Chapter 3 The game

(Michael's pov)

After dropping Anita off at house, Josh drove me back to the company. She had even wanted to follow me back to the company but I had to sweet talk her out of it. She can't just ruin the whole of my day. I need a break!. We got back to the company and I head towards my office but had to stop by to apologise to Martha for not hearing her out. I got into her office and met her working on some files she stood up immediately and greeted me cordially before taking her sit back.

"Just wanted to apologise for not hearing you out lately......but didn't you try stopping her from cancelling the meeting?" I asked rubbing the nape of my neck.

"It was not within my power sir" Martha replied and I shrugged before leaving. Anita can be wierd and brutal at times. She might just mess Martha up with words if she had tried to stop her. *And this is the same person my dad wants me to get married to?!....she would just run down the Carson's* I thought shaking my head dejectedly.

*Ring ring* my phone rang from my breast pocket. I checked the caller and it was Clara. Why would Clara be calling me by this time...I thought before answering the call.

"Hello" I said before sitting down in my office.

"He slumped...." Clara said in a shaky voice making my heart skip a bit.

"What are you talking about?....who slumped" I asked raising my tempo.

"Your dad....from his bed...we are at the family's hospital" Clara said sniffing. I hung up. And hurried out immediately.

*****At the hospital*****

Josh drove me straight to the hospital. I alighted speedily with a sour expression as I made my way into the hospital. Just at the waiting area, I saw Clara moving up and down looking unsettled as her hands were under her chins. Some other staffs were there also with her. They all had a bitter look on their faces. Her mouth were mumbling inaudible words and one could guess right that she was praying...*what the hell is going on* I thought as I hurried to Clara.

"Where is my dad" I asked feeling really scared.

"He is in the private ward...the doctors said he will be fine" Clara said in assurance before patting my back.

"He had better be...he better be fine" I said in a shaking voice looking at the door of the private ward.

"The doctors are there with him" Clara said. A couple of seconds later, the doctors walked out and our main family doctor walked towards me.

"What is happening" I asked and he sighed.

"He is awake now. But he does not have much energy for now....we need to keep our eye on him for the better" Doctor Paulo said removing his gloves.

"But he was damn fine this morning before I left for work....he was looking good" I said biting my upper lips.

"You know, you don't just trust an early facial expression.....we just have to keep an eye on him while he takes his medications. And he won't also be leaving today" Doctor Paulo said and I nodded rubbing my eyes with the back of my palm as I sniffed and waved off tears.

"He wants to see you....only you....you can go see him now while I just attend to other patients" Doctor Paulo said and I nodded positively before turning to Clara.

"He wants to see me....you all can just go back home and prepare what he will be in need of as long as he stays here" I said and Clara nodded before beckoning on other staffs.

.

.

"Dad..." I said in a husk voice as I walked into my dad's ward. He was lying down looking all pale and worn out. I felt my eyes heat up immediately as I took a seat beside him.

"You were fine earlier this morning....what transpired" I asked as I reached unto his hands. He groaned in pains as he tried to sit up before turning to me.

"I know...it just happened...you are a man son so you don't have to cry....I won't be leaving soon ....besides we still have a wedding to plan" my dad said and I roll my eyes.

"We went out for lunch today.....it turned out bad .....she cancelled the board meeting" I said and my dad had a shock on his face but were soon replaced with a smile.

"Ladies tend to do crazy things......I think there are things you should know" my dad said.

"Things like what" I asked.

"Why I'm head bent on you getting married to Anita. I know your happiness matters son. But we have to do this for the future betterments" my dad said making me crave more words.

"Benson and I striked a deal when I started off from the scratch" my dad said throwing me off guard.

"But you said...."I tried saying but he interrupted me.

"I know....listen to me son" he said and I kept mute once again.

"Benson made me who I am today. And I'm greatly indebted to him. We were never friends Micheal. Only my income brings us together" my dad said and I felt slightly irritated trying to digest everything he had just said.

"I still don't understand dad" I said sincerely.

"Back then when u were still young, I craved for wealth badly. I wanted to give you and your late mother a better life. I wanted you to have what I lacked and so, coincidentally I met Benson. He was pretty rich and fast growing as of then. He told me he would help me and I was very glad. He also dictated that I also have a role to play if I want his help. I told him I would do anything so far he helps me with what I wanted"my dad send and looked at me to know if I was following his words.

"Go on dad" I said trying not to get emotional or cringy.

"He told me he would help me with some certain amount of money and would also introduce me in a business which would fetch me more than what he borrowed me. I was really happy that I was going to be getting what I so much desired. I told him I was fully interested. While I thought that was all, he said there is also another criteria" my dad said and led out a light groan before speaking again.

"He said the money he was going to give me would have an expiry date. When I asked him what he meant by that, he said he will be giving me a certain date to pay back and that if I don't meet up with the pay, that I was going to share fifty percent of my incomes every year and would likely succumb to whatever he wants or he will take back everything he gave me" my dad said with tears in his eyes that I also found myself crying too.

"How did you get into a filthy game that is this dangerous and you told no one!....why dad....so how does this relate to me and Anita" I said.

"You know, after he told me the criterias....he asked me to go home and think about my take on it. I thought it would be nice telling Irene your mother. She was against the idea but I was not buying hers either. All I had in mind was that I was going to meet up with the deadline and pay Benson back. I did what I did for the love of my family" my dad said. By now I was really shading tears.

"After I collected the money, I had a little misunderstanding with your mother but we soon settled the differences. You were really young when all these happened so you have little or no idea about our past life. Soon after getting into the business, your mom Irene fell really sick. So sick that I scared for her life. I cherished her life so much and won't trade it for anything. The medical doctors said she was suffering from a very deadly disease and would need some certain huge amount of money to carry out the treatments. And that was where I got caught in between. I paid for the bills just to save her life. While she was still on treatment, the deadline for the money I borrowed from Benson stood knocking at my door. And I knew instantly that I won't be escaping that. So I had to keep give him fifty percent share out of our yearly income and move with his ideas" my dad said and by this time my eyes were already really puffy. My dad too was crying....I don't blame him at all.

"Weeks later, your mother died cause she was not responding to treatment.....and now, off recently Benson wants you to get married to his daughter soonest cause he fears that when I die the company will be only in your possession and that he won't be having any access to The Carson's" my dad said.

"So this is it" I said crying really hard. I don't care if I'm a man right now. It was worth the tears. Damn!.

"So son.....you see why you should get married to Anita. If you don't then I'm afraid we are doomed. ...cause for the past few years he stopped collecting his 50% share. I don't want him to ask for it and file a case against us. You know what that means son....please....I know I'd be dying soon. I don't want to die leaving things messed up so please now you know how things work just cooperate " my dad said and I kept mute as I did nothing other than staring at the floor of the ward with tears in dropping from my eyes.

"Isn't there any other way out?" I asked.

"Agreement is agreement son. Just find a space in your heart and love Anita for peace to reign. I know I messed up big time. I shouldn't have accepted they deal but I also never knew the money would have end up on your mother's health"my dad said.

"I understand dad....you don't have to keep blaming the past. I will do what is right" I found myself saying.

"I'll just go home and freshen up" I said and stood up immediately walking out of the ward. My expression was as cold as hell. I boned my face making my jawline visible while I gritted my teeth within. *They wants marriage and marriage they will surely get* I said to myself as I walked out of the hospital.