He sped on his sports bike for the most part of the night but soon enough he found himself walking down the same track he would always come to when he was still a young boy. It was perhaps his favourite place when he was still a naive, immature young lad.
It was hard hiking down the slippery rocks in the middle of the night with sparse rays of moonlight being the only guide but nevertheless, he managed. Being in the place felt nostalgic. He remembered how his mother would tell him to watch his steps repeatedly whenever they would visit.
What made the place even more special was the fact that it was known to only to him and Mrs William, the latter couldn't make it past forty. So with her demise, their secret fun time was nothing more than a memory that dwelled deep in his heart along with many more that he never word out since the day she breathed her last.
Sometimes, James would think that perhaps it wasn't just her mother who perished but rather a part of him. He lost himself somewhere in coping up with the grieve of his dead mother and struggling to keep up with the demands of his controlling father. Homecoming of Lara as William's second wife was the final blow to his restrain. The day that woman entered the house was the day he vowed to never accept her as a part of his family, let alone as a mother!
Drawing in a short breath, he dug his hand in the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a key. For a moment he gazed at the key chain, admiring the words written on it, Only James and Amara.
He then eyed the small wooden house that stood before him, bordered by the calm water of an earthen lake at one side and wild on all the rest.
He made his gentle walk to grab the fence that overlooked the huge pond of water, letting the peace soak through every ounce of his body.
As he gazed around, he couldn't help but wonder why hadn't he brought Jenna around here? Perhaps because he could never muster up the courage to be back at the place ever since the death of his mother.
Or maybe because he was afraid.
Afraid that the place and its memories might put his courage to test. He feared he wouldn't be able to explain to her why the place held so much importance in his eyes. The thought that she would never feel the same about this patch of land was foremost strongest reason not to mention it.
Letting out a sigh, he walked to the footstep of the wooden house before twisting the key in its hole and pushing open the glass door. The house was a mess! What else could he have thought of after all its been ages since he last stepped foot in here.
Deciding against his longing for a bed, he took the cleaning on himself. It was way past midnight when he was finally able to satisfy himself with the arrangements he had done. Tiresome though, but it did help to soothe his nerves more then a comfortable bed would have had. His aching body and a mind in dire need of sleep was another plus point, for he wouldn't have to lay in his blankets and think about the events of tonight. As simple as cleaning gave him the courage to stand strong.
Switching off the lights, he made his way upstairs to his small_very small compared to the one he had in his father's house_ room before he plopped on the bed and drifted to a much-wanted slumber.
" Damn you!" James cursed, reaching for the mobile on his nightstand that had been ringing for past one hour without a break! Without bothering to look at the caller id, he pressed the phone against his ear but immediately regretted when Mr William's voice boomed through the other end
"Where the hell are you?" he asked.
James walked to the window. " Somewhere."
"And I don't care to know where! I want you at home in exactly five minutes!" William warned.
James pushed the curtain aside, allowing for the sunlight to illuminate the interior of the room with its glowing intensity. "Why?'' he questioned.
"After all you have done, you have the audacity to ask me why?" William shouted into the phone only to have James clench his jaws and fist his hands yet he contained his calm and continued with the conversation_ or more of a one-sided convo.
"It's fine with me to sit here and ponder over the possibilities of what could have gone wrong if you decide not to tell me on your own but then I can't promise you to be there in five minutes," He said dryly yet with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
"I want you to come and bear witness of the shame that has befallen us, my dear son," he started off in the same tone as the one James had used " And oh! if you happen to cross a book store, make sure to buy yourself a newspaper and read the big, bold headlines!" With that Willam cut the phone.
" I won't let it go easy... the truth will unfold, if not for the blood of Jenna then for my self-satisfaction," He said to himself before making his way to the washroom.
All the while he drove back, he kept thinking of the ways he could adopt to prove himself. This time he is one against the world! And to make it even better, he was without any proves or evidences to stand up to what he claims... except for one!
The only one that will strengthen his position before a world ready to swallow him alive.
Last night, before driving to the lake, he had already done the deed that could possibly confirm his doubts and provide him with the evidence that would rule out all the claims that people are going to make in a few days. He knew he was right. And once he is done with this part of the story, he will go after the young woman who is the center of all the mess he is in.
***
Could Maxwell Cooperation's next hire, James Maxwell be suffering from Delusional Disorder? He claims to have seen his fiancée falling to her death when she stood right beside him!
"Would you like to add a few words to it?"
" I can explain-"
"But I don't remember asking for an explanation, James. I have asked you to enlighten me with your opinion as to what the next heading can be. I am sure it will be something spicy-"
"Father_"
"THAT WILL LIT A FIRE IN THE PIT OF MY GOD DAMN HEART!"
Silence engulfed the surrounding apart from Lara Maxwell's lowly ramble about how she won't be able to face her ladies in the club tomorrow.
"It's ironic, isn't it?" William began, his eyes holding in a certain emotion that James could only identify as pure shame with a hint of accusation." The son I kept defending from all the bitterness that Lara threw from the day one she took my name, has let me down in the worst way possible. Though her words never sounded sweet to my ears, rather heinous! were actually true! You have disappointed me, James,"
Hot anger flared in his eyes. There was no doubt that his words did leave an effect on him, a grave one indeed. But he wasn't sure if it hurt him more or made him want to slash Lara's neck right away!"
" What else did you expect, William?" Lara intertwined her arm with William's " This isn't the first time he has done something to bring you to your lowest," she begun only to have James almost shaking in anger at her words. He absolutely despised it when Lara would make her way into a conversation that has nothing to do with her in the first place. He despised the fact that he could never have a moment with his father without her having to ruin the entire conversation. It was already hard on him to accept her presence, very well knowing about the secret affair she had with his father and how much his mother had to go through before breathing her last in pain and agony with the slightest bliss to have her husband by her side in her time of great distress. This was the only reason, apart from his mother wish to never turn away from his father, to forgive him even when he married his secretary exactly three months after her dismissal.
But the next set of words that she uttered made it very hard for him to hold back from burying her a hundred feet below the ground,
"Like mother like son-"
"Don't you dare!" he hissed, all of the sudden standing a mere foot away from her. He hadn't even started to use all of his voice that Lara felt the need to lick her now dry lips. " Not.a.damn.word.about.my.mother! " he said, pointing his finger to her face. All the facade that he upheld in respect of his father suddenly torn away from his flesh, exposing the real hatred he carried in his heart for her and Mr William's mistake.
Though visibly shaken from his sudden reaction, pride got the best out of her. Holding her head high and wrapping her arms around Mr William's in a more of a possessive manner_ obviously to portray her dominance_ she let an obvious fake smile take over her cherry red lips, challenging James's statement. " Or else?" she asked only to fuel the fire that burned him inside out.
" Or else I will forget that you are my father's woman-" he hissed a little louder, his jaws clenched so tight that one could virtually feel the grinding of his teeth,
"JAMES!" Mr Williams interjected stopping his hand midway from landing a slap on his dear son's face, a pang of sudden guilt replacing the furry in his eyes. James stood unflinching, his hands fisted and lips drawn in a straight line. His eye, however,r wander across Mr William's face, unvoiced questions arising in them. " She is not my woman, she is my wife! And I expect you to understand and respect that." he completed, his tone much more normalized and thick in emotions that kept his heart heavy and breath suffocated.
"What was my mother then? A less educated, maid?... Lara is your wife, your family. She will always be unworthy of respect from me" he let out. "And about Jenna's case, so I assure you father, I won't step in this house until I prove my point to the world. It won't surprise me if you tag me with the disorders in the pending press conference," with that being said, he walked out for once and forever, his heart heavy and head bursting in pain, to fight a battle as one against the world!
"Ungrateful!" Lara declared before storming off with a badly bruised ego and fallen pride.