The Billionaire Student's Secret.

5

“Thank you Mum and Dad, for the wonderful meal,” Charles Black chorused perfunctorily as he dabbed his mouth clean with a napkin.

“Oh, you're welcome, darling,” His mother replied, as though she was the one who had prepared the pasta and steak Charles liked so much.

“Yes,” His father echoed, “we rarely see you these days, Charles.”

Charles sighed inwardly, here we go again.

“You could always move back in with us, Charles,” His mother continued, “I'm sure it won't be a bother commuting.”

“It actually will,” Charles lied. He would do anything, anything not to move back into the vast mansion he'd grown up in.

“Are you lying to us, Charles?” His mother pursed her lips, as a maid hurried over to clear the table.

Before Charles could reply, his mother barked at the timid maid whose uniform looked a little too large on her, “Lolita! Will you hurry this up?”

Lolita immediately perked up and hurriedly cleared out the dishes, wincing when two plates clanked against each other loudly.

“Honey, must you be so harsh on her?” Black's father asked cajolingly.

“Of course, if you give the help a little space, she'll start misbehaving.” Black's mother answered.

Black's father kept mute and Charles shook his head. That was the story of Francis and Caitlin Black, his parents.

The owner of Black crafts, a world-famous conglomerate who manufactured and dealt in antique furniture, Francis had fallen for Caitlin, his secretary and when she had gotten pregnant with his child, he had done the honorable thing and married her.

Charles had grown up constantly being doted on by his parents and the various hired helps that had been a part of the family throughout the years, and while it had felt good while growing up, when he hit adolescence, it began to feel smothering.

Immediately he had gotten admission into Blossom College, he had gotten himself a flat with his own money and packed into it the day after, shunning his parents' cries not to leave them.

To compensate for his disobedience, Charles always returned home for lunch every first Sunday of the month, and whenever he did, his parents tried their damnedest to convince him to give up his accommodation in school and return to them, and every time, he declined. It was getting tiresome having to tell them no every time.

Out of the blue, Caitlin continued, “Why won't you move in with us? Don't you know we miss you?”

Charles shut his eyes and counted to ten, wondering why his mother was trying to guilt-trip him, before he gave an answer, “Come on, Mum. You know I won't be able to study hard if I'm here. I'll be easily distracted. You don't want me failing my exams now, do you?”

“No, we don't,” Francis chipped in, rubbing the bald spot in the middle of his hair.

“Still—” Caitlin continued, but Charles interrupted, “Still nothing, Mum. It's just for a few years. When I get my bachelor's degree, I'll move back in here.”

That was a lie, Charles had no intentions of returning home, but telling his parents that he would return after he'd gotten his degree would get them off his back, or at least, he hoped so.

Just as he'd hoped, Caitlin's brow smoothened and she broke out into a beautiful smile which showed off her perfect dentition and rosy cheeks. In that moment, Charles saw how beautiful his mother was. With flawlessly clear skin and a perfect bone structure, Caitlin looked to be in her late thirties when she was actually in her mid forties.

“So, moving on,” Caitlin put her hand beneath her jaw and queried, “do you have a girlfriend?”

Charles raised his eyes to the heavens, out of the fry pan and into the fire.

“Don't be that way,” Francis scolded gently, “your mother is asking out of concern.”

Charles sighed, “No, I don't have a girlfriend.”

“But why?” Caitlin questioned, alarmed, “you're tall, handsome, smart and you're the heir to a multi-billion dollar company. Why are you still single? Are the girls over there blind?”

Charles rolled his eyes as surreptitiously as he could, “Um, no. I'm single because I want to be.”

Caitlin's eyes widened, “And why would you do that?” lowering her voice, she continued, “are you gay?”

Charles glared and she hastily added, “Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, just know your father and will support you in all things.”

“I'm not gay, Mum.” Charles replied.

“Asexual, then?” Francis interjected, looking a little worried.

Charles smiled a little, “No, Dad. I'm heterosexual.”

“If you are,” Caitlin clapped her hands, “when are you going to give us grandkids?”

“Mum, it's not like you're at death's door or anything,” Charles scoffed.

“But I want to spend enough time with my grandchildren before I die.” Caitlin complained in a sing-song voice.

Charles groaned frustratedly, “Are you seriously bugging me to get married and give you children? I'm just twenty-three.”

Caitlin faced Francis, “This is all your fault. Your son takes after you.”

Francis glared at Charles, “Listen to your mother.”

“You won't get a girlfriend, you won't move in with us now,” Caitlin nagged, “what do you plan on doing to make us happy?”

“Becoming the best graduating student.” Charles replied truthfully without hesitation.

“You're in your third year, you still have two more years until you graduate.” Caitlin pointed out.

“I'm sorry, Mum,” Charles shrugged, “that's all I can offer.”

Caitlin was about to retort when her phone rang. Looking at the screen, her face was transformed by a smile and she cleared her throat before answering the call,

“Hello?”

There was a pause before she replied, “Ok, I'll be there in five. Byeeeeee!”

Caitlin cheerily cut the call and stood.

Francis and Charles turned to regard her.

“Honey, where are you going?” Francis asked, surprised.

“Bono called, I forgot to cancel my workout session today.” Caitlin explained, still standing. Bono was her personal trainer, a blond Swedish hulk who was rumored to have been an adult movie actor before he got into the fitness industry.

“Mum, this family bonding time was your idea,” Charles added, “cancel the appointment.”

“I wish I could, dear,” Caitlin hurriedly kissed the cheeks of both men, “but I can't. You don't want me getting all bloated and flabby now, would you?”

“I don't—” Francis' words were cut off by Caitlin's hasty, “Bye, gotta go change.”

Immediately she left the room, Charles turned to his father, “You know she's f*****g him, right?”

“Charles!” Francis cautioned, turning red in the cheeks, “you shall not speak of your mum in such a disrespectful manner.”

Charles shook his head, “That doesn't make it any less true. Don't you know?”

Francis ducked his head and avoided Black's stare. Silently, he spoke, “Of course I do.”

“Does she know that you know?” Charles fumed.

“No,” came Francis' quiet reply.

“Why don't you confront her, threaten to divorce her?” Black's voice became as hard as steel.

“Because I'm afraid she'll choose him over me,” Francis' voice broke.

Charles wanted to scream. This was what love did to people, it made them pathetic. And his parents wanted him to love someone, a woman who would probably want to string him along like a puppet.

No, thank you, he thought, standing to leave. He would be wise enough to learn from the mistakes of his father.

As Charles left the room, his father's barely audible sobs gave him yet another reason to stay far far away from home.