HEARTLESS
Episode 1.
A Story By Chichi Tonia
.
.
Mr Jude was a very wealthy man, not just a wealthy man, but a billionaire for that matter, he has many companies, empire and many estates, even people thought that he was into money ritual, but they got it wrong, Mr Jude was a successful business man both inside and outside the country.
.
He’s married to Victoria and they were blessed with three sons and a daughter named Bella, although Andrew whom everyb©dy knew as their first son was adopted when Victoria was childless many years ago, before God answered their prayers and gave them other children but still Andrew was known as Mr Jude first son, Mr Jude loved Andrew so much, according to him he said that Andrew is a blessing to his home, so therefore he shall remain his first child no matter what. Mr Jude is an advanced man in his late 50s and he and his family resides in Abuja. Ap@rt from his wife and children, there was a boy living with them whose name was ra-phael, ra-phael is the only child of his parents in the village, but his mother was late, she died when he was ba-rely 3yrs and his poor father have been the one taking care of him since his mother pas-sed away till he c@m£ of age, ra-phael schooled in the village but didn’t complete his secondary education because things was very ha-rd for his father and he could not afford his school fees anymore, so ra-phael dropped out from school and decided to join his poor father in his farming, at least with that the burden will reduce for the father. This continue, not until one day Mr Jude decided to help them by taking ra-phael to the city so that he can further his education because ra-phael father was his childhood friend far back in the village, that was why he decided to help him by taking his son to the city to give him a good life, and that was how ra-phael started living with Mr Jude and his family and he enrolled him in secondary school and he continue the clas-s where he st©pped, and within some years he finished his secondary School and c@m£ out with a good result, because he was brilliant, ra-phael was 20 at that time when he finished his secondary education.
.
One night Mr Jude was slee-ping when his wife Victoria woke him up in the middle of the night to have a discussion with him.
“Darling! what is it? he asked with a sleepy eyes as he sit up
“Honey, something have been bothering me and I don’t think that I will continue keeping quiet anymore “Victoria said
“And what is it that is bothering you? Mr Jude asked
“There is something I want to ask you “she said with a serious face
“And what is it that you want to ask me that you can not wait till morning?
Ah…. I can not wait till morning ooo, because is very important to me “she said and he sighed
“Ok, am all ears since you said that is important “Jude said waiting to hear what she wanted to say
“ok the reason why I woke you is because of ra-phael””
“ra-phael! what about him?he asked
“Now that ra-phael have finished his secondary School, what do you intend to do with him? Victoria asked
“Intend to do with him, how? I don’t un-derstand “Mr Jude asked confusedly
“what I mean is that, since he have finished secondary School, why don’t he look for job and keep himself busy with it, rather than staying at home all day doing nothing or should I say eating my food “she said frowning her face
“Oh… the food he’s eating is your problem, after all am I not the one providing it, am I complaining, and besides why telling me of ra-phael looking for a job when am processing for him to go to university “he said and this made Victoria angry
“What did you just said now? she angrily asked
HEARTLESS
.
Episode 2
.
.
.
“What did you just said now? she angrily asked
“yes ra-phael is going to university, do you have a problem with that?
“Yes, I have a problem with that, why will he go to university, for crying out loud honey, you have done enough for that boy by s£nding him to secondary School, so why then do you want him to go to university? she asked
“Because his father David was my childhood friend, and also am ra-phael’s Godfather “he replied
“Sooo….. even though his father is your childhood friend must you finish your money on him, remember, Andrew our first son is in his final year in university of Benin, and also Charles our second son is in 3rd year in the university of uk, am I talking of that one, and also remember that our last son Felix and his twin sister Bella are also in university of Australia, all this money is removing from your pocket, and here you are talking of to s£nd a stranger who is not related to you to the university all in the name of his father was your childhood friend, why am saying all this is because am concerned about you, the expenses is too much on you, plea-se you have to limit it if you know what is good for you “Victoria said and Jude smiled and shake his head
“Thanks dear for your concern, you don’t have to worry yourself about that, all I know is that ra-phael will go to the university, that is a promise I made to his father and I must full fill it, if I can s£nd my own children to the university, I can do that to other people’s children and besides the money is there, anyway am going back to sleep, I even thought you have something important to say without knowing that you woke me up to tell all this “he said and went back to sleep
“So all this thing I said to you now is not important right? “she said but Jude didn’t reply her, with anger Victoria took one of the pillow and went to the sitting room to sleep.
.
As all this was going on, Mr Jude s£nd ra-phael to the university and Victoria was not happy with it
One morning, Mr Jude and his wife was having breakfast together because he wanted to go to work.
“Honey, are you sure this university you s£nd this boy ra-phael is a good idea? she asked as they were eating
“Is a good idea and am not regretting it, ra-phael is a good boy and he deserve the best ” Jude said
“hmm….. if you say so, but if you ask me is not a good idea “Victoria said
“I know you will not like the idea because you never liked him for once, remember I wanted Andrew to school in abroad but you refuse and said that he should school in Nigeria, while his other siblings school in abroad, which I listened to you, now you said that you don’t like the idea that ra-phael went to the university “Jude said
“Ehh…. I don’t like the idea of ra-phael going to the university because he’s a stranger, but Andrew case is different, he’s our adopted son that was why I don’t want him to have equal right with my children, but at least he’s in the university “Victoria said
“Hmmm….. what I know is that Andrew is our first child whether he’s adopted or not he still remain the the first child and no b©dy can change that, anyway am off to work ” he said and stood up from the dinning and left to work, while Victoria took the plates which they use for the breakfast to the kitchen
.
Some years later, ra-phael graduated from the University and c@m£ out with a flying colors, and Mr Jude was very proud of him and also his father in the village was proud too, but Victoria said that even though he c@m£ out with a flying colors, that to her ra-phael is a failure and will always be.
Even at that time Mr Jude children have all graduated from the University and they all c@m£ back to Nigeria and started working in one of their father’s company, although Andrew the first son was made the director of the company while his other siblings and ra-phael were un-der him, Charles the second son wasn’t happy with their father’s decision of ma-king Andrew the director of the company because Andrew is a adopted son, Charles feels that Andrew is taking his right, but he had no choice than to accept his father’s decision, because he knows that even though he talk to his father he can never listen to him, so Charles let everything be the way it is but inside him he’s not happy.
.
One day, Mr Jude and his lawyer were inside his office having a discussion well known to them, as they were talking, so Mr Jude called his PA on the phone to bring him a cu-p of coffee, in less than some minutes his PA c@m£ with the cu-p of coffee, so she dropped it on the table for him because he was still talking with his lawyer, after she dropped the coffee for him on the table, she left the office, while Mr Jude took the coffee and started drinking it, as he was drinking, he was still talking to his lawyer, not too long they ended their discussion and the lawyer later left his office.
.
Some hours later, Mr Jude PA went to his office to inform him that a CEO from another company will like to see him, so as she got to his office, she found Mr Jude sitting on the chair with his eyes closed
“Sir ! The CEO of UNE company want to see you, should I let him in? she said but Mr Jude wasn’t responding
.
TBC