Even the goosebumps couldn't withstand the hard truth.
Prior to the release of Lilian. Mrs Landon took it upon herself to visit her past. In the past, she dreaded every being. This was the only choice she had to save him. Her last hope in this life.
As she walked into his house, her heart thud faster, cold chills embraced her like a cloth. Her pale face was visible as she ushered in by the butler, who was astonished to see her. It has been a long time, he saw her.
"Susan?" He called surprisingly.
"Matthew." She responded with a faint smile.
"Come in. He has been waiting for you." He told her and ushered in. Immediately she stepped in , the nostalgia hit her heavily and all the traumatizing and painful memories visited her like it had been waiting for her. She lost her balance for a few seconds but Matthew was kind enough to support her upstairs to meet him.
Mrs Landon hesitated and stood by the door. She hated these feelings overwhelming her. A part of her wanted to turn back but she had to make things right. Then, she knocked once as usual and entered her past.
The room was dark except for the lamp light on the desk in his study room. The familiar air went into her nostrils and that night went flashing in her eyes. She shivered from the sight, trembling heavily. Her hands couldn't stop shaking.
His voice brought her back and this time, it wasn't cold and loud. It was much calmer mixed with the hint of regret.
"Susan, is that you?" He asked from the dark.
"Yes, Martins. In bone and flesh." She replied, trying to sound bolder. He chuckled deeply and took a big cigar. He lit it up and puffed the smoke in the air. In no time, the room reeked of cigars and Mrs Landon was familiar with the smell.
"What can I do for you?" He asked dryly.
"This is about your son." Mrs Landon said with empathy. Her voice quaking, she tried to be strong but she saw herself giving in to the tears inside her.
"It is already too late. The doctor said he won't make it. It is such a pain that he will die much earlier than me." He replied to her with no hint of emotions but deep down, he was pained.
"How can you say that? How can you say to your son, Our son!!! When he is not dead." She yelled at him. She dropped the bombshell that made her goosebumps fade away.
Martins looked at her. He had never seen her react that way. She has always been obedient and submissive to him. All he could see in her eyes were hate for him, regrets, anger and sadness.
"You have to let go of him just as I have. He is my son also but there is nothing in power to do for him." He barked at her but only got a hard scoff from her.
"You evil wretched beast who enjoys himself from other people's pain. I remember the night you took advantage of me and raped me right here in this room. I wanted to kill you all these years but I had to give my child a father figure at least but I was wrong . I left my child in a monster's care. He longed for love but I wasn't there to give him that directly because you promised to protect him and give him your name. Only if i leave but somehow i found myself here when i lost my own family in that accident. Lucas is the only thing I have in this world and I am about to lose him too." Mrs Landon wept in anger, silencing him with her hidden voice, the strength and willpower to speak.
"But I did fulfill my promise. I did my best as his father." He tried to defend but got a hot resounding slap from her and the cigar in his hand fell to the ground. Luckingly, it went off in the fall.
He couldn't believe that she slapped him. No woman had ever raised his hands on him and he was pissed but the looks in her eyes made him reconsider his actions.
"This is what you are going to do. The person behind Lucas's illness is your brat daughter. We just found out that she has been poisoning him for a while now…" Mrs Landon tried to explain but he interrupted when he heard the truth from her.
"What?" He said surprisingly. He knew that Fiona was up to no good but not the extent of harming his brother then he remembered the threat some weeks ago.
"Yes. There is evidence but not constructive yet. She has Lucas' wife in the police cell and I know it would be a matter of time before she gets rid of her. I want her released and the bastard who poisoned my SON must be found immediately. This is not a plea but an order." She commanded in a deep tone.
"What if I don't ?" He asked plainly and another slap landed on his cheek again, he wanted to retaliate but Mrs Landon showed him a USB drive in her hand .
"This is something that I have been accumulating all these years." She threatened .
"What is that?" He asked with curiosity.
"These are all your atrocities you have committed for the past years. From smuggling of illegal armed ammunition to laundering. Name them and they are here." She flung around in the air. His eyes was glued to the USB drive on her hands. She could be lying but her tone says otherwise.
"You are lying. You are just bluffing. Leave." He ordered nervously.
"Do you think I have anything to lose? I am about to lose everything and you think I am bluffing?" She asked in a sarcastical tone.
"What do you want?" Martins asked when he saw her seriousness.
"Then do as you have been told. Just one call can resolve this." She whispered to him, smirking devilishly.
Mrs Landon breathed in relief when she stepped out from his house. She entered the call which took her to the hospital. She went to the ICU and was opportuned to see him. She couldn't even touch him . All she did was cry and beg for his mercy.
Lilian ran out of the police station like a mad person. Even Mrs Landon couldn't keep up with her. They both drove to the hospital but Lilian was not allowed into the ICU because of her condition. This broke her heart. She was just allowed to watch through the glass window, hoping if she could touch his hands.
Fiona King got a call from the police station and her countenance changed immediately. She threw the phone to the wall which cracked and got spoiled.
She flared up and almost destroyed her office, throwing the things on her desk all at once to the ground. Her secretary ran in worryingly but got shouted out to leave the office. She scurried out in fear.
Later that day, Lilian was allowed to see him briefly. She sat beside him and softly caressed his hands. Every touch made her quiver but she had promised not to cry in front of him.
The realization that she might not see him again haunts her greatly. She began to have hope that he would survive this again.
" You don't like it when you are being pitied but do you know that you are a fighter? A resilient man, a conqueror. Someone who believes in second chances. You promised that you are going to travel around the world. Despite your condition. You were going to break the first record. I believe in you, Lucas. You are my shining light, My friend and I missed you. I missed you with every life in my body. I want you to come back to me. I love you, Lucas King. I love you so much and I am sorry that it took me a long time to tell you." Lilian told him ,sobbing quietly. She couldn't fight back the tears.
All she could get back was the silence and the normal beeps from the bedside monitor. No remarks, no sweet words of encouragement or his funny smile. Just his labored breathing through the oxygen mask.
A call was placed to Fiona King and it was Dean who called through a pay phone. She picked immediately and his panicked voice rented her ears.
"You snitch! The police are after me."
"What? What police?" She demanded confusedly.
"I am supposed to tell you that. They were after me but I managed to escape. I need a boat ticket for china. I have a dealer but I need some cash. Or else I will expose you and bring out the evidence. Meet me by 10pm at the old warehouse , you know where right? with 15 thousand dollars." He yelled at her and hung up. Dean wore his black cap and walked out of the stand before he was noticed. His pictures were everywhere in the city.
Martin king has used his powers to bring him out from his hiding place. No one hurts his family and goes scott free.
Fiona King was quick enough to flee her office when she got a call from her spy in the police station.She knew they were coming for her. They were evidence. It seems Jane has good evidence connecting Dean to Fiona. The police used it as an opportunity to place a warrant to arrest her.
This led them to investigate her business and politics to find odd things about her and this was enough to put her in jail.
The king's Group was in an uproar. Many investors pulled out their shares from the company and in seconds, they went bankrupt. A big blow to the King's Group. It was a black friday for the King's family.
Fiona King lost everything that day. She had to succumb to the next available option and that is to sneak out from the country.
She had to drive there by herself with the money enough for the both of them. Dean appeared immediately and entered the car. They didn't waste time and drove to the seaport.
Just as they were about to board, The police surrounded them and caught them in the act. The fear and shock in their eyes couldn't be overemphasised. Dean felt cornered but he wasn't ready to give up. He used the opportunity to flee but got shot on his leg.
He fell to the ground, groaning in pain and bleeding profusely. Some of the policemen ran to him and pinned him down. Both were handcuffed and were forced to enter the van. They were taken to the police station.
Lilian dozed off by his side. She was exhausted and hadn't left his side till she came to the hospital. She wanted to be by his side even in his last moments. A part of her hoped he would open his eyes and called her name.
Just then, Lucas stirred vigorously. He was having seizures and this jolted her up. The sight made her scream, pressing the blue button on the wall. In no seconds, the doctors and nurses arrived and she was sent outside.
They started to stabilize him and the dreadful thing is that she watched them from the window but couldn't do anything to save him. Mrs Landon ran to her as she heard the alarm and when she got there, the horrendous sight made her whimper. All breath left her when they started to do CPR on him. He wasn't responding and they had to use the defibrillator to help kick start his heart which was already failing but they did their best to stabilize him and the static lines on the monitor went flat.
"My son." She said, sobbing heavily. Lilian went to her side to hold her. All they could do was pray for a miracle.