was the wife was now joined by a young woman presumably their daughter. 

"Oh yes I did Xavier " Mr. Benjamin replied with a smile Before he continued. 

"This is Mr. and Mrs. Smith and their daughter," he nudged his head to his son and then back to the family.

"And this is my son Xavier Whitlock, the one I was talking about, the other one which you have met is why we are here today” Benjamin Whitlock said with a hint of pride in his tone as he spoke about Alex.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. and to. Smithstone" Xavier addressed them all politely and his father continued. 

"Xavier, we have discussed about you and you will be getting married to their beautiful daughter," Mr Benjamin said. 

"What?!" Xavier exclaimed immediately out of surprise drawing the attention of everyone within earshot. 

His father glared at him And Xavier immediately composed himself. 

“I and the Smith’s have discussed and they have agreed to marry off their daughter to you, so be grateful for their kind gesture”

"This is just to inform you to begin the preparation for your marriage, now go away I still have things to discuss with the Smith’s"

Xavier left and soon after he left Mrs. Smith and her daughter left as well, leaving Mr. Benjamin and Mr. Smith behind to continue with their business discussions.

"This was not the arrangement Mr. Benjamin"

Mr. Smith confronted Mr. Benjamin when the coast was clear. 

"Why him? Why the other son?" Mr. Smith said in annoyance. 

"The other son?” Mr. Benjamin asked, pretending to be confused and he didn’t understand what Mr. Smith was talking about.

"You know what I mean Mr. Benjamin. Why does my daughter get to marry the useless son? Just take a look at him! He is useless, I was promised your heir and not that good for nothing son " Mr. Smith complained. 

"I have just two sons and unfortunately, the other got married today so what do you expect me to do? Besides they are both my son" Mr. Benjamin replied.

"But why this son? You should have chosen someone better and not this one!" Mr Smith yelled, annoyed that his precious daughter had to be the one to end up with the wretched son.

Mr Benjamin who was beginning to get angry replied harshly, "Don’t act like your daughter is a saint, I have done my assignment on her too and you don't want me to tell you what I have found. So are we still pushing up with the plan or not?" Mr. Benjamin threatened. 

Mr. Smith sighed in defeat and then looked at Mr. Benjamin and cursed under his breath. 

"You sly fox"

"To a successful union of our families and businesses " Mr. Benjamin proposed a toast with a sly smile and Mr. Smith clicked his glass with him sealing the deal and the marriage.