Five

“Master, a man is here to see you.” 

A young man in his late twenties spoke. He was wearing a black suit Complimented by a black hat.

“Let him in.” 

Ordered the man from the other end of the phone. He sat comfortably in his office, swinging the chair from left to right. Looking at him, he should be in his mid-sixties. He has a round face and a bald head, his eyes brown and cozy his chin, so fluffy yet thin. His beard and mustache neatly shaped to compliment his face type.

“Sit!” he commanded authoritatively with his deep masculine voice. 

“What brings you.” he asked the young man searching through the files on the table.

“I have a picture that might be of help to you.” 

The man said and showed him four pictures, one of an advanced woman, a male child and the other two of a grown man.

“There is a core resemblance, and I think this is your long-lost son you have been looking for.” 

Then spoke again in great assurance.

“Where is this location?”  He asked, and the man wrote it down, after which he was dismissed.

“How people work hard for a one million dollars” 

Stanley, the trusted of his master, spoke immediately, he walked in seeing the other man walk out in smiling face.

“It's nothing to us, but to them, it means the entire world”

 He replied with a short smile that faded away in a second.

“If this is my son, then he is suffering wherever he is. I wouldn't want him to continue this way. I need him.”

 He spoke bitterly.

“Master! What if he is with his Mother? Lady Kat will never let go of her son after twenty-seven years.”  

Stanley said, and the master snare at him.

“We hope this information is correct.” he added, and the old man stood from his seat.

“You will go to glee orphanage home tomorrow and make inquiry about this information and report to me immediately.”

“Yes master.” 

Stanley said with a bow and left the office, leaving him alone to wonder about his life.

Carissa, walked in anger that she felt she will explode anytime soon if care was not taken. She didn't notice the car honking at her.

“Are you deaf or something?” 

Karen, walked to her and removed the hair tie which she used to cover her hair down to her neck, this exposed her short blonde hair.

“It's you, Carissa” Dan said as he came down from the car. “Hop in” he said to her.

“Why didn't you hail a taxi? Ohh, your husband didn't give you a penny? Hahaha what a shame, get in and let's leave this place.”

 Karen mocked.

“Thanks I'm okay.”

“I don't want people saying the Marcus second daughter is walking on the street while they're fleet of cars in the Mansion. You know we can afford a car of your choice if you ever make a demand. It is that you are an ingrate.”

“Don't insult me Karen, I won't take it lightly with you.” Carissa, retorted.

“Huh…”

“Can we leave, please? I have important things to handle besides this.”

 Dan, spoke and Karen entered the front seat staring daggers at Carissa. She ignored and hopped into the car as everywhere was filled with tension between both of them.

“I heard the Leeuwenhoek is back in business and also, he has promised one million dollars to anyone who finds his son. Not only that, he will equally skyrocket the person's family business and if the person doesn't have any business, he will brood the individual.”

Carissa, said and Dan's ear stood at alert.

“What other things do you know?”

 Asked Dan subconsciously.

“Well, the Leeuwenhoek are back to take over the business world.” she answered.

“How sure about that. Gosh, this damn man has been away for a long time, so what's the whole faith people have in him.” Karen spoke.

“I Will remind you that while he left, his business was still doing great and good. Yeah. Some Kate who happened to be his secretary has helped maintain those successes isn't it a great story?”

“That man, the Leeuwenhoek is a third billionaire. He isn't famous because, he doesn't want people knowing it. He owns companies around the state. His airline is the boomerang!” 

Carissa, said in excitement.

“It will be good to partner with such a man through any means.” 

Karen responded and Dan, glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.

“A contract of marriage with his son will do. Just for the sake of the fame and money, not the love though.”

 Karen spoke and Dan sighed.

“They are numerous ways to get connected with them. Work for the company or serve as a chef or the cleaner in the home.” Carissa said.

“You always have the mentality of a maid because, that's what you have always been. Do you know what it means if the Leeuwenhoek son becomes the Marcus son-in-law? It will be a feather in one's hat. You should work towards that and not play the role of a myths for that stinking guy, Sebastian.”

Karen, spoke, not minding Dan was beside her. Carissa noticed Dan's reactions, but didn't say a thing about it. She only felt sorry because, Dan doesn't really know what her sister's true nature is.

“You know Dan, in the business world, you craft out ways to gain fame and be at the top. And if you want anything permanent, then you go the legal way. We can derive a plan, we will find the Leeuwenhoek son, and we will get an arranged marriage and…”

“Karen? You are home!” 

Dan, hit the brake forcefully as he said in annoyance to Karen, interrupting her words.

“Do you want to bend my back?”

 Karen, asked, but Dan, was impatient to answer.

“Please get down, I have meaningful things to do at home.”

 He spoke rudely at the end, emphasizing on the word meaningful. Karen, at once came down from the car and without wasting of time, he zoomed off at great speed.

“What was that? Carissa, did you notice what Dan just did? I was bringing a good idea that could help us all and…”

“Please Karen, my head aches.  And aches badly. I need a bath and a calm sound sleep.” 

Carissa replied and walked inside.

“I will show you all.”

 She murmured and walked inside as well.

“Where is Sebastian? Get that leech here.” 

Karen, queried immediately, she walked inside. Hearing her voice thundering angrily from the sitting room, Sebastian,heart began beating again. He hoped grandma Hailey, has regained consciousness else, his entire life will come to an end. Soon, he was pushed out of the room where he was given a thrashing and landed face flat on Karen's feet, hitting his lips on the floor and that hurt so much.

“You ingrate! Go and wash that car, I have important things to attend to immediately.” 

Karen, commanded as she sat on the couch and commanded him to switch on the television because, she wanted to watch the news. Maybe, she could get vital information about the Leeuwenhoek son.

Sebastian took the remote glaring at the bright television and his eyes hurt him badly, he used his left hand , which was badly bruised, to cover his eyes. Waiting so impatiently, Karen, rose to her feet in anger and just when she stared angrily at Sebastian, the remote control fell off from his eyes and he flinched in pain. Quickly, squinting his eyes, he slowly bent down to search for the remote but, Karen, was impatient to watch his irritating moves. She walked closer to him and stepped roughly on his fingers.

“You imbecile!”

 She cursed and kicked the corner of his belly. She didn't stop there, rather she used the steel flower vase and hit on his back. That left Sebastian, laying painfully on the floor and screaming in pain.

“You are nothing good. Why have you come to stress me in this house?” 

She shouted and made to step on his back but Carissa, ran down and pushed her away and she fell on the couch.

“Carissa!”  Karen, screamed in shock.

“Don't you dare! What kind of heart do you have? Are you human or a beast?” 

She asked angrily, ready to face whatever consequences that come from it. She had been tolerating Karen and the rest members of this family, the heights of their wickedness has become so alarming that she won't keep mute anymore.

“You dare challenge me?”

 Karen, asked angrily and Carissa,smirked. Soon, aunt Ava, climbed down with a glass of red wine and sat on the couch with legs crossed, looking at the two girls as she sipped her drink.

“Soon, one shall be a queen and the other will wail or rather, both will wail.” 

She laughed sarcastically and walked out to the garden holding in her hands a newspaper.

“How is grandma Hailey?” 

Sebastian asked Carissa, after he slightly recovered from the pain. The pain was strong because, Karen, had hit his bone if he hadn't destroyed his spinal cord.

Carissa, wondered how someone could be so selfless. He wasn't concerned about himself, rather he asked about Grandma who was always picking at him, whether at fault or not, she would always fault him.

“I see, you were expecting grandma never to recover? Your plans failed but until grandma, returns to this house…”

She spoke and Sebastian, managed to rise from his lying position and placed his back on the couch. At that instance, Carissa saw that his eyes were brutally wounded.

“Karen! Are you human? Do you have human sympathy at all?” 

She queried deeply wounded in her hearts, Sebastian,looked like he was going to die in the next minute.

“I promise you, you will regret this soon.”

 She spoke and called the driver to come drive them to the hospital.

“Carissa, you will regret ever choosing a loser like Sebastian, he just bore a fortunate name only in vain.”

“Ma'am, you sent for me.”

 The driver spoke and Carissa, nodded, supporting Sebastian, as he lazily stood to his feet.

“You will dare not move out of this house. Sebastian,has tons of work to do. He will wash my car because I am taking it out tonight and the dishes! He needs to prune the flowers and mop my bedroom.” 

Karen spoke authoritatively. Carissa, paused in her movement while the driver went out on hearing Karen's order.

“We have maids and servants.”

 She said, and made Sebastian, stand again. Sebastian,was reluctant to move, he didn't want more trouble added to this one. Before, they could walk to the door, Mrs. Cherry walked in.

“He Must complete the task! And Sebastian, won't receive any medical attention.” 

She sounded and Carissa hope dashed. She could see Karen smiling wickedly, for this is what she wanted.

“Mother! Take a look at him. How would he work if he isn't treated? He might have internal bleeding, let's attend to him before he would attend to the…”

Before she could finish her words, Mrs. Cherry landed a slap on Carissa's face as well as Sebastian face.

“My daughter speaks to me in this manner because of you! Now, Carissa has grown wings, and she talks back at me because of your urchin! A thing from the slum. We picked you, washed you and clothed you, and you stand there to bargain our orders?” 

She thundered and Sebastian, shook his head. He didn't know if he should be grateful that someone like Carissa, always stand out for him or he should be sad about it since she always landed him in trouble.

“I will never do such, Ma'am. I apologize for the misunderstanding.” 

Sebastian, pleaded sincerely as he kept flinching in pain.

“Get up! Wash the three cars and go do the rest chores and don't hesitate to serve dinner on time, remember, I need to take some to grandma.” 

Mrs. Cherry commanded and walked upstairs while Sebastian, walked outside to start his chores. Karen, gave a wide laugh as she positioned herself to watch her favorite channel. Seeing all this, Carissa,hissed and stormed upstairs in anger, slamming the door of her room very hard.

Sebastian, regardless of the pain, did the chores as well as prepared dinner. When he brought the food to the dinner table, along with the one in the food flask for grandma Hailey, Mrs. Cherry was wrought in anger.

“You were late.” she queried angrily.

“I'm sorry, ma'am, I tried my best to be fast as I could.” 

He pleaded, his eyes more swollen than earlier all his body aches yet, he didn't complain and selflessly did the chores.

“You tried your best? Really? It's three minutes past the time I gave, and you tried your best?” 

Mrs. Cherry queried as he poured the hot soup on Sebastian stomach. He jumped in pain and ran to the bathroom to watch up just immediately, Carissa, followed him from behind.

“Cherry.”

 Ava called, really annoyed but, Cherry hissed, took the food flask and left.