The Pride

The sound of music is played soft and gently by the pianist in this room. There is a hansome man with a good body, standing and lay his back on the pillar, right at the corner. Alone, and lonely as always.

His name is Nicholas, or Nicko, yes just Nicko, a young man without family name, a husband of Josephine Windsor. She is the youngest daughter of one of rich and famous family in Westcoast Town, Edmund and Daisy Windsor.

***

Today is a birthday of Howard, an elder brother of Edmund Windsor. It's a tradition for Windsor family gathering to celebrate a birthday or wedding anniversary.

Everyone who came on gathering has to bring any present, of course. Honestly, present giving is a moment for showing off who is the richest, who glive the most expensive gift.

"Daddy, i hope you like this priceless painting by Fransesca from 19th century. I am sorry for not spending more than a million dollar," Bryan Holf, his son in law is saying generiously but honestly he wants to show off.

"You really a great son in Law, thank you, " Howard replys nicely while pating on his son in law shouder.

Armando and his wife Chaterine, an elder sister of Josephine come closer then. Giving a box which has a watch inside, a collection of Baurielle with jewels around. It might cost around a million dollar also.

A smile appears in Howard's face when seeing this couple. Armando Blanc is a son of a wealthy family. A million dollar gift is a small thing for him. Catherine is really lucky to be his wife.

"Hi Nicko, what do you bring for my father birthday?" Damian, Howard's youngest son, shouts and makes that hansome man come closer to gis wife's relatives, suddenly. To be honest, he doesn't like this kind of gathering at all, but he has no choice.

What Nicko can do is just nod and head down. Then, he ties to tell him bravely that he has nothing for gift.

"I apologize for not having any gift," He answers timidly.

"So, you came here with an empty hand? How silly you are," Armando, his brother in law is mocking him as always.

"Armando, dont you remember the fact that he is depending his life to Josephine and his parent in law? He just a poor unemployement," Damian, Josephine's cousin try to make him feel worse.

"Yes, you are right, i am sure that you wash your wife underwear, right?" Armando is sneering at him then laugh with Damian loudly.

"Nicko, how ashamed you are. How dare you embarassing my birtday!" Howard seems unhappy with his niece's husband. As a man, he thinks this silly son in law has no respect to him.

"You have no pride at all. What can you do is just make any trouble in my big family," Madame Elizabeth Windsor, grandmother of Josephine is now saying and angry.

Finally, a young lady with a blonde hair and wearing her little black dress get closer to them. She is beautiful and ellegant, the woman in dream. She is Josephine, Nicko's wife.

"Honey, please," she said then she puts her hand on his arm, take him away.

Since Nicko does not want any trouble and argue, thus he agrees with his wife. Then turning his back.

"Josephine, Grandma and your Uncle is not finish talking to your useless and ashamed husband!" Elizabeth shouts and stop her.

Nicko is turning and face his wife family while holding her hand warmly.

"I don't understand about you Josephine, Is there any great side of him, so you let this looser stay and keep him as a husband," Howard tries to express his dissagreement.

"I love my husband," Josephine replys then glaced her husband and smile at him. Meawhile, Armando and Damian laughing and mocking at them.

"What do you see from a looser like him. He is only a good looking unemployement. Soon, he will get older with full wrinkle on his face," Madame Elizabeth says.

"Good looking on face is has no meaning if there is no wealth or money," Catherine explains and make the others laugh.

"After all, his liability is done, it's over. He just a subtitude groom for you, why you have to stay with him for two years?" Catherine remains her sister.

Nicko marry Josephine because of the deceased of Mr. Gilbert Windsor's request. As a repay of his kindness, sending him to study till university.

At that time, two days before Josephine's wedding, her fiancee Gerald Jones is dissapear and nobody knows where he going. To save Windsor's family from an embarassing thing, Nicko is asked to replace Gerald.

Their relationship is awkward and empty earlier, because there is no love among them. Then, day by they everything is changed. Josephine's hurt is erased by Nicko's patience slowly, and the love is growing on them.

Unfortunately, only Josephine and her deceased grandfarher who take and treat Nicko nicely. The Windsor's arrogance and pride is too high to take Nicko as a part of them.

"Sue your useless husband for a divorce then marry Adrian Law. He is really fit on you," Grandma says assertively.

"Listen to your Grandma! You will live better and happier as your sister Catherine. Look at her, she alwyas buy fancy and beautifull dresses, going holiday and have fun. What about you? Your life is so poor, He cannot give you any fancy things, even for himself," What Damian said really makes Armando really proud of himself.

"Right, Adrian is perfect for you, He came for a well known family, not a man from unknown like him," Catherine says while glanced at Nicko underestimating. Josephine does not care about any politeness at all, she grab her husband's hand and take him away. Still she able to hear how the Windsor ask her to be apart with her husband.

***

"Honey, please don't get hurt with their words. Believe me, i won't leave you," Josephine is trying to make her husband calm down by rubing his arm.

"What do they think about me is not important at all. The most important for me is you," Nicko answer it with a calm voice tone.

While they are together, his phone is vibed. He is notified that Mrs. Watts, the one who live with him when she was a child is hospitalized. He has to be there and take care of her.

"What's the matter?" Josephine asks curiously.

"Mrs. Emily is hospitalized now and i have to stay with her," Nicko answera it lazily.

He stayed with Watts family since she was a child. Unfortunately, they cannot treat him nicely and appropriate as a foster.

They treat Nicko more like a servant than a child, geting any violance as a dicipline methode. The education service he gets is coming from Mr. Gilbert Windsor generiousity.

"You need to go now?" Josephine asks once again.

To be honest, he does not want to go, but again he has no other choice. Anytime and anywhere he goes always being bullied and insulted.

"Is that ok?" Nicko asks her.

"It's ok and i'll go with you."

"Don't bother Josephine, I don't want your family geting more upset to you. Let me go alone," Nicko asking a permission to leave then kiss his wife's forehead.

***

In the meantime, Phillip Lloyd is visited by his personal asistance, Klyle Brenan on his luxury mansion.. His asistance bring a paper folder with a wellknown hospital in Westcoast Town's logo on it. "Mr. Lloyd, this is the test' result you need," He says and pass the paper folder to him.

"Thank you Kyle," Phillip Lloyd said, then checking on the result of hospital's report seriously. Pay attention to every detail's shown, then put it on the table harshly.

"Hmm, i thought it all already. That is why he has that kind of atitude," Phillip is muttering.

"Kyle, we have to go now, and get our people ready!" Phillip gives command as a master.

Nicko walks faster as he drops from the bus. He will not let The Watts mad at him.

He remebers exactly, how he is punished by a cane on his calf when he got ten, just because he sets up the tea little bit late. Also Mrs Emily's anger, the one who always told him that he is abandoned by his real father.

Feels like a boiling water on his heart everytime he remebered those things. All of them are horrible. Eventhough its horrific, but those give him much strengt to face the life, all the slurs by Windsor Family is not a big deal at all.

"Where have you been, so you came here by now. Do you want to see my wife die? Jamie Watts snaps at him then slap Nicko's cheek.

"I am in uncle Howard birthday party," Nicko says honestly.

"Huh! How could you have fun in a party meanwhile my wife is dying by her illness!" Jamie snaps at him once again.

The fat and chubby man is pointing his finger on Nicko's pointed nose. He tries to remain who is Nicholas.

"Nicko, listen! You just an abandoned little boy. As you should know that your parents also wont let you use Lloyd as your last name. You must thank us for our kindness to take care of you, feed you and give you a place to stay."

Nicko wants to protrest for all the things he said. What kind of meals on his mind? A left over? Or a plain bread?

He has to do a part time job on a restaurant as a dishwasher or mow the lawn from a rich family's garden. Fo all those things to buy nutrisious meals.

"Huh, since he is abandoned child his atitude is like a trash. No politness, no goodwill to repay our generiosity. Mr. Lloyd might has a presumption about this earlier," Devon, the eldest child of Mr. Watts is saying synicall. Makes his father and his sister Jessica are laughing.

Nicko would be happy to make them quiet by his punch, if he is not in a hospital for now. In his opinion, The Watts has no atitude and any mercy.

Jamie Watts and his children keep on bullying Nicko. Standing around him while pushing this 25 years old guy.

They has no fortune but stupidity. There is too much enjoyment bulliying this poor young man. They don't realize that somebody is standing next to the open door of Emily Watts' VVIP room. In fact they book the entire floor for the sick lady, because they don't want to be infected by viruses and bacteries from other patients.

"So, he is the real Nicholas? Phillip Lloyd appears suddenly, and followed by Kyle Brennan and four men with a black suit. Jamie Watts really shock knowing Phillip Lloyd comes surprisingly. In fact he he points his finger to the abandoned young man and says Nicholas, not Devon, a young man who dress up neatly.

Suddenly Jamie's forehead is getting sweaty. Either Jamie or his children standing up in weak and leg shaking because he sees Mr. Lloyd. In the meantime, his wife is pushing to close her eyes.

Nicko is getting confuse when seeing Jamie's snobbery dissappear. Try to figure out who's the man come. This shabby clothes young man is turning around and get the answer of his curiousity.

Nicko's eyes are getting rounded spontaniously, seems he knew whonis the gentleman visitor. He tries to think deeply and find out who is that man.

Jamie awereness is getting back, then rounding his arms to his first son. Showing his friendly pokerface to Mr. Lloyd.

"Wow, i just realize that Mr. Lloyd has a comedy tallent. You really has a great humor sense. How could this shabby dressed young man is known as Nicholas Lloyd. He is my son Devon, do you remeber sir?" Jamie Watts is telling with his artificial cheering voice.

However, Mr Lloyd stares him deeply and sharp. That dashing man come closer than slap him.

"I sent money to you every month. So your family may live comfortable as my son, but you make him dreas like this!" Phillip Lloyd tells his protest and turn his head to Nicko.

"I ... I don't understand what you said, Sir," Jamie is saying nervously.

"Hey, are you trying to say that Mr. Lloyd didn't know anything at all. We heard what you just saying. How dare you say that Mr. Lloyd abandon his son," Kyle is saying for now.

"May be you hear wrong information, Sir," Jamie is trying to hide the truth from him. Kyle is really upset by Jamie's bahavior. He glances at the men with black suit in the room. One of them is away out and call the others, then the door is closed as more black suit men enter.

Jamie is getting unnerving when see the black suit men are standing around. Phillip Lloyd throws the DNA test result to him.

"Do you think you live in a stone age? That's why you let your son enter to my family? You think i will stay quiet and don't do a DNA checking?" Mr. Lloyd is asking him synically.

"I ask you to protect and taking care of my son with a compassion, sending you money every month so his presence will not bothering you. Then look what you did, you cheated on me. Do you think i am happy to let you taking care of my son to you? I am not, but i have no choice. I have to keep him save from the death threats on the Lloyd at that time. To be honest i prefer taking care of him together with my wife."

Nicko is squinting his eyes and try to think about what are they talking now. If Jamie Watts really recieve the money every month for his needs, then where has the money gone? He remebers exactly that his parents is really rich when he was a child.

He recalled that one day, Jamie Watts takes him to stay in his house.

However, he never know what is the reason behind. The obly thing he know is, The Watts tell him that he is abandoned by his father.

"Excuse me, is that true that i am abandoned by my father?" Nicko is interupting suddenly.

"What did you say? Being abandoned?" Mr. Lloyd is asking surprisingly.

Nicko starts to tell all the things happend to him, also about a punishment as a diciplinary to him. When this young man raise his hand, Phillip Lloyd sees something in his hand accidentally. "Young man, let me see your hand," Mr. Lloyd grab Nicko's left hand. See the a birth mark on his wrist, which is look like a number one shape.

A change is shown in Phillip Lloyd expression, it becomes brightly. Kyle Brennan said that he took the saliva's sampling on fake Nicko and Jamie's bottle then compare it to the hair of Mr. Lloyd. Then he realize that a young man who live with him for a month is a son of Jamie Watts.

Jamie has no way out to refuse. He starts begging a mercy from Mr. Lloyd and admit that what Nicko said is true. Hope that he won't get any trouble later by telling the truth.

Which parents are not shocking when heard about somone always treat his son disgracefully.

"No wonder you always ask a lot of money from me all the time. Begging to book the entire room for hospital to your family. Meanwhile my real son live in hard way."

What Phillip Lloyd said makes Jamie Watts' knee becomes weak. Seems he need a cane to help him stand.

Nicko is standing in silence while squinting his eyes to see the desperate Jamie. Questioning what happend with this fat man, how could he loose his courage. His shown power and snobbery are disappeared directly.

"Russel, do you know what you have to do to a cheater?" Mr. Lloyd is asking to one of the black suit men, who is standing in a first row.

Russell got a flat expression, no smile or laugh, seems never. Everything must be straight on him. May be Russell is a leader for them.

Russel took a gun from her left waist. Wipe that black gun slowly right in front of Jamie's family.

Flat expression is shown by Russell seems give him more strength and power. This makes The Watts feel more desperate.

Jamie, the one who really fear of his death gives signal to his children. Ask them to go on their knee and begging for mercy.

"Please forgive us Mr.Lloyd, we have made a mistake. We are thirsty by your wealth on us," Jamie is begging for Mr. Lloyd's leniency.

Unfortunately, Russell has no positive reaponds to this fat man kneeling. He uses the gun on his hand and hit Jamie's head. Then put a gun on this poor fat man's head like trying to shoot him, then glanced over his minions.

The minions also pointing their gun to the Watts include Emily. Fear is around the Watts, nothing they can do but begging for a mercy.

"Tell us the truth, who is Young Master of Lloyd? Russel gives command while pushing a gun on Jamie's eyelid.

The looser fat man is starting to pee on his pant. He is pointing a shabby dressed young man in front of him, slowly.

"I have thought it already. It can be seen by his unique birth mark, also the DNA test result which is sent by Kyle," Mr. Lloyd muttering.

No need to wait longer, Jamie makes a confession about what he did with his family to the Young Master of Lloyd. They are trying to build the condescending and pesimistic on real Nicko. They want Nicko grew up as a looser and have unlimited access for Mr. Lloyd money by using Nicko's mental health.

"Damn, i can't believe this!" Mr Lloyd said flustered and clenching his hand with a strength.

"So you lied to me, so far?" Nicko is asking suddenly.

"Nicko, please forgive us for hurting you so far. Please, i am begging you, " Jamie is begging on him with a hope behind.

"Nicko, please. Don't you remember that we are always have fun playing together since we were a child. Don't you have any compassion to us?" Devon is trying to remain him.

Nicko raises hisnhead and trying to ignore them. What kind of fun is that? Nicko was never allowed to touch Devon's toys. Threw all the toys he has no interest anymore is much better than give to Nicko.

Kyle is trying to calm Nicko, since his face is getting red by the anger. He realize that this young man has a deep disappointment to them.

"Young Master, please follow me and Mr. Lloyd, and let Russel fisnish all this mess," Kyle is asking him with a politness.

Nicko has not fully understand about what happend. He just nod and follow those men with fancy suit on.

***

"What do you feel for now, Nicko? " Phillip Lloyd is asking and pat on his shoulder.

Nicko is still confusing and trying to figure out what was happend just now. Wiping his face with hands and get all the guts to ask.

"So, is that true that you are my father, Sir?" He is asking to the man with a tie and suit next to him.

"Nicko, my son, you've heard all of them already. My apologize for keeping you with a wrong person. I thought it would keep you save but in fact you got much trouble," Phillip Lloyd says with full of regret.

"Would you mind to talk about it?" Nicko is asking with his curiousity.

The Lloyd was not rich as nowadays at that time. They are stick on second degree of the social piramyd. Previously, unfair business competition was a threat, sometimes it could be a murder.

Just like what happend on the Lloyd, that was horrifying. What theu can do as a parent is only keep his precious son. Jamie was a loyal buttler on Lloyd family, thus he trust Nicko to him. Nicko's last name was hiding at that time.

Unfortunately, that was't a right decision. The butler he tought as a loyal person was cheating and treat his son badly.

Once again, to make sure that this handsome young man has Lloyd blood, Nicko has to show his ID card also the blood type test. Not only that, but he also do the DNA's check by using his blood and the result will be. Ready in seven days.

Nicko's face almost has no similiarity with his father, but not his dark brown hair. However, if he is seen clearly, he got much similiarity with Stephany, Phllip Lloyd wife.

"Nicko, we need your DNA to ensure everything," Kyle asked earlier.

"I have no problem with that. I do understand if you need any further checking to find out who is the real Lloyd. In fact you has been cheated earlier," Nicko is answering wisely. Phillip Lloyd and Kyle Brenan are facing each other. Asking Nicko to stay with the Lloyd, then.

"Thank you for your generous invitation, but i apologize, i can't, since i am married and i will not leave my wife alone."

Nicko is not understand still, about what happend just now. He sees his real father accidentally.

While Phillip Lloyd tries to understand his son, he squints at Kyle and ask him to do his duty.

"Yes, Sir," Kyle understand it well, and get the envelope then give it to Nicko.

"What is this, Sir?" Nicko is questioning.

"That's an ATM card. Your father has made it since you were born, and will give it when you get married," Kyle is telling him clearly.

Nicko feels surprisingly and try to refuse it because the DNA test result is not shown yet. Also, he wont be a beggar, but Phillip Lloyd and his asistant are insisting.

"Take it mys son, please, the pin number is your birthdate," Mr. Lloyd is explaining clearly.

Nicko says thanks before he leaves. They promise to see each other in a week later, at the same place.

***

Phillip Lloyd is walking back to Emily's room and followed by his asistant. They find bruised face on Jamie and his children include his daughter Jessica. Meanwhile, the sick Emily is crying in fear.

Jamie crawls and get closer to Mr. Lloyd, again, begging for mercy but this wise man has no respond to him. He squints at Kyle and saying,

"Damage their residance and cut all their facilities access, and no more responsibility for her hospital billing! "

"Yes, Sir," Kyle is respinding positevely and calling the hospital.

Jamie has been standing on his knee still, trying to hold Mr. Lloyd's leg and asking forgiveness. However, one of Russel's minion kick him down. Mr. Lloyd doesn't care about them at all.

In the meantime,

Nicko seea an ATM machine in the hospital accidentally. His curiousity about the new ATM card leads him to go to that machine. Soemthing surprising appears, thirty billion dollars is mentioned on a screen

"Is this for real?"