CHAPTER TWO

"Young Master?"

"Yes Raul, it is me."

"It's about time Sir, how are you doing? You're grandfat…" Before he could continue, Adam cut him short

"There's no time for pleasantries now Raul. I need you to help me do a few things"

"Nice to hear from you Master, how can I be of service to you Sir?"

"I need you to meet me at my apartment, and also get a suitable change of clothing for me from any good store, you know my size. and please come around with a present suitable for a three-year-old child" Adam directed to his right-hand man and staff. 

"Got it, Sir, I'll be there ASAP" Raul speedily replied

"Thank you, Raul, that'll be all for now" Without awaiting his response, Adam ended the call, stretching the phone back to the driver, he handed it back to him

"Thank you for letting me use your phone" he thanked the driver. The driver on the other hand didn't know how to respond. From the snippet of conversation he heard, it would seem his passenger was some big shot or some criminal who was trying to bide time. 

"Not a problem Sir, are you done with it now?" he asked Adam again while glancing at him through the rearview mirror. 

Adam stayed silent, not responding to him as he once again shut his eyes awaiting to be reunited with his family. 

Soon enough, the taxi made a turn into a bend in an old community and slowed down. A few minutes later, he turned left, stopping right in front of a dilapidated complex building. Turning off the engine, the driver turned to Adam

"We are here Sir" his voice shook Adam back to reality, who grunted in response, nodded his head and opened the car to get out. 

As his feet touched the ground, Adam found himself stretching them whilst smiling to himself, he was finally home and couldn't wait to see his daughter and wife. 

His feet moved towards his apartment, as he began taking giant strides in anticipation of meeting his family. 

Unable to contain his joy, Adam skipped a few steps as he hurried to his apartment door. 

'Bang Bang' he repeatedly knocked on the door when he got to it. 

"Louisa, Ariel. I'm home! Daddy's home!"

He excitedly called out as he kept knocking on the door. 

"Who's that fool banging on my door like that? Don't you have any manners whatsoever!?" a voice angrily called out from within. 

Adam found himself shuffling his feet, thinking it was his mother-in-law, he didn't want her to be the person to greet him after so long. He found himself running his hands through his hair nervously.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so…" Adam replied trying to appease the woman, the suddenly opened from within cutting his apology short, Adam stared at the person who just opened the door to his house

 "Who are you?" Adam and the woman both asked at the same time, staring at themselves in confusion, with the woman looking at him with disdain and anger.

"I'm supposed to be asking you that Mr, and not you asking me! What, pray tell, are you doing in my front door and banging it that way!?" 

"Your house?" Adam stared at her, as he looked around the building with a confused look in his eyes. 

"Sorry Ma'am, isn't this Flat 42B, Compton Apartment?" he asked the lady politely

The woman gave a long hiss as she looked at him from head to toe, a look of disgust crossing her face

"Yes, it is. Any problem Mister?" 

Adam shook his head and replied respectfully 

"No Ma'am, or should I say yes Ma'am… " he gazed at her wrinkled face and sighed, continuing he went on

"Well, the thing is, I'm looking for my wife Louisa Martins and child. Except I have the wrong door or apartment, but this is our house. If you could please be kind enough to let Louisa know that her husband is at the door, I'll greatly appreciate it, Ma'am" Adam tried smiling at the embittered woman. 

He tried looking into the apartment behind the woman, and could barely make anything, he did notice the change of the wall colour and wondered when Louisa had had it changed, it wasn't such a nice colour as far as he was concerned. 

The woman's sudden laughter filled the hallway, as she bent over laughing. Adam stared at her, he tried to assess himself to know if she was laughing at his dressing, even if it was shabby, it wasn't that shabby and it was better than what she currently wore. In confusion, Adam glanced at their surroundings to see what must have prompted her laughter. 

Just as she had suddenly burst out in laughter, the woman stopped laughing abruptly and resumed her sour look. 

"There's no one by that name living in this house. I'd advise you to meet the Landlord downstairs!" and with that, she shut the door on a dazed and still confused Adam. 

Adam found himself still staring at the closed door, he raised his hand once again to knock on the door but thought better of it. It seemed it was only the landlord that would have answers for him, even if he knew how much the landlord disliked him, he had no choice if he wanted to see his family. 

Taking a deep breath, Adam headed up the stairs to the next floor, where the LandLord's apartment was situated. 

With a deep sigh, Adam raised his hands to knock just as he got to the door. 

The door opened from within with force with Adam's hand still raised at it. Adam faced the sneer on the face of his landlord, or would he say, former landlord. 

Behind him, Adam glanced at his apartment and couldn't help but subtly cover his nose at the stench coming out from it. He could see the spillage of what seemed to be like takeout food, as well as beer bottles. 

"Convict, or should I say, Ex-Convict, will you stare at my house all day, or will you be stating your business?" The Landlord drew back his attention, with the sneer still intact on his face. 

Adam couldn't help but shake his head and attempt to look remorseful

"Yeah, I'm just coming from my apartment and the lady who claims to currently live there doesn't seem to know about Louisa" Adam replied confusingly. 

The Landlord scoffed in response. Eyeing Adam in disdain, he cleared his throat and purposely spat in the direction of Adam's leg, and dared to look at Adam to get a reaction or rise off him. 

Adam slightly moved his feet and tried to compose himself, he wasn't going to give into the man's baiting.

"You're just a good-for-nothing fellow and it's a good thing you went to prison! Your wife, that is if I can even refer to her as such, is in a much better place. Even in your dreams, you wouldn't be able to afford Hillsbury City!" he mumbled the last part under his breath, but Adam was able to catch it. 

Before he could react, the door once again slammed shut on Adam's face, leaving Adam startled.