Unsheathed Heir

“Pamela,” Joshua called her name groaning. “You don't have to be this rude,” Joshua complained as he wrung the hand towel and cleaned her shoe.

He gazed up at her, the things he found attractive about her; her strong personality residing in her sharp brown eyes.

 Pamela Mason flushed and darted her eyes away from Joshua. “You are just an annoying piece of shit. Don't you have any decency? JOSHUA!” She spat in an enormous tone at him.

Joshua rubbed his face frustrated, belittled and chunked. He had helped her from the mess she got herself into when she got involved with the fraudsters at the hotel. 

They had been married after their encounter since that day upon her father's request. If only he wasn't there, she and her family company would have liquidated. He was like an angel that saved her.

But now a fallen angel.

“I've done nothing but support you, and yet you don't want to get your ass to work! Like who does that?!” she shouts at him.

 He popped his head inside the living room to check if his mother-in-law was there.

"I'm sorry. I promise to give my best."

 “Stop it already, your presence irks me.” She shook him an acerbic look and paced away. Pamela grabbed the car key from the shelf top.

The Masons' mansion was an elaborate and exquisite building filled with lots of furniture. 

Pamela was the typical example of a young entrepreneur at the age of twenty-six she already had her Family's company established with a good reputation.

 “And please… do so well to take my mother for her check-up early today, she hates sluggishness. Hurry up, she wouldn't want you to embarrass her.” She snapped her stiletto from him and stepped into it.

 Her yellow denim jacket indicated today was Monday. She has always dressed for Monday in vibrant colours. 'Today's yellow,' Pamela thought.

Joshua had practically turned to the housewife phrase of a guy, running errands and tending to the forty-five-year-old Bridget Mason. 

Not too old.

But she finds pleasure in tormenting Joshua.

Pamela hissed before storming outside and slamming the door behind her.

He was angry at her, after almost five years of their marriage they were still like this. It was marriage they never consummated. But he never frets.

Despite people kicking him and calling him dick-less.

She kept him as if it were an arranged marriage, Joshua was an architect that had lost track, but not his ideas. To every successful man, there's always a woman phrase that has transposed. He was the brain box behind the Fox company—Mason family company.

Joshua was already successful, almost a multi-billionaire, and with an elegant woman with everything a man needed, beauty was in her possession, he even dreamt of his kids running around and how pretty they would look. The world crumbled at his feet and swamped him into becoming a pathetic man, mocked by his in-laws.

“Come here you lazy turd! I need a gentle massage, my leg hurts.” Mrs Bridget Mason snarled. He stood his ground in melancholy. His white T-shirt and denim jeans already faded away in shabby colours.

“Can't you hear me! At least you must be good in one, which is taking care of me.” Harsh at him. 

He had no option it was either; he would be thrown into the shark-infested water or he bears with the dolphins, yes that's what he calls them the latter, 'dolphins,' they might get on his nerves, mock him, annoy him, but his safety was sure.

If only Pamela can be a little softer, satisfy his manly needs and bore him children he would have endured but that wasn't so in his case.

"I can't believe this. Is my voice too soft?" Mrs Bridget Mason snorted. "You filthy bastard get on your knees now!"

Death won't scare Joshua, Mrs Bridget Mason was the harbinger.

 "The emphasis is better on my ear. At least not filthy to serve at your feet." Joshua smirked, they were even.

She hissed.

Leaving Mrs Mason with second thought she frowned, "But you should believe me if I told you you would be forbidden to go on your daily ride and stick here all day with my laundry." She smirks.

“Fuck! She's scared me out. She remains the emissary.” He muttered silently to himself before going to the redhead woman, she was slant and red-headed. 

Dejectedly he went on his knees in front of the woman, selling up his pride as a man, as the husband. What else can he possibly do, while orphaned and penniless?

“You should be grateful I let you stay in this house,” she said, picking her tooth from sweets and candies. She has gone to the dentist regularly these days. Some early morning she does facetime. "No parent would bear with your lazy ass. But I'm already fed up."

They got married to boost their businesses; real estate and architecture would have been a power couple but it wasn't as planned. At his near disposal, Joshua got served, he was framed for involving in fraud and corruption, his account was frozen and had gone bankrupt, 

But divorce would have been better when he knew she kept to the oat simply because of her family image tarnishing and didn't want to lose contractors.

Just then, his cell phone rang in, and he peered at it to see who was calling, 

"Answer your phone." Mrs Bridget commanded, 

He then fished the phone from the table beside him, his chin clenched tight, and he answered it.

“Joshua, I need you to bring the files I forgot at home for me right now at the office. I will be starting a meeting at least fifteen.” Pamela demanded. 

He didn't say anything not until she sighed, “please...” Adding some courtesy it wasn't as if he intended on going, his eyes roved to the menacing glare of Mrs Bridget Mason.

“Tell her we will be there in less than five minutes.” 

She placed her shawl over her already wrinkled neck.

Too much yelling.

She would lament Joshua had caused her to age.

“Fine. I will be there. ” Joshua sighed.

 Worst of all, he hadn't had time since daybreak to even eat or make some tea for himself. No one cared about him, he did all the chores as per their request.

The sweet aroma from Mrs Mason's tumbler reminded him of his rumbling stomach.

He went to his wife's room to get the file. It was laying flat on her desk. He grabbed it and raised his head.

Their wedding picture was flipped over and her ring beside it, she never wore it, she was ashamed of the marriage. As if it was forced. He rubbed his nose and closed the door behind him.

“Joshua. I'm going to age because of your sluggishness.” Mrs Bridget Mason cried out from downstairs as she was waiting for him by the owner's seat door.

 “God! What are you still doing there, do you want her to lose her contract worth over a hundred million?” She scolded and he grinds his teeth. "You could have known the worth if it's your money at stake." She clicked her tongue. 

He paced the file into the pigeon hole and ignited the car into a circular drive away surrounded by manicured lawn and immaculate gardens and to the massive black iron-wrought gate out of the sprawling mansion. 

They arrived, five minutes late, by now Pamela had already begun the meeting, and the old woman maddeningly commanded him.

"Idiot, get down already!"

"I'm trying to unfasten the seat belt!" He spoke with the same ferocity.

Cresses form on her forehead. "Don't come here if she misses this contract! Cover well at anything and I will suit you, nutcracker." 

She bit her finger angrily. And snapped it.

 He tried calling Pamela but she wouldn't pick up and paced in to find her in her office.

“Be fast, it's all because of you we're late now.”

He ran and sprawled as fast as his human leg could carry him, eyes already throwing daggers at him as if he had stuck his leg into cow dung.

He went to the secretary, his lungs stuffing from the exhaust as he struggled for air.

“Where is…Pamela? Your boss..." She ignored him like he wasn't there talking to her, his eyes trailed behind her as he felt belittled. 

"Hey, you need to get this to her now!"  She ignored.

"Damn it!" He hit his leg on the wall.

“Well, I guess I should give her myself.” He had been here severally, to think less, the office blueprint was almost like the back of his hand.

“I pity Pamela, it's so bad and shameful that she had to be the man of the house.” He heard the two women whisper as he walked through the hallway.

He stood tall and proud in his t-shirt and he clicked the door open.

You could guess how shabby he looked.

The door of the conference room was suddenly pushed open. Like honeybees, their eyes were directed at him. The investor held their hand to their mouth and laughed when they saw his appearance like the worst dressed at the Met Gala.

Mr Mason's eyes were filled with disdain. There he was the death and mystery summoner.

“How dare you? You ingrate uncouth. Walk in here. ” Mr Mason dragged every syllable in a harsh tone.

That he was the last person he had expected to meet, Pamela's father. Had he known the old man would be present he would have forced the secretary no matter what.

“Aren't you ashamed to show your face in the presence of investors?!” "And what an impertinent beast you are!" He said peevishly.

And there was an uncontrolled murmur until he adjusted himself and cleared his throat, a throaty cough brought decorum.

Joshua's face was expressionless, he had gotten used to him harassing him anywhere at any time, he always says 'why don't you get done with me.' But the old man would chuckle, 'and put my reputation on the hook?'

'Well I thought some creature like you would hang on and when I sort out a way to get hold of my money, I will surely become worthy, you're impertinent now, and I won't be wasted under your roof.' Joshua thought.

“Here is the file.”He tossed it at her front and turned to leave, 

“If you would excuse me.” She said. Her father's piercing look made her stomach go into a knot. 

“What is the meaning of this?! Humiliating me in other places isn't enough for you and now amid a meeting.” She rolled her eyes, if roses can grow a thorn, then love can change.

“I thought you said—”

“Come on, be reasonable for once, you should have given it to the Secretary.” Throwing a disgusting look at him, her hands folded to her chest. "Or is it part of your scheme to embarrass us? You couldn't even change into something eye-appealing. Joshua, these are investors, any small thing will cause them to leave!" She snorted.

“Fuck! Pamela, if only you didn't yell or bring down my reputation at your company, at least that bitch would have collected the file from me. And spared me of this blame.” his eyes reddened, he was going through a lot and wished he could fuck himself a thousand times more than any of them. “I expected at least little appreciation from you.”

“Who is that word 'appreciation ' supposed to be directed to; you or me? I'm filling the space you failed! For close to five years and I should what? It would be better if you don't start this malignancy.” She was already done with him.

“It hasn't been easy for me either, to see you feed me like a lame, imp! I practically deserve to be treated like this fucken trash!” Joshua clenched his teeth through the haze.

“Sounds great… you know that right, it's better to find yourself something and stop playing your lazy ass around. Joshua! Find yourself a decent job.” She said coldly and walked back into the conference room.

"That's very absurd, I thought her husband worked in high places and was also a patriarch." The workers muttered as they scurried past them throwing them a side glare.

Joshua wiped the tears in his eyes off with his elbow.

And poor Joshua was left distraught, and traumatized as Pamela's loud shrieking caused the employee's smouldering gaze to fall at him continuously.

Even with his penniless account and his shabby regular clothes, a good look was also part of his undiscovered riches, maybe that contributed to Pamela not divorcing him and the help he received sometimes.

He loved her, his wife was the dream of many men, and she was courageous, hardworking and established. 

Life has again erupted at him like a volcano. It has become unbearable, he wished he hadn't come. He hung his grey hoodie shunning the stiffness he walked with his head glued to the ground, it was a walk of shame.

Walk of a man that had nothing, rather a bankrupt asshole hiding within the establishment of his in-laws.

Like a dog that was ridiculed by his master, his eyes were ridden with disappointment.

Joshua crawled his leg and hopped into the car. Yet, another devil was beside him, she threw him a brisk scornful glare.

"I can see you were dealt with. I don't know why none of this will motivate you to get up and find the importance of your wasted life."

He attempted to avoid her incessant rant.

 The woman didn't talk nor did he ooze a word out of his mouth. He drove fast, and possibly this could lead to a collision.

When they reached 'Our Mary clinic' which was written boldly all over the display board, he didn't get out of the car as he used to. 

“Why are you still inside, escort me in.”

He didn't say anything or make a move, rather he kicked the car on the road, skidding off, and leaving the old woman who yelled after him.

“I promise you! To tell my daughter about your nonchalant attitude!" She wailed. "Oh, my heart." Her hand fluttered to her chest. 

Mrs Mason had been having a heart problem, and the doctor required she should always if not always then frequently visit the hospital to help them monitor her heart and hope to get heart surgery to remove the stents soon.

He was speeding and his phone chimed in with messages, he didn't bother to look, even an imbecile can relate to how he's been treated, and what he feels inside his heart the mockery, the ridicule. The more he thinks the more furious he's become.

If only he hadn't been tagged a fraud. If only the ban on him were lifted and if only he was offered a job. Things would have been different.

He was out the whole day, thinking about the miserable life he is living; no house of his own, no dim in his account, he walked around the street of the outskirts before the moon that dusk made him retire to his car. 

'Tonight I  have to face mother-in-law's wrath,' He thought. Hitting his head against the steering and a bitter chuckle escaped his mouth. 

"And now I have a million roubles of spasming, Goodness GRACIOUS me!"