THE TURNING POINT

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

He stopped to listen to what the ladies were saying, he hoped to get a clue of what was going on and if possible know who Adriana was expecting.

“He is such a handsome man, why will he sign up to be a household? ” one of the ladies commented.

“ come off it girl, he is just a wretched poor orphan who my father adopted, and now he is the contract son-in-law to the family, I don't know what came over my father to take such a decision, anyways he also passed for an obedient household as well” Geraldine replied and the group burst into a peal of hilarious laughter again.

…

Ryan had had enough of the mockery, he came out from the kitchen, Adriana immediately changed the topic upon seeing Ryan enter the living room.

Ryan left the serving tray on the center table and turned to leave

“ Come on Ryan, at least you have some manners, why don't you serve us and our guests” Alicia said mockingly.

Ryan turned around with an expressionless face. He poured the wine into the glasses, raised the tray for each of the ladies to take a glass, put the tray down and immediately left the living room for the kitchen.

He went to the kitchen because he wanted to listen to the conversation the girls were having and to know the visitor Adriana talked about.

… …

When the ladies noticed that Ryan had left they continued with their previous conversation about him.

“I don't know how and why my father got him to be a contract son-in-law, and to my dear Adriana. I know we will just have to let him sign off the contract and disappear from the house but I don't know where my father kept the contract papers, he refused to tell anyone of us before he died. I have already spoken to his lawyer and he said he will be here in three days ``. Alicia explained.

… ..

Ryan smiled “So this visitor is Mr Edward's lawyer, and he will be here to convince me to sign out of the contract,” he thought.

But he remembered the old man's last words to him.

*********.

“ Johnson, my son, please do not move out from this house or sign off the contract marriage until my daughter Adriana is thirty-five years old. Please promise me that''

The dying man pleaded in a weak voice.

“ I promise you that sir” Ryan assured him.

**********

Ryan came out of his thought after a peal of laughter popped up from the group of ladies who were obviously enjoying the conversation.

“ Adriana is twenty-nine years old, if only she was thirty-five, I would have just signed off the contract and moved out of this God-forsaken house and left this miserable life behind, but now I can't let Mr Edward down". He thought

… .

“ The lawyer will be here to read my late father's will and to let Ryan out of this house”. Alicia continued. “ You know he said his will should be read two years after his death and tomorrow marks exactly one year, it's weird though but I can't wait to get my share of my father's property, me being the firstborn means I get the most” she concluded excitedly.

Ryan had heard what he wanted, so he left the kitchen to his bedroom to take his bath.

***********

Ryan was about 5 feet and 6 inches tall, with a natural chocolate colour, blue eyes a pointed nose and an oval-shaped face.

His curly hair was dark charcoal. His moustache and beard were overgrown and had taken up a major part of his face.

He didn't really get the time to shave and that has made him look so ugly and fearful.

Despite all this he looked extraordinarily handsome and the dream man of most women.

He was 33 years, a year older than Alicia, the firstborn of the Williams sisters.

Despite his age, he was so humble and calm with a soft voice

Ryan had stayed with the Williams all his life

He was enrolled in school by Mr Edward Williams and he completed the university as an engineer at the age of 27

He has since then been staying as he was forbidden to work.

Mr Williams told him not to go look for a job as it is part of the contract that he is not supposed to work until he leaves the house.

Therefore Mr Williams put him on a monthly allowance which he was paid every month. But since the death of Mr Williams, his life has taken a massive turnaround.

He had been literally transformed into a house helper.

He never gave up on himself.

He had a special liking for cars. He was always trying to learn new things about cars. Although he never had the chance to repair a broken car, he believed he could do it with all the knowledge he had.

He wished one day he could leave the miserable life behind and have a good life.

He had tried to find his biological parents but he had no clue where to start from and all efforts proved futile.

He had wanted to leave the house but he was keen on honouring the promise he made to Mr Williams, therefore he had planned to remain in the house until Adriana turned thirty-five years old.

***********

Ryan emerged from his bathroom with his towel firmly bound on his waist.

He sat on his bed and began to reminisce about what happened a while ago.

He was thinking about what he was going to do when the lawyers asked him to sign off the contract.

He knew he was not going to get any share of the property from Mr Williams as he was not a member of the family.

But what he was thinking about was the explanation he was going to give the lawyer and the Williams sisters for refusing to sign off from being the contract son-in-law.

He had to find an answer to all those questions.