THE CARELESS MOTHER

CHAPTER 7

THE CARELESS MOTHER

By ABDULGAFAR HORRY OLAIYA

Chapter Seven: The Secret That Followed Him

Horry stood at the entrance of the house, unable to move.

The man before him had just told him something that had completely changed the story he had believed all his life.

His mother had not abandoned him simply because she was careless.

Someone had threatened to kill him.

Horry looked at Michael carefully.

"Who wanted to kill me?"

Michael lowered his eyes.

"Come inside."

Horry entered the house with Daniel following behind him.

The sitting room was large and beautifully furnished, completely different from the small house where Horry had grown up. There were expensive chairs, framed photographs on the walls, and shelves filled with books.

But Horry barely noticed any of it.

His mind was filled with questions.

Michael sat down.

"You deserve the truth."

Horry remained standing.

"I have been waiting for the truth my whole life."

Michael took a deep breath.

"Before you were born, your mother and I were together. We were young, and we made many mistakes. But when she became pregnant, everything changed."

Horry sat opposite him.

"What happened?"

Michael looked toward the window.

"I was working for a businessman named Victor."

Daniel suddenly interrupted.

"Michael, be careful."

Michael shook his head.

"No. The boy is old enough."

He turned back to Horry.

"Victor was involved in illegal business. I discovered something I wasn't supposed to know."

"What did you discover?"

"Money. A lot of money. Money that had been stolen from several people."

Horry listened carefully.

"I wanted to expose him," Michael continued, "but Victor discovered that I knew too much."

"So he threatened you?"

"Yes."

Michael's voice became quieter.

"He told me that if I spoke, he would destroy my life."

Horry frowned.

"But what does that have to do with me?"

"Everything."

Michael looked directly into his son's eyes.

"Victor discovered that Ada was pregnant. He believed you could eventually become evidence of where I had been and what I knew."

Horry felt a chill run through him.

"That's why Mother left me?"

Michael nodded.

"She believed that if she stayed with you, Victor would find you."

"But she could have told me."

"She was terrified."

Horry looked away.

For years, he had hated Ada for being careless.

Now the truth was becoming complicated.

Michael continued.

"She took you to a small clinic and left you there temporarily. She planned to return after finding somewhere safe."

"But she never came back."

Michael's face became painful.

"She was intercepted."

"By Victor?"

"Yes."

Daniel spoke.

"James found you before Victor's men could reach the clinic."

Horry suddenly understood.

James had not simply rescued him.

He had saved his life.

"Why didn't James tell me?"

Michael smiled sadly.

"Because he promised Ada that he would protect you."

Horry looked down.

All the memories of his childhood came rushing back.

His father working in the rain.

His father coming home injured.

His father giving him his last money.

His father telling him to study.

James had never been his biological father.

Yet he had been his father in every way that mattered.

A tear rolled down Horry's cheek.

"What happened to Victor?"

Michael's expression hardened.

"He disappeared."

"Is he still alive?"

"We don't know."

The room became silent.

Then Daniel placed an old newspaper on the table.

Horry looked at the headline.

BUSINESSMAN WANTED FOR MAJOR FINANCIAL CRIMES

Below the headline was a photograph.

Horry stared at it.

His heart began pounding.

He recognized the face.

"That's him."

Michael looked at him.

"You've seen Victor before?"

Horry nodded slowly.

"Yes."

"Where?"

Horry struggled to remember.

"At home."

Michael stood immediately.

"What?"

"About three years ago. I was younger, but I remember a man coming to speak with Mother."

Ada had never mentioned him.

Michael's face became pale.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

Daniel looked at Michael.

"Then Victor may have found them years ago."

Horry suddenly felt afraid.

"Is he coming for me?"

Nobody answered.

That silence was enough.

Michael walked toward the window.

"There's something else."

"What?"

"Your mother wasn't the only person who knew about Victor."

Horry waited.

"James knew."

Horry's eyes widened.

"My father?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Michael turned around.

"Because James was the person who helped me escape."

Horry could hardly believe what he was hearing.

The man he had thought was simply a poor laborer struggling to support his family had apparently been connected to the greatest secret of his life.

"Why did James pretend not to know anything?"

Michael sighed.

"Because keeping you alive required everyone to remain silent."

Horry stood.

"I need to go home."

Michael looked surprised.

"Why?"

"Because I need to speak with my father."

Daniel shook his head.

"Not yet."

"Why?"

Daniel pointed toward the window.

A black car was parked across the street.

Nobody had noticed it when they arrived.

Michael walked closer to the curtains.

His expression changed.

"That's impossible."

Horry moved beside him.

"Who is it?"

Michael whispered,

"Victor."

The car suddenly started moving.

It disappeared around the corner.

Daniel immediately locked the doors.

Michael turned toward Horry.

"You cannot leave this house."

Horry's heart raced.

"But my father—"

"We need to contact him first."

Michael reached for his phone.

He dialed James.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

There was no answer.

Michael tried again.

Still nothing.

Horry's fear grew.

"Maybe he's working."

Michael shook his head.

"James always answers when you call."

Horry looked at Daniel.

"What if something happened to him?"

Nobody responded.

Then Michael's phone rang.

It was an unknown number.

He answered.

A man's voice came through.

"Michael."

Michael froze.

Horry could hear the voice clearly.

"Who is this?"

The caller laughed.

"You know exactly who I am."

Michael's face went pale.

Victor.

Then the voice continued.

"You found the boy."

Michael said nothing.

"I warned you years ago."

The line went silent for a moment.

Then Victor spoke again.

"Bring Horry to the old railway station tonight."

Michael tightened his grip on the phone.

"And if I don't?"

The voice became cold.

"Then James dies."

The call ended.

Horry stared at Michael.

"What did he say?"

Michael slowly lowered the phone.

"He has your father."

Horry's face went pale.

The boy who had spent his entire life being protected was now faced with a choice.

Stay safe and risk losing James.

Or enter the darkness that had followed his family for eighteen years.

Horry looked toward the door.

"I'm going."

Michael grabbed his arm.

"No."

Horry pulled free.

"James sacrificed everything for me."

He looked at Daniel.

"Now it's my turn to save him."

Outside, the city lights began to disappear beneath the darkness of evening.

And somewhere at the abandoned railway station, a dangerous man was waiting.

End of Chapter Seven.