Triumph Of The Belittled Son-in-law

CHAPTER 6

Grandpa Leonard’s body was thin and frail from worry.

It was very difficult finding Paul - the Winston family's decision to spread the news of his arrest and incarceration was the only way Grandpa Leonard could trace his whereabouts and rescue him in the prisoner transport van. 

The Winstons thought they could suppress the pressure on them and make their investors think that the bad egg had been thrown out but they ended up giving way too much information, helping Grandpa Leonard with the missing puzzle to find his grandson, Paul.

Grandpa Leonard’s back was hunched and his neck bones were very visible as if piercing his poor skin which was like paper. There was a twinkle in his watery eyes and one could tell that he would be beyond his 80s.

Paul stood still as if he was frozen, his eyes devoid of feelings as Grandpa Leonard embraced him. 

“Oh! My boy. You have grown a lot since we met many years ago,” Grandpa Leonard quivered as he spoke. 

Paul didn't give any response. Instead, his thoughts drifted to his mother and how she died because the wicked man in front of him wanted her to marry someone else.

“What happened to your face? Why does he have bruises on his face?” Grandpa Leonard inquired with care, turning to Housekeeper Miriam, his face begging for an answer.

Miriam cleared her throat and was about to respond when Paul butted in. “Don't think for a second that I am moved by your sudden show of affection. What is all this about anyway? I still don't understand why I am here.”

Grandpa Leonard exchanged glances with Miriam as if they were waiting for each other to speak.

Grandpa Leonard spoke up again. “I will explain everything to you when we get to our mansion but in the meantime take this platinum card. It contains 500 million dollars to get yourself new clothes and freshen up. You must have been through a lot for a long time.”

Paul’s jaw almost fell off as he stared in disbelief. He was completely taken aback. 

“How much did you say is contained in this card?” Paul asked, pinching his skin severally to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. He had never owned ten dollars in his life and there he was, being gifted 500 million dollars just for upkeep. 

“Come on grandson, you are the leader of our syndicate now. You can't afford to put up a surprised face at little stipends such as these,” Grandpa Leonard responded.

“Grandmaster, we have to leave now. It's not completely safe here because we are still on the road,” one of the guards who rescued Paul from the prisoner transport van informed.

“Alright, it's fine. Now that I have seen my grandson, I can get the treatment I need. We will talk more when we get home okay?” Grandpa Leonard assured as there was a feeling of calm in his voice.

Paul Leonard and the others soon reached the mansion and Paul was already amazed at the wonderful ambience as they got to the entrance in the truck.

The towered iron gates of the mansion were a work of art and the metal gleamed beautifully in the sunlight. Different patterns were crafted on the surface enough to make one think that the mansion itself was a heavenly atmosphere.

The towering exotic flowers and the trees which were artfully designed to range from deep green colours to vibrant purple were all a spectacle of beauty. 

As Paul passed through the gates, he could sense that generations of wealthy people had lived there. The lights were beautifully placed and guards in suits standing like statues were in different corners.

‘This can't be real. Am I supposed to be a leader in this kind of wealthy environment?’ Paul’s thoughts came in a rush as he couldn't battle off the questions that kept coming into his mind.

He soon recalled the suffering he experienced at the hands of his wicked in-laws. He remembered how his ex-wife cuckolded and humiliated him.

He recalled how he promised in his heart to get back at them for how they treated him. Maybe this is my silent prayer being answered, after all, he thought.

But he still had questions for his grandfather. It seemed like the old man needed him desperately so he saw it as leverage in knowing the truth about his parent's death.

Paul got into the living room of the mansion and the first thing that caught his attention despite all the other beautiful spectacles was the picture of his late mother, Vivian Leonard.

Different picture frames of Vivian’s picture were hung up in the exotic room as Grandpa Leonard was helped by some of his men to a large comfortable coach.

“What is my mum’s picture doing here?” Paul blurted out with gritted teeth. “I thought you hated her.”

Grandpa Leonard helped himself with a glass of water and then spoke. “You have been wrong all these while my grandson. I never hated your mother. How could I? She was going to get married to the son of the Kazitani Warlord and I wouldn't let that happen.”

Paul’s eyes were fixed curiously on his grandfather who let out a laboured cough that rattled his chest.

He tried to clear his throat and then continued again, this time his eyes were getting watery. “I tried to make Vivian see reasons why she mustn't get hooked with the Kazitanis but it seemed like they had already hypnotized her.” 

“I know that I can't escape blame for her death but I pray with the candlelight for her forgiveness every day even though I may never have peace till she drags me to the grave with her.”

Grandpa Leonard let out another laboured cough which left him rattled.

The Leonard family are the owners of the Imperial Society syndicate - a group consisting of many top companies but even with their power and influence, the Kazitanis had always been their rival for many decades. Their rivalry stemmed from the desire to outperform each other and control the government. 

The Kazitanis recently designed a nuclear weapon and they have been in talks with the Government to endorse their nuclear weapon, giving them leverage to ensure that Government policies favor them more and crush their rivals.

“I sense that the Kazitanis are already infiltrating our companies and trying to know our secrets with the help of trained informants. They are also trying to produce counterfeit products through these undercover employees,” Grandpa Leonard explained passionately even though he was weak.

“You will have your work cut out in finding out who these informants are.”