The sky was blue and cloudless with the sun shining so bright; the landscape was all green and beautiful with giant fruit trees and flowers with pretty colours that towered above the convoy as they drove through the narrow path leading up the hill to the White Mansion. The white lillies and sunflowers danced gracefully as the wind blew gently against them in the bright, sunny day. Birds chirped loudly in the trees and you could see several squirrels and chipmunks running around the trees. The atmosphere was indeed a serene one and a perfect picture of nature at it's finest.
Moses Flinn wind down the window screen of his car as they drove on so he could have a feel of the fresh air in this natural environment free from the noise and air pollution of the city. His father had deliberately bought this land after relocating back to the country from overseas because he wanted to live far away from the noisy and polluted city as much as he could. Although the patriarch of the Flinn family was his old grandfather George Flinn who lived in the old Rivers City, Moses' own father, David Flinn was such a force to reckon with that everyone including his grandfather had to respect his authority. Mr David Flinn had personally described every single detail of the white Mansion while the architect made the drawings. Aside the large living room and dinning hall, industrial kitchen, he wanted ten suites and each of these suites were to have a master's bedroom, a living room, a walk in closet, a luxury bathroom and a study. The architect had wondered how long it would take to erect such a massive structure but David Flinn had insisted that he could only give him five months maximum to complete the project; all he had to do was request for the finance to make it possible.
"I don't care if you have to bring a thousand workmen from the United States, money is not my problem. All I want is for me and my family to be in this building exactly five months from now" Mr Flinn had said.
And within four months, the gigantic mansion painted with white both exterior and interior, was ready for him and his family to move in and he had made sure to erect a five bedroom bungalow to house his gang members to ensure the safety of his family. However, Moses when he was much younger, preferred to live with his grandfather, George each time he was back in the country for the summer holidays. He couldn't stand his father who resented him and his evil stepmother and her daughter.
In no time, they were up the hill at the white Mansion and the cars came to a halt; he stepped out of the car and stretched himself a little because he had been sitting for quite a long time. Just as he was doing this, he sighted charlotte his step mother standing at the balcony, looking down at him with contempt. She turned around and walked into the building while he adjusted his suit and walked into the house with a smirk on his face. There was no doubt in him that the woman hated him a lot and for years, he had given her the regard for being his father's wife but after being away from the mansion for so long, he wouldn't think twice if the need arises to put her in her place this time.
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"To what do we owe this August visit? Sometimes I even forget you are someone who's a part of this family." Charlotte began with the usual contempt on her face.
Moses turned to look at her from her face to her feet and back to her face, "You know apart from the nice clothes on you, and that strong perfume of yours that makes it so hard for me to breathe right now, I wouldn't have been able to recognize you because that look that has lasted decades on your face has made grow old really fast. You should smile often so you don't grow older than my father who's twenty years older than you" He said.
"Don't you dare talk to my mom that way" Selena retorted coming down the stairs. Moses turned to her and smirked again
"Oh! it's the little she-devil.... Hello kiddo! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt your elders?" and then he turned to Charlotte and said
"As for that question you asked, I am still my father's son and as long as I have a chamber in this mansion, don't you ever ask me a question like that. Ever! I'm sure you'll inform my dad that I am around whenever he returns. Thank you" and then he walked up the stairs to his suite.
"Urrrggh... I hate this boy with passion. What has he come to do now? If only I had a son, I would have made sure I get rid of him" Charlotte thought in her heart as she poured herself some wine from the mini bar. Selena walked up to her mother and took the glass of wine from her.
"Your doctor and your therapist both said no more alcohol for you, so why are you trying to go against their instructions? but Charlotte was having none of it so she tried to get the bottle of wine but Selena snatched it from the shelf before she did. Soon, both mother and daughter were in a tussle as Charlotte was bent on having her bottle of wine back. "Let me have that right now!" she shouted.
"No you can't and I am going to make sure I get rid of every bottle of wine or whiskey in this house. You can't keep embarrassing me and dad with your bad drinking habit" Selena insisted.
Moses heard the chaos from his chambers and came out and stood by the railing upstairs, seeing the two in a tangle as Charlotte struggled to get her hand on the wine bottle, he shook his head and went back in. "Bloody drunk" he cursed under his breath.
"If only the old man had not invited me over, nothing would ever bring me here" he said as he closed the door behind him.
By the time Selena realized that her mother was not going to let go of her, she resolved to let go of the bottle, and she did let go of the bottle.
"Kpaaaarrrrr...." the loud noise of the bottle smashing on the tiled floor echoed through the empty hall. Charlotte gasped in both shock and anger seeing her very expensive newly acquired bottle of wine in pieces and it's content flowing on the floor.
"Oh hell naahh... you didn't just do that. I'm surely going to forget about the fact that I birthed you and I will kill you with my own hand you demon" Her face was red with rage as she bent to pick up a broken piece of glass on the ground. Selena seeing what her mother had become took to her heels knowing fully well what her mother was capable of her anger.