"By home you mean?" the young lady asked with confusion clearly etched on her face.
"This man says I am probably related to someone and we are about to find out if I truly am," Kevin wanted to keep the information he was letting out minimal. This was not because he did not trust Eden. But because he needed to be sure where the whole situation was headed.
"So, how did he find you?" She asked, simply worried.
"Hmm…the truth is Eden, this entire thing confuses me too but I guess I would have to unravel it before I can describe it."
Eden was still looking lost and thoughtful.
"Well, if you are convinced about your safety with this man, please go ahead. I am just worried that I have never seen this man before."
Her face showed that she truly was worried because her burrows were creased with tension.
"I truly appreciate all that you have done for me, Eden. I will never forget it."
She nodded gently and gave his palm a gentle, friendly squeeze.
"We gotta run now," Jack insisted, "we have got an early plane to catch."
The doctor and nurses available got Kevin cleaned up and did the final checks on him.
"He should be able to stand in a few hours. We don't want him meeting his family for the first time with a wheelchair," Dem Taylor said.
"Oh great! I was going to ask but I just let it slide."
Jack Smith was more excited about taking home than Kevin himself was.
Once they were in the vehicle, Kevin turned to Jack, with curiosity evident in his gaze. "So are you saying now that it has been proven that Mr. Charles Montgomery is truly my father?"
"Well, let's say that my hunch tells me you are and I am about to prove it."
"What if it doesn't work?" Kevin has fear in his eyes. It seemed too good to be real.
Anxiety toyed with his heart as it kept panting over and over again.
He knew that the moment Jack could prove it, his life would change and things would become different and that if it didn't work, he would be back into the streets, living in penury.
The thoughts of that caused him to feel jittery all over him. He had already begun envisioning the perfect life of a billionaire son.
"I hope whatever plans this is truly works out because if not, I am done for" Kevin mused feeling heavily anxious.
He had lots of questions and could not wait to ask them.
He wanted a lot of clarification about a lot of things. Curiosity piqued him and he could not hold it down.
"I have questions, Mr. Jack."
Jack, who was driving and trying to keep his eyes on the road, turned to him.
"Please go ahead."
"If you say, Mr. Charles was my father, why was I not in his life?"
Jack heaved a sigh. He knew the young man would ask. Well, anyone in his shoes would.
"Well, the truth is, the way you were born was a little illegitimate."
Kevin's eyes widened with shock.
"What do you mean? That I was a product of an illicit affair?"
"Exactly! You are. Mr. Charles married Elizabeth, whom you will meet today. That marriage was fruitless as they could not bear children. Charles met some lady, your mother and they had sex and she had you. Now, he could not tell Elizabeth this but somehow, the woman found out and sent you and your mother out of their lives."
Jack left out a tiny detail and was not willing to mention it yet.
Kevin felt like his life had just played out before him.
"This woman you speak of, is she still alive?" Kevin asked , looking intently at Jack.
"Elizabeth is currently running the empire but she is terrible at the job. Charles died about a year ago and between then and now, the company is having a nose dive, financially. Also, his entire extended family are having squabbles over an inheritance that's not even theirs. I need to put them all in their place."
Kevin shook his head and took a deep breath. He was scared.
"What if she refuses to accept me supposing it is proven?"
Jack's lips curled into a proud smile.
"There won't be any room for that. You know why? Because the methods of proving it would nullify it."
"And this method you speak so highly of, you trust it? Is it DNA?"
Kevin was stricken by his numbing anxiety and could not keep it hidden or tamed.
"DNA can be questioned but this cannot. It is a direct proof that you both match. We already have DNA to back this up. I had Doctor Taylor conduct one."
Kevin was stunned to hear that. He couldn't imagine that his hair had been taken and he had no idea.
"Well, I guess all I have to do is to keep my fingers crossed till I get there."
Jack nodded. Whilst Kevin battled with anxiety, Jack was heavily excited.
The two men each had their interests.
"So, if I am truly a Montgomery, what role would you play in my life? Because I don't know anyone else and I would love to have you close."
"Oh sure. I ain't leaving you. I was your father's lawyer and I will become your lawyer. You can always count on me."
Those words erupted some level of calm within Kevin and he nodded gently and decided to remain calm for the rest of the ride.
After what seemed like forever, Jack drove into a very gigantic mansion, the biggest and most exotic that Kevin has ever seen.
"Wow…" he exclaimed beneath his voice, trying to keep his admiration away from Jack's sight.
Jack patted his shoulder gently.
"Just stick with me. You will be fine."
Hsi voice was filled with hope and soon, the fear that lingered in Kevin began fading away gently but the anxiety did not.
It was so foreign to him. The idea of family was something he never imagined he could have.
Once he got down from the car, Jack held his arm, "I would like to know if you could probably walk. Come on, let's try."
He was eager to help Kevin start walking but Kevin tried and it hurt his back terribly.
"I can't…" he groaned loudly in pain.
"It's okay. We can use the wheel chair."
He transferred him onto the wheel chair and wheeled him into the house.
"Are you ready to meet them?" He asked when they were right in front of the door.
Kevin let out a long breath, "I guess," he mumbled and Jack knocked gently on the door.
The maid let them in and she was gazing at them with confusion in her eyes.
"Is everyone home?"
"Yes Mr .Jack. I relayed your message to Madame Elizabeth about an emergency."
"Good," Jack replied curtly and wheeled Kevin into the big house. Kevin was awed by the interior but tried to act like he was not.
Not long after they came in, a tall, robust lady walked into the living room. Her gaze was fiery and unfriendly.
"Jack Smith…" she called out with a drudgy voice, staring at Kevin with shock. "Who is this you have brought into my home?"
A young woman walked in too. She looked a bit like Kevin but was slightly taller. She was Victoria Montgomery, Charles's niece.
Kevin's gaze darted from Elizabeth to Victoria and then settled on Jack who was the one to explain the awkward situation he found himself in.
"Well, I understand that this must be a shock to you all and you're wondering who this is. His name is Kevin Smith and I am here to prove that he is Charles Montgomery's son and heir to the empire."
"Joker!" Elizabeth yelled, her eyes turning red with fury.
"That must be Elizabeth" a panicked Kevin thought to himself.
"Charles and I had no kids! This man is an impostor and you are conniving with him to steal what is mine."
"What is ours, Aunty?" Victoria asked a rhetorical question. "Mr. Smith, where did you pick this joke up?" She snarled at Kevin. "From the slums? Because he smells awful and looks like a hot mess."
She gave Kevin a condescending look and Kevin lowered his head in shame, chewing on his lower lip.
"From frying pan to fire," he pondered. It seemed like he was only destined to be an object of mockery.
"Well, what if I have proof?" Jack asked, ignoring their scowling words.
"Whatever proof you have is totally baseless!" Elizabeth continued. "I have always known you were not to be trusted and now, I have my confirmation."
"Elizabeth, why not listen before you can make a final judgement on the lawyer?" A frail woman's voice was heard from the corridors. She was Charles' mother and never liked nor accepted Elizabeth. She thought her to be a conniving woman.
The elderly woman walked into the living room with slow steps and sat on a chair beside Jack, gazing at Kevin with scrutiny.
"Who did you say he is?" She asked Jack.
"He is your grandson, Mrs Alice. I just need to be given a chance to prove that."
Elizabeth and Victoria exchanged glances.
"Do whatever you please but I am certain it is all a hoax."
"How about we find out for ourselves?" Jack asked, a confident smile appearing on his lips while Kevin's heart pounded away with panic.