Chapter 88 SPECIAL CHAPTER 11

Chapter 88 SPECIAL CHAPTER 11
After lunch, Cedric excused himself, informing his grandmother that he and Mihai had matters to attend to. He left Samantha and Spade behind, noting how pleased his grandmother seemed to have their company.

As they drove, Cedric sat in heavy silence in the backseat. He had a mountain of tasks to accomplish during his two-week stay in the Philippines, including arranging visas for both Samantha and Spade. Now that he had accepted his role as a father, he couldn't simply walk away. Though Spade’s arrival was the result of a single night's mistake eight years ago, Cedric found himself embracing the responsibility with a surprising lack of hesitation.

He knew his return to Romania with a son would cause a political firestorm. He couldn't help but worry about Samantha; the media scrutiny would be relentless, and she would likely be caught in the crossfire of his public life.

"Dikhes sar halyosan perdal but bare mislyatar, Le Devlesko Ministru. (You seem to be lost in very profound thoughts, Prime Minister,)" Mihai remarked, catching Cedric’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

"Akana kamel te halyarel man o chachimos ke si man yek shavo, ai te phenav tumenge o chachimos, halyadyom perdal. Dikhav sar avav anglal o barilimos sar dad, numa nai man ni yek ideya sar te kerav vorta. Darav ke shubisarava. (Now the reality is sinking in that I have a son, and to tell you the truth, I’m lost. I see myself standing before the challenge of fatherhood, but I don't have a single clue how to do it right. I’m afraid I’ll screw it up,)" Cedric confessed with a heavy sigh.

"Besides," Cedric added in English, "I’m wondering how Tato and Dei will react when I bring Spade and Ms. Camnice to Romania."

"They won’t like it, Prime Minister," Mihai said bluntly. "Especially your mother. She has high hopes for Lady Eunice to become your wife."

"Eunice is a friend. Nothing more, nothing less."

"And Lady Samantha?" Mihai pressed.

Cedric looked out the window. "What about her? She’s the mother of my son. That’s all."

"You are a powerful man, Prime Minister. You could easily take Young Master Spade with you and leave Lady Samantha behind."

Cedric’s expression darkened. "I am not the kind of man who tears a child away from his mother just because I’ve discovered his existence. Ms. Camnice raised our son alone and took excellent care of him. Who am I to separate them?"

He returned his attention to the passing scenery, but he couldn't shake the memory of the sheer terror in Samantha’s eyes when she thought he was going to take Spade. Why do I hate seeing that expression on her face so much?

An hour later, they arrived at their destination: a dilapidated shack that looked as though a strong gust of wind would knock it over. Cedric stepped out and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?!" a woman’s voice shrieked from inside. The door swung open to reveal a disheveled woman holding a wooden stick. She stared at Cedric in confusion. "Wh-who are you?"

"Where is he?" Cedric demanded.

"What? Who are you looking for?" Before she could protest further, Cedric signaled Mihai, who firmly gripped the woman’s arms to keep her back.

Cedric stepped into the cluttered, filthy house. He immediately spotted a young boy cowering under a table, covered in bruises and trembling as he fought back tears.

"Stop! Who do you think you are?! This is trespassing!" the woman screamed.

Cedric ignored her, kneeling beside the boy. "It's okay. I'm here to help you. Someone asked me to look for you, and my son agreed, so here I am. Don't be afraid. I’m taking you somewhere where your mother can never hurt you again."

FLASHBACK

The moment Cedric had claimed Spade as his son, the conference room had descended into chaos. Reporters swarmed, hurling questions at him. Seeing how overwhelmed Spade looked, Cedric stood up and carried the boy out of the room.

He decided then and there that he wouldn't attend the final session.

"Where are you going, Prime Minister?" Mihai asked as they hurried down the hallway.

"We’re leaving. Missing one conference won’t ruin my reputation, and the people in there are becoming unbearable."

They were stopped by two nuns who appeared suddenly in their path. "Forgive us for blocking your way, but please, we need your help."

"You are the Prime Minister, aren't you?" the second nun added.

Mihai stepped forward. "Our apologies, but the Prime Minister has no jurisdiction over the laws of this country."

"But the law here isn't listening to us," the first nun pleaded. "We are trying to rescue a young boy from an abusive mother. We have nowhere else to turn. Please."

"Can we help them, Uncle Pogi?" Spade asked, looking up at Cedric.

"Why?"

"Because they need it. Aren't you a public servant? Isn't helping people what you’re supposed to do?"

"I’m not a public servant here, Spade. How can I help?"

Spade thought for a moment, then smiled. "Then help them as a person who can. Don’t we help people when they’re in need?"

Cedric stared at the boy, seeing a reflection of a kindness he hadn't realized he possessed. "Mihai, get the details."

The next day, after settling Samantha and Spade at his grandmother’s house, Cedric followed up on the information Mihai had gathered.

"The mother is abusive," Mihai reported. "She forces him to work on the streets and refuses to let him attend school."

"In short," Cedric said, his voice turning cold as ice, "she doesn't deserve the title of mother."

"What’s your plan, Prime Minister?"

"I will take him alone," Cedric said, referring to the boy’s rescue. "I’ll make sure she never sees him again."

END OF FLASHBACK

"Hey! You're taking my son?! Who do you think you are? I’ll sue you for kidnapping!" the woman screamed.

Cedric turned to her, his gaze lethal. "You'll sue me? How about I sue you for child abuse and forced labor? How does that sound?"

The woman paled, her voice faltering. "H-he’s my son. It’s my right to discipline him—"

"What kind of mother abuses her own flesh and blood and forces them to work at such a young age? A mother should be the first line of defense for her child." Cedric’s voice boomed. "I have all the evidence I need. If you don't want to rot in a jail cell, you will let me take this boy to a place where he can actually live like a child. If you ever try to harm him again, you will face the full weight of my consequences."

"Mihai, take the child."

Mihai released the woman and gently scooped the boy into his arms.

"Fine! If you're taking him, pay me! I'm not letting him go for free!" the woman spat.

Disgust twisted Cedric's features. "I see. No shame at all." He pulled out his wallet and threw a thick stack of bills onto the floor. The woman scrambled to grab them. "What a pathetic excuse for a mother."

They walked out, the young boy safe in Mihai’s arms. As they reached the car, Cedric felt a sudden appreciation for the life Spade had lived. "In a way, I’m glad Ms. Camnice was the one who raised Spade."

"Prime Minister," Mihai noted, "you asked Lady Samantha to call you by your name, yet you still address her by her surname."

Cedric didn't answer. "Let’s get this child to the orphanage."

Just then, his phone buzzed.

"Hello."

"Prime Minister," one of his security detail reported urgently. "You need to get to the southern bus station immediately."

"Why?"

"The lady and your son are leaving. They are currently on a bus headed for a place called Bicol."

"What?! Stop that bus right now!" Cedric snarled, slamming his phone shut. "Mihai, to the southern bus station. Now!"

As the car screeched away, Cedric’s jaw tightened. So you decided to run away, did you? He felt a surge of cold fury. Samantha had no idea what happened to people who tried to steal from him.