THE RETURN OF THE ESPOSITO'S HEIR

Chapter 4

"Where do you want him to get the huge money in a year?" Chaya asked Grandpa.

Mr. Patterson snapped back. "Is one year not enough for him to get an ordinary 5,000,000? Can you wait for five years then?"

"I will wait. If he can't afford the money after five years, I will marry another man."

"Why would you wait to be with a punk for five years?"

"I love him."

Mr. Patterson rose and looked at Johnny. "I will see how long her love for you can take her. I give you five years to pay the dowry of 500,000,000 to me. Unable to pay the dowry will make you lose her to another man. Do you agree?"

Chaya burst into tears. "You just increase the money. It's unfair. Don't agree, Johnny. Where would you get it?"

"I agree, thanks," Johnny said and walked out of the mansion.

Johnny then went back to the hospital and slept on the chair beside Kai. A nightmare about how Lucas killed his father woke him.

"You can't conquer the nightmare till you kill Lucas," Kai said.

"You have woken up." Johnny smiled and held Kia's hand. "How do you know I just have a nightmare?"

"I'd lived with you for over ten years. How won't I know?"

Johnny smiled. "Thank you for waking up."

"You visit the old man last night?"

Johnny was shocked. "How do you know?"

"Chaya called you, and you went there to set her free. Didn't you?"

"Just listen to me-"

"I don't want to listen to you. If they can kill your father, and shots me, how much more would they do to the girl you loved? Don't you know she would be your weakness? They could easily get you through her."

"I don't love her." Johnny dropped his jaw.

"But she loves you. I regret getting you a job in Logan's house."

"I don't ask her out."

"But you gave her your attention."

"It doesn't matter. You need to rest."

"I'm healthy since last night. It's you who needs to rest from giving someone's daughter attention if you don't want her to die."

Johnny let out a heavy sigh. "Her grandpa wants me to pay a dowry of 500,000,000 dollars within five years before I could marry her."

"So, you want me to give you an ATM card your mom asked me to give you?" Kai took out the silver ATM from his pocket.

"When did you visit her?"

"After you informed me to tell her the truth."

"Did she believes?"

"If she doesn't, she won't give me this card. The amount in this card, if I could remember clearly, was $400 billions. Just take and go get the girl."

Johnny collected the card. "I need two permanent hackers. Can you help me get them?"

"I can't as long as you want the girl."

"Don't you trust me again? I don't love her, and I have nothing to do with her."

"Fine. I will get them for you. There are many hackers I knew, but few can be trusted. No matter how honest they are, don't tell them everything about you."

"I understand."

Johnny bought breakfast for Kai and himself. He paid the hospital bills and bought some drugs at the pharmacy after Kai was discharged from the hospital.

"I can't allow you to go back to your house. You're not safe there. Would buy you a new house," Johnny said to Kai as they entered Kai's car.

"You don't need to. I will upgrade my house security," Kai said.

"They will get access to the password."

"They won't anymore."

"My mind won't rest if they know where you are living."

"So you want to hide me?"

"It's just for some time. I would get rid of them soon."

Kai smiled and hugged Johnny. "You care for me too much. Thanks my Johnny."

"I should thank you." Johnny turned the key in the ignition and drove the car to a far new estate.

Johnny bought Kai a new house with top security and a betting shop, where Kai would earn more money. Kai gladly hugged Johnny again when Johnny was about to leave.

Digging his hands in his pockets, Kai said, "Your mom would stop visiting a psychiatrist because you returned. She wants you to hear this so you can visit her as soon as possible."

"This is not the time to -"

"She is ready to play the game of not recognizing you in everyone's presence if only you could just visit her. She misses you."

Johnny adjusted his collar. "Need to buy a sweater. Bye."

Kai waved his hands as Johnny turned to go. "Alright, my Johnny. Have a nice day, and don't forget your mom."

Johnny entered a commercial bus and adjusted his collar again. He missed his mom, who would have worn him a sweater because he catches cold easily.

After a while, Johnny noticed that a lady sitting beside him didn't want his body to touch hers while she covered her nose with a handkerchief. He then remembered he didn't bath for two days.

A thought about Chaya crept into his mind at that moment.

"My Chaya was more pretty than this girl. Why did she love me even though my appearance was poor?"

To prevent the thought from compelling him to pay what he doesn't want to pay, Johnny dismissed the thought politely and closed his eyes.

The bus stopped suddenly and jolted the passengers forward. Some police officers stood at the door while two officers with a photo in their hands walked around, looking at every man's face. The officers passed Johnny by after glancing at him.

Then they returned to the door and one officer holding a microphone made an announcement.

"Sorry to bother you. We're here to find Esposito's son, and we regret to say we wasted your time, for we couldn't find him. We're also here to announce that if anyone of you know where he was, please don't hesitate to tell us. Many rewards are waiting for the person."

The other officers were passing out photos of Esposito's son to the passengers. Johnny collected it and stared at it.

It was a picture of him and his parents on a white horse when he was a little boy. His name was written under the image. And besides the image, there was a painted image of how he could look as an adult. Paraventure, his mom paid a high price for the artist who painted the image, for it resemble him a little.

Johnny then rose and raised his hand. "Officer, may I talk?"

"Sure!"

"I'm the Esposito's son."