C4 Chapter Four

Miller Chalmers stretched on the bed and used his hand to shield his face from the ray of the sun which came through the slightly opened curtain by the window. He stood up from bed and went to check himself in the mirror. Satisfied with his look, he went to the bathroom. He had his bath and dressed up.

Looking ever handsome and hot in his suit, Miller left the hotel and went to his car which was already prepared by his driver. The driver bowed as soon as he sighted his boss, Miller.

"Has Peter contacted you?" Miller asked as he entered his car.

"Yes sir. He said your first visit will be to the hotel that was just completed," David, the driver, said.

"Shouldn't we be on the way already?" Miller said.

David ignited the engine and drove off to the hotel. Miller's phone rang. He picked it since it was his mom.

"Good morning, mom," Miller said over the phone.

"Morning Evan," his mother, Mrs Chalmers replied calling him his third name.

"How was your night? Have you had your breakfast? Did you take your drugs?" Miller questioned his mom.

"My night was fine. I've had my breakfast already. I hope you've also. I took my drugs too," Mrs Chalmers responded.

"I will grab my breakfast at a nearby restaurant," Miller said.

He did not even feel as though he hasn't had his breakfast until his mom mentioned it. Mom is the best, he thought.

"Good son. I heard you are in town already," Mrs Chalmers said.

"Mom, I just came in yesterday. I will surely come visiting," Miller said.

He missed his mom as much as she missed him too. He just doesn't like going home because of his self-centred father.

"You know I miss you a lot," Mrs Chalmers said.

"I miss you more, mom. Uhmmm, I will come home for lunch and leave after dinner," Miller said.

"Okay, son. I will prepare your favourite," Mrs Chalmers's voice defined her excitement.

"I gotta go, mom. Love you," Miller said.

"Love you more," Mrs Chalmers said.

Miller called his assistant after ending his mother's call. Peter picked up before the end of the first ring.

"Morning sir," Peter said as soon as he picked up the call.

"After visiting the hotel, what do I have to do this morning?" Miller questioned with his voice showing how much power he held.

"There are files that need to be attended to at the office. You have a lunch meeting and two after a lunch meeting with two different companies. A dinner date with Miss Steph," Peter said meticulously.

"Postpone all meetings. Cancel any date with Miss Steph henceforth," Miller said.

"The meetings had always been postponed. The investors are impatient," Peter said.

"Are you questioning my order? If they are impatient, they should go for another company," Miller almost yelled.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm on your order," Peter said.

"Better," Miller ended the call.

Kate was about to leave her father's ward for her workplace when Mrs Smith entered the ward. Mrs Smith is her father's wife and the woman who gave birth to her. Seeing the woman she despises most despite having a blood relationship with her, Kate knew her bad day was about to go worse.

"Good morning Mrs Smith," Kate greeted out of respect and made to leave as soon as possible but Mrs Smith's voice stopped.

"Will you continue like this forever?" Mrs Smith questioned.

"How I live my life was and should never be of your concern," Kate replied.

"In case you've forgotten, let me remind you that I gave birth to you. You came to this world through me," Mrs Smith said, "Legally, I'm your mother."

"I never had a mother. You are just a passage God chose for me to come to this world. God is just too dumb to choose a person like you," Kate said.

Mrs Smith was too stupefy to utter anything.

"Dad, I'm sorry for insulting your wife," Kate apologised to her father and left the ward.

"Is this how you trained my daughter?" Mrs Smith asked the weak man on the bed.

"Since you didn't want your daughter to be trained the way she behaved, why didn't you train her yourself?" the weak man replied.

Mrs Smith felt insulted. How can nobody like her so-called husband and nonentity daughter talk to her in this manner? She barged out of the ward.

Kate let the tears she held back whilst in the ward flow freely.

"I am strong. I will be strong. I will let that woman know I can make it without her. I will fight for my father. I will fight for myself," Kate consoled herself and wiped her tears.

The more she wiped her tears, the more they flow. She stood at the hospital gate and leaned on the wall. She felt weak. She cried to her satisfaction. She checked the time and realised she was almost late for work. She dipped her hand in her pocket but found no penny.

Mrs Smith entered her car and the driver zoomed off.

"Take me back home," Mrs Smith ordered.

"Okay ma," the driver drove towards the house.

The drive back home was fast and full of tension. The driver was finally able to breathe after Mrs Smith got down from the car.

"Mom, you are home so soon?" Paisley asked.

Paisley is the daughter she had for Mr Smith after she left Kate's father. That was eighteen years ago.

Mrs Smith forced a smile. "I met a person who spoiled my day so I wasn't eager to go to the boutique," she said.

"Ohh no mom. You must be feeling ill from seeing that person. Come, let me be your mom for today," Paisley said pulling her mother to herself.

Mrs Smith smiled. She felt blessed to have Paisley. Her regret of birthing Kate angered her. She wished she had flushed her out of her body when she was still blood.

"Nanny Jane, please get mummy chinchin and mango juice," Paisley said to her favourite nanny.

"Ok dear," Nanny Jane went for the juice.

Mrs Smith freed herself from her daughter's hug and smiled at her.

"I feel blessed that I gave birth to an angel like you," Mrs Smith said hugging Paisley again.

Soon, Nanny Jane brought the snacks and the duo began to eat.

Kate checked the time. She knew she was late and was prone to salary deductions. She decided to call Manager Mark to apologise ahead before she gets to work. Manager Mark picked up at the third ring.

"Good morning sir," Kate spoke first.

"Morning," Manager Mark responded.

"Sir, I will come in late. Something came up," Kate said.

"Alright. I hope you are fine," Manager Mark questioned.

"Yes, I am. Thanks, sir," Kate replied.

"Ok. See you at work," Manager Mark ended the call.

Kate was thinking of how to pay her father's hospital bills which kept compiling that she didn't notice when she walked off the pedestal lane.

The screeching of a car brought her out of her trance. She was so startled that she fell as a result of shock.