Few hours later in April 4, 2014
Charlie rose adamantly, with his aim at the garbling Ben. There seem to be something wrong with Ben Antonio, he kept choking in his drink and now, a trace of blood is seen in the glass. Ben was trying to speak but every effort proved abortive. Charlie just stood before him adamantly with serenity over his face.
Tired of watching Ben garble, Charlie went over Ben Antonio and held his nape delicately, he used the other hand to seize Ben on his throat. Slowly but steadily, Charlie began to apply effort on Ben's neck; strangling him.
Ben Antonio gasped for air, making a little effort to set himself free, but his strangler was firm. He looked up, trying to get a definite view of his murderer; but it seems as if any time he tries to loosen himself, the hand becomes tighter altogether. He therefore slumped back against his chair, glaring around in dismay. The rough hand grasped his throat more tightly, leaving him without air; his vision became erratic as he tried gasping for air. He placed his hands on his strangler's arm, and pushed with all the strength he could gather; however, his hands were weak because the contaminated wine had eaten him deep. He stared into the eyes of the man busy burning with anger; and as he can see, the eyes were nothing like they used to be. They looked down on him, obviously with a jeer and burning with emptiness. The contaminated wine wasn't the only thing that weakened him; shock became the aspect of his fear.
Ben became void as tear trickled down his cheek, the person he trusted was seconds apart from taking his life. The world was crashing before his very eyes, he thought what her adopted daughter will do if she learns that he had been murdered. As he remembered more about his beautiful girl, his lips parted as if he wanted to utter a word, but it was in fact an aspect of his shock. How would she react? He imagined and fixed his distorted gaze back at Charlie. The man seems so strong-minded in taking his life. There was no benefit embedded to taking his life, but to the man; there is. As time goes on, Ben's heart beat slowed down rapidly, suggesting that his life will soon escape him. Ben once again glanced at the man, as if to say 'please,' but the man's heart was made up in taking his life away. Ben's heart that was beating rapidly previously, was now slowing down in pulse. From the onset, when the man started choking him, he knew he had lost the battle which he tried so much to conquer. From where he sat helpless with a strong fist on his neck; he knew he had lost, and had failed Carly, or perhaps his best friend, Patrick Benedict. Ben threw up in a final struggle as light escaped his eye, his vision slowly grew dark and his hands fell to his sides effortlessly as energy escaped him for worst.
As Charlie learns that the man had dropped dead, he stood erect and smirked; trying to get back in steady focus. Charlie moved towards the dead Ben and began to dress him rapidly. As he was dressing him, the memory of how he killed Patrick flashed back into his busy head. Seeing that nobody knows about it, he shook it off and stroked the straight chin of Ben Antonio more like a lad. He chose his seat just opposite to Ben, being a big man, he had learnt how to smoke pipe; so he in short brought out his pipe and flipped it over his mouth without lighting it. Just as he did when he killed Patrick, he peeled off the latex he wore to protect his print from being on the body of his victim.
∆∆∆
A week later
Carly sat expressionlessly on the back veranda; she was deeply immersed by the unexpected death of her father, the only man capable of playing a role of a father and mother altogether. She sat just there, starring into the empty sky and taking no notice of the fluffy clouds. The death of her father, Ben Antonio, had left an empty space in her heart, one which can't be sealed by any human.
As she sat ignoring everything around her, the lost memory of her late father came afresh and her consciousness of the real world eluded. She could see how loving her father was with her when she came back from abroad, how happy...
As she sat, rekindling her thoughts, a queer sensation took over her; making her to shudder all through her body. She slowly came back to reality and beheld Mrs. Pauline, the old lady who was in charge of the family household tasks. Carly gazed at the old lady, and her countenance suggests weakness and hatred. The woman knew what she had been through; she knew that Carly needed safety.
Mrs. Pauline chose her seat very close to Carly, starring into her red swollen face full of tears. They both sat in silence for a while, not that Mrs. Pauline didn't know what to say; but because Carly's grief was too much for her to calm right away.
"-Carly," Mrs. Pauline began. "You can't live this way all your entire life, will you?"
Mrs. Pauline peered into her eyes and it was still like a cloudless sky; red and emotionless. She adjusted close to her and held her close to herself, she had been playing the role of a mother to her ever since she came into the house, and she was indeed a good mother to her. Mrs. Pauline rocked Carly in her arms, making her feel relieved.
"I am now a complete orphan..." Carly said and began to shade hot tears again in the woman's arm. Mrs. Pauline observed her for a while and shook her gently, trying to get her together but it seems impossible.
"You are not my dear...you can't be, perhaps I am still alive and there is no such thing of you becoming an orphan. Remember you are in charge of all the asset of your father, the workers won't love to have a crying girl as a boss; remember..." the old woman said and Carly felt a bit comforted. She sat up and faced the woman squarely, peering straight into her aged eyes. Feeling convinced that the woman was eager to listen to her; she spoke gently, sniffling altogether.
"I know that I am the new boss of my father's asset, but that not my point..." she paused and took her gaze away. "I need him, and I am still empty without him.
Mrs. Pauline seeing where the young lady was driving at chose to wipe off her anxiety.
"Dear, it will be okay...."
"Why are you so sure?"
"I know it will..."
Carly glared at the latter feebly, the woman seems so sure and that just the point; how sure is she. As a young lady that trusts her mother, Carly chose to believe the woman. The woman in fact had been her source of joy ever since she was a baby, and she had respected her for that.
Again, Carly was rattled into reality by the persistent knocking on the door. The knocking seems to be coming from the main door, which was the living room door. She looked at Mrs. Pauline, and she wore her confused expression, they are not expecting any visitor and Carly didn't book any appointment with anybody.
The woman looked at the latter who shrugged in dismay, seeing that the knocking had subsidized, they settled their doubt and became still once more. The woman took Carly by the hand; admiring it without a word but with a bright face. All this she did to comfort the grieving young woman. Carly became lively once more, her bad emotion had changed and she was lost smiling as the old Pauline admired her the more.
This time the doorbell rang out loudly, it seems the intruder is angered of being ignored in the first place. Mrs. Pauline urged Carly to go check the door, but she insisted that she will not go anywhere since she is not having any visitor today. Mrs. Pauline urged her again, trying to convince her that it may be somebody in need of something or so.
With the little strength she had inside of her, she stood up and left the old woman without any more words. She proceeded into the kitchen and entered the dining room which lead her to the living room. She approached the door majestically and held the door knob tight, she did not bother to look at the security mirror on the door; but chose to open the door instantly.
"-Mr. Charlie?"
Carly held the door for the latter to enter; she glared at him as he made his way into the living room. Charlie entered the house expressionless, ignoring the figure that let him in.
"What a shocker," Carly gestured him to sit down comfortably. Mr. Charlie Benedict made heed to what Carly said and sat down on one of the sofa that was made for a single sitter. He admired the well-furnished house, starting from the grey marbled floor to the hazy chandelier; the lustrous fittings and garlands that hung here and there on the fancy smooth wall were eye catching, and Charlie admired all the features in silence. Charlie Benedict was a very rich man; owning to the loot of his brother's asset, but this very house of Ben Antonio caught him breathless, and he had decided that he is taking it too no matter what.
Carly felt weird, she has never spoken with her father's friend before; therefore, she could barely term the surprise visit a pleasurable one.
The young Carly closed the door gently behind her and walked to a seat adjacent to Charlie and settled down. She stared at the man in front of her; he seems tensed and serious altogether.
"What can I offer you, sir?" Carly said and fingered her hair.
"Nothing my dear," Charlie said brusquely and settled his eyes on the young lady, "I am here for other sort of things"
Carly glared at the middle aged Benedict before her and wondered what on earth he was after, she knew that his mood was bad; so she kept a watchful eye on him.
"What sorts of other thing are you talking about? If I may ask," Carly said to the man, but he ignored her.
Carly hated what the man did; ignoring her in her own house, what a rude way to approach a lady. She still suspects something bad within him, and she can't help being alert.
"What about your father's relatives?"
The young woman who didn't know much of her family tree was left in total confusion as she stares into the ceiling trying hard to remember. She was sent away to study and he knew it. When she could not arrive at any conclusion she stared back into Charlie's eyes.
"I have no idea of what you are talking about, sir."
Charlie let out a faint smile and began, choosing his word rudely and without concern.
"After your father's death, it downed on me that no one could help manage his little asset."
Carly glared towards the talking man, trying hard to know which direction he is heading to.
"Good," Charlie said, looking at the latter who sat just opposite him like someone who is having a good time in an amusement park. Carly could notice a little sweat forming on his brow, although the air conditioner was on and chilly.
"Don't you get what I am saying, miss?"
"You haven't said anything worth replying," Carly shot at him.
Charlie knew how to handle the little rascal who is making fun of herself, if he could handle the likes of Patrick, his brother and even Antonio her foster father; what more? He levelled his gaze on her trying to get her upset but she was not the least worried or even scared of him. Charlie took his gaze away and thought perhaps he should poison her to death. Being a secret dealer, he normally carries poison where ever he was going and being a rich man, nobody had suspected him. He looked at Carly and chose to settle the issue with words.
"Have you forgotten the social trend?" Charlie smirked.
"What social trend?" Carly questioned.
"That women have no right over their father's property"
"And who believes in such blasphemy? Mr. Benedict." Her pale face had already turned red, and she started to sniffle again. She could hear her heartbeat accelerating beyond measure.
"I owe you no explanation," Charlie smirked and crossed his right leg against the left.
"This house you're staying in," Charlie glared around the house emphatically. "Has automatically become mine the moment that worthless fellow you call father stopped living, make sure you leave this house in peace as you came in."
Carly felt her heart sinking deep down her belly, what on earth! She comforted herself and chose to speak once more, she had never spoken to her father's friend one on one before, and their first wasn't grand at all; she had seen it. She tried as much as possible to remain cool.
"Like you said sir, that I should leave this house," Carly let out a mild smile. "And go where, if I may ask?"
"Get married or wherever," Charlie rattled.
"Listen to yourself mister," She stood up viciously. "Your close friend lost his life and your way of showing sympathy is to throw his daughter out of his house?"
"Listen young woman," Charlie stood as well. "You aren't his daughter; you are worse than the house help in this house."
"Listen to me mister," she said addressing the surprised Charlie. "Fuck you, and fuck the social trend of a thing! Your pep talk can't scare me, alright, get that into your head."
She walked to the door and flung it open, without looking at the man, she yelled at him tenderly-
"Leave my house!"
Benedict glared at the young woman; she is certainly a tough woman. She is really his niece, but the young woman didn't know of it and the latter wouldn't want her to know of it, less the whole thing will be a mess to him. He needed to get the Antonio's mansion and possibly all his assets, then he will watch the young lady rot in poverty; or perhaps, by the time he is through doing what is in his mind, she might by then join her father in the grave.
His lips curved into a wicked smile. "You're no longer considered a family young woman. You have three months and lest I forget, your father didn't tell you how he became rich? It was based in agreement." With that, he walked out of the door. Carly watched him enter his car, shouted at the security and drove out leaving trails on the hard floor.
In anger she slammed the door and slumped on the chair closest to her. Hearing footsteps, she adjusted and wiped worry off her face.