Chapter 13

" The rose does not bloom without thorns. True, but would that the thorns did not outlive the rose. - Richter" "She's with them mother, Katrina is with them. The old hag took her!" Dominic burst through the double doorways and into the drawing-room where his mother was busy knitting. "What are you raging about?" "Charlotte! That blasted woman took my daughter away!" "Language Dominic!" the elderly woman scolded without once looking up from her work. It was a little cardigan. Something that she had started working on the moment she had learned of Katrina's pregnancy. These and other small knitted pieces allowed her mind to think while her fingers were distracted. "You do not understand Mother. Charlotte took her!" "No. I do not believe it. I am sure Katrina went there of her own free will..." "No! You do not understand mother." her son cut her off. "I am telling the truth mother, that woman hates me and she took her to get back at me!" "Dominic, Charlotte is dead!" the old woman spoke calmly even as she laid down her knitting to look at her son. "She is and has been for the last few months." "You've... You've known this all along?" his shock was palpable and the old woman just nodded. "How comes I did not know it. I did not hear it in the news..." "You know that family. They like to keep their things hush hush." "But if she is dead, Katrina..." "Katrina is on a journey of self discovery. She needs to find herself." Dominic stopped pacing. A habit that he normally assumed when he was feeling agitated and began to process everything. "Wait, you instigated this!" the man finally said as he pointed an accusing finger at his mother. "I merely pointed her in the right direction. It was Charlotte's dying wish that her granddaughter would get to know her roots and those of her mother, even though you have always insisted on keeping that part of her life and your life hidden." The man sighed. He was tired, his legs suddenly feeling too weak to carry him as memories that he had struggled to wall off came crashing down. " Mother, what was I to do?" "She was angry, but she could have gotten over it. You let this drag on for too long. You allowed your pride to get the best of you." "But I... I took everything from her." "My son. You cannot continue to live with the guilt and coddling Katrina will not help that either. If Stella had been alive, she would have smacked your head for it and me too for allowing this to drag on for too long." his mother told him. "But you don't understand mother..." "I understand enough. You forget that I was the one to raise Katrina, while you locked yourself away and moaned. While you picked up fight after fight just because you did not know how to handle your loss and grief. I was there Dominic, even when you decided to bury yourself in your work and if it was not for Alice's more stubborn nature, I doubt that you two would even be married let alone have remained together for this long. Charlotte is gone now and you must let that chapter of your life also go with her. Otherwise, with the way things are panning out, if you do not pull yourself together and do the right thing for once, you will end up losing Katrina as well." "I can't believe that that wi... that old woman is dead." he quickly corrected himself when his mother shot him a stern look. "If she is gone, who is with Katrina now?" "Kenneth. Mrs Nimrod is there too so rest assured that your daughter is in safe hands. " Dominic nodded. Without another word he turned around and walked out of the drawing-room his mind still reeling. Old Charlie was dead. That was what he had always called her in his mind. She had been a fierce woman and she had also never liked him for his arrogance. At that thought, his lips curved up into a smile. The two had never gotten along and yet, Stella never seemed to mind. She and her father Harry had seemed to thrive from their rivalry as it was always a source of entertainment and drama when the four of them got together. And when tragedy struck, it was those two souls that did not deserve them that had to go. Maybe, God had been punishing them for their impertinence, Dominic thought. However, he was almost sure that Charlotte had never looked at it that way. To her, Dominic had taken away everyone that truly mattered to her. For how could he even begin to forget her anger and the hate that he had seen in those eyes in the days leading to Katrina's birth and Stella's subsequent exit from this world? And he had used his influence, his power to keep her from striking back. From avenging her losses by taking away the only thing that was left of her daughter. The other person that they still shared between them even after the death of Stella. His mother had not approved of his actions, but he had never been one to listen, pushing his weight around as he bullied everyone who knew him into submission. He should have known though, his mother was a conniving woman and somehow, despite all the time that had passed she still managed to keep in touch with the family and only God knew what else she had been up to in the moments that she and Katrina purported to be on holiday. Was it a betrayal? No. He was glad that she had risen to the occasion and done what his guilt and grief could not allow him to do. What had they even been arguing about? He could not remember for that had always been the case between him and Charlotte and yet, somehow they managed to come out unscathed while the truly innocent people paid for it with their lives. "What now?" Alice accosted him the moment he walked into their room. "The past. Surprising how it comes back to haunt you." he answered her. "Don't tell me... You have skeletons that I was never aware of?" "I doubt it. You are a resourceful woman, so I am sure that you have an idea or two as to what it is that is bugging me." "And yet I do not know how you truly feel about your past. You never talk about her and woe unto the man or woman who dares touch her portrait that is hanging in your office right now. So Dominic, if those are not skeletons then definitely there are ghosts hunting you from your past." "Alice..." he heaved out another sigh. "I really don't want to talk about it." "Really?" he nodded even as he sank onto the bed and allowed himself to wallow in his misery. "I hope then you won't refuse me and the other matter that I have to talk to you about." she said as she moved towards the vanity set and retrieved an envelope from one of the drawers. "What is that?" the man lifted his head to look at the sheet of paper that she had pulled out skeptically. "I thought we agreed to leave office matters at work..." "I know. Why don't you take it and read it? I am not expected to do everything for you now right?" The man huffed but he still complied and took the paper from the proffered hand. "Alice..." he began to complain again, but his protests died on his lips when he saw the letterhead that was printed at the top of the paper. Without another word, he quickly skimmed through the document and looked up to face his wife amazed. "Really? I am going to be a father again?" Ryan was tired. After the overnight journey from Crayon city to Katrina's new home and the subsequent hour-long journey to the Capital, his muscles felt tense and worn out. He was happy though. He tiredly exited the vehicle which was now parked on the curb outside his townhouse and looked around. It was good to be home. It had been a while since he had last been back there and even then, he had been in a hurry. Things had been terrible back then and as much as he had psyched himself, matters had not turned out the way he had originally expected. No, everything had been a total disaster, but now, that matter had been ironed out and things were better. With Katrina now only an hour away from the Capital, things would be easier. He would be there for her and his unborn child. Not that he would not have done the same had she still been holed up in the cold mountains, but it was a relief. He would not have to take the five-hour-long journey to Crayon city nor would he have to face an angry Mr. Maracheli. Ryan closed the door and moved back to retrieve his luggage, frowning as his eyes landed on the dark familiar looking car that was parked in his driveway. He had not noticed it at first neither had it influenced his decision to park on the curb, but even now as he walked closer to his house he recognized it as one of his father's rides. "What is he doing here?" he thought a grim look slowly took over his features. "How did he even know that I was coming?" He shrugged his shoulders. This was his father and surely the man had his ways through all the connections that he had forged using various uncouth methods. Ryan knew for sure that spying on him was not really beneath his father and therefore was not an impossibility. How else had he been able to find out about his love life? Ryan shook his head. That was a past he was not willing to relive again. He walked up the final steps to the front door and reached a hand to turn the doorknob. As he had suspected, the door was not locked. Somehow, his old man had found a way to get in despite him not having his spare key. Slowly the man closed the door behind him and left his luggage in the hallway before moving to the living room to meet his father. "Hi dad." he said even before he spotted the dark-clad figure that was laid back comfortably lounging in his only sofa. He had a newspaper in his hand was reading it as he patiently waited for his son to walk in. "Ryan. I thought we had this sorted out." he said even as he neatly folded the paper and laid it on the armrest. That was the way of Marcus Thorpe. Meticulously clean clad in dark suits and ever the organized one. "I am not a pawn to play in one of your chess boards dad." "Mmm...I think you are more of a knight, but still we had this talk. What is this I hear about you being in Crayon City?" he said as his features turned deadly. "That is none of your concern, father." "Need I remind you what I will do to you if you do not obey me?" "I am well aware of your threats, buy I really do not care. Not anymore at least. " The older man laughed. "What did Dominic offer you? Need I remind you of our prospects and the importance of bagging that Veterum General?" "Only you care about that. Speaking of which, it seems that your intelligence is failing you dad." "What do you mean by that Ryan?" his father's features turned colder. "I am sure you will find out soon enough." with that, Ryan turned around to walk out of the room. He stopped by the doorway and addressed his father again. "I believe you know the way out?" The older man glared back looking incensed but Ryan paid him no regard. Instead, he turned back around and climbed up the stairs to the levels above. He was exhausted and he was sure that he smelled. He was also sure that he had given his father enough fodder to chew on. That would keep him busy and out of his life or at least long enough for Ryan to organize himself. For as he was sure that his insolence had been shocking, Ryan was even more sure that the information he had withheld from his father would shock him more, and whether his father cut him off from his fortunes or not, Ryan could not bring himself to care. The man had messed up his life with his demands and his conniving nature had seen it that hid relationships had been ruined. For where his father's wealth ended, there his connections began. His influence was wide and despite his previously cold demeanor the man, the man could exude the aura of a diplomat and was a politician at heart. His whole life was a chessboard and everything or everyone on it was a pawn. He had no problem making allies and no qualms breaking those same alliances that he had made for better connections when bigger fish happened to swim along.