Chapter 3.

Chapter 3.

He could not let anyone around him get deceived by the games of Austin. Austin didn't want to agree with him on this and he was ready to go to the root of this matter.

"How can you tell it's fake? You know nothing!" Austin blabbed. His sister was taking his side too as she continued hammering that her brother can't get the fake of anything.

"I know my gift is nothing compared to others," George started and everyone laughed out loud. He did not get the joke and he wondered what was funny in what he said.

"You brought thrash here, calling it a gift. I'm sure the maids have done a great job in taking it to the wastebin," Austin mocked him the more.

He was not feeling sorry for himself. This made George Melmer's heart harden even more. He expected Austin to drag him to a corner and beg for forgiveness.

At least, the secret would be between both. Austin was a proud man and George wanted to kick that pride out of his body.

"Have you forgotten what to say, Mr. Man?" Someone asked from the table side and George was brought back to reality.

Standing in front of them was a great difficulty for him. Most times, if he tries looking at them in their eyes, he will see different facial expressions that will make his leg shake.

"My gift must have been taken away but the heart with which it was brought from is still here," George continued, touching his chest.

Another roar of laughter filled the air. Leaving George to think he had made a fool out of himself again. His mouth turned bitter as if bile and vinegar was placed in it.

"Since when did you turn into a motivational speaker?" A lady in her early seventies asked. She looked like a very close friend to the Melmer's. She had a scary look on her face and her makeup wasn't helping matters.

"There is nothing poverty can't do. If I were you, I would run out of here and get a tangible gift. You love spilling thrash all the time," another threw in a remark to George.

George felt a sudden weakness inside of him. He staggered and felt like falling. He was receiving all these because he wanted to expose Austin's deed. All the same, he pulled himself together and continued after clearing his throat.

"My gift may not mean anything to this family but still, I am better than Austin," he continued.

"How dare you say you are better than me? You can never be better than me, even in your next life. Let that sink into your skull," Austin said with so much anger brewing out.

"Allow him to talk, Austin. We all know that he can never reach the height that he wants to attain. The only thing a poor man can do is dream," the scary looking old woman said to Austin and Austin calmed down.

George shrugged and continued what he had to say. They will be shocked by this and will be convinced that Austin is just someone who loves to play games.

"This vase that Austin bought for grandmother is not only fake, but it's coating also contains a toxic substance," he revealed and there was sudden silence.

Austin on the other hand made sure he avoided eye contact with George at all cost. He felt he had to use the toilet but if he leaves, everyone will be convinced that he was guilty of what he was being accused of.

When George noticed that everyone was listening to him with rapt attention. He felt glad and he continued.

"These toxic substances can cause severe injuries and can kill. If grandmother put this in her room for a couple of days, she might get ill because of it and we don't want that," he added.

"Hmmmm…."

"How sure is he?"

"Are you sure he knows what he is saying?"

"There seemed to be sense in what he was saying."

"I don't believe a thing though."

Whispers went around the room. Some of the family members had to put their heads together, discussing whatever they felt like discussing.

"I may be poor but I did the best he could to get something that I could afford. Austin has deceived everyone by claiming to buy a vase worth millions."

George had to pause for a few seconds. He felt as if he had said too much. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he knew that it was that of his wife.

"George…what do you think you are doing?" she asked, whispering into his ears.

"What I have to do. I will appreciate it if you don't disturb me any further," he answered her and it was as if a stone was thrown to her head.

"How could he say that to her?" She thought within and left when George continued what he was saying.

"This vase is nothing but a freshly fake vase and not an antique like he claimed," this final sentence was like a blow to Austin.

His teeth were chattering. That was the height of it all. Everyone's eyes turned to where Austin was. The whole room continued watching in silence.

Austin knew that George could go an extra mile to prove it to them. His heart sank at these words because they were true.

He was still worried about how George knew that the vase was fake. His dirty linen is about being washed in the public and if nothing is done about it, it will be done for.

His selfishness and greed was what pushed him into doing something like this. He thought since his grandmother would receive tons of presents, and her house had no more space for a huge vase, it would be put into a storage room right away.

He didn't want that. He wanted to be placed above everyone and be considered as the most important person. Anything he must get for his grandmother must be placed where everyone's eyes could reach.

Then a thought came to his mind. Why didn't he think about this earlier?

Austin thought he could buy a fake vase with a ridiculous low price. He had plans to pocket the rest of his money which he finally did. His father gave him a lot of money to buy a new car and give it to his new girlfriend.

But as the man full of pride he can never admit this. He can never say he was guilty to all these charges brought up against him.

"You are really not okay. A poor man like you surely doesn't know the first thing about an antique. You are just blabbing around," he sneered and George just chuckled.

He was not surprised that Austin was playing dumb. He suspected all these beforehand. To his greatest surprise other relatives took sides with Austin.

"I can't believe you had the boldness to make such an accusation towards grandmother’s favorite grandchild. " a family member said.

"I mean, how dare him!" Another supported him. Their faces all looked like they could bundle George and beat him to death.

This was not a funny scenario to either George or Austin. A plan to expose the truth and a plan to conceal the truth. Austin was thinking really hard.

There has to be a way.

"You have heard from others that all you are saying is nothing but a lie. I deserve an apology," Austin shot at him but George wrapped his hands around his chest, shaking his head.

"I won't do that. I won't apologize to you, Austin. How can a man like you be this deceitful?" George maintained his ground and Austin was taken aback.

He wanted George kneels on the floor, begging and shouting and weeping. He wanted to be sure that Austin is still in charge and he can treat anyone in any way he likes.

"I urge you to apologize before grandmother comes back," a family member advised George.

Madam Patricia left the room some minutes ago to go get something. No one knew when she would sneak back into the room.

"I am not apologizing to anyone. Not when I did nothing wrong," George maintained.

"You did everything wrong. You lied that I bought a fake vase. Indirectly, you accused me of wanting to kill my lovely grandmother," Austin yelled at the top of his voice. He pointed his finger at George who just turned his back on him.

"Of course, you wanted to kill her. You know the consequences of this action, Austin. Tell everyone the truth," George answered in a very calm voice

"There is no truth!" Austin thundered.

"You bought a fake vase, Austin. You wanted to kill your grandmother!"

"Never!"

They kept firing their words at each other and it was getting hotter.

Ma'am Patricia, now the head of the family since her husband died, wondered what the noise was all about. Managing a whole family since the death of her husband was a huge task for her.

The only thing she kept hearing was the truth, the truth.

"What does the truth have to do with my birthday party?"