CHAPTER 2: A PRICE TOO HIGH TO PAY

“Why is pretty aunty sad?” Jason asked his father. They watched as the beautiful young lady walked out of the gate. Her pleasant perfume lingered in the air even after she had closed the gate. She had an angelic face and a stunning full figure. If they had met under different circumstances, then Blake would have asked her out on a date.

“She lost her way home,” Blake said as he picked up his son and they entered the house. He was beginning to regret buying this house. This was the fourth person who was claiming ownership over the same property. Although his lawyer was sure that the deal was above board, Blake was getting tired of the uninvited visitors.

“Will you help her get home?” Jason asked as he hugged his father’s neck.

“Sure. I gave her directions. She is on her way there,” Blake said. “Where is aunty Amanda?” he asked.  Rose the nanny, came in and took Blake’s coat and briefcase. They were in the lounge and Blake couldn’t see Amanda anywhere.

“She went upstairs,” Rose the nanny.

“She didn’t say hi to me,” Jason said, pouting.

“She is tired,” Blake said as he tickled Jason. Jason giggled happily and sat next to his father when they settled on the sofa.

“Dad, we were playing with Molly and Jayden. They are my friends,” Jason said as they sat down.

“Really? Where are they now?” Blake asked.

“Aunty Rose said home time,” Jason said pouting again.

“How was his day?” Blake asked Rose.

“It was good. He is adjusting well and has made many friends. He played outside for a long time but I was with him the whole time,” Rose said.

“Thanks. Keep me posted if you see anyone suspicious around here. His safety is a priority,” Blake said. “You have nothing to worry about,” Rose said as she headed to the kitchen.

Rose had been living and working at this house since they moved in. She was a highly trained security agent who freelanced for the high and mighty. Her current job posting was complicated because a woman had died under mysterious circumstances. She had been killed in her house and her young son had found her with her throat slit. The victim of this crime was three-year-old Jason’s mother. After she had passed away, Jason had become moody and withdrawn. They had tried therapy but he was unwilling to associate with any stranger. He had developed an attachment to Rose who was the security agent attached to him. She had suggested relocation to a new neighborhood with many children so that Jason could interact with other children. After some research on safe middle class neighborhoods, Blake had settled for this house. Rose had moved with them as the nanny so that she could keep an eye on Jason, while they had also contracted a maid to do the chores. The move had been good for Jason as he had started talking again. He had also made new friends. Amanda was the only part of the plot that wasn’t falling into place.

Blake’s mother wanted him to get a wife as soon as possible. She thought that Jason would recover fast if he had a mother figure in his life. Blake had begun to include Amanda in his life so that she could get to know Jason. Unfortunately, she was the only woman that Jason did not like. When they had just met, Jason had refused to go anywhere near her. She had not made much effort to endear herself to him and the two had co-existed in the house like strangers. Amanda had become particularly cold when they had moved to this house. She hated the neighborhood and claimed that it was below her standards. Blake was shocked at her audacity, when he remembered that she had lived in a tiny apartment when they had first met. She was one of those random girls that he had slept with for cash during business trips. He had picked her from the bunch of his clandestine affairs, because she seemed to be the most innocent. His late wife had never been a good wife but she had been a wonderful mother. For this reason, Blake tolerated Amanda for Jason’s sake because his son deserved the best he could get. Besides, she was still useful to him in the bedroom.  

The night passed uneventfully, and morning came. Blake was soon up and ready for work. He wasn’t looking forward to his meeting with the young woman from the day before but he knew he had to go and be the bearer of bad news. He had let his lawyer handle all the others but he felt like he owed this one an explanation. Breakfast was already on the table when he got downstairs. Jason joined him when he was almost leaving and he almost kicked himself for eating slowly.  Jason had a difficult time with separation and his father liked leaving when he was asleep. 

“Daddy, where are you going?” Jason asked the minute Blake stood up.

“To work buddy. I will bring you a monster truck when I get back,” Blake said.

“I want to go with you,” Jason said as he slid off his chair. He was still too short to get his feet on the ground without sliding.

“You can stay here and play with Jayden,” Blake said.

“I want to go with you,” Jason said and he burst into tears.

“What is it now?” Amanda asked as she walked into the dining room. Jason held on to his father’s leg when she tried to come near him. Jason now had tears streaming down his face as he held his father’s leg tighter.

“Let’s go,” Jason said sadly.

“Rose,” Blake called out. “Get him into some clean clothes. I’m going with him.”

“Do you do anything he says just because he sniffled a little?” Amanda asked with irritation.

“I have a meeting. Would you rather I cancel it?” Blake asked as Amanda sat down to eat.

“Let me give you some milk,” Blake said to Jason as he sat down with him on his lap. Jason hid his face in Blake’s chest and he refused to even look at them. They sat this way until Rose came. She convinced him to change his clothes after she had cleaned him up a little and then she put him in the car. He was now smiling. She gave him a juice box and some warm buns which he happily consumed as he waited for his father.

“I need you to come with me and watch Jason during the meeting,” Blake said to Amanda.

“Can I at least finish my breakfast?” Amanda asked.

“You can get something at the office,” Blake said as he walked out. Amanda followed closely behind. She frowned when she saw Jason strapped into the car seat on the codriver’s seat. She got into the back seat with anger as she looked at Jason harshly. “Is everything always about you? Grow up already. You are not the first or last orphan.” she said menacingly.  He immediately stopped eating his food and looked away from her. Blake got into the car and started driving away without noticing the cold interaction between his son and his lover.

“Blake, I was supposed to go shopping with my friends today. I don’t have any money,” she said when they had driven for a few minutes. Jason was enjoying the view and he had begun to eat again. He was oblivious to the adult’s conversation.

“I’ll do a transfer when I get to the office,” Blake said. Rose went on chatting about the various activities she had planned with her friends but Blake’s mind was far away. He barely heard a thing she said throughout the drive until she asked something when they were at the parking of the office block.

“I asked you how long your meeting will take,” Amanda said, frowning. Blake was very absent minded of late.

“Half an hour,” Blake said. “But we have to go up with him and you can play with him during my meeting.” Blake had already unstrapped Jason and they got out of the car. They walked hand in hand to the office with Amanda in tow. The office complex was huge and Blake’s office was on the 10th floor. The trio walked past the huge reception which hosted four receptionists. They stood up and greeted Blake respectfully while stealing glances at Amanda and the young boy. Amanda sneered at them as she saw them whispering while pointing to them. They probably thought she was the nanny. Amanda was fuming as they walked into the elevator and went up. She was getting even more irritated when Jason held on to her trouser with his dirty hands. Her dress got food marks and she sneered at the child. Ella was waiting for Blake outside his office when they got there. No one seemed to notice how Jason’s face lit up when he saw her.

“You are so early,” Blake said when he saw her.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a little anxious,” Ella said standing up.

“I understand. Give me a minute to take care of something then I will be right with you,” Blake said.

“Alright,” Ella said as she sat down. Blake pulled on Jason’s hand as he seemed to be frozen to the spot. He was smiling shyly at Ella but she was too stressed to notice.

“Come on buddy,” Blake said, trying to prompt Jason gently.

“I want to stay with pretty aunty,” Jason said, surprising them all. 

“I think he means you,” Blake said to Ella. She looked up in surprise and looked around for the boy’s mother who was halfway into the office. She looked back to the boy who was looking at her with the sweetest smile on his face. She didn’t have the heart to reject him so she stretched out her hand in greeting.

“Hi. I’m Ella,” she said to the little boy. He shook her hand and then surprised them both when he climbed on her lap. “What’s your name?” she asked him as she wiped away some food crumbs from his sweet little face.

“Jason,” he said shyly. He was playing with Ella’s arm affectionately. The last time Blake had seen him this comfortable was when he was with his mother three months ago. He stood for a while watching this scene in amazement.

“Maybe you can go over these documents while we get to know each other,” Ella said, smiling at Blake.

She liked the look of adoration that the little boy was giving her and she felt some empathy towards him. The woman she assumed to be his mother looked too bothered to take care of him so she could understand why he was craving some female affection. Blake reluctantly walked into his office and the first thing he did was to tell his receptionist to keep an eye on Ella. He did not understand what kind of charm this woman had cast over his child. He then rescheduled several meetings before going through the documents. By the time he had finished going through half the documents, he felt like he needed to call Tracy, his lawyer. Fortunately, she worked a few floors below him and she was soon up. The receptionist led her in but she didn’t fail to notice the woman playing with a little boy. This scenario looked odd for an office setting.

“Good morning,” Tracy said to Blake as she sat across from him. Amanda, who was seated on the sofa, looked at Tracy and dismissed her with a nod.

“There is a problem with the house,” Blake said.

“Another one?” Tracy asked. This sale was giving her a huge headache.

“This one is different. Her name is on the property documents but she claims she did not know anything about the sale or transfer. I believe her,” Blake said. Tracy looked through the documents and came to the same conclusion. Unfortunately, Ella did not have any documents to prove that she did not authorize this sale. Tracy asked Blake to call Ella so that they could sort out this mess. Ella came into the office with Jason holding her hand.

“Amanda, please take him as we wind this up,” Blake said to Amanda. Tracy looked at the duo in surprise. She had not recognized the little boy as Blake’s son so she was surprised that he was so affectionate with this woman. As this confusion was going through her mind, Jason was tightening his grip on Ella’s hand. When Amanda walked to him, he held her tighter so that both his little hands were holding her one hand.  He looked to Ella with a desperate look as Amanda took his arm.

“Let’s go,” Amanda said to him but he wouldn’t budge.

“I promise dad will be here,” Ella said to the boy.

“And aunty Ella?” Jason asked as Amanda pulled him away from Ella.

“Aunt Ella will be here,” she said and Jason walked away reluctantly. Ella took a seat and noticed the strange look Blake was giving her. She assumed it must be about Jason.

“Children reject their mums sometimes if they just disciplined them,” Ella explained. Blake and Amanda exchanged a look that Ella did not understand, but the meeting soon proceeded. The lawyer explained the situation and Ella felt her world crashing around her. Where was she to start from? This was the worst day of her life.

“So I have no home?” she asked in disbelief. Tracy and Blake sat looking at her uncomfortably and then Tracy spoke up.

“I would advise you to get a lawyer to place a caveat on your other properties. Your brother will most likely try to do the same thing again. He has access to too many of your documents so please take precautions.”

“So you're telling me it could be worse? I could have nothing?” Ella asked as tears filled her eyes. She blinked them back furiously. She was not going to cry in front of these kind strangers. 

“I’m sorry I don’t have any good news,” Tracy said. 

“Why did you let your brother handle all your business? Is he in the construction industry?” Blake asked out of curiosity.

“I was working out of the country. This was my exit plan,” Ella said. Tracy’s cell phone began ringing and she answered. After a few seconds, she excused herself and stepped out of the office. Ella was so distressed that she didn’t notice Blake walking from his seat and coming to lean on the table near her. He was positioned right next to Ella who got startled when he began to speak.

“I will get you a lawyer and make sure your brother is punished.  And I promise you will get your house back. But I only have one condition. You move in with me today,” Blake said.