I Am Back

Chapter 8

Eric's hand stopped mid-air, his breath catching. “M–my home? What are you talking about?” He asked, looking confused as he set down the glass without taking a sip.

Christopher smiled faintly, taking a seat opposite Eric. “You see, Eric. This is your home and I'm your grandfather—Christopher.”

Boom! Eric was shocked. His eyes widened in disbelief. “Y—you’re my grandfather?” A faint smile escaped his lips and he shook his head. “Tell me you're joking, right?”

Christopher shook his head, his expression calm and his smile never faltering. “That's the truth, my boy. Weren't you surprised how I got to know your name? That's because I'm a grandfather.”

Eric's mind skipped, and fear gripped him almost immediately as something seemed to strike his head.

The name sounded familiar and so was his face when he had a closer look. His late parents had made mention of this name to him but it was something not good.

Eric forced himself up, moving back to the chair. “Y—you? You're alive?”

Christopher slightly frowned as he raised his eyebrows, confused and surprised. “What do you mean? Was I ever dead?”

Eric nodded, terrified. “Yes. Mom and Dad told me you were. That you left home for decades and never returned. Dad only showed me your pictures before passing away.”

Christopher nodded. “I indeed left for decades but I was never dead,” he replied. “I only left for business.”

Eric's face turned stern. “You left for business? And you couldn't come back for your son and daughter-in-law’s funeral? Was your business that important to you?”

Christopher stood up, his expression sour. Regret filled his voice as he started to speak. “No, Eric. It isn't what you think.”

“Then what?” Eric cut him off, feeling annoyed. “Why didn't you show up, if not for your daughter-in-law but for your son—your own son?”

“Please, don't get mad at me just now, son. It was never in my agenda not to come for the funeral, I swear,” he said, tears forming in his eyes. “Please, sit down and let me explain everything that happened to you.”

“Just go ahead and say whatever you want. I'm not sitting on any damn chair!”

Christopher swallowed hard, understanding his rage. He sat down and then he continued. “This is what actually happened whether you believe it to be true or not. A few friends and I were serving a certain man, and all of a sudden, a huge amount of money went missing, and that was when I heard about the death of your father—my son—and your mother.

I tried to sneak my way out to come, but I was arrested, saying I was the culprit.”

His voice was filled with genuineness that it started to soften Eric's hardened heart.

Christopher didn't stop. He continued narrating everything to Eric slowly, making him get every detail and see the reasons why he didn't attend his deceased parents’ funeral.

When he was finally done, he exhaled, his voice faint. “It was a year later that the truth was unearthed and the real culprit was arrested.”

He added. “Believe me or not but this is the truth. This was the reason I couldn't even afford to attend their funeral—to pay them the last respect.”

His tears slowly began to stream from his eyes down to his cheeks. “I'm such a bad person—a bad father, father-in-law, and even a bad grandfather.”

Eric felt so weak after listening to the whole story. “No, please.” He hurried over to Christopher’s side. “There’s no need to cry. Nothing was actually your fault.”

“But I couldn't do anything. Isn't that what you said?”

Eric couldn't answer right away. “I'm sorry, I got everything so wrong. I really apologize.”

Eric helped him to sit down and wiped his teary eyes. “Thank you, my son.”

Eric smiled faintly, shaking his head. “You're my grandpa, why thank me?” He said

The room fell into a brief silence before Eric reluctantly asked. “So, you're still serving that same man?”

“Which man?” Christopher asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I mean your boss? Are you still serving him after he discovered the truth? And this house, does it belong to him?” He asked.

Christopher chuckled softly. “No longer serving anyone,” he replied casually. “I'm now my own boss. And this house? It belongs to him.”

There was a hint of pride in his voice.

Eric's eyes widened. “Yours? You own this place?” He started glancing around again.

Christopher nodded with a smile, “I have something to show you.” He pulled out a sleek black card from his pocket and handed it to Eric.

“That's a platinum card and what is in it is over one billion dollars. I want you to spend it as you see please.”

Another wave of shock ran through Eric's body. “One billion dollars? For me? What for?”