"How are you feeling now?"
Margaret settled at the side of the bed, worry written on her face.
"I'll be good if I can have some sleep. My eyes are itchy." Joel said, yawning.
"Did you study all night?" Madam Leo asked, scanning the room. Her gaze fell on a suitcase, stationed after another.
Joel sat immediately as a question sprang to his mind.
"Joel? Why are those suitcases out?" She asked with a surprised tone.
"Dad asked me too. I don't know, but it seems like he wants me to study abroad."
Joel said what he knew, keeping his question in mind.
He sat even closer to her.
She took a deep breath and hugged him.
"I love you, son." She withdrew from the embrace and kissed his forehead.
"Grandma, I have always wanted to ask," Joel pouted, looking at his grandmother sadly.
"What is bothering you? Tell me." She forced a smile, patting his head.
"Who is my mother?" He paused and recoiled.
Madam Leo almost flinched, not expecting such a question.
"I just want to meet my mother. I always feel jealous when I see children with their mother, but I'm sure mine is not dead."
Madam Leo was not yet satisfied with the fact that her grandchild came from a maid, but not just a maid, but an illiterate orphan. And here her son, always mad at her.
She wasn't sure of what she was supposed to say; she took a deep breath, looking at Joel's innocent eyes.
"Your mother?" She patted his head.
"She hates you, she hates your dad, and also she hates me." Madam Leo said, not regretting the impact it could make.
Joel had been beaming, shut into tears. It slipped down his lashes.
"Why does she hate everyone?" He asked.
"She can't just hate for no reason. Tell me, Grandma…" he sub, wondering why the person he had wanted to meet already hated him.
"Joel, you need to calm down. We can talk when you feel better. Okay."
She stood, adjusting his bedsheet.
"That's not true, my mum loves me." He cried, burying his face in his blanket.
Madam Leo spun to calm him, but saw Margaret's eye beaming through Joel's.
She hurried away in disgust. She shut the door, swinging her arm.
"That's what you need to know, my darling."
She stumbled on Michael, who had watched her leave the room.
He had always warned his father to make his wife stop visiting Joel, but Madam Leo was just too stubborn to listen.
"Mrs. Leo, stay away from what is mine. This is my last warning; next, you won't perceive his shadow." He walked past her.
Madam Leo's face turned fully disgusted.
"And you forgot, I carried you in my womb for nine months," she spun to face him.
"I bore you out of pain, and here you are replacing me with an illiterate slut orphan who doesn't love you and can never. I'm your mother, and I know what is best for you."
It had been a long time since they quarrelled.
"And you forgot you ruined the life you brought to earth."
Unknown to them, Joel was listening behind his door.
"You're the curse of everything!" He didn't want to get more annoyed.
Madam Leo smirked, folding her arms.
"What do you mean? Did I approve you and that slut? Did I? Tell me?" She shouted.
Michael was trying hard not to lose his temper, because he could say things that the maids could hear and gossip about.
"You drugged me, didn't you?" Michael said harshly in pain. He turned calmly, remembering Margaret's tears when they separated after the birth of his children.
"You're my mother, tell me? What kind of mother would force his son against his will and even go an extra mile?"
"You hate your family. What you are only after is what suits your eyes."
"Don't call my son your grandchild; after all, you never accepted Margaret. You are evil!"
Michael opened his son's room and found Joel sitting beside his bed.
Tears streamed down his cheek. It was his first time hearing such a heated argument. His grandfather always takes him away during any quarrels like this.
"Have you packed up?" Michael knew he already heard everything.
"Why? Dad, why?" Joel cried, holding his pajamas.
"We will talk about that later. Stand up!" he almost shouted.
Joel stirred up on his feet, trembling; his trauma was visibly crawling out of his eyes.
"Joel? Joel?" Michael called out as his son slumbered.
Michael caught him, luckily.
Behind him stood Lord Leo.
Anger was visibly emanating from his gaze.