“The ride is thirty bucks.”

Vince dipped his hand into his pocket to retrieve his Gucci wallet. The only pricy thing he had left of his belongings before his arrest. He retrieved his hand and a confused expression laced his haughty face.

“It was just here, I was certain I had it on me.” He soliloquized.

“Is there any problem?”

“I couldn’t find my wallet, I must have lost it on my way.”

The cab driver turned around and faced Vince. Anger shone in his face as he banged his hand on the steering wheel. He looked at Vince with disgust written all over his countenance.

“Get out of my car, loser!”

Vince obeyed and alighted, the driver slammed the door and zoomed off in rage. This was the second time he was called a loser that very morning. First it was the rude woman from the bank and now this cab driver. He reluctantly walked away accepting his ill luck.

It all didn’t seem to matter at all, not even the few bucks in his missing wallet but clearing up the misunderstanding he had with his direct supervisor, Bernard Harris before he was escorted out of the court trial.

He walked down slowly to the front porch of the fancy house and pressed the doorbell. He flung his small bag over his shoulder, the only possession he brought out of prison. A year had passed by since he was convicted but none of his colleagues at Peak law firm visited him at all.

The door suddenly drifted apart exposing the fancy flower pot by the building. He walked past it ignoring its beauty. His only attention rested on the man in blue shorts wetting the rest of the garden.

“You made quite a quick return, Vince Finn.”

“Mr Bernard, I am….”

The word died in Vince’s throat as a figure walked out of the house. A tall woman with an oblong face and long silky hair just as he remembered it. His wife, Amber. She was in red panties and an oversized white masculine shirt.

“Ben, I heard voices and…” she stopped halfway and stared at Vince, amazed . Her initial shocked expression was replaced with disgust. She exchanged knowing looks with Bernard who wore an expressionless gaze.

“Amber!” Vince exclaimed as harsh reality washed on him. She eyed him maliciously confirming his suspicions but yet, Vince couldn’t bring himself to accept that Amber was cheating on him with their direct supervisor Bernard Harris.

The very man that pleaded on her behalf that he takes the fall for her!

A year earlier, Vince had a satisfactory life, a booming career, he just got recruited at Peak law firm alongside his wife Amber Reed. They had both started off very well until Amber got entangled in a bribery case.

She was meant to serve a jail term if found guilty. Everyone begged Vince to take the fall for her as she was carrying his child. A year later, he returned suddenly, she didn’t have his child and was cheating on her with their boss.

“Am I overthinking things?” Vince said in disbelief.

“Oh darling, you are not. Everything is exactly as you see.” Amber said nonchalantly. She walked up to Bernard and planted a soft kiss on his lip.

Vince watched in amazement, flashes of the past surfaced in his mind. The very day he responded to Amber’s love letter in highschool, their first date, how he proposed to her, the day they both graduated from law school and the last day he saw her in the courtroom after he was convicted.

“How dare you Amber!”

Amber scoffed loudly calling his rage a bluff “Don’t tell me you feel wronged Vince, after all it was your choice to end up in prison.”

“What!” Vince staggered backward as the shock of her words hit her.

“I couldn’t imagine having a child for a lowlife whose career is doomed for life, I did the little one a favor by taking it out when I had the chance.”

“You aborted our child!”

Vince rubbed his eyes to be certain he wasn’t hallucinating. He looked up at Bernard who stood there with a silly expression on his daunting face.

“Gullibility should be a crime, you know.”

“Bernard, you know we can actually add that to the rule of law.”

They both laughed mockingly while Vince watched, speechless. Within a year of his absence, he had become an object of ridicule but the only person that should make a better judgment was Maria, Amber’s mother.

Vince turned away instantly, he desperately hid the tear that threatened to drop from his face. With every step he took towards the exit, he could only remember one thing, Amber’s pleading face from a year ago.

He was stranded out there as he had lost his wallet which contained his savings for the past year. He took menial jobs in prison to prepare for his release.

Now that he was fortunate to be released before the expected time, he planned to rewrite his story but he didn’t see Amber’s betrayal coming, despite her abandoning him in prison.

Amber was right, he was really gullible, Vince thought miserably.

He was lucky his mother-in-law’s house was of a trekkable distance from Bernard Harris’s.

He felt weakness in his knees but he carried on, a surge of hope arose in him. He was good to Maria in the past, so she must have been angry at her daughter for cheating on him.

He came to a stop in front of the house, the familiar short brown gate stood tall just as he remembered it. He took another look at his wrinkled shirt and slightly peeled shoes but he shrugged his shoulders.

This was all he had now.

Vince made for the huge tree by the doorway. As usual, the gate key was hidden behind it. He retrieved it and opened the gate. But the next second, he was drenched in water, a foul smelling one.

“How dare you trespass on my private property?” Maria shouted loudly.

Vince felt a chilling sensation down his spine, he shuddered as he felt goosebumps through the pores on his skin.

He stood there with his jaw open, fearing he had walked into a different place from where he had frequented in the past, his mother-in-law’s house.

“I….it is Vince.”

Maria laughed hysterically “so I was told, an ex-convict that feels himself worthy of my daughter.”

“Worthy! I went to jail for your daughter!” He shouted angrily, getting over the shock that plagued him earlier.

“Your crime landed you in jail boy, get out of my house.” Maria said, pointing towards the exit door.

Vince’s phone chimed and he brought it out of his pocket, his gaze still intent on Maria whose behavior still amazed him. He clicked open the email notification he had and there it was, his most dreaded outcome.

A divorce letter from Amber, his wife.

And there was another.

A response for an email he sent to Peak law firm the previous week, the company where he worked in the past.

The same company that abandoned him totally in jail!

Vince retreated without another word. The trauma he suffered that day replayed several times over in his mind. He trotted out of the gate just before Maria, his mother-in-law, banged it harshly.

He bent slowly and squatted down. He tried to make sense of his ordeal but couldn’t figure out exactly where he went wrong. He opened his mailbox again and reread both emails. Both contained bad news, the exact opposite of what he had hoped for.

“The company cannot go down for this, Vince. Amber has to take the fall for her crimes.” His supervisor’s words from a year ago rang in his ears.

He had sought help when Amber got into trouble, but the Peak Law Firm higher-ups ignored his plea and abandoned him when he took the fall. And now, they mailed him to return to the company, demoted, as a desk worker.

He got up on his feet as he thought through his next action. What other bad news was there to hear aside from all these? He headed toward Ice Cube Bar, a small mobile café owned by his close friend. The only guest that he had twice during his one-year jail term.

His friend had denied knowing Amber’s whereabouts after his rent expired and his luggage was confiscated by the authorities.

Vince knew he had no other choice but to trek his way over there. His stomach grumbled, but he ignored it. Kelvin would give him food at least. He took more steps when he suspected a red Rolls Royce was tailing him.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest. He quickened his pace, hoping desperately the car wouldn’t meet up with him. Being kidnapped on top of his mountainous problems would be disastrous. The driver, as if sensing his suspicion, sped up the car until it was directly beside Vince.

The backseat window lowered, and a voice called out to him.

“You can’t avoid me forever, Vince.”

Vince closed his eyes as realization dawned on him. He knew that voice. She had visited him several times in prison, but he kept rejecting her visits after the first time. Vince didn’t respond. He kept walking on, pretending to suffer from an ear defect.

“I know everything that happened to you. I tried to talk to you about that, but you wouldn’t let me see you.”

She knew.

Vince turned around slowly, and his eyes met with a pair of wrinkled ones. The older woman had grey hair, and her wrinkled skin shone brightly. She had red lipstick on and a large bun that sat classy on her head, giving her a refined look.

The only thing out of place on her body was the pitiful look in her eyes. That was exactly what deterred Vince the most. He didn’t want to be pitied—not by the likes of her.

He turned forward and ignored her completely. The car zoomed off, leaving him to himself. He got to the usual site, to his relief.

Kelvin’s mobile truck stood tall, and his friend had also improved his service. He had a few chairs and tables to complement the truck, so now customers did not have to solely buy takeout.

He took a seat at the only empty table space. In the short space of one year, Kelvin had improved his business, while Vince had soiled his own career. The older woman was right. He was pathetic and pitiful.

He focused his attention on his phone, rereading the divorce papers’ terms. Everything was exactly as it was supposed to be. He had spent a whole night cramming the rule of law, so he knew what penalties awaited him if he breached them.

He heard two chairs being drawn beside him and looked up. His eyes met a hefty man’s. Beside him was the older woman from earlier. They both sat down and ignored him while they waited for their orders to be taken.

Vince scoffed loudly and focused on his phone. The food truck’s back door opened, and Kelvin walked out of it. His eyes met Vince’s, and he rushed toward him. They pulled each other into a tight embrace and exchanged pleasantries.

For the first time that day, Vince felt a little relieved. There was still a friendly reaction from someone he knew. Kelvin apologized for neglecting him, but Vince brushed it off. He sat down hoping to hold a longer conversation with him.

“I need someone to take our orders,” the older woman said coldly.

Kelvin got up on his feet to attend to her. His two part-time staff were busy attending to other customers. He took a step forward, but Vince pulled him back toward the chair.

“Sit, Kelvin. Ignore her,” he said with an eye roll.

Kelvin wore a confused expression, but he reluctantly sat while the older woman and Vince glared at each other. Thankfully, one of the part-timers walked up to their table and took their order.

Vince felt too embarrassed to request food as the older woman’s gaze remained fixated on him. She had shown up when he was in prison with some kind of crazy story. Acknowledging his defeat in front of her would make him look like a total loser. That he could not afford.

“You look terrible, Vince.”

“I know.”

“I am sorry about… your baby and Amber,” Kelvin said gently.

Vince was surprised. “You knew?”

“I did, but I couldn’t tell you. I was afraid it would break you, and I couldn’t face you, hence I stayed away. I am sorry.”

Vince was quiet. Everything replayed in his mind. The older woman’s phone rang, and she picked it up. She listened attentively before dropping the call. She exchanged a knowing expression with her bodyguard, whose countenance remained stoic.

She turned to face Vince and Kelvin. A tear dropped from her eyes.

“Vince, he is dying.”

Vince closed his eyes and balled his fist. Why was he put in this damn difficult position?

“Vince Finn, I said my son, your father is dying soon!”

“Can we move to my study?”

His grandmother questioned with a raised brow. She didn’t look like the grieving mother from a few minutes earlier. She had shed tears all the way from Kelvin’s café until they alighted at the mansion. But now she had retreated to her coldness.

Vince nodded his head in agreement, and they left the room. He stared around in wonder at the luxurious interior of the house. There were giant doors leading to different rooms, and the shimmering lights in the hallway made it all more beautiful.

They got to the study room, and Vince marveled at the arrangement. A library corner was set aside with neatly arranged law books. Excitement filled his mind. The color array in the room made it even more comfortable and welcoming.

“I did a little digging about you, Vince, or maybe more than a little,” his grandmother said, smiling.

“And what did you find?” he questioned sarcastically.

“You worked at Peak Law Firm before your arrest?”

“I did.”

Silence filled the air. His grandmother sat on a leather chair and pointed for him to sit on the opposite chair, which he did. She dropped hints about other aspects of his problematic life that she had discovered. Vince stared at her again. Something didn’t feel right. His gut instinct warned him.

“Why did you look for me now? And what about my dad’s marriage?”

“About your father’s marriage, his wife died, and they had no children.”

“Oh,” was all he could say.

“And the other question…” she hesitated slightly before continuing, “Your father isn’t the only one dying, Vince. I am also dying.”

Vince stared at her in disbelief. She removed her headgear, and her bald head shone.

“Cancer. Second stage. Rapid progression.”

“I am sorry.”

“Don’t be, Vince. I do not deserve your kindness. I looked for you to seek forgiveness and also bring you back to where you belong.”

Vince’s phone rang loudly, cutting through their conversation. He signaled to his grandmother, and she allowed him to pick the call. He picked it up, and Bernard’s sneer came through, just as he expected.

“Don’t you think you need to be grateful to me, Vince? I convinced the management to reinstate you. Or do you think many law firms will queue up to employ an ex-convict?”

“You still believe you did me a favor after sleeping with my wife?”

“Ex-wife, Vince. She divorced you already. Just put your signature on the damn paper and also… see you at work on Monday. Or would you rather prefer to starve to death?”

With that, the phone line went dead. Vince banged his hand on the table as frustration welled up in him. His grandmother stood up and patted his shoulder.

“Vince, there is something I need to tell you.”

“Aside from urging me to accept your apology?” he responded harshly.

“Aside from that, Vince, you are not just my grandson. You are the sole heir of our family’s company, Peak Law Firm.”

Vince’s jaw dropped. He batted his lashes in surprise. He couldn’t believe his ears. The company that deserted him in prison for a year turned out to be his inheritance.

“The current CEO that I see on the billboards?” he questioned in disbelief.

“Yes, son. That was your father, and it is all yours now. The position and Peak Law Firm itself. Let us go see your father.”

Vince hesitated for a few seconds. He let out a deep breath and followed his grandmother. The room was at the far end of the long hallway. The lanky, wrinkled man on the bed looked nothing like the good-looking, smiling man in the billboards.

He had numerous wires fitted to his face and body. His oxygen mask covered half of his face, but his distinguished jawline could still be seen.

Vince stood by the doorway, too afraid to walk in. The older woman charged forward, rushing over to her bedridden son. Vince almost lost his balance in the process. His father opened his eyes slowly as his grandmother held her hand to his.

“I brought him, Jack. Your son. He is handsome but pigheaded, just like you,” she said with a sardonic smile.

Vince watched as the bedridden man strained his neck to look at him. He moved forward and focused his attention on him. The bedridden man, the deadbeat man who had abandoned him as a child to be with another woman according to his mother’s story.

“How did you find me?” Vince questioned suspiciously.

His mother had always been tight-lipped about his father. Aside from her sob story about their abandonment and using his last name, Finn, everything else was a mystery.

“I tailed your mother’s name and found you. But when I did, you were already in prison, and that was when I visited you,” the old woman said, still clutching her son’s hand.

“I took a few strands of your hair from my first visit. It helped in confirming my suspicion. You were really my grandson.”

Vince scoffed and sat down on the couch. His phone chimed, and he checked the notification that popped up.

Another message from Amber. She demanded a fast response from him on signing the divorce papers. His day kept getting longer with each passing minute.

Vince raised his head with a fresh determination. Everyone who came to him always needed him for a reason.

“Why did you seek me out now? Why now? Mother said my father absconded with another woman,” Vince said bitterly. He glanced at the pitiful figure barely holding on to life.

His father’s eyes met his grandmother’s, and she nodded in understanding.

“Vince, listen. Your dad didn’t abscond to have an affair. Having you with your mother was the affair.”

“What!”

Now that was news. Everything Vince had ever known about his life was turning out to be a mere mirage.

“I am not justifying abandoning you, Vince. It was all my fault. I paid your mother off. Your father wasn’t even aware of your existence at that time.”

Vince got up on his feet and tried to leave. He had heard enough. He was a rejected child, a forsaken husband, and now everyone needed something from him. He looked again at his email. Once he walked out of there, he was going to sign it and let Amber go.

His hand was already on the doorknob when he heard a muffled sob and a barely audible voice. “Don’t go, son.”

He turned around and saw his bedridden father struggling to get up. He stretched his hand forward, trying to reach him.

Vince felt his harsh resolve melt completely. He rushed forward and held his father’s hand. The man smiled warmly at him, satisfaction written all over his face.

He kept trying to apologize despite the incoherence of his words. Vince settled by his side at last and watched him drift back into sleep.

He felt the man’s pulse weaken, and Vince put his ear to his father’s chest. His eyes widened as realization hit him.

“Grandmother, I can’t feel his pulse anymore,” Vince said as his father’s hand dropped.

The attending doctor rushed up to them and placed a stethoscope on Jack’s heart. The doctor’s expression was blank, and he drew back gently.

“Is my son dead?”