THE HEIR'S VENDETTA

CHAPTER 009

Alphonse and Peter made their way through the rain-soaked streets, the silence between them thick with anticipation. The plush interior of the limousine felt suffocating to Alphonse, each second stretching longer as his mind swirled with doubts and questions. 

Was this all a joke? Or a prank?

He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the absurdity of the situation, his heart pounding against his chest.

"Are you okay?" Peter's voice broke the silence, laced with genuine concern.

Alphonse clenched his fists, trying to steady his shaking hands,

 "I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper,

"This all feels like some twisted joke."

Peter nodded, understanding the turmoil that Alphonse was going through. 

"I know this is a lot to take in," he said, his tone soft. "But I assure you, it's all true."

The limousine pulled up to the hospital, and they quickly made their way inside. The hospital's sterile smell and the sound of distant beeping machines did little to calm Alphonse's nerves.

 As they approached Hannah's room, Alphonse's heart raced, a mix of fear and hope consuming him.

Peter gently knocked on the door before entering, with Alphonse trailing behind. The sight of his mother, frail and weak, lying on the hospital bed, brought a surge of emotions. Hannah's eyes lit up upon seeing her son, a weak smile spreading across her face.

"Alphonse," she whispered, her voice strained.

Alphonse rushed to her side, taking her hand in his,

"Mom, are you okay?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

Hannah nodded, her eyes shifting to Peter, as understanding showed on her face,

"I see you've met Peter."

Alphonse arched an eyebrow, looking back and forth between his mother and Peter,

"He told me about... about my father," he said, the words feeling strange on his lips.

Hannah sighed, a tear escaping her eye.

"Yes, it's true," she confirmed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jake Edmund was your father."

Alphonse felt his jaw tighten, anger and confusion swirling inside him,

 "Why? Why now?" he asked, his voice rising.

Hannah reached out, gently touching his cheek,

 "Your father... he made mistakes," she said, her voice breaking. "But he wanted to make things right."

Peter stepped forward, his expression solemn.

 "Mr. Edmund passed away recently," he revealed, his voice steady. "Before he died, he made me promise to find you and bring you back to claim your inheritance."

Alphonse's fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms,

 "Inheritance? Passed away?" he repeated, disbelief evident in his tone.

Peter nodded. 

"Jake Edmund left his entire fortune to you, Alphonse. And he wanted you to take over his business, the J.E Consortium."

A mix of emotions coursed through Alphonse, disbelief, anger, and a flicker of hope battling within him,

 "But why me?" he asked, his voice a mere whisper.

"Because you're his son,"

 Peter said, his tone gentle,

 "And he believed in you, even if he couldn't be there for you."

Hannah squeezed Alphonse's hand, her eyes filled with tears,

 "Your father regretted his choices," she said, her voice trembling,

"He loved you, in his way."

Alphonse looked away, unable to bear the weight of his mother's gaze. 

Hannah's eyes, though weak, flickered with a mixture of pain and relief as she met her son's gaze.

 "Jake left us for another woman, he was influenced by his rich family's disdain for my lack of wealthy status. They never accepted me, pushing him toward someone they deemed more suitable, someone from a wealthy background."

Alphonse listened, each word sinking like stones in his stomach,

 "They convinced him to abandon me," Hannah continued, a tear rolling down her cheek,

 "The woman he married made his life a living hell, while I struggled to raise you on my own. Jake tried to find us, but without success, and the burden of his choices weighed heavily on him."

As she spoke, Alphonse could barely process the flood of emotions overwhelming him—anger, sadness, but also a strange sense of understanding. 

"He was sick," Hannah added, her voice growing fainter.

 "On his deathbed, he made Peter promise to find you and ensure you received your inheritance. He wanted to make things right, in whatever way he could."

The room fell silent as Alphonse grappled with this revelation, the man he had never known, the father who had left them, had carried the burden of his decisions until his dying breath. 

Peter, witnessing the tumult of emotions playing across Alphonse's face, decided it was time to reveal one last piece of the puzzle.

He carefully handed Alphonse a photograph, the edges worn, as if it had been handled many times,

 "This was your father," Peter said softly.

As Alphonse looked down at the picture, his breath caught in his throat. Staring back at him was his own face, or so it seemed. The resemblance was uncanny, a mirror image reflecting across the years. The realization hit him like a wave; despite everything, there was no denying his connection to Jake Edmund.

"Wow," was all Alphonse could manage, his eyes glued to the photograph.

Hannah reached out, touching the photograph with a trembling hand. "He was a good man once," she said, her voice filled with sadness. "But life... life can change people."

Alphonse felt a tear roll down his cheek, the reality of the situation crashing down on him. He was the heir to a fortune, the son of a man he had never known, and now, he was expected to take over a business he knew nothing about.

Peter placed a reassuring hand on Alphonse's shoulder. "We'll help you through this," he promised. "You're not alone."

Alphonse took a deep breath, wiping the tears from his eyes. The weight of his new reality was daunting, but the thought of being able to help his mother, to change their lives for the better, gave him a glimmer of hope,

"Okay," Alphonse said, his voice steady. "I'll do it. For my mom."

Hannah smiled weakly, her entire face beaming with pride,

"I knew you would," she said, her voice filled with love.

Alphonse turned to Peter, determination etched into his features,

"What do I need to do?" he asked, ready to face whatever came next.

Peter smiled, a sense of admiration for Alphonse's courage evident in his gaze. 

"First, we need to get your mother the care she needs," he said, his voice firm. "Then, we'll start the process of claiming your inheritance and introducing you to the J.E Consortium."

Alphonse nodded, a sense of purpose settling within him. He looked down at his mother, her frail form a stark reminder of why he was willing to step into this new world.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Alphonse declared, his voice filled with resolve. "I won't let you down, Mom."

Hannah's eyes glistened with tears, a smile of gratitude spreading across her face. 

"I know you won't," she whispered, her voice filled with pride.

As Alphonse and Peter left the hospital room, stepping back outside, Alphonse felt a new sense of determination, he was about to embark on a journey he had never imagined, but he was not alone. 

With his mother's love and Peter's guidance, Alphonse was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The rain had stopped, the streets now glistening under the setting sun. Alphonse looked up at the sky, a sense of calm washing over him. For the first time in a long time, he felt hopeful about the future.