Would you have been proud of me?

*Flashback*

"You are the reason why my dad died! I lost my dad only because of you! Why… why did you do that???"  

"Aw, dear, your dad was good for nothing. I did all of this only for you. You and I, we both didn't had any bright futures with that stupid man. But now we have a chance to live that life right?" A woman in her late thirties said. 

The twelve year old boy gave a mocking smile but so much unspoken pain is hidden behind that smile. 

"Bright future? Mom, can you tell me what future I have if I don't have my father with me?" He asked. 

"No, my dear, I know it's hard for you, it's hard for me as well. I didn't mean to hurt your dad. I was just planning to leave him, to give him a divorce. All of this didn't happen for me, trust me! The woman tried to make him understand.

That little boy looked straight in his mother's eyes. His eyes were all red. Even his mother was scared. He speedily went to his mother's direction and said, "didn't happen to you? MY FATHER DIED BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOU ARE SAYING YOU ARE NOT THE REASON HUH? he screamed. "MY DAD DIED ONLY BECAUSE OF YOU. BECAUSE OF YOUR GREED. YOU DIDN'T LOVE HIM BUT FOR HIS MONEY. AND WHEN HE LOST HIS MONEY. YOU WENT TO OTHER MEN AND USED YOUR BODY TO IMPRESS HIM! I KNOW EVERYTHING, I KNOW ALL YOUR DIRTY SECRETS!" He shouted again. 

"You… you are not my mother. YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER, DO YOU UNDERSTAND MRS ILIYANA?" He then laughed and said "Sorry Mrs Iliyana." 

And kept laughing. 

He started laughing hard and at one point he went to his knees and broke down. He started crying profusely, no sign of stopping his weeping. 

"Dad… Dad.. why did you leave me?? Dad… dad why did you leave me that too for that woman…. We both could have fought her! Why why why.. WHY!!!!" he screamed at last hitting the floor in anger and started crying again. 

His mother slapped him hard. She didn't expect her twelve years old son to be this straight forward. Even though he is saying the truth, she didn't expect all these things to come out of his mouth. "You... You insolent asshole! You don't deserve a mother, I guess." She said with disgust on her face. "Your father didn't teach you anything! You should just live and starve here. Only then you will understand that I wanted only the best for you!" Liyana brutally said.

And she didn't stop there, she vented all the remaining anger right there, "You have gone all mad. You… you can't be my son! Stupid just like your father! You don't even know that I have done all of this only because of you!!! Fine! Stay by yourself! After some days you will know how cruel this world is and then you will come to me all crying, but remember I will not forgive you! I will never. Even if you die starving I will not come to you! You are not my son! Stupid boy!" Liyana said and left.

Present time… 

Neil's eyes jolted open and started breathing heavily. He touched his eyes and saw tears. He wiped his tears harshly and then his sweats. 

But he could help but tear up again. "Dad!" He said and started crying. "I miss you!" He said softly. "Would you have been proud of me if you were alive today?" He asked, looking at the ceiling. 

Neil does this often. Though his nightmares had stopped. But he's getting these nightmares again after Shaisha tried to get close to him. In Fact he gets these nightmares whenever a girl tries to come closer by seducing him. This cheapness reminds him of his mother, of her greed and of cheating on his father. The reason for which his father died. 

He went to the washroom to wash his face. And after washing his face he came to his bed and laid down. He closed his eyes. But his mother's face appears every time he closes with her lover. He again closed his eyes with his hands but this time he didn't see his mother but a beautiful girl with his bright smile. She was helping an old lady crossing the road and then hugged her. Neil was now at ease. He wasn't anxious anymore. Nor was he crying nor sweating. Instead a soothing smile appeared on his face. He was relaxed. And fell asleep immediately. 

"I need you" He murmured in his sleep. 

The next morning… 

Katherine was in her deep peaceful sleep. But her sleep didn't last for a long time. Loud bangs in the door woke her up. She opened her eyes,stood straight, not wasting any time and opened the door. 

And here goes the same drama…. 

"You bitch! Have you seen the time? Do you know how much you slept today?!!! Go and make breakfast or else your dad will have to go to the office with an empty stomach!" Ashley said and pushed Katherine towards the kitchen. 

"What a bitch! Always lazing around! She wants me to do all the work but I won't let this happen!" Ashley thought to herself. 

After some time the breakfast was ready and everyone was sitting on their seats. Katherine was serving the food when her dad said. "Shaisha, why does your sister always have to serve the food? Can't you even do this?" Thomas said to his younger daughter, frowning his eyebrows. 

Ashley looked towards her beloved daughter who is now dumbfounded not knowing what to answer as her dad is looking too pissed off right now. He has never acted like this before. He has never done anything for his elder daughter, never even taken her side. 

Even Katherine was dumbfounded. After her mother's death she was all alone; she never received her father's love. Let alone her step mother's love. 

"Honey, let the kid eat! And Katherine doesn't mind at all. After all she is doing all this work only for us! Her family!" Ashley said, trying to act sweet. 

Katherine was standing not knowing what to do. "Why aren't you serving Katherine? My daughter. My lovely daughter! Come on serve!" She said plastering a smile on her face but her teeth were all clenched. If she could she would have slapped Katherine by now. 

"Lazy bitch!" Ashley said in her mind. 

"No, why only she has to serve. Katherine, dear come. Eat with us, no need to serve the food. We will take it ourselves. You come and join us, " he said. 

"Ye.. Yes dad" Katherine said, having difficulty adapting to her father's behavior. 

Katherine sat on her seat. And started eating. 

"I'll leave now" Mr Thomas said while wiping his face after finishing his food. 

The others were also done by now. So they all sat up. "Take care honey," Ashley said. 

Mr Thomas almost reached the door, when someone knocked on the door. He stopped and looked at Ashley. "Are you expecting someone now?" He asked his wife. 

Ashley nodded in a no. He then went to the door and opened it. "Please call Thomas Winston. There's a letter for him." The postman said. "Yes, I'm Thomas Watson." He replied. "Sir please sign this document. The postman said. And handed over the letter to him, after he signed the document. 

"What letter?" He thought something and asked himself. He closed the door and opened the letter. 

"What letter is it, darling? Is your hotel running all well now? Have a rich customer sent you money being happy with your hotel services?" Ashley asked with all her greedy happy expression. 

Mr Thomas looked at his wife with a pissed off expression and said, "Will you shut up for a while?" 

And shifted his gaze to the letter. His eyes widened after reading it. 

Actually it was a notice… a notice from the bank to empty his house by next week or else the bank authority will kick the Watson family out by themselves. 

"What happened dear?" Ashley asked again but this time with a worried face. 

Mr Thomas became all tense and started rubbing his temples… 

…

……

"Did you ask the bank to send a notice at Mr Thomas's house, for emptying the house?" Neil asked his secretary. 

"Yes sir, they may have sent the notice by now." The secretary replied. 

"Great!" Neil said, with an evil smirk on his face.