Chapter 6 Six

Total silence was in the room as father and son were having a staring contest.

The mouth of Mr. Cole was slightly agape. He couldn't close it. How could his own son reprimand him.

Never in his life has he been told off. Never in his life, has anyone, in the history of anyone. Not even his wife talk to him this way.

He kept on clenching and unclenching his fists. His fingers perched his palms so as to surpress his anger.

If he should make a mistake to hit his son, he would be charged to prison for many things. The police was the last place he had in his mind.

He turned his head and faced his slightly shocked but silent wife.

"Matilda, dis you see what you caused? You have always been telling him to stand up for himself. Now see how he talks to his father. You happy now? I knew you always hated me, but to the extent of using your own son? How,,,,, devious"

He clapped his hands slowly. His face,now calm. This was a bad sign.

With all the things that was said, he should be mad. Beyond mad. But why was he clapping?

He faced his son who was now looking at him with confusion all over his face.

"What? Did you really expect me to hit you?" He sneered at his son " you were right you know, me being my father's shadow but, that little speech of yours won't stop me from doing what I want. You would marry Natasha whether you like it or not. Even if I have to force you, I would do it."

"And you think you can hold me?" He snorted at his father "over my dead body would I ever get married to that girl"

"Oh you will alright, you will. And who ever said I was going to hold you?" Mischief was glittering in his eyes.

He was ready to do anything just to make his company stand.

"W–what are you planning?" He didn't mean to stutter but he couldn't help it.

This man was acting no where near his father. Who was this? And what has they done to his father?

He was still thinking and wondering what his father meant. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, that he failed to notice when his father made a phone call.

Immediately his father dropped his phone, several burly men made their way inside.

His mother finally snapped out of her trance. She raised from the chair she was once seating. Shocked and biwildered. She had to pinch herself secretly in the palm to check if she was still in bed.

Reality slapped her hard on the face when she felt pain.

"What are you doing Matt?" She said pulling him by the shoulder to face her. Since, he was backing her.

"What do you think am doing Matilda? I am trying to save my company and also trying to save him from making a stupid mistake he is going to regret in the future." He yelled while pointing at his son."So, Matilda, tell me what am doing"

"This is stupidity in the highest order Matt. How could you think of forcing your own son into marriage. How? Was this how you were forced?"

"No. I was not forced because I complied and I knew what was best. Besides, I made everything easy for him. He made me resort to this, so, why blame me?"

Smack. She had finally list it. She had been restraining herself. She never wanted to resort to this, but,,,he forced her with his choice of words.

"How could you only care for your own self and not for your own son. How can you stand seeing your son's happiness being snatched from his very hands by the same man he calls a father. How can you be so....so selfish? In all my life Matt. In all my life,,,,I have never met someone so callous as you. And to think, I got married to a person like you. I regret never fighting for my right. Maybe, just maybe, I would not have ended up with the likes of you."

Everyone froze at her words and actions. It was as silent as a cemetery. If a pin was dropped, you can be sure that you would have heard it.

He turned and looked at his wife. His gaze was piercing and dark. If looks could kill, she would have been dead by now.

To Jayden, this was all new to him. He never knew about his mother's feelings until her confession.

"Is that why you always hated me. Or why you cringe at the sight of me?" He asked and her expression changed. "Is that also why you almost cheated on me the first time we got married?"

She was shocked. He caught her by surprise. True, she tried to cheat on him but that was when she was still reckless.

He sneered at her. "You see why I often refer to him as your son? I Know. I had always known so don't bother trying to explain"

"Jayden is your son you idiot!" She hissed. How could he say it straight to he face that Jayden wasn't his?

He only snort at her words. "Is that why you are willing to sell your his happiness because of your thoughts? Just because you thought he isn't yours?" She asked and gulped.

He didn't even bother answering the question. He faced the guards instead.

That act alone was the answer they both wanted.

"Take him to his room and make sure that he doesn't come out of his room until I tell you to bring him downstairs. The board should be arriving soon, take him now."

Immediately he gave those orders, the guards wasted no time in dragging him to his room.

He (Jayden) never even argued not to talk of even throwing a tantrum. He was still in shock. Was this how his dad was willing to destroy his life?

"Matthew, I won't let you destroy our son's life you hear? I would fight for him. Even if it means getting the board to disagree with you." She hissed at him.

"You can't do anything Matilda. Do you know why? It's because you are too late. I have already called a lawyer and as I speak he is on his way here with the marriage certificate. And I would make sure Jayden signs it. I don't know what your problem is. Jayden is twenty one for crying out loud. He is a man now. I didn't even get to reach that age before I married you. Yet, here I am alive and kicking."

She scrowled at his words. He was playing with his son's life. No, she won't let that same mistake happen.

Quickly formulating a plan in her head, she headed upstairs to her room. She took out a bag and started grabbing stuffs into it.

She took a hair dye, some female accessories and left the room. She headed to her son's room. There, two guards were stationed at the front. Two more at the end of the stairs, one patrolling the hall. Just to make sure he doesn't escape.

Wearing the backpack, she approached his room when a guard stopped her.

"Sorry ma'am, you can't go in. Boss's orders."

What!? So Matthew would stoop this low just to ensure that he doesn't escape? Well we will see about that.

She quickly put on an act. She gaze the guard a really dark gaze. "Are you saying that, I can't see my own son?" She asked tauntingly

"N–no ma'am. It's just orders and I have to follow them." He couldn't help but stutter under her unrelenting gaze.

"Have you ever seen what a mother is capable of when she isn't allowed to see her own child?" She tilted her head to the side.

The other guards gave the guard who was answering her questions space. He knew he was alone now. Traitors, he thought

"N–no ma'am" he gulped a few times.

"Good, cause I don't think you would want to know. Now, open the damn door."

The guard was so scared and confused. He looked around and tried to look at the faces of his colleagues but each time their gazes met, they looked elsewhere.

Sighing, he turned to unlock the door but with uncertainty in his voice, he asked. "Uhm ma'am? What's inside the bag?"

"Just some stuff of mine. Why?"

"Can,,,,can I take a look?"

"What are you implying young man? That I would bring in a gun in here just to sneak my son out? What can an old woman like me even do against the likes of you? Or say, are you trying to look at my undergarments that are in here? Are you trying to Snoop? Are you a pervert? What would your boss say when he discovers that you looked through his wife's personal stuffs?" She raised an eyebrow at him and saw how the guard gulped multiple times in fear while taking ow steps backwards.

"N–no ma'am,,you know what, just go inside please" he pleaded and she smiled.

She walked inside with every ounce of confidence that n her steps.

She looked round the room trying to spot her son. She found him all curled up in a ball by the bed.

She sighed before walking over to him.

"Get up you idiot. You are brave a few moments ago, now, look at you" she sneered "some hero you are" she was being sarcastic.

"Mom!" He cheered and ran to hug her tightly. "Mom, help me. I don't want to get married."

"Idiot, if I wanted you to get married, would I be here?" She smacked his head as if that would give him some sense.

"Ouch,,," he pouted. "How can you still be so violent at a time like this?" He muttered but she heard him.

Smack! Another one had blessed his head.

"Be serious, and I would be serious. Now, I brought some things that would help you get out of here." She said while bringing out the stuffs in her bag.

"A hair dye? What do you want to use this to do?" He asked while raising the paint and staring at it.

"You know, sometimes I wonder if you have even a speck of brilliance in that brain of yours" she said while coming to collect it from him.

"Ouch, mom. That hurts" he said and held his chest frieghning hurt.

"I would use this to change the color of your hair and possibly change your appearance. Then, I would sneak you out of here. You would go to a place far away from here. I would give you enough money to cover your expenses,so don't worry about that" she threw some clothes at him

"Change into that now. We don't have much time." She walked over to his window and looked out. She saw the boards arriving and her husband coming out to receive them.

He quickly changed into the new clothes. He was now wearing an all black outfit.

"Sit" she ordered and he did as told. She started applying the dye. His once golden brown hair, now as black as night.

He was whining about his hair. But he knew he had to sacrifice it just for his happiness. His mother was already doing a lot for him.

"So, we are really doing this huh?" He asked her raising his head to have a look at her.

She sighed and dropped the can to the floor. Using her gloved hands, she began massaging the paint into his scalp to blend the color of his new hair.

"It's not like we have a choice do we?"

He sighed "mom, what you said earlier, was it true? Am I really his son?"

"Of course, don't you believe me? I mean sure I thought about it once or twice but that time I was still young. I knew nothing about him but when I started to know him, he just killed it. And don't you see the resemblance you have with him? I know he was blind but you?" She smacked him in the head again.

He let out a whimper. Too many beatings to the head by one person.

"Done" she announced and stood up to look at her work. Her son was gorgeous. Even with this new hairdo, he was still handsome.

She smiled at him and walked closer to him. She removed the gloves and put them in a corner. She bent and removed the earring in his left ear.

Now everything was set. Time for the escape.

To

Be