The Heir Of Redemption

The Heir Of Redemption 1.

A Saviour He Thought.

Jared sat on the front porch, staring out at the smoldering ruins of what was once his family home. The heat from the fire still radiated off the rubble, making it feel like an oven outside. He watched as firefighters sprayed the charred remains with water, trying to quell the last of the flames.

A hand on his shoulder made him turn around. It was his father, his face grim and serious. "Jared," he said, his voice trembling. "I need you to be brave now, okay?"

Jared nodded, unsure of what his father was talking about. But he knew it couldn't be good.

"Son, there was a fire," his father began, his voice cracking with emotion. "Your mother and sister... they didn't make it. I'm so sorry."

Jared felt his whole world shatter around him. His mother and sister were gone? How was that even possible?

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Jared was taken to the hospital to be checked for smoke inhalation, and then to the police station for questioning. He didn't remember much of what was said, just that the police seemed to think that the fire was caused by faulty wiring.

Jared father surprisingly hanged himself because of the frustration of losing his wife and precious daughter, Leaving Jared alone.

After that, Jared was taken to an orphanage. It was a large, imposing building with tall walls and iron gates that seemed to stretch up to the sky. Jared couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as he walked through the gates, knowing that this was to be his new home.

The matron of the orphanage, a stern-looking woman with gray hair and a perpetual scowl, led Jared to his new room. It was small and sparsely furnished, with a narrow bed, a dresser, and a small desk. Jared felt like he was suffocating in the small space.

As the days turned into weeks, Jared settled into his new routine. He went to school during the day, and spent his evenings doing homework or playing games with the other children in the orphanage. But despite the fact that he was surrounded by other children, Jared still felt alone.

One night, as he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, Jared heard a strange noise. It sounded like someone was tapping on the window. He sat up, listening intently, but the noise stopped. He lay back down, convinced that he had imagined it.

But then he heard it again, louder this time. He got out of bed and walked over to the window, peering out into the darkness. That's when he saw a figure lurking in the shadows.

"Who's there?" he called out, his heart pounding in his chest.

The figure stepped forward into the light, revealing a man with a kind face and a gentle smile. "My name is Mr. Winston," he said. "I heard about what happened to your family, and I wanted to help. Would you like to come with me, Jared?"

Jared didn't know what to think. Who was this man, and why did he want to help him? But something about Mr. Winston's kind eyes made Jared feel like he could trust him.

"Okay," he said, stepping away from the window. "I'll come with you."

And with that, Jared left the orphanage behind, starting a new chapter in his life with Mr. Winston as his guide.

Jared spent the next few years under Mr. Winston's tutelage, attending the best schools and receiving a top-notch education. Mr. Winston treated him like a son, always encouraging him to do his best and achieve his goals. Jared was grateful for the opportunity, but he couldn't help feeling like an outsider in Mr. Winston's world of wealth and privilege.

Despite his academic successes, Jared still struggled to fit in with his peers. They saw him as an outsider, a poor orphan boy who didn't belong in their world of private schools and luxury vacations. They made fun of his clothes and his lack of social graces, and Jared felt like he was back in the orphanage again.

But Mr. Winston never gave up on him. He encouraged Jared to keep going, to push through the difficulties and prove himself to the world. And so, Jared persevered, studying hard and excelling in his classes despite the constant taunts and jabs from his classmates.

Years went by, and Jared graduated from college with top honors. He was a successful young man in his academics, with a bright future ahead of him. But then, on his twenty-fifth birthday, Mr. Winston made a demand that would change everything.

"Jared, my boy," Mr. Winston said, as he sat across from Jared at the dining room table. "You've been like a son to me all these years, and I've invested a lot of time and money into your education. Now, it's time for you to repay me."

Jared looked up, confused. "Repay you? How?"

"I want you to marry my daughter, Emily," Mr. Winston said, his voice firm. "She's a beautiful young woman, and she deserves a good man by her side. And you, Jared, you have proven yourself to be a good man."

Jared was taken aback by the sudden request. He had never thought of Emily as anything more than his mentor's daughter, and he wasn't sure how he felt about the idea of marrying her. But Mr. Winston was insistent, and Jared knew that he owed him a great debt of gratitude.

And so, reluctantly, Jared agreed to marry Emily. They had a small, intimate wedding in the backyard of Mr. Winston's mansion, surrounded by just family. Jared felt like he was living in a dream, marrying into a world that had always felt so far out of his reach.

But as the weeks went by, Jared began to realize that he had made a grave mistake. Emily was not the kind, loving woman he had thought she was. She was cold and distant, always criticizing him and putting him down. Jared felt like he was back in school again, being bullied and ridiculed by his peers.

He tried to talk to Mr. Winston about it, but his mentor dismissed his concerns, telling him that he needed to be patient and work on his marriage. Jared felt trapped, like he had no escape from his miserable life.

And so, he continued to endure Emily's cruelty, yearning for a way out but unsure of where to turn. Little did he know that his life was about to take a dramatic turn, one that would change everything he thought he knew about himself and his place in the world.

Jared's life as the Winston family's errand boy was a far cry from the bright future he had once imagined. Every day, he woke up early and went to work, cleaning the mansion, running errands, and doing whatever tasks were asked of him. His wife, Emily, was no help - she spent her days lounging around the house, ordering Jared around and making snide comments about his background.

Jared couldn't help but feel like a servant in his own home. He saw how Emily and her family treated him differently, how they looked down on him because he was poor and came from a different world. He tried to speak up, to assert his worth and his dignity, but they always shut him down, telling him that he was lucky to be in their presence at all.

One day, as he was cleaning up Emily's bedroom, he saw something that made his blood boil. She was lying in bed with another man, a handsome, wealthy playboy who had always looked down on Jared with contempt. Jared couldn't believe what he was seeing - his own wife, cheating on him in their own home.

He confronted her, his anger and hurt boiling over. "How could you do this to me?" he demanded, his voice shaking with emotion.

Emily sneered at him. "You think you have the right to challenge me? You're just a poor, lowly orphan boy who I took pity on. You should be grateful to even be in my presence, let alone be married to me."

Jared felt a deep sense of shame wash over him. He knew that Emily was right - he was nothing compared to her and her family. He had no right to challenge her or demand respect. But he couldn't just let her cheat on him like this, couldn't let her get away with treating him like a servant.

And so, he reached out to grab her arm, to shake some sense into her. But before he could even touch her, Emily slapped him hard across the face, leaving a red mark on his cheek.

"You're nothing, Jared," she hissed. "You'll never be anything. And if you ever try to challenge me again, I'll make sure my father knows about this."

Jared felt like he had hit rock bottom. He had never felt so powerless, so humiliated. He knew that he was nothing in the eyes of the Winston family, that he would always be their servant, their errand boy.

And yet, something inside him refused to give up. He knew that he was better than this, that he deserved more than the life he was living. He just had to find a way to prove it.

Jared knew that he had to do something to change his situation. He couldn't keep living like this, being treated like a servant by his own wife and her family. He went to his mentor, Mr. Winston, hoping to get some advice on how to improve his life.

But when he arrived at Mr. Winston's office, he was met with a stern and unforgiving glare. "What are you doing here, Jared?" Mr. Winston demanded. "Shouldn't you be busy making money and acquiring power? Or are you content to live the rest of your life as a worthless, useless nobody?"

Jared felt a pang of shame at Mr. Winston's words. He knew that he had not yet made a name for himself, that he was still struggling to find his place in the world. But he couldn't help feeling angry at Mr. Winston's dismissive tone, at the way he treated him like a shameful son-in-law.

"I'm doing my best, Mr. Winston," Jared said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I know I have a lot to learn, but I'm willing to work hard and make something of myself."

Mr. Winston snorted in derision. "Work hard? You wouldn't know hard work if it slapped you in the face. You've been given every opportunity, every advantage, and yet you still can't seem to get ahead. You're a disappointment, Jared. A failure."

Jared felt his temper starting to flare. He knew that Mr. Winston was only trying to motivate him, to push him to be better. But the way he spoke, the insults and the contempt in his voice, made Jared feel like he would never be good enough.

"I'm trying, Mr. Winston," Jared said, his voice rising. "I know I have a lot to prove, but I'm not a failure. I won't let you or anyone else make me feel like one."

Mr. Winston leaned back in his chair, a cold smile spreading across his face. "Prove it, then. Make something of yourself. Show me that you're not the worthless nobody I see before me. And then, and only then, will I consider you a true member of this family."

Jared left Mr. Winston's office feeling frustrated and angry. He knew that he had to prove himself, to make something of himself. But he couldn't help feeling like the odds were stacked against him, like he would never be able to overcome the prejudices and obstacles in his way. Still, he refused to give up. He would find a way to make Mr. Winston proud, to show him that he was more than just a shameful son-in-law. He just had to figure out how.