Chapter Eight

"What do we do Marco? I got a package today from Esperanza, it's a gown she wants me to wear for the wedding with instructions that only we should be in attendance." Elena said alarmingly.

"All these wouldn't happen if your useless son hadn't squandered the entire properties I put in his charge." Marco lamented.

"It's all over for us, do something Marco else we'll be sending our son to his grave!" Elena cried.

"You think I haven't tried? There's nothing I can do Elena, I'm fed up!" Marco said.

Elena burst into tears and Marco couldn't help but sigh, it was less than forty eight hours to the proposed wedding and he hasn't come up with enough money to pay off the Sanchez, giving out his son meant he was killing him because it was evident that it's a trap, Elena suddenly flew to her feet and wiped her tears off.

"What if we send him to my distant cousin in China? They'll never find him there, we'll simply tell them he ran away." Elena suggested.

Marco shook his head.

"All his passports has been confiscated, Sanchez is a step ahead of us and no one with our surname can leave this city." Marco said sadly.

Elena hurts into tears afresh and tore at her own hair.

"What have we done to deserve such misfortune, how will we agree to this marriage?," Elena soliloquized.

Elena suddenly snapped her fingers.

"I know! Since his daughter will be coming here, we'll treat her well and convince her to speak to her father to write off our debts and let us go scot-free while also breaking the marriage." Elena said happily.

Marco hits his temple with his palm and shook his head.

"The bride won't come here instead our son will go live with them at their mansion, Diego is wary of us and don't want any harm to come to his daughter." Marco explained.

Elena shook her head and almost burst into another round of tears, all hope was lost and they were trapped.

"We have no choice than to send our only son into the den of the Lions." Elena cried.

"That's our only option." Marco agreed.

The two comfortable one another and agreed to let Richard come home before breaking the news to him. Immediately he was home by evening, they both paid him a visit in his room.

"Aren't you meant to apologise for your mistakes? You almost caused your father to have a heart attack you wayward son!" Elena chastised.

"He tried to harm me earlier, isn't he supposed to be apologizing?" Richard said rudely.

"You little piece of trash!" Marco cursed.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me Dad, else you'll have yourself to blame." Richard said and stormed out of the room.

Elena felt her heart shatter into pieces and burst into tears while Marco comforted her and took her back to their room, he waited till it was time for dinner and urged her to go to the dining room. Elena reluctantly agreed and got seated at the dining room while Kyle served them dinner. Richard walked in minutes later and pretended they didn't exist and munched loudly on his food.

Marco ate while Kyle stood and watched them, waiting at their call for anything they needed, Marco cleared his throat.

"Richard, there's something I have to tell you, it's an important announcement I have to make." Marco said.

Richard carried on eating like he didn't hear his father speak.

"Richard, your father is talking to you." Elena reminded him.

"I'm not deaf, if he's speaking do I have to stop eating or stand by the sidelines to listen and watch him eat like the good for nothing Kyle?" Richard said sarcastically.

Kyle didn't give a reaction, he was used to worse verbal abuse and wanted dinner to be over as soon as possible so he could sneak out when they've all slept off and enjoy his night date with Melinda, the thought of spending hours with her made him happy hence he smiled.

"Was that a smile on your face? You enjoy being called a good for nothing?" Elena asked, irritated.

"My apologies." Kyle apologized.

"Let the fool be, he's as good as useless and that's not new but what about our very own son who decides to follow in his footstep?" Marco asked rhetorically.

Richard banged his fist on the table.

"Dad!" Richard shouted.

"Raise your voice at me one more time and I'll cut off your tongue." Marco said calmly and resumed eating.

Richard was at once frightened by his Father and seethed in anger quietly.

"You're getting married to Sanchez's daughter in two days time." Marco announced.

Richard spat out the food he was eating while Marco gave no reaction, Kyle was a bit confused as he didn't know who Sanchez was and couldn't care less.

"Are you kidding me? Is this some sort of rotten joke?" Richard yelled.

"Since you don't know how to keep what's being placed in your hands, you'll learn from your father-in-law." Marco said.

"Sanchez is a bloody mafia Lord, are you trying to murder me? Is this some sort of business deal?" Richard asked.

"No it's not, I owe him and he demands for your hand in marriage as a payment, do you have a problem with that?" Marco asked lackadaisically.

Richard couldn't believe his ears, Marco couldn't care less.

"I'm done eating, bear it in mind that even if you try to run, Sanchez will find and kill you, be ready to face the consequences of your actions, I don't care what you think or feel about that, goodnight." Marco said briefly and walked out of the dining room back to his own room.

"Mother! Is Dad crazy? How does he expect me to get married to that murderer's daughter? This is pure suicide!" Richard cried.

"Your dad wanted to pay off the debts with the properties he gave you, you sold them and left him with no choice." Elena said dismissively.

"But Mom." Richard complained.

"No buts!" Elena ordered and abruptly vacated the place as well, leaving Richard who was bewildered behind.