THE VENGEFUL SON-IN-LAW

CHAPTER 5

"Dad, can you recall how you ended up here?" Halle asked with concern, visiting George Crawford in the hospital.

He had driven out of the house but became disoriented, unable to find his way back. Witnesses claimed he started uttering nonsensical statements, prompting the hospital to summon the entire family. However, Margaret and Serena were nowhere to be found.

George Crawford was a man who allowed his wife to manipulate and exploit him. He was just a young boy when he fell deeply in love with Margaret, but she saw him as a means to climb the social ladder.

After they exchanged vows, everything changed. He lost his sanity, trapped in a loveless marriage. Divorce was out of the question, as it would result in losing a significant portion of his wealth. Margaret, not wanting to be a divorced woman with two daughters, ensured he remained a mere pawn in her game.

For the most part of their marriage, Margaret called the shots. Halle stood there, gazing at her father, once full of life, now living in the shadow of their mother. How many people had to suffer because they chose to stay out of their business? Halle wondered.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air as Margaret hostilely marched into the room with four male nurses. "Take him away now!" she commanded.

Halle looked infuriated and confused. "What's happening? Where are you taking him?" she queried, her voice filled with worry.

"Halle, your father is being institutionalized," Margaret coldly replied.

"What?! That's not going to happen!" Halle flared up. "You did this, Mum!" But Margaret hushed her before she could say anything more.

"Get over yourself, Halle. Your father has Alzheimer's. It's an actual brain disorder. So how is that my doing?" Margaret retorted, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Ooh please, don't act like this is what you've always wanted, to get rid of him for good," she cried out.

"You think this is what I want? Then you're more dumb than I thought. Your father had an episode in public, mentioning my business and the things I've done to make this family powerful and wealthy. Everyone thought he was spewing nonsense, but you and I know that isn't the case."

"It's only going to get worse. I won't let him destroy everything I've worked my ass off for all these years because of this," Margaret's voice strengthened as she pointed at her. "Get the hell out of my way."

Halle's voice trembled as tears filled her eyes. "But he's your husband and our father, Mum."

"I can't let myself be burdened by this, and neither can Serena. We have so much on our plate right now. But if you're willing to take care of him, I'll be more than happy to oblige. But if he so much as speaks to anyone about our family or me, he'll end up in that shithole. There's nothing you or anyone can do to stop me. So, Halle, he's your responsibility now." She walked away and slammed the door on her way out.

Halle's gaze fell upon George, who was struggling to remove his trousers. He couldn't distinguish his right from his left. Tears welled up in her eyes as she lamented how it had all come to this. They had witnessed their mother's mistreatment and mockery of their father for years, yet they had done nothing to stop it.

While she partied and whored her way to the top, he selflessly cared for them. He played both mother and father, but now he's abandoned. She despised herself.

But Halle wasn't the only one dealing with parental issues. The person Harvey was searching for had just found him. A woman approached him, raising doubts of her authenticity. His father's words echoed in his mind, "Your mother is dead, son."

This woman claimed to be his mother. She matched the description, knew details about his father, and carried a photo of her holding him as a baby.

Why would his father deceive him like that? What could be his motive for keeping them apart? She left hastily, without making an effort to convince him. She didn't want to further tarnish the memory of his father.

However, Anthony committed numerous immoral acts, to say the least. He paid Harvey's mother to punish her because she had refused to marry him. She did not wish to subject herself to a loveless marriage.

She made it clear that she was never in love with Anthony and He took it to heart by taking her baby from her. 

He ensured that she never saw or heard from Harvey again. When she learnt of Anthony's death, she didn't think he was ready for her to introduce herself just yet. It was only when she discovered that Harvey was investigating her that she thought of reaching out to him first to mitigate the damage.

Harvey was well aware that the elite club consisted of his father's most long standing companions, who held valuable insights into his past. 

There was a possibility that they were acquainted with his mother, although Harvey had kept his search for her concealed. However, now that she had returned, he felt the need to verify the truth before fully embracing her presence in his life.

Yearning for a mother figure, Harvey's father had never entered into matrimony, and as a result, Harvey's upbringing was far from conventional. He spent his formative years residing in hotels, where he formed friendships with the hotel staff.

In order to address the gravity of the situation, Harvey summoned a meeting, alerting the club members to its significance. They promptly gathered around the round table, perceiving his unease without the need for explicit inquiry. Harvey knew that nothing he did could remain hidden from this discerning group.

They expressed their clear disapproval of this woman entering Harvey's life at this particular juncture. The question of her trustworthiness loomed large, especially considering their knowledge about Harvey's mother.

When Harvey inquired about the picture she possessed, his curiosity piqued their interest. One of them suggested that Anthony may not have divulged the entire truth. "Indeed, she did pass away, Harvey, that much is true. However, it was due to a tragic car accident."

They revealed that Harvey's father chose to claim she died during childbirth because that was the day she ceased to exist for him. Shortly after giving birth, she abandoned Harvey and implored his father to take him away, as she wanted no part in his life. Witnessing Harvey's father's devastation and heartbreak was truly heart-wrenching.

But Harvey couldn't help but contemplate their unwavering allegiance to his father. Their loyalty was undeniable, and it was clear that they would never willingly divulge the truth.

"If you don't believe me, present her with this choice and observe her decision. It's crucial to remember that our primary objective is to safeguard your well-being."

"In addition, Lana is currently engaging in a confrontation with Patrick Mann at his hotel as we speak."

Lana had  ambushed Patrick Mann in his hotel with one of his mistresses. He had set up a meeting place later that evening but she needed him to know she had him by the balls.

He was seething with anger, utterly furious at the audacity of this woman to threaten him and intrude upon his private affairs. He vowed to exact revenge and make her pay dearly for her actions. In a moment of desperation, he even resorted to brandishing a gun, hoping to intimidate her. However, all of his bluster seemed to fade away into silence when she dropped a bombshell on him.

With trembling hands, he cautiously opened the box and beheld the files contained within. His voice quivered as he stammered, "How did you come into possession of these? This was meant to be strictly between Anthony and me. He swore that no one would ever discover the truth."

"Well, it appears that you failed to uphold your end of the bargain. What did you think you were doing, pursuing the Price industry?"

Harvey remained oblivious to Patrick's deep involvement in the business, unaware of how things spiraled out of control when Patrick discovered Anthony's affair with his wife.  

When Anthony proposed burning down the building for insurance money to kickstart a real estate venture, Patrick saw it as the perfect opportunity to rid himself of Anthony.

One fateful evening, after the close of office hours, Patrick initiated the fire, under the assumption that Anthony was the sole occupant. Little did he know that his own wife, Grace Mann, was inside the building, desperately searching for Anthony.

She had summoned the strength to sever ties with him, unable to bear inflicting further pain upon the father of their unborn child.

 Tragically, Patrick only realized his pregnant wife was trapped within the building when it was already too late.

 In a surprising turn, Anthony struck a deal to shield Patrick from the consequences, shouldering the blame for the fire. In exchange, Anthony demanded that Patrick relinquish the insurance funds and never set foot in the city again.