The weak frail figure which was pushed aside fiercely by James was Ema, his wife. Ema couldn't maintain her balance and fell.
"Ah_" she cried as blood was oozing out of her right palm. Unfortunately, falling on shreds of Glass bottle, a larger fragment pierced her palms. Still ignoring her pain, she stood up holding the golf club in her bleeding hand in a weak voice she cried: "Don't beat him. My son had already suffered."
In anger, James slapped his wife. "It is all because of you spoiling him. I should have let him rot in Jail." Throwing off his golf club he strode across the room.
Holding her right cheek, she went to the still kneeling Ryan, she said: "He is gone. Get up. I will send you to bed." Raising his bowed head he stared at his mother. He shifted her hand which was resting on her cheek. It had a distinct red mark of five fingers, her lips torn cheek swollen. Ryan made an angry fist in frustration.
James never loved his wife, rather hated her. Ema who was born in a remote rural area had a beauty like a small white flower, however, now age has left marks on her skin, wrinkles and dark circles. Her face pale, her figure thin and frail.
They were married by the will of his parents. A traditional arranged marriage. It was not a marriage of love, just forced one by his father to repay an old friendship dept. Yet this marriage bought him a lot of money. So he agreed. The money from his marriage was exactly the one he invested in Lu Company, making him rich presently.
But this man, he did not like this illiterate woman.
Ema was a simple woman with traditional beliefs. Rarely appearing in public. James hated her lack of understanding and her weird English accent. Barring her to even meet anyone in his circle, even prevented her from stepping out of the house. She was kept shut in her own house her entire life.
Marriage was the beginning of the miserable life of this poor woman. Hitting, slapping, slamming her was a norm as he would take out his frustrations on her. And then Ryan was included too.
Who would believe that the vicious animal was his dad?
After all, the father and son have the same blood flowing in their veins, how can he really be so cruel to his own son?
He was nowhere like the world perceived him to be.
Gentle and kind!
Ryan sarcastically smiled, a burst of crazy laughter echoed the room. A crazy laughter with boundless of pain, hate and regret.
Yes, he escaped being put behind prison bars but wasn't this another kind of prison. Indeed, hell of a worse one.
When James had calmed down, Clara went to him ignoring the people kneeling next door. She was already accustomed to it, overlooking their existence. Clara was actually in the next room hearing the noises, waiting for it to quiet down so she can talk to her father.
"Baby, Any progress?" he asked in a different soft tone than previously heard from the same man.
"No" she dropped her head shaking. "Ash is not ready to even see me. He neglects all my messages and calls."
"They got a strong supporter as Vivian. Ira and he reconciled with her pregnancy." James stated in an aggrieved tone
"We have to break her support foremost. Leave it to me" Clara said.
James smiled proudly. He liked Clara. She was exactly like him cold and unfeeling yet great at masking their feelings. Unlike the weak Ryan who was a transparent screen displaying all the hatred within.