David nodded and picked up his glass. If only he knew that the question Carlos had asked him was actually his past.
***
Ben was walking towards his car when suddenly, his arm was furiously pulled and he was turned. He found himself staring into Claudia’s crazed look. The ridges of her neck were dangerous pronounced and her cheeks flamed with anger.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She snapped. “Trying to lay a trap for my son? I have warned you before and I am not going to repeat myself. Stay away from my son and my family.” She yelled, pointing her finger angrily in his face. “I don’t need to remind you what happened five years ago. My son made his decision and married the boy that he knew would make him happy. He is happily married and he doesn’t need hoes like you hovering over him. So, if I were you, I would reject that proposal. Do I make myself clear?”
Ben slowly released his arm from Claudia’s grip, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course, one would never forget the threat I received from you six years ago.” He said with a sigh. “It would also be hard to forget the slap that came with it. And most of all, it would be very hard to forget my unfortunate incident. But you’re wrong, I am not after your son. He’s all in my past and I have no interest in him.”
“Liar!” Her voice pierced the air like shards of glass. “You were clearing trying to seduce him right in front of his husband. How shameless can you be?”
Ben burst into laughter. “Let me remind you that I didn’t follow you at your company, you did. I only took advantage of the situation because I am a businessman and I know very well that David is a very hardworking man. He’s gonna be an asset to our company.”
“Don’t think I don’t see through you.” Claudia warned.
“Honestly, I don’t care.” Ben shrugged. “You can choose to see through me all you want, but it still won’t change the fact that I have already approved David’s business proposal and now it’s all up to him to sign the contract or not. You can convince him not to. Oh wait…” He gasped in mock astonishment, chirping at her. “…you can’t, can you? Otherwise, you would have done that long ago.”
He got closer and stared into her face, wearing a stern face.
“I know you don’t like me, but I am not fond of you either. In this situation, you’re just gonna have to tolerate me being near your son. Welcome to the company….” He paused and wore an evil grin. “…Claudia!”
With a laugh, he opened his car and drove off, leaving Claudia looking lost.
***
Jim furiously entered the living room, feeling like he was carrying such heavy load. He tore through the room, overturning furniture in a fit of bling rage, the sound of the splintering wood and shattering glass punctuating his uncontrollable outburst.
“Fuck!” He screamed, clearing the table of the ornaments that were there.
“What’s going on?” Elena asked as she rushed down the stairs.
She was shocked when she found herself panting and looking like he just escaped from a predator. His eyes were blood red and the veins on his neck were so prominent, almost as if someone was strangling him. She rushed to him and held his arms.
“Baby?” She gasped, her eyes widening. “What’s wrong, my love? Talk to mommy.”
“He’s ruining my life once again, mom.” He screamed, gripping his hair angrily. “That bitch is out to ruin my marriage and I feel like killing him. He knows exactly how much David means to me and he’s trying to get to him.”
“Calm down!” Elena said as she rubbed his shoulders. “That isn’t gonna happen.”
“You have no idea what he’s done, mom.” He snapped. “You saw him yesterday and you know that he’s changed. I was so sure that seeing David, they wouldn’t approve of his business proposal and it was working. Until that bitch arrived and changed everything. Right now, as we speak, David is already part of the company and that means they’ll be seeing each other more, they’ll be working together and I am just so scared, mom. The worst part of it all is that David offered to showed him the villa and…”
“What?” Elena’s eyes widened. “Tell me you’re joking.”
He shook his head, furiously rubbing a tear that went down his cheek.
“Mom, I am so scared.” He sniveled. “If David remembers anything from before our marriage, everything is gonna be over. There will be nothing keeping him close to me anymore.”
“Shhhh…” She wrapped her arms around him, trying to make him feel better. “None of that is gonna happen, baby. David loves you and you gave him a very beautiful family. There’s no way he’s gonna leave you and he won’t remember anything.”
Jim slowly raised his head and looked at her. “The day we went out for lunch, I think he saw him there and he had a flash back. I don’t know how true this is but…” He paused and took a harsh breath. “…Amber told me that he told her about a boy he saw that might be connected to his past.”
Elena’s breath came in shallow gasps, chest rising and falling rapidly as if the weight of her fear threatened to suffocate him.
“Are you sure? This could be Amber playing tricks on you.”
“No!” He shook his head. “Amber couldn’t have known what had happened unless he told her. And you should have seen the way he was staring at him today, like he wanted to kiss him. The last five years, I’ve never seen my husband look at any man like that, worst of all, in my presence. I feel so helpless because I cannot say anything without triggering his suspicion.”
“Shit!” She said under her breath. “Okay, listen to me, my love. We’re gonna have to make sure that that doesn’t happen. David must not remember his life with Ben no matter what. And they must not be in a place together alone. Do I make myself clear?”
“How do I do that?”
Elena chuckled, cupping her son’s cheeks.
“Sometimes you forget whose son you are. Leave it to me. Just follow my lead and everything is gonna be fine.” She slowly rubbed his tears. “Now come on, stop shading those tears and stop being scared. You’re smarter than that boy and you’ve got an advantage here. We’re gonna hit him where he doesn’t suspect. He’ll go back to where he came from in no time.”
Jim tried his best to smile although he wasn’t fooling anyone. As mother and son were embracing each other….
“What’s going on here?” A deep manly voice asked, getting their attention.
It was Jerome and he was looking around the room, trying to understand what had happened. When he saw his son crying, he hurried to him and tried to touch him but Elena angrily pushed him away. He stood a distance, staring at her like he had seen a ghost.
“Are you crazy?”
“You should be happy.” Elena chuckled bitterly, rising from the couch like she had been sitting on hot coals. “You should be very happy and proud of yourself. Once again, your illegitimate son is back to make my poor son’s life miserable.”
“What?” To say he was confused would be an understatement. “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”
“Well, your stupid illegitimate son is once again trying to take advantage of my son’s husband.” She yelled. “She was flirting with him right in front of him. But you should be rejoicing right now because he’s following in that bitch’s footsteps, like mother like son.”