Chapter 12: Rebellious Son

I stared into Conrad's eyes without a word left to say as tears slowly filled mine, he spoke without thinking and there was no sign of remorse on his face, i could see the look of rebellion on my son's face, he was slowly molding himself in the image of his father and the thought of this made my heart skip a beat.

"Has it gotten to this extent? Will you watch our son grow into a mannerless idiot in the name of letting him become a man?, What kind of game are you playing Conrad?" I asked as I moved closer to Conrad, watching as he took some steps back.

"Answer me, Conrad!!!" I screamed again, making sure he heard every word I said.

"Ma'am, please take it easy"

"Shut your mouth, you have no right to interfere with issues related to my family, no one has that right! You all are nothing but disposable workers!" I cut her short before she could finish her speech. The burning sensation right under my skin and the fast pumping of blood from my heart made my temperature rise, I was losing myself fast and I knew it.

"The boy wants you to leave him alone, I suggest you do that and stop being a control freak, it certainly doesn't suit you" Conrad whispered and without thinking, not even for a second about the consequences, I dared to slap him hard and he retaliated in mere seconds like he had planned that for a long time. He slapped me again and again while his bodyguards tried to subdue him.

"How dare you?, I am your husband and you won't dare raise your hand at me, not in a million years!" he thundered as I watched in utter disbelief, tears streamed down my face as I watched the man I called my husband lash out his anger. Michael on the other hand simply watched as his father made a fool of me, he didn't flinch, I was utterly terrified as I lay on the ground before the maids rushed to help me stand on my feet, words failed me and my emotions got in the way, i couldn't hold back the tears.

"Your tears won't work on me neither will they save you if you ever raise your hand at me again, I'm not your puppet, you either respect me or I will teach you some respect the hard way but either way, you will learn!" Conrad roared like a lion who had been locked away for months, his eyes were filled with fury, I couldn't recognize the man I stared at, who had he come?.

In that moment, the security guards opened the gate and Emilia came rushing in, shocked to see my face all messed up by Conrad's hands and my eyes heavy with tears.

"What's going on here?, What's going on?" she asked but the silence that followed was terrifying, i looked around, taking a full glance at the guards, the maids, and who didn't dare to say a word as they all had their eyes on the ground, pretending to be mannequins.

"Somebody tell me what the fuck is going on?, Am I seeing ghosts?" Emilia asked again.

"Mom is going crazy!" Michael finally broke the silence and his words hurt me more, hot tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched him look so innocent after dropping such a harsh word. The look on Emilia's face was nothing short of shock and anger.

"Are you alright, Michael?, How dare you talk so badly about your mother!" Emilia dared to say as she approached Michael who quickly hid behind his father who had become his superhero in the blink of an eye.

"He has every right to say whatever he wants to, it's a free world and my son definitely has all the freedom in the world to say the truth, if the truth hurts then I can only imagine what comes after the denial," Conrad said softly, his lips moving so smoothly like he wasn't the same man who hit me hard.

"Are you supporting a boy who isn't up to 12?, What kind of man are you?"

"He hit me hard, my husband slapped me like a whore he doesn't want anymore!" I voiced out in pain as my salty tears streamed into my mouth, i broke down completely and Emilia rushed to my aid in a heartbeat, embracing me so hard as I cried on her shoulder. The workers slowly left one by one, the drama was too much for them to handle but Conrad wasn't moved as he kept staring at me.

"You have no right to abuse my friend Conrad, no right at all!"

"I have every right Emilia, she's my wife and she's my property, I do whatever I seem fit to my property and I certainly won't have my wife talk back at me or even dare to hit my fist!" Conrad lashed out in defense as he slowly took some steps towards Emilia and me, we moved back in defense.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, you are nothing more than an abuser, Arabella is not just your wife, she's the woman that made you who you are and this is how you treat her!" Emilia questioned him, i did admire her confidence and boldness, she feared no one and nothing seemed above her power, I adored her every step of the way and only wished I were daring like her.

"I think it's time you take your leave, Emilia, you are not welcome in here, the guards will escort you to the gate" Conrad revealed and like zombies, his bodyguards rushed at Emilia, separating me from her arms and dragging her away but to my surprise, he fought like a lunatic, hitting one of them on the face with her bag and punching the other on the nose.

"Come at me and see how crazy I can get!" she dared them as they slowly took out the weapons hidden in their suit but Conrad stopped them before things could get ugly.

"Enough of this madness, leave my house immediately!" Conrad ordered.

"Then I will leave with my friend, I won't let her spend another moment with you," she said and spat at his face before she dragged me out, i was speechless and terrified, in the years I have known Conrad, I never for once saw this side of him.

I still sobbed helplessly while Emilia forced me into her car, she wasn't prepared to leave me all alone with Conrad.

"Clean up your tears Arabella, Conrad won't dare touch or harm you, not when you're with me, he doesn't get that right!" she assured as she wiped my tears off.

"I'm scared Emilia, I haven't seen him that way before, he scares me, I barely know what's going on, Emilia I'm scared!" I cried out like a child.

The look on her face was nothing short of pity and sadness.

"Do you still drink and smoke?" she asked

"Yes," I answered cheaply with tears in my eyes.

"Then we will drink and smoke all night at my place, you don't get to be sad with me," she said and stepped on the gas, i watched my home disappear while Emilia held my hand.