5:

Nathan's POV

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" I asked the elderly man gazing at him skeptically. He came down from his car.

"Can we talk in that restaurant over there? I already made a reservation," he said.

"Have you been following me? How were you certain I would pass through this route before you made a reservation?" I inquired.

"I'm old and I can't stand for too long. Come with me to the restaurant and I will explain everything," he said pleadingly. I gazed at him for a while before I nodded. He walked in and I followed after him. He was an elderly man and I knew how to respect my elders. Although I was passing through hell.

We sat in silence for a while. He ordered drinks for us while we seated. One glance at his sleek-looking suit, his cane, shoes, and watch. I could tell he was a very wealthy person. He was clearly hesitating to speak. I cleared my throat loudly.

"I'm your father," he deadpanned. I stared at him in shock.

"W..what?" I stuttered in confusion.

"You are my biological son," he repeated.

"Yes, I heard what you said clearly. What I don't understand is how. How can you be my father?" I inquired.

"You are my son, child. I'm telling the truth," he insisted.

"You can't just come here and start making claims. Do you have proof of what you are saying?" I asked.

"I wouldn't make such claims without evidence," he said and brought out an envelope. He passed it to me. I looked at the content in shock. It had photos of my mother and him. I still remember my mother's face vividly. It also contained pictures of me from when I was younger. There was a neatly folded piece of paper inside the envelope. I opened it nervously. It was a DNA report of one Mr Simon Knoxville and a Nathan Bassey. It was a 99.9% match. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me who Simon Knoxville was.

I was very interested in the business world when I was studying business studies in college. I studied hard about successful and well-known companies and their owners hoping that one day I could work for them or even have a company like them. One of the most successful companies I read about was Knoxville Enterprises. It wasn't that well known by some people but it didn't make it any less successful. And its founder and CEO is right in front of me trying to prove that I'm his son. Is this really real? Am I going to wake up and discover that it's all a dream?

"How did you get my hair sample for the DNA test?" I asked curiously. I had never met him up close before now.

"I had many ways to do that. I could even get your blood sample if I wanted without you realizing it," he replied. I stared at him in awe. That was just how efficient power and wealth were.

"If you knew I was your son, why didn't you ever visit when my mother was still alive?" I asked. He sighed.

"Your mother and my relationship was not accepted by people of the society. I loved her no doubt but I was already married then. We loved each other so much that we could not bear to stay away. She got pregnant and ran away without telling me about it. She only wrote me a letter saying she was leaving because she didn't want to ruin my marriage. A few years later, I ran into her with you. She told me you weren't mine probably because she wanted to protect you. I believed her every word she said. I'm so sorry about her death. It must have been hard on you. You lived such a hard life all alone, son" he said patting my outstretched hand comfortingly.

I sat quietly and in shock without saying anything. Son? I thought I was an orphan who was all alone in this world not knowing that I had my father. Should I be happy that I found him or should I be upset over the fact that I'm his illegitimate child that he never bothered to look for?

He coughed loudly before sipping the drink in front of him. "I'm sick son, very sick and I don't know how much time I have left. My wife was never able to bear a child. You are the only heir I have now. You must think I'm selfish for not looking for you all this while and suddenly coming in front of you claiming to be your father and asking you to be my heir. I'm deeply sorry for not coming for you sooner. No amount of apology will express how sorry I am. But, please find it in your heart to forgive me," he pleaded sorrowfully.

I could see the sadness and regret in his eyes. It felt good to know that I have a family in this world you loved and cared for me. That didn't mean I was going to forgive him so easily for everything that happened.

"If you would come with me, I already have all the necessary paperwork ready.  You just have to sign it and it will become official. Everything I have will belong to you when I die," he said. I looked outside and I could see his bodyguards standing outside and watching us intently. I had always wanted to know my father when I was younger and now that I do, he was going to die soon.

"I have to head towards my part-time job. I'm running late," I said standing up from the chair.

"You don't need to work part-time anymore. You can buy that shop you work at just by the snap of your fingers, and everything will become yours. You are now Nathan Knoxville. Son of Simon Knoxville, the heir to the Knoxville enterprise," he said.

Never in my wildest imagination did I think I would be rich someday yet here I was in front of a billionaire begging me to be his heir. Could this day get any crazier?