Chapter 164 The past
Her fingers twisted with the hem of the sheets.
“The document was a contract of indentured servitude. I was to work for him for fifty years. Not in his family but with Richards. He wanted me to be his eyes and ears. And to do that I was never to show any relation with the Edwards which included you and your father because you were the only leverage against me. He threatened to take back the kidney he gave you.”
Killian brows furrowed.
“Why would he want you to spy on them?”
Butler Rose set the cup of water on the table and settled down on his bed. She stared at the long scar on his stomach.
“I didn’t know why at first but I started piecing two and two together from the information he kept pushing me to bring. So I was able to figure out it had something to do with The Black Face and the coup. Edward was scared of Richard discovering something and wanted me to always keep tabs.”
She swallowed.
“The Richards were too good to me and I hated deceiving them so I went to him with the money I had saved up. But he rejected it saying i didn’t say for the money to be paid back as cash but as duty.”
Killian couldn’t believe this. All these years he thought his mother had left him and believed General Edward had been his savior but was it all a lie?
“Was father aware of this? Where was he in all this?” Killian asked.
Tears fell from her eyes as she shook her head.
“He died thinking you abandoned us?. Thinking you chose money over family?”
“No, he figured it out Adison, Richard’s half sister, had been visiting rather frequently. So he had asked me to eavesdrop on all the conversations. Josiah had come to look for me and overheard me and Edward.”
She bit her lip. “He was so heartbroken. He said he was going to take us away to another city so we would start up a new life . But he didn’t have enough money. One thing about working with Edward: he would make you feel like he is giving you preferential treatment but you will still be poor and grateful towards him for nothing.”
Killian stared at the blanket and thought about it. He was allowed access to lots of privileges. He could join in their activities and even join them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. But he was still a chauffeur with a normal salary.
“So I gave him the money I had saved to add to what he had.” She continued “I hated not holding you when I ever saw you. It destroyed me, consoling other kids when mine… needed me.”
Her voice cracked
Her mind flashed back to all the times little Killian had come looking for her happily wanting to show her his drawings and she had warned him never to call her mother again when he visited the Richards. She had ignored him entirely, giving him cold shoulders.
“That same day,they all ate together. Anderson and Boyle had come straight to the Richards from school. They wanted to have fun so they took Richards' car out. And then the house received a call of a fatal accident. Edward lost Anderson and the accident left Boyle bedridden for weeks and then being impotent. Richards felt guilty. When the boys wanted to go out he offered his car. The accident was meant for him.”
She paused only the sound of the beeping machine could be heard.
“He suspected his stepsister Adison because she had a deep grudge against him because of her lover. That was how the alliance came about for Maverick and Evangel to be engaged and bear a child to console their loss. ”
At the mention of this Killian stiffened and his mood changed.
“Your father called me saying he had gotten the ticket for a ship. He told me it was in two days. The next day he called me and said that we needed to leave as soon as possible.”
She lifted her tear streaked face.
“I waited but you both never came. I went back to Richard's mansion and the worst news of my life, that Josiah died of a heart attack due to blood pressure .”
I was shocked.
“How could he just have a heart attack when he spoke to me he was okay. And he had no history of BP. I suspected it was Edwards' way of warning me.”
Killian groaned as he tried to move the pain shot from his broken ribs.
“Father was sick.” He said
“He was always taking this tablet but never told me what it was for. I saw him trashing tissue stained with blood.”
Killian's jaw tightened, his fist clenched as he recounted a memory that had stuck to him.
“He told me to get ready. We were going out. That day was Anderson's funeral and everyone was preoccupied, he couldn’t have killed father. He came back coughing violently, I quickly gave him the medicine he couldn’t digest, he kept throwing it out. I watched him go weak, I watched life leave his eyes. And he wouldn’t answer me.” His vision blurred.
Butler Rose imagined a clueless he would have been at just eight. He would have been so alone.
“I’m.. sorry, I’m.. so sorry.. I never stopped loving you, Killian.” She held his cheeks.
“Every day I prayed you would hate me enough to stay away from all of this. To live freely. But you’re here now… hurt because of him.”
She looked into his eyes.
“My son let’s leave. I have enough money saved. General Richard and Eleanor were generous. They gave me a lot of landed properties and heavy paychecks.We could go somewhere and start afresh”
Killian wanted to live but he couldn’t without Eva. He loved her with everything he had and he would have her.
He walked towards the window.
His brows creased.
Liam didn’t stay long during his visit because Rayan had told him his mama wanted them back. Which was a lie. He didn’t trust Maverick’s father or his entire family; they had made her life hell and might use Liam against her. Taking down one person wasn't the problem but Liam could be snatched away in the process.
Havilah had requested for a phone but instead they took her to the playground. They had different sections of things that made kids forget their pain. Havilah opted for drawing. She had painted the same symbol and a door in different papers she was given.
The guide for Havilah picked one of the paintings and looked at it. She was a pediatric nurse and whenever a child drew a picture over and over again it meant something.
“Avi,” she called softly.
The little girl looked up from the paper.
“You draw so well and your choice of color is quite unique. Can you tell me what this is?