Rise of The Son in Law

CHAPTER THREE

The next morning, Jason awoke in his bedroom, the once-familiar surroundings now feeling eerily empty and cold.

The room had become a stark reflection of the fractured state of his marriage with Alison, as they had stopped sharing a room when her attitude had changed.

With a tired yawn, Jason stretched and prepared to start his day.

However, as he glanced around the room, he noticed that something was amiss. The room looked unusually barren.

His senses went on high alert as he stood up and opened his wardrobe, only to find it completely empty. A sense of foreboding began to creep over him.

In a state of growing confusion, Jason began to check the other drawers in his room, but they, too, were devoid of his personal belongings.

Even his bathroom, once filled with his toiletries and personal items, now appeared as though he had never occupied the space.

Panic welled up within him as he couldn't comprehend what was happening. He needed answers, and he needed them fast.

Determined to get to the bottom of this unsettling situation, he decided to venture downstairs to confront Julia, the matriarch of the Hastings family.

As he descended the staircase, his eyes fell upon Julia, who was seated beside a large box that he had brought with him when he first arrived three years ago.

Jason's confusion etched across his face as he confronted Julia, who had been sitting beside his large box of belongings. She greeted him with a casual tone, "Ah, Jason, you're finally awake. Good."

His bewilderment deepened, and he questioned her with a furrowed brow, "Why did you pack all my things?"

Julia chuckled condescendingly, as if she were dealing with a child who didn't understand the simplest of matters. "I thought I made it clear, Jason. You'll be leaving this house," she replied.

Jason's eyes widened in disbelief, and he stammered, "What do you mean by that?"

In response, Julia retrieved the divorce papers from her possession and presented them to him, her tone resolute. "You need to sign these, Jason."

Jason's refusal was swift and adamant. "I won't sign them."

Julia, her patience wearing thin, delivered her ultimatum with a steely resolve. "You have to sign them, Jason. It's the only way Alison can marry William."

His confusion grew as he probed further, "Why are you so determined for Alison to marry William? What's in it for you?"

Julia's eyes hardened as she responded, her words laced with a cold pragmatism. "William can help our family maintain our wealth and status. We can't afford to let that slip away into poverty."

“If that's the case, I will work harder to be able to maintain your family’s wealth ma’am,” Jason said.

Yet, his plea was met with nothing but mocking laughter as Eric strolled into the room, sharing in the cruel amusement with his mother.

Eric, unable to hide the contempt in his tone, taunted, "Did you hear that, Mother? Jason here thinks he can help us! A poor soul like him!"

“He’s so pathetic!” Julia joined in laughing with Eric.

Their mockery made Jason feel angry. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he stood there watching them insult him.

In the midst of this degrading scene, William Steele, the very cause of this tumultuous situation, walked into the room with an air of arrogance.

He casually greeted Julia with a "Mother-in-law" and wasted no time in belittling Jason.

With a dismissive tone, he inquired, "Is Jason bothering you again?"

William's scornful regard reduced Jason to little more than a pest in his eyes.

Fueled by a surge of determination and anger, Jason faced William with their gazes locked in a tense standoff.

His voice, though resolute, quivered with emotion as he declared, "I won't allow you to marry Alison."

The room seemed to hold its breath as the two men faced each other, one propelled by a deep love for Alison and the other driven solely by ambition.

William's laughter rang through the room as he dismissed Jason's words with a smug air of superiority.

He chuckled condescendingly and retorted, "You should never speak to me that way, Jason."

Unmoved by William's arrogance, Jason held his ground, determination burning brightly in his eyes.

With unwavering resolve, he declared, "You won't be able to marry Alison without my agreement to the divorce."

Jason's words were a resolute affirmation of his love for Alison and his refusal to let her go so easily. He continued, his voice unwavering, "I'm not going to sign."

Julia's patience had worn thin, her eyes flashing with frustration. She issued a stern ultimatum, her voice laced with a cold threat, "If you don't sign, Jason, I'll have you arrested for all the money you owe this family."

Eric, standing by his mother's side, added his own advice, his tone tinged with mockery, "I suggest you leave now, Jason."

Jason's gaze darted around the room, his options narrowing with each passing moment. He felt trapped, cornered by the formidable forces arrayed against him.

The prospect of facing legal consequences and possible jail time threatened ominously, a threat he couldn't ignore.

Defeated and broken, Jason finally relented. He realized that he had no other choice if he wanted to avoid the dire consequences that awaited him.

With a heavy heart, he reluctantly accepted the divorce papers, his trembling hand gripping the pen as he signed his own surrender.

As he affixed his signature to the document, it felt like an act of betrayal against his own heart.

The inked lines on the paper symbolized the end of his dreams, the dissolution of the love he had once shared with Alison.

With one fateful stroke, he had granted William the permission he needed to marry the woman he loved.

After Jason reluctantly signed the divorce papers, Julia wasted no time in delivering her ultimatum. She commanded, "Leave now."

However, Jason's heartache and desperation compelled him to make one final request.

He demanded to see Alison, his voice filled with urgency as he called out her name. The room seemed to hold its breath as they awaited her appearance.

Alison finally descended the staircase, her demeanor distant and cold and he walked towards her to speak to her.

Alison's response was far from what he had hoped for. Her disgust was evident as she looked at him.

She didn't hesitate to slap him across the face, her anger burning bright in her eyes. "Get away from me," she spat out, her voice laced with disdain.

William, who had been observing the scene with impatience, raised his voice in a commanding tone, "Did you hear her? Get out!"

The family, now united in their decision, joined the chorus, all of them urging Jason to leave.

With a heavy heart and his box in hand, Jason cast one last look at the family that had once promised him love and acceptance. But now, they stood as a united front, pushing him away with rejection and betrayal.

He turned away from them and walked out of the mansion, each step carrying the weight of humiliation and heartbreak.

As the grand doors closed behind him, Jason's world crumbled, and the pain of his shattered dreams weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Jason continued to walk down the desolate road, his footsteps heavy and burdened by the weight of his shattered dreams.

In that moment of despair, he couldn't help but lament the choices that had led him here.

He whispered bitterly to himself, "Grandpa Hastings should have never picked me up and married me to Alison."

His voice quivered with pain as he replayed the humiliating scene that had unfolded in front of Alison's family.

The memory of Alison's rejection, her cold indifference, and the way she had allowed herself to be led away by William haunted him.

He had once believed in their love, in the promises they had made to each other, but now it all seemed like a cruel illusion.

As he lay on the unforgiving pavement, the world passing by without a care, Jason's heartache echoed in his cries.

He couldn't fathom the depths of his humiliation and the sense of abandonment that gripped him.

As Jason sat on the cold, unforgiving pavement, lost in the depths of his despair, he felt a sudden vibration in his pocket.

With trembling hands, he fumbled for his phone and saw that an incoming call displayed an unknown number. His heart quickened with hope, a glimmer of anticipation that perhaps it was Alison, reaching out to him.

With a racing heart, he answered the call, his voice filled with a mixture of trepidation and longing.

The person on the other end of the line remained shrouded in mystery, their voice low and enigmatic. They asked the pivotal question, "Are you Jason Dilaurentis?"

Jason's voice wavered, but he affirmed, "Yes, this is Jason."

And then, in a cryptic and intriguing turn of events, the caller uttered words that would forever alter the course of Jason's life. "It is time for you to reclaim what is rightfully yours."