Chapter 17: Pictures

“Why are you involving me in matters that do not directly concern me? You are told to find the mother of your child and get married to her. How is that my concern? Why are you using me as your reference point?” Jace snapped at his brother.

“You are the eldest, and should be the first to get married. Not me” Chase retorted. “And who told you that marriage is by seniority?” Jace Hudson demanded.

“I am coming to you now, Jace. You only know how to control, power, wealth and companies. When are you going to give birth to my grandchildren?” Amelia snapped at her son.

Jace is her adorable son. She loves him so much that she once told him that in her next life he would still be her son, even to her seventh life.

“Huh, me?” Jace pretended not to know his mother was talking to him. His ears are filled with his mother’s ranting of grandchildren. He would get married when he finds a woman qualified to be by his side.

“Who else answers the name Jace Hudson, here?” Amelia asked, looking round as if she was indeed looking for the person.

“Common mom. I haven’t found a woman to marry” Jace gave a random excuse and Chase Hudson laughed loud and long, exaggerating his laughter and making Jace provoked.

Jace glared at him and looked away. This Chase can be so annoying? Who said he should laugh?

“You mean to say, Jace, that with over a million beautiful, talented, intelligent and smart women, you haven’t found the woman to marry?” Chase teased and laughed again.

“Fine. I agree with Jace. He hasn’t found a woman to marry. He is absolutely right” Henry Hudson said and glanced at his wife and sons before continuing “he is right because the woman he would be getting married to isn’t back from England” Henry said and glanced at his wife.

Amelia was surprised at her husband’s words. Return from England? He has a plan in his heart towards getting Jace engaged to a woman”

Jace and Chase exchanged glances and then looked at their mom. There was absolute silence for a few seconds. What is dad saying? He is speaking in parables, he needs to come out straight.

“Tayo Dante, the eldest daughter of the Dante family will be coming back to Z-City next week. She’s through with her second degree and her father told me about her..” Henry declared and tapped his wife.

“You remembered my friend Festus Dante back in college?” Henry asked and Amelia said “Huh” not sure she remembered him anymore.

“He has two daughters and the eldest of the girls is Tayo. She is the one Jace will be getting engaged to. When she’s back, we’ll arrange a blind date for them and we begin things from that point” Henry Hudson declared.

Amelia glared at her husband speechless.

For the next one week, Arianna didn’t let Eli out of the house. She applied to other companies and none of them invited her for an interview.

She was busy. Drawing more drafts, trying her best to combine her innate talent with her educational training. Within a few days, Arianna drafted amazing designs and paintings.

If she didn’t have a job and no one was ready to hire her, she would sell her draft, they would fetch her good money and Eli would begin school. She owns him that, and she would ensure she gives him that.

She was invited for an interview the next day and she went. She was being interviewed when suddenly someone came over and whispered into the ears of the boss and he squinted.

Arianna sat still, waiting for the interviewer to continue with his questions when he suddenly announced “I’m sorry, we can’t continue with the interview. You can apply for a job elsewhere”

Arianna was dazed. Was the man talking to her? She glanced behind her and sideways. She’s the only person besides the interviewer in the office. What happened?

“I wasn’t talking to anyone else. It’s you, Miss Jason, that I addressed my speech to” the Man declare.

“Just like that, sir? Have I done something wrong? You invited me for this interview and suddenly asked me to leave midway?” Arianna inquired.

“I’m sorry about that. But we can’t let our company suffer a shipwreck because of you. We won’t be proceeding with the interview. Sorry about any inconveniences caused” the man declared with a tone of finality.

“Please sir. I need this job” Arianna pleaded when the man said “I would advise that you direct your plea to the one you crossed. That’s the door please, I have other applicants to attend to” the man concluded and glared at Arianna.

Arianna was sad. She stood up gently and used the door. She walked quickly and got out of the hospital. She found a taxi and returned home.

Meanwhile Genesis and Richard were having lunch. They’ve been seeing each other lately and it was Richard who asked Arianna about Genesis.

When the lunch was over, Richard asked Genesis “Gene, there’s something I want to know,” he said and Genesis nodded, waiting for him to proceed “Tell me about Arianna’s relationship with Ethan and who is the father of her son?”

Genesis was quiet for a while before she sighed. She told Richard everything she knows about Arianna and Ethan’s relationship. How they broke up and how she became pregnant.

“Are you saying that Eli’s father is a gigolo? She hasn’t really met him and doesn’t know him” Richard asked , not accepting Genesis words.

“Yeah. Aria never lied to me. She really doesn’t know who he was?” Genesis reaffirmed her words.

“Okay. How do we help her? She’s lost her job with the Hudson’s holding. I don’t know why, but it makes me feel uncomfortable, making different thoughts cross my mind” Richard asked.

Arianna got a job with the Hudson’s holding. That’s the highest paying conglomerate in Z-City. He also works in their hospital and they are being paid well, better than their colleagues elsewhere.

But he got to know a few days ago that Arianna was no longer working there. He asked her and she only said, it’s her decision. He couldn’t ask her any more questions.

It made him feel uncomfortable. Eli is the spitting image of Chase Hudson. Did she recognise him as her son’s father, that’s the reason she stopped working in the same place with him?

“I really want to help her. But I don’t know how. If you can suggest, we could think of doing something for her, especially for Eli, her son” Genesis declared.

Richard said okay. He was quiet for a while. He wants to have Eli’s DNA confirmed. He knew it was wrong but he wanted to be sure Eli was Chase’s son.

He would think of a way of getting the answers that he seeks. “I will be responsible for Eli’s schooling. And next week, I will enrol him in one of the best schools in St Petersburg.

But I want you to do something for me. The day after tomorrow, I will be on evening shift. I want to have a date with you and Eli.

Can you come to meet me at the restaurant close to the hospital and from there, we go get some things for Eli. Then have a date together, the three of us” Richard sounded casual.

Genesis wondered why she had to meet him somewhere near the hospital? Can’t they just meet up somewhere else? But then she shrugged it aside.

“I am busy at work that day except that evening. But then, I will try to meet you” Genesis agreed.

That evening, Arianna laid on the bed. She was awake. What on Earth is going on? Why couldn’t she get employed? The only company who invited her sent her away Midway through the interview.

“… direct your pleas to the one you crossed…” that statement kept taunting her after she came back home. Who did she cross?

Jace Hudson!

The name popped up in her mind. Yes, it’s him. He is the only one capable of ensuring she goes unemployed in Z-City.

What had she done to him? He was the one who fired her after he raped and tortured her. In what way had she done him wrong?

She had a one night stand with him, that’s all. Why should he make her life a living hell? That man is evil. She glanced at her son, sleeping peacefully by her side.

Her son has the blood of that man. Will Eli grow up one day and become so mean like his father? Does wickedness run in the blood?

She hopes not. How can she survive her life if Eli grew up and has such an attitude in him, disrespectful and arrogant? No, her son isn’t going to grow up like his father, that stupid man Jace Hudson.

There’s only one option left, sell her designs and send Eli to school. She has a means of survival. She will paint more and take it to an attic shop. It’s going to fetch her money.

Next morning, Chase was furious, he was slashing Nicolas with words. “You are so irresponsible. How can you not find out the whereabouts of the boy? You’re so incompetent” Chase Hudson thundered.

“I’m sorry boss. I did but couldn’t find the boy. I was able to track them down to the amusement park. The boy was seen with his dad. You can have a look at his dad…”Nicolas offered an envelope containing pictures of Richard and Eli, having fun at the amusement park.

“Fuck off, bastard. What do I care about pictures? I want to set my eyes on that boy, not pictures!” Chase thundered.