The Son In-law's Revenge

Is not what you think

Epic 10

“Daddy?”. Jessy's tiny voice echoed amid the chaos.

“Well, of course. Daddy huh?!”. Lisa muttered annoyed and angrily left the room.

“What is wrong with Aunty?”. Jessy innocently asked as he tapped Peter on his trousers.

“Don't worry okay, Aunty is a little upset”. He let out and lifted Jessy to his shoulders.

Unto the balcony, he observed as Lisa sat under the coconut tree close to their swimming pool.

“I love my daddy”. Lisa interrupted with her tiny voice as Peter placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Hey, Jessy. Can you tell me about your daddy?" Peter asked, seating the little girl on a nearby desk.

"My mummy said I shouldn't tell anybody about my daddy," Jessy said, a look of innocence on her face.

"Well, you can tell me," Peter reassured her. "I'm not just anybody, and I won't tell your mom, so it's our secret."

Jessy's face brightened. "Okay, you're my daddy," she declared, her tiny fingers gripping Peter's chin. "My daddy is in heaven. Mummy said he went to get me some special cookies," Jessy continued, her voice full of childlike wonder.

Peter felt his heart skip a beat. "So, you've never seen your dad?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. "Do you have any pictures with him?"

"Nope," Jessy replied, shaking her head. "Mummy says he doesn't like pictures. But she says he's…"

Just then, the doorbell rang, interrupting Jessy's story. Nora entered her face a mask of uncertainty.

"Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to barge in," Nora apologized, her eyes darting between Peter and Jessy. "I was looking for Jessie, and I knew she'd be here."

"But I want to stay with my daddy," Jessy protested, her voice filled with disappointment.

"It's alright, Jessy. You can stay here," Peter offered, but Nora shook her head.

"It's time for Jessy's bath, and then bedtime," she explained, gently leading her daughter out of the room.

Peter watched in confusion as Nora led her daughter out. Just then, Lisa walked in.

Peter tried to explain himself, but Lisa's suspicion and distrust only seemed to be deepening. "She was here again, wasn't she?" she demanded, her eyes fixed on Peter's face.

"She only..." Peter began, but Lisa cut him off. "Yes or no?" she snapped.

"Yes, but she was only picking up Jessy," he pleaded, exhaustion evident in his voice.

"A family reunion then?" Lisa replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "If they're your family, why don't I ever see any of their pictures in the house? Peter's frustration was boiling over. "You're starting to suspect me too much, Lisa, who said they are my family?" he said, struggling to keep his temper in check. "You wanted a maid, I got you a maid. Now you're accusing me of being intimate with her? That's not fair."

Lisa's eyes narrowed. "What else am I supposed to think?" she shot back. "Jessy looks just like you, and you've been spending a lot of time with Nora lately. What else am I supposed to believe?"

Peter's eyes widened in shock. "Are you being serious now?

"Yes, I'm serious!" Lisa exclaimed, her voice rising with each word. "You're being secretive with me, Peter, and that makes me think there's something you're hiding."

"I'm not hiding anything!" Peter protested, trying to keep his emotions under control. "Nora and Jessy are our guests, Lisa, nothing more. You have to trust me."

Lisa scoffed. "Trust you? How can I trust you when you won't even tell me the truth?" she countered. "What if you're lying to me?

"I'm done with this!" Peter shouted, his patience finally giving out. "I'm sick of staying here. When are you going back to Korea? This drama needs to end!" He stormed over to a nearby sofa and slumped into it, seething with anger.

Lisa's jaw dropped. "Wow, wow, wow," she repeated, a sarcastic laugh escaping her lips. "You want me out of your life? So you can have your little family?"

"They're not my family!" Peter insisted, his frustration growing by the second. "They're only here because of you!“

"Stop being so dramatic!" Lisa snapped, with her hands on her hips. "I'm not going back to Korea anytime soon, and you better deal with it! If you want peace, then you know what to do. Repent"

Peter narrowed his eyes at her. "Repent?" he asked mockingly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lisa's eyes flashed with anger. "It means stop lying to me, Peter!" she exclaimed. "Stop acting like you don't care about Nora and Jessy. You can't hide the truth forever!"

”You know what? No need“. Peter whispered as he grabbed his car key and left.

"Peter! Stop!" Lisa yelled after him, her voice echoing through the hallway. But Peter was already at the front door, his hand on the handle.

"I need to clear my head," he said, his voice strained. "I can't talk about this right now."

"Peter, please," Lisa begged, her eyes brimming with tears. "Don't leave like this. We can work through this."

Peter hesitated, his heart warring with his pride, but eventually, was out of sight.

Peter hated himself for inviting Nora over to his house to work as a maid. He genuinely wants to help her, but not in this way. It was already getting dark as rain began to pour. Having driven along the quiet, slippery road. Peter stopped in front of a clubhouse. There, he ordered a glass of whiskey. His Doctor had warned him to stay away from such drink because of his health but he felt he needed it the most this period, to clear his head.

”More please“. He mumbled drunk as he passed the glass over to the bar attendant. It's been three years since he took whiskey, and it's been three years since he was rushed from his hotel room to the hospital after he took a glass of beer.

”More!“. He yelled to the attendant after he speedily consumed the last gulp. His eyes were already beginning to trick him as he felt very dizzy and light-headed. Peter drowned his guilt and shame in whiskey, downing glass after glass until the world around him began to spin. The rain pounded against the windows of the club, and the low hum of music was a distant soundtrack to his turmoil.

With each sip, Peter felt the weight of his actions ease, the chaos of his life slipping away, replaced by a dull numbness. "More!" he demanded, his words slurring as the bartender refilled his glass.

The warnings of his doctor echoed in his mind, a whisper he ignored as he downed another glass.

”More!“. He yelled with pain, as he pushed his glass forward, his eyes were already reddish and his face pale.

”That's enough, let's go home“. A voice muttered while grabbing the cup from him. Peter struggled to take it back, but couldn't.

”You don't know me?! I'm Peter Cele—st—ine“. He drunkenly said and eventually landed on the person's body.

Back at home, Lisa got scared and tired of waiting for Peter. She had slept and woken up by 2 am yet there was no sign of Peter. His car was parked at the garage yet he wasn't anywhere close to the building. She slept off in the morning while waiting for Peter.

***************

Peter woke up with a splitting headache as he rolled from one end of the bed to the other. He was surprised to find himself shirtless, with a cool towel on his forehead and funny enough in one of his visitor's rooms.

”How on earth did I get here?“. He whispered confused as he looked around the room.

”Ouch“. He yelled in pain as he felt a sharp pain in his head.

”What happened?“. He mumbled tiredly as he went to wash up his face.

Immediately, Nora knocked and entered the room.

”Hello Sir. Good morning. I brought you a cup of coffee“. She muttered as Peter stood looking at her surprised.

“What happened?”. Peter questioned

“Sir? Umm… I believe you got drunk or something. I need to leave immediately if you don't mind, don't wanna cause more problems”. Nora muttered as she tried to leave, but Peter immediately pulled her back.

“What happened? Who drove me back? Did you follow me?”. Peter's words peered into Nora's heart as her heartbeat increased.

“Did you?”. He whispered leaning closer.

“Let me go, Sir”. Nora was scared while pulling her hand.

“You did. I can perceive my cologne all over you”. Peter whispered, pulling her close again. “You followed me didn't you?”. He whispered as he leaned with their forehead stroking. There was a little silence between them as Peter gazed passionately into Nora's eye.

“Who is her father?”. Peter diverted as he placed his hand gently on Nora's chest.

“What father?”. Nora muttered powerless as she struggled with her grip.

“Jessy, who is Jessy's fath…”

“Babe?”. Lisa's voice was disrupted as Peter immediately let go of Nora.

“You?!”. Lisa mumbled annoyed as she stepped into the building.

“Did— did you guys— Did you...did you sleep with him?" she demanded of Nora, her voice shaking.

Nora’s eyes widened in shock, her heart pounding. "No, ma'am. It's not what it looks like!" she protested, tears of fear and shame forming in her eyes.

"Lisa, this isn't what it seems," Peter interjected, his words slurred. "She...she just helped me...that's all."

”helped you with what exactly?“. Nora demanded annoyed.

”I left yesterday, I came back drunk and she helped me, as you can see she only brought coffee for me. That's all“. Peter explained while pointing at the coffee. Lisa's anger boiled over, and her gaze shifted from Nora to Peter. "And you believe that?" she snapped, her tone dripping with disdain. "You're so drunk, you probably can't even remember your name!"

Peter staggered, the alcohol impairing his balance. "I know what I'm saying, Lisa," he insisted, trying to stand upright. "It's true, Nora just helped me. She's a good person."

Lisa gave a bitter laugh. "Good person? Yet she didn't see the need to tell me where you were, Peter. She's obsessed with you." Lisa muttered disappointedly.

”Is not what you think ma'am“. Nora managed to say.

”It is absolutely what I think, and obviously what it is!“. Lisa yelled in pain.

”I'm sorry ma'am, it was late and I couldn't wake you up, I am so sorry“. Nora looked at Lisa with pleading eyes, but Lisa was not having any of it. "Just get lost, you slut!" she hissed at Nora, her voice seething with fury. "Don't touch me. You disgust me." With that, she turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Nora shaking and in tears.

Peter, however, barely noticed Lisa's departure. He was too drunk to comprehend what was happening, his mind clouded by the effects of the alcohol. Slumping onto the bed, he muttered incoherently as he stared into the abyss of his guilt and shame.

As the hours passed, Peter’s drunken stupor deepened, he was yet to get himself, his consciousness slipping further and further away until, at last, he fell into a deep, troubled sleep. It seemed like only a few moments had passed when the faint light of dawn filtered through the curtains, waking him from his restless slumber.

He stirred, groaning in pain as his head pounded and his mouth felt like a desert. The memories of the previous night started to creep in, bringing with them a wave of shame and fear ”Nora“. He whispered while standing up to leave but eventually caught Lisa staring at him.

”Nora huh?“. She whispered disappointed and suddenly left the room. Peter immediately reached out to her and apologized.

”I'm sorry. I had a nightmare, I am so sorry“. He apologized, while still tired and gently resting his head on her shoulders

”Please stay. I need to cool off, my head hurts “. He whispered weakly.

”I know. I got you some Lemon juice. Ethan came over, and he made me understand you are in enmity with alcohol. I'm only concerned about why you left or probably took it“. With a warm hug, Lisa let out. ”I'm sorry, you will be fine“. She had whispered.