Chapter 4

“Sorry for the loss.” 

“Thank you for coming.” Bastian appreciated people’s presence as he walked them out to the entrance of the funeral hall.

He curtsied his head and watched the influenced people drive away before he turned back and saw Patricia and William walking towards him. 

Immediately as William sighted Bastian, he released his hand from his mother’s hand, and ran toward Bastian.

Before William got to Bastian, Bastian bent down and opened his arms to welcome him.

“My boy!” Bastian said, rounding his arms around William’s body.

Bastian carried William from the ground. He sat him on his shoulder and walked closer to Patricia. 

“Sweetheart…” he called and rounded his arm on her shoulder. “It’s good to have you back in this city. Welcome back.”

Patricia wore a sour smile. “It's heartbreaking. I couldn’t make it back in time. I wish to see the chairman’s face again before he passes away.” She let out.

It's been over five years, with some months, since Patricia has traveled out of the country a month after she gave birth.

Bastian was with her when he received an emergency call that the chairman had cardiac arrest, and was rushed to the hospital. She wanted to come back with him, but had to stay behind because of William.

Whenever she called Bastian to ask about the chairman's condition, Bastian told her he was responding to treatment, and assured he would be fine, only for her to receive a death new last week.

Bastian grinned and rounded his arm around her neck. “It’s fine, dear. The old man died with no regret,” he consoled. He understood Patricia better than anyone, so he always has the right words to put her mind at rest. “The chairman died, but you still have a brother who will never for once forsake you.”

Patricia brightened her smile, and looking into Bastian’s eyes, she remembered how supportive he has always been. He was by her side when she was passing through the hardest moment of her past, and even when she traveled out of the country, when her child was still an infant. 

Despite Bastian’s tight schedule to run the companies’ affairs on her behalf, he set five days aside in a month to pay her a monthly visit and had a nice time with Williams to act like his father.

“Thank you, Bastian.” She appreciated it. 

Bastian wore a frown. He has warned Patricia countless times to stop appreciating her. “Stop this, we are family. It's my responsibility as a brother to help you.”

Patricia beamed, but said nothing. Instead, she raised a question. “When is the funeral starting?” 

“Soon. We’re just waiting for some family before we start.” He answered.

“Dad, can we still visit all the beautiful places you told me are in this city?” Williams asked.

“Sure. We will go with mom after the funeral.” Bastian assured. He put William down, asking, “what have you eaten?”

Williams shook his head. “Nothing.” He answered.

“What do you care for?” Bastian asked.

Williams was close to Bastian and hated to eat without him when he was around. “Dad, since you’re busy right now, chocolate will be fine. Let’s eat together when you are free,” he informed. “I have a lot of gist about Henry from my school.”

“Okay, go inside with mom and wait for me to get you a chocolate.” Bastian said.

“No, I don’t want to stay with mom,” Williams refused. “It will be boring. Let me go with you. I want to go with you, dad.”

Bastian wanted to talk, but without waiting for him to decide, Patricia grabbed Williams’s hand and dragged him to her side. 

“You can go get the chocolates, he will stay with me.” Patricia took the front.

Williams attempted to free himself from his mom, but she held him tighter. “Come with me.”

Bastian smiled cutely at Williams. “Stay with mom until I come back. Hun.”

Williams nodded. “Okay, dad.” He obeyed.

“Bastian, if there is anything I can help with, let me know.” Patricia let out.

Bastian would never allow her to do anything or stress herself, but Patricia wouldn't want to hear that. So he grinned and nodded, comprehending. “Okay.”

Patricia lightly held Williams in her right hand and walked into the hall designed for chairman Jackson’s funeral.

______

“Williams!” Patricia called in a high voice, looking left and right as she walked around in a hurry.

She left Williams sitting inside the hall when she went to use the toilet, and she returned to see the chair emptied.

The hall was on the last floor of Ivy’s hotel; the hotel was the biggest in the city with tenth floors, and Patricia had been looking around for over twelve minutes and William was still nowhere to be found.

She saw a room and abruptly opened the door, but instantly closed it when we saw a male and female staff cuddling inside.

She dialed Bastian’s number to ask if he was with him, but his number wasn’t reachable.

“Williams!” She called again and again with her voice getting louder every second without minding the crowd, who had settled their gazes on her.

While running without looking at her front, she stumbled onto Ailee, Bastian's secretary.

Ailee recognized Patricia as a member of Matthew's family, so she quickly bowed her head to greet her. “Madam,” she called, showing concern. “What are you looking for? Is everything okay?” 

“Williams…” Patricia said and paused. She was in a panic and couldn't complete her statement at once. “I left him inside the hall to go and use the toilet and I couldn't find him when I got back. It's been over fifteen minutes since I've been looking for him.”

“Your son? I saw him on the second floor,” Ailee reported. “He-”

Patricia didn’t wait to listen to what Ailee still had to say before she ran out of her sight. She slightly pushed the people standing in front of the elevator and entered.

_______

Patricia has checked the second floor where Ailee reported to have last seen Williams, but she didn't see him there. So, she went and check the ground floor.

Immediately, as Patricia stepped out of the elevator, she saw Williams standing beside a man.

The man was holding Williams’s hand in his, and their backs were turned to her because they were facing outside.

Patricia paused for a second, wondering why the guy’s backside looked quite familiar, but she didn’t think much about it before she paced closer to them.

“Williams.” She called with a few steps remaining to take before reaching them.

“Mom.” Williams called in an excited tone and he quickly turned back, causing the guy to turn back along with him.

“Why did you-” the guy wanted to raise a question, but turning to see Patricia in his front, his eyes widened in shock and he couldn't utter another word.

Seeing Williams with Cohen, Patricia startled and with her eyes enlarged in shock, she densely locked eyes with Cohen.

After a few seconds of staring at each other, Patricia took her eyes off him, and he quickly did the same.

Patricia wished to say a word, but her betrayal mouth refused to pull out a word.

“Mom,” Williams called, and his mother looked at him. “I mistook him for dad and traced him here. I’m sorry.”

“Patricia, this is your son? Did you re-married? When?” Cohen stormed Patricia's ear with lots of questions.

Williams looked at Cohen. “Did you know my mom?”

“Yes, she-” Cohen wanted to answer, but Patricia cut him off.

“Yes. He was a man I thought I knew. Just a random person from my past. Someone I shouldn’t have known.” Patricia spoke in parable, stoning Cohen with words in a way Williams wouldn’t understand.

Cohen was surprised at Patricia’s answer. He didn’t expect her to be that bold, but he wasn’t surprised she talked in that manner because of what has transpired in the past. 

He lengthened his hand forward for a handshake. “Congratulations.”

Patricia didn’t want to accept the handshake, but her eyes caught a glimpse of Anna walking towards them, so she accepted it. “Thank you.” She let out. 

Patricia wore a bright smile on her face and refused to leave Cohen’s hand till Anna arrived and stood beside Cohen.

Anna was a bit late to the event, and thinking Cohen would be mad at her, she paid no attention to the lady standing with Cohen. Instead, she looked at Cohen. “Dear, I’m sorry.”

“Hi, madam.” Patricia waved at her, beaming.

Anna directed her gaze to her front, and seeing Patricia, her heart escaped a breath, and she took a step back in panic.

“Pa…” Anna wanted to talk, but she couldn't because of the shock coupled with fear which held her heart at the moment.

Patricia grinned brighter. “Yes, it’s me. How have you been?”

Anna quickly let the shock in her mind vanished into a smile on her face. “I’ve been doing great. And you?”

Without waiting for Patricia to give a response, she mocked. “How do I expect you to be? Your life must have been in a mess already.”

Patricia smiled with the left part of her lip. “Mess you say? I’ve been doing great more than you can even imagine.”

Anna scoffed. She moved closer to Cohen and put her arm around his neck. “How can you do great without a great husband like mine besides you?”

“Your husband?” Patricia repeated in a shock tone.

“Yes. We’re happily married, with a blessed daughter.” Patricia affirmed.

For the first time in a while, Patricia felt sad again about the betrayal she faced years ago, but she had long prepared for a day like this.

A day when she would meet any of her enemies again, and she practiced not to act weak in their front. “Wow!” She let out. “That’s great. Congratulations to you guys.”

Anna looked at Patricia with confusion. “Why are you happy for us? Shouldn't you be angry?”

“Angry? Why will I be angry when I already have the best guy in the universe to myself? I’ve been lucky from the start, which was why you envied me.” Patricia uttered.

“I didn’t envy you. I just reveal your secrets because I couldn't watch you continue to cheat on an innocent guy.” Anna wanted to drag the conversation, but Patricia wasn't in for it.

“Whatever. I’m quite busy, so I will leave you guys?” She let out. She grabbed William’s hand and turned to leave.

“I guess you're still busy flirting around with men. You can never change.” Anna wanted to embarrass Patricia with her words, but Patricia wouldn't stand back.

Patricia turned back to her. “I flirt with man, but you snatch man. You have the dirtiest mind a human ever has.” She let out.

Patricia has changed a lot, and was far different from the version Anna could have ever imagined, and her words caused Anna’s mind to boil in anger.

Anna took a step forward, raising her hand to slap Patricia.

Cohen wanted to grab Anna’s hand, but Bastian’s hand reached for Anna first.

Cohen didn’t expect another guy to stand up for Patricia, and he enlarged his eyeballs, as a shock tone escaped his mouth. “Hun!”

Bastian released Anna’s hand and walked to Patricia's side. “Are you okay?” He asked with his caring voice, matching the concern on his face.

Patricia nodded. “Yes, I am fine.” She answered in a low voice.

“Bastian, sorry for your loss.” Cohen showed empathy, buying himself a gaze from Bastian.

“Thank you,” Bastian responded. “Cohen, you’re influential. Who is this rude woman next to you?” He inquired, pretending not to know Anna to embarrass her.

“What are you doing with someone like her?” Bastian added in a belittling tone.

Bastian’s manner pissed Patricia off, but she composed herself because she knew who Bastian was, and it would be embarrassing to act reckless in his front. “I’m his wife,” she introduced, apologizing, “I’m sorry you met this side of me. This peasant is just rude and needs to be thought a lesson.”

“You’re his wife? So? What’s special about being his wife? How can you lie she is rude? I’ve been watching you since, and you started this fight.” Bastian poured out.

“Actually, you can’t understand…” Anna tried to defend herself, but Bastian gave her no space.

“I see no reason you should disgrace yourself in public? Your husband is an influential person. Why are you embarrassing him with your presence?”

“I’m sorry, Bastian. Forgive her on my behalf.” Cohen intervened.

Bastian resorted to his gaze to Cohen. “Cohen, what kind of competent guy would marry this kind of woman these days? Why stoop so low? There are many great ladies. Why someone like her? Hun?”

Cohen was getting pissed off, but Anna caused it. So, he has no option but to apologize. “I'm sorry.”

“For your sake, I will overlook it. But if she ever creates a scene in my surroundings again, I won’t overlook it,” Bastian warned. “The step I will take may make us more than just business rivals.”

“Mr. Bastian, I guess you don’t know this lady. You're defending her because you think she's a weak woman. If you know her past, you will chase her away.” Anna bad-mouthed.

“I care less about her past,” Bastian declared. “But your question makes me wonder if Cohen also knows yours. Because I doubt he will choose you of all people if he finds out what your past is like.”

“Bastian, are we still welcome to pay our last respect to the late chairman?” Cohen inquired, using the question to change the tune of the conversation.

“You are, but only if you can have your woman’s manner in control.” Bastian savaged in simplicity.

“Thank you.” Cohen showed gratitude.

Bastian ignored Cohen. He carried Williams on his shoulder and rounded his arms around Patricia’s neck. 

“See you later, Cohen.” Bastain said, slightly glancing back at Cohen. He looked back at Patricia and they walked to the elevator.

Seeing Patricia walk away with another man, Cohen’s eyeballs turned red for no reason. He was getting jealous, but didn’t want to admit it. He wished to go after her or command Bastian's hand off her, but the pain of not being able to take any action saddened his heart.

“Cohen…” Anna called, watching Cohen, unable to take his eyes off Patricia. “What are you thinking?”

“Will you wait for me in the car or let me have your manner in control?”