Unsheathed Heir

Chapter three

Joshua fiddled with his trousers and his pocket luckily he found a coin. The last penny he happened to have with him. 

He thought 'if I go there, Cindy would be generous and hopefully she could help me out.'

He knew how she wanted to be a philanthropist one day, her dream every time she sees orphaned kids. When things were fine and business was flourishing for him, he supported her. So attending the gathering was more like her calling him to repay his kindness towards her.

"Third avenue please." He said to the taxi driver as he hopped in.

"Sir, fasten your belt please." The taxi driver insisted and he pulled the belt from the side of the seat and fastened it, hooking the two faces together.

It was surprising to him how he got little regard from the taxi driver and not from those around him. He urged them to at least trust him, even a fallen tree tends to regenerate, but like a peanut, he was downgraded, and his wife has completely formed a scion with her family. Sleeping on the street tonight was the least he could think about. 

Cindy might have compassion toward him.

The car halted in front of the Aidenn hotel which was flooded with cars and different transports. 

He peeped through just when he saw the clique of people checking in, he scrutinized himself from every angle, stifling his nose to his underarm, "at least I don't smell that bad and the clothes aren't that ragged." He said as he used his hands to swathe it.

"See who we have here!" Park snickered from opposite the road.

 He was the last person he had imagined would be present. Since when has Cindy started hanging around with the group of bullies back in their high school, he had grown muscles, and gym suits and he rode a scooter bike that was revving as it blocked Joshua's pact.

"Park? What are you doing here?" He managed to let out despite his trance.

"Yes, I didn't know a loser like you would be present, I should have stayed back instead, but what can I do? I have to come. It's boring hanging around in the street, so using some group of patriarchs is a way of catching a cruise." He said throwing daggers at his pact.

They were never friends.

Foe? No.

Joshua never saw him worthy of that.

The lady that was holding him by the waist giggled behind the helmet.

"Oh, so he is the mysterious Joshua, that prodigal his money. What was it again? Yeah, he was too greedy and got himself into fraud. It's a pity he has nothing left again." She shook her head.

"Who told you he doesn't? Hell! He was lucky to have the Mason as a cover, Poor Pamela she didn't even know what is best for her." 

"Watch your mouth! And keep my wife out of this." Joshua warned, his hands balled beside him, he might have been a bad and incompetent husband but he couldn't watch them malign the woman that has helped him. Not the slightest.

"Or what?" He questioned his eyes drifting to the fist by Joshua's side.

"See, man, the truth is bitter but you're just useless I'm saying it to your face. Dare brawl with your fist and you will only drag the attention of the crowd and humiliate yourself the most. I'm sure your father-in-law would be intrigued to see it in the headline tomorrow." He drifted his eyes from him and Joshua released his grip on his collar.

"Here take this at least you can outmanoeuvre your way inside because those men there look selective." He leaned in pointing his finger at the two colossal men at the security checkpoint.

 He pasted a hundred dollar bill on his forehead and revved his scooter closer to the entrance laughing mischievously.

Joshua's eyes trailed behind them.

"Hey pick up the money and come inside Cindy won't be happy if you just turn your lazy ass out of here, at least there are free foods that would soon turn to leftovers!" He hollers drawing everyone's attention to Joshua. 

He picked the money from his forehead and was glancing at it. Before this was the bill he would give to the beggars on the street, a one hundred dollar bill was just like one penny to him, but the wheel of time has changed and cheated on his fate.

Joshua walked himself to the security who scrutinized him.

"I'm sorry but we can't let you inside." They gawked at each other laughing sarcastically.

"Please I need to go inside, at least let me through." He begged, his face narrowed.

"That would be bad for us if they see a beggar like you inside. And where is your invite?" 

"You can only enter with that."

"Show us." The other guy said as they turned him down just when he was about to swivel and veer around. 

"He is with me, happy now?" He looked up and found Sylvester, he was his old friend.

"Longest time, hard man." Joshua was ashamed and couldn't do any shenanigans. "How have you been?" He asked and his eyes furrowed as they both ambled past the security.

"It wouldn't be any better. When did you come back from the states?" Sylvester was one of his truest friends just like Cindy, he was from an affluent family in the whole of Vancouver and had gone to study MBA in the states for more than five years now.

"I came back about a week ago, I guess I should have checked on you but I heard you're now living with your in-laws." He said and Joshua's facade faded.

Who doesn't know about him?

Maybe a newborn.

The pops? They would pretend as religious administrators to show compassion. At least.

Park shouted in great dismay as he sauntered from his table. "Finally the parasite got to leech on you Sylvester! Just be careful."  he pressed his suit and looked at Joshua scornfully.

Joshua said flatly. "I didn't come here to be underrated by you Park."

Had he been to his feet this was the last hotel he would throw a party at because of the model; tardy and old-schooled. But he had nothing and was mocked, Sylvester strolled to the table and pecked Cindy on the cheek.

Joshua was an eye-catch only because his fraud record and the fact that he is a live-in son-in-law made him look pathetic. He heard them as he passed.

He gritted his teeth and flashed at them, never to mind, Cindy won't be like them he said silently. 

With the assistance he would get he can get himself an apartment in the slum and try some jabs, "Pamela don't worry I won't put you to shame forever." He assured himself. 

He believed it cannot always be night. Clearing all charges and lifting the embargo it's all it takes.

He needed at least forty million Dollars, that is such a high amount of money, he can not make it considering his current penury.

He looked up, inversely everyone's eyes darted toward him. Was he having an oil stain all over or does he still reek really bad? He wondered as he stepped closer. The driver didn't complain.

Sylvester quickly moved beside Cindy wearing a black branded suit, that looked like Armani's, he had grown up looking very handsome and smart, Cindy and every other gathered at the table were dressed in a flamboyant style although somehow gaudy they were considered the sons and daughters of the day; each came from one of the aristocratic family in the society.

"Oh Sylvester, I thought you wouldn't make it," Cindy said in a siren voice.

"He is handsome and wasted, it's such a pity." Some girls said and giggled.

"Who goes for looks these days, nobody he is just lazy, I heard that one of the daughters of Masons married him. That girl has no security."

"It's possible. Maybe he cast a spell on her, like a lot of promising suitors swooning her feet she chooses this good for nothing."

"I heard he was rich when they met."

"He was just faking it, he is a fraudster, real wealth doesn't vanish like that."

"Maybe he would finally defraud them and run away, this is what he is good at, con artist!"

"If I were the Masons I would throw him out of the house, he is such an eyesore even with his beautiful features." The woman acknowledged. He gets that often, not completely impressive. And they sounded like a joker—The menacing laughter.

"Go away, I wouldn't like to sit beside you, who knows I might end up being poverty-stricken." Claire slapped Joshua on the shoulder as she snorted.

Claire was one of the patriarchs and belong to the Levite clan.

Joshua felt frustrated, he could not comply with the inhuman treatment he happened to be receiving from everyone gathered.

"By the way, Claire I heard you would be getting married to the heir of Mac company." 

He just sat there and listened to their intimidating conversation, like an abandoned dog he was tossed into a corner. No one ventures to talk to him, even Sylvester was mocking him and Cindy neglected him. He wished he hadn't come here in the first place.

Suddenly Claire glared at Joshua, "I heard your mother-in-law's birthday is coming, I even saw in the newspaper the list of things she would want."

"Oh stop it. Joshua can't afford any of that unless you want him to steal again."

He ignored the question as their conversation was already whacking his self-esteem.

"Oh I'm sorry, I forgot you can't participate in any business within the state. What was it called again?" She tapped her chin.

A voice from the other end cuts in. " Embargo! He is placed on an embargo." And the whole crowd shattered into laughter.

"Who knows, it might be temporary." Sylvester shrugged.

Unbelievable.

"Yes, you're right." They were a burst of intimidating laughter, 

The topic was belittling his achievement making him look pale, he had barely expected this. Even Cindy was bursting into laughter, how things happened to have changed. Ridiculous isn't it?

"Well he isn't completely useless… at least he got himself a name by marrying the head of the Fox company, Pamela…" the other guy said, drawing attention to himself.

"I never knew he got married until recently. He must be lucky to have a shelter over his head." Park said, snorting against the tumbler in his mouth.

"I never knew, I even invited Pamela over. What a coincidence." Cindy shrugged.

"Stop that, I'm already curious as to how she would react." The other guy blurted out impatiently.

"You better get going before she gets embarrassed seeing you here like this. Just friendly advice…" Park shrugs his hand and slants his shoulder mockingly.

"Wait. I'm just getting into the game. You mean...

 Pamela Mason, that beautiful CEO I have always admired and thought highly of married this pig? I never knew she was going to end up with a complete loser like him, I think he might have plagued her family business with his fraudulent practices."

HaHa.

At this moment everybody's eyes burned, and the question going on in their head was how she was able to keep up with a complete loser like Joshua.

Joshua's eyes were ruby red as if he was a vampire.

That would have helped him in devouring them.

Whoresons!

Bitches!

Underrating clovers!

"You can't believe who just walked in," one of the girls standing by the horizon said, in an undertone.

They clicked their tongues together as they took notice of her.

Cindy was amicable enough to announce her presence by prowling towards Pamela who was elegantly dressed, her beautiful statue and gene would make everyone think she is a teenager fresh from high school.

They stared at her in pure jealousy.

And admiration for some.

"Hey filth, you sure have taste, but what is the use without having anything, you simply can't even clothe a dog and talk more of yourself." Sylvester blurted, 

"Pamela, we thought you wouldn't show up." Cindy 

glanced at Joshua in the corner of her eyes, but when she noticed that Joshua was infuriating, she kept on.

"I was surprised just to hear you got married to Joshua. He was such a catch back in our high school, and to be honest, you're doing a great job by clothing him and sheltering him, but he keeps humiliating you." 

She faked a cry and Pamela's eyes darted towards Joshua as he stood his fist clenched together and speechless. He was not far from creating a scene at least he could cope with everything but not this, it was a public disgrace, 

"It would be an honour drinking with you, Joshua is going to treat us, after all, I just heard about your union together." 

"Bring more wine." She shouts to the servers.

Pamela felt disappointed, she had a fidget coming. Her mother insisted she should partake in extra activities as it would help her to get to meet clients and expand her course. Of course, she was right, it was through such a gathering she met her last investor even though he was flirty, she managed to deal with him.

But here she is now, Joshua causing her more headaches than the one she is going through because of him.

He yanked to the door and clenched the knob without turning back. He respected his wife and wouldn't want to disgrace her.

"It's so embarrassing, he couldn't stand it," Cindy smirked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask, but aren't you tired of him? I'm a bit curious."

Pamela's face twitched, well, "that should be my problem to deal with, I never asked for any of your opinions, if you would excuse me."

"It's so disappointing how he talks good about you but here you are humiliating him." Cindy rolled her eyes.

"Not here for preaching." She sashayed to the server.

"That is savage!" Park blurted as he whizzed.

"Such a supportive wife, but that wouldn't change the fact that her husband has such remorse and a stained past."

"Don't you know that a clown can't feel welcomed, he couldn't even lay his hands on anything,"

"Yeah that is because of his wife, I think he still loves her and he's ashamed." They laughed hysterically.

On the other hand, Joshua didn't leave immediately, he stood by listening to their indistinct chatter.

"They're all the same, bunch of mockers sailing in the same ship. I'm sorry Pamela for making things hard for you." He muttered slowly as he strode away with a heavy heart. He hung his head down as the security chattered slowly and pointed fingers at him.

Walking along the alleyway, a bright light directed at his gaze almost blurred him.

What the fuck! That is profane.

He was almost run over.

At this time the car came to a bringing halt beside him, and the door was opened by a man wearing a suit who ordered him to step inside. 

He gawked trying to capture their face, but was in vile and void, he hadn't seen any of them before.

Could they be kidnappers? He looked at the gloom behind him, he wanted to sprint out of the place, it was better to be a humiliating pawn than to lose his head to some unknown night rippers.

"Get inside!" He scouted his head around, trying to grab the address. But there was just him and the security standing and the two unknown men sitting inside.

"I'm sorry but I can't, I don't know you." He walked.

Just then he was dragged inside his leg kicking in the air.

"I was worried about you son." The man said as Joshua raised his head to see the old man by his side.  He was old, yes, but he still looked young, damn he looked a hundred times more agile than any sugar daddies he might have seen.

"Son? Excuse me. Do I know you from somewhere?" He was perplexed.

 The man let out a rich chuckle. His two rows reveal brilliant white teeth that the moon illuminated. His thoughts wander through his head. Could he be dreaming? Or was this some parody?