Chereads / The Escape of Stigma / Chapter 21 - Chapter 18

Chapter 21 - Chapter 18

"Without You, Can Life really Make sense?"

Dave was sitting down in his office when he heard a knock. He frowned because he had told his secretary not to allow anyone disturb him. 

"Come in" he said 

"Dave what is going on with you?" Edward his father said storming into his office.

Dave glanced at his father and sighed. He has been avoiding the old man and his talks about getting married for months now.

"Good afternoon, dad. What brings you to my office?" Dave asked nonchalantly.

" Seriously? Is that how you welcome your father now" Edward asked cleared offended.

'Please, dad, I have some much on my head right now and I really appreciate if you give me the space I need" Dave said irritated.

" See young man, I have given you enough face and space. Or you think I haven't heard that you are still looking for that Deborah of a girl. And you are avoiding going out with Stephanie because of a woman pregnant with another man's child?' Edward asked

"Dad can you please stop! Is it a crime to be your son? Can't I get to choose how I do my things or the people I have to be with. I don't and will not like that Stephanie. She isn't my type of woman. " Dave stubbornly rejected.

Edward tapped his walking stick on the floor a few times and laughed like he heard a joke.

"Are you still talking about your type in a woman? See let me tell you, Stephanie is the best candidate to be your wife. She is smart, educated with numerous certificates to show for it, she is kind and a philanthropist, a woman with a big heart and she is gorgeous. The type you young men call 'a full option'. How do you want to miss such woman? Do yutu know how many men are falling on her knees to make her look at them? And, most importantly, her father is the Special Advisor of the governor of this state. That's is like a flight ticket to awarding many of the contracts you have in hand." Edward explained

Dave looked at his father and sneered.

"Dad let me ask you. Did you marry mom out of marriage arrangements or out of love?" Dave asked.

" Don't be ridiculous son! Yes , I married your mother because I loved her. I defiled the marriage arranged by my parents for me. But later in life I realized I was wrong. If I had married Matilda then and my family was able to collaborate with her family. By now, The Bensons wouldn't be just where it is today. We could have go all over this country and beyond. And most importantly, I could have married your mother as a second wife or better still kept her as a mistress...."

" Enough Dad!" Dave couldn't take was coming out of the man he called father all his life. He realized that he father has become more and more selfish over the years.

"Have you forgotten the contributions mother made for the growth of this company? Yes she wasn't from a rich family but she gave her time, her sweat and her life so that this company grew to where it was today? How could you, stand there and ignore her efforts just because of selfish gains" Dave spat in rage. He was so angry at his father. Everything they had now was as the results of the sacrifice his mother made. His father wasn't educated in business field but Ruth (his mother) was an icon. She knew her ways in bargaining or bidding for a contract. She was an icon in the business world but most Importantly, she was a loving mother. Despite how busy she was with work, she always had time for him. Even more than his father who was just a medical personnel then. Yes, The Bensons were his father's inheritance but his mother was the CEO of the company. Within a short while, she convinced her father's family that she was the right woman to be Edward's wife. At a point, his grandfather was more interested in what his mother would say that what his son, Edward, said. Who wouldn't love her? A woman who brought The Bensons from being the no 40 to top 10 Digital company in Bonerun? 

But this was also the reason she was killed and murdered in cold blood. The rivalry companies thought, she was the only suitable heir The Bensons had. They plotted and planned an auto crash. His mother, as if she knew her death was close, started engaging him in the company's affairs as soon as he returned from aborad. She was grooming him all these while for this role because she knew her husband wasn't capable to do it. Even in her death, she made sure The Bensons had a suitable and capable hands to over see it to the next generation. His grandfather still mourns her death till he passed on last year. 

After witnessing what happened to his mother, Dave came to realized that the business world was a dangerous ground. It wasn't as hot as politics but it has its own politics. You have to pay you game and also stay ahead of your competitors. Dave saw how chaotic the business world was, and he vowed never to get his wife involved in it. He would never have a woman who is so exposed to the business with like Stephanie. He wanted a home outside this chaos. A woman who will be his peace and home. That was the homely feeling he had with Deborah. She was home and peace to him.

"Dave" Edward called back his son from his world of thoughts. He had a worried look on his face.

"Are you sure you are okay? You have been lost in your own world for a minute" Edward said.

" I am fine Dad. I just need you to let me be for a while" Dave said sitting back on his swivel chair.

"You need a companion Dave and Stephanie will be all that and more. I am a man and I understand how you feel. You need to relieve your stress" Richard keep battering.

Dave pick up the telecom " Yes, James, can you come to my office right now? Yes..., I need you to come walk my father to his car....Yeah.... Thank you. " Dave said cutting the line.

" Are you asking me out, son?" Edward asked in an alpha tone.

" Dad, remember I am also a Benson, so that aphla tone doesn't affect me" Dave said 

James walked into the office with a body guard.

"Good day, Mr Benson, I will walk you to your car now" James said politely.

Edward gritted his teeth and hit the body guard next to him." What did I tell you about letting anyone one enter into this office while I was with him? "

The bodyguard groaned " I am sorry boss, I am alone I can't beat them"

" Useless things! Totally useless!" Edwardsaid making his way out of the office.

Dave made an eye signal with James, telling him to take care of his father. James bowed and left.

Dave took a deep breath and sighed. 

"Where are you Deborah? I am running out of time! I want to make amends, please" Dave buried his face in his palms and sobbed.