Love is Like A For*bid*den Fruit

Chapter 8

Thomas’ Point of View 

I woke up with a shock. I looked around and checked the time and it showed 7am, on a Thursday morning. I saw that my mobile was beeping continuously and I dismissed the alarm. I got up and checked the area around me and that was when I realized that I was in Alex's place. Yesterday's events started playing in my mind, and I realized that I'm here, because he got drunk and I carried him home, like literally.

I got up and went towards the washroom. I completed my morning chores and came out of the washroom with a towel around my waist. My phone started ringing and it was Edgar calling to know about my whereabouts.

“Hello young master. Where are you today? You are not in your bedroom? Are you in the shower, because the bathroom is silent. Where are you?” there was a sense of concern in his voice.

“Hello Edgar. I'm at Alex’s place. I met him in our old hangout place yesterday evening, and he was completely wasted. You know that I couldn't leave him like that. So, I took him home and I stayed behind. I’m on my way home. Prepare a suit for me for the work. I’ll be reaching there within 30mins”, I said and I started dressing up in the same clothes as yesterday’s. I went outside and saw that Alex was still sized off. I instructed his butler to prepare an aspirin and a glass of water for him and left my way towards my home.

I was driving and the only thought in my mind was the headline that I read about my dad and his second marriage. Yes, his second marriage, after my mom died. He never married any fling or one-night stands of his till now for almost 20 years, and now he is all set to get married. What made him do so? What does he know about his new bride? I need to find out more about her and to make him get a prenup. What am I thinking? I shrugged off the feeling and decided to call Susan, my sister. She picked after 3 rings.

“Hey bro, whats up? How come you are calling me at this time? It's good that I was up or else you would have surely got an earful from me”, she groaned from the other side. 

“Hey sweet sis. How are you dear? How's life and everything? I'm doing fine by the way, and thanks for asking” I replied with a tone of sarcasm. 

“Oh come on bro. Don't act like a kid. You are not a little child for me to ask how you are doing and all. Anyways, what's the word? Is there anything I can help you with big bro?” she said from the other side.

“Fine fine. I won't eat your head anymore. Tell me something. Did you know about dad’s marriage tomorrow in New York, before the headline was published?” I asked her in a serious tone.

“What marriage? Whose marriage? Don't tell me it's Mr. Leon Strauss who is getting married. That old tard is marrying again? Has he gone mad? He has the audacity to publish in the media. To hell with him and his life. I didn't know about anything and I don't want to be a part of his life. You can attend or not and it's up to you”, she said with a tone that was almost deafening to hear from the other side.

I guess she didn't know anything about it and it was clearly visible in her tone. I just thought that I should ask her and she was clearly not happy with the news. I just disconnected the call and drove my way towards my home. I reached and went into the house and saw that Edgar was waiting near the door and was waiting eagerly for me. I smiled at him and went towards my bedroom.

I saw that Edgar had prepared a black 3 piece suit for me and everything else. I got dressed and came down towards the dining area. I didn't have the mood to have breakfast and told Edgar to get the car. 

“Edgar, did you know that my father is actually getting married tomorrow? I didn't know anything about it and so is Susan. I had to find out from the media headlines”, I gritted my teeth telling him about what I found out yesterday evening.

“Young master, I didn't know anything about it, and if I knew, then I would have surely brought the news to your attention. Has he called you and said anything regarding the wedding? If yes, then you need to be bothered by the news, and if not, then just enjoy the fact that you are not invited for the event”, Edgar said with a straight face.

I thought for a while and did agree with him. I haven't got the invite and I am grateful for that. We reached the office and the day started as usual with the meetings and other things. I signed two to three deals on the day and it was afternoon at around 2pm. I was finalizing a contract regarding some pharmaceutical company takeover and that was when my phone started ringing and it was an unknown number. 

“Hello. If it is a call regarding some advertisement of any sort, then please, I have a busy schedule and I can't sit and entertain you. So, if you have not called me regarding some advertisement, then tell me who it is and make it quick”, I really didn't like entertaining a call from an unknown number, especially when I was very much busy. 

“Hello son. It’s me, your father. How are you doing?” came the reply and I was really shocked from what I heard. My father has called me and is speaking to me after a decade. He has the audacity to call me when it is a day before his wedding. My blood was really boiling and I was seeing red around me. 

“Oh, hello Mr. Leon Strauss. How may I help you?” I replied with a sarcastic tone. 

“Come on son, don't take this tone with me. I know that I was not there for you much when you were growing up. I had my own way of grieving your mom’s death. I did what I felt was right for me and took care of my grief and life as I wished. I am not ashamed about how I lived my life so far or about how I’m going to live my life from now on. So, you don't take that tone with me. Whatever you are now, is because of the way I have brought you up, and also because of the way I left you to face the world on your own" he said to me and I felt like punching his face.

He continued, "You are strong and an independent boy now and it is all because of me not babying you. Anyways, I didn't call to speak about the past and all. I called you to inform you that you are invited to my wedding tomorrow in New York and I expect you to attend the wedding as my son and also as the groomsmen. I want you to meet my new wife and get to know her better. I don't want the hatred to make its home in my family". I really felt like throwing my mobile onto the floor. 

"So, please, yes I am telling you to attend my wedding as my son and an important person in my life. I have even invited your sister and my beloved daughter. She agreed to come with great difficulty. Please do attend the wedding and be a part in my happy day”, he said and I was really not expecting this from him. 

I thought for a while and said “yes”, and disconnected the call. 

Whatever my father was, he was the man whom my mom loved, and I respected her and her decisions. Okay, now I should leave for New York as the journey will take at least 8 hours from here to there. I called Edgar and asked him to pack mine and his bag for the wedding tomorrow. I even instructed him to prepare an extra set of clothes, as I decided to spend my weekend there. He understood and asked me to meet in the airport within an hour.

I called Sasha and told her to call my pilot. I instructed her to let the pilot of my private jet know about my plans of flying towards New York within an hour. She prepared everything and she called me back saying that everything was set. My jet was all set to take off within an hour. I called Edgar and told him about the plans and he took care of packing and everything. He called me saying that he will be reaching the airport within a few minutes and I took it as my cue to leave towards the airport from my office. 

I went to the airport and started my journey towards New York, at exactly 3.30pm. New York was a place that I loved visiting these days. Something there was pulling me towards it and I couldn't put my finger on it. Anyways, I was all set to fly to the place to attend an event  that would surely change my life within a day.