The Pride Game

Chapter 1

"Why do you still come to this house! Go away from here!" Caroline's voice rose when she saw Samuel at her gate. Samuel and Caroline separated ten years ago, and they have one child with special needs, who Caroline has raised. "My apologies, Madam. I've asked him to leave here, but this man refused. He said he had important business with Madam." The big man standing beside Caroline bowed. He did not dare to look Caroline in the face, that Madam could not tolerate a mistake. 

"Important business! Hah! What business does he want to discuss with me!" 

Samuel held the railing in front of him. The high and luxurious fence became a barrier between him and his ex-wife.

"I want to meet Haykal," said Samuel in a reassuring voice. His face was greasy, his clothes shabby, but his eyes sparkled. He wanted to see his son. "It's been almost six months since I haven't seen our son." 

Caroline burst out laughing. Her voice sounded sinister as she said, "Our son! Do you still think Haykal is our son!" Caroline's hands were clenched into fists, and she hated the word "we". There was never an "us" between her and Samuel. "Why are you only now admitting that Haykal is your son!" Caroline's eyes widened while all her nerves tensed up against Samuel. For the past six months, Caroline was nowhere to be found, so that Samuel couldn't meet Haykal. Whenever Samuel asked permission to meet with Haykal, the guard at the gate always said there had to be Mrs. Carol Lopes, then Samuel would be allowed into Mr. Lopes' residence; Caroline's new husband. Haykal is a boy whose almost all of his activities are supported by the people around him. Haykal is a special child. He has impaired brain function and hearing function, which makes him unable to hear, and his body has no control over his muscles, so he can only lie on the bed. Haykal's activities, such as eating, drinking, urinating, defecating, bathing, and dressing, are assisted by a housekeeper who lives at Caroline's house. So far, they could tell that Haykal could respond just by looking at Haykal's eyes. Caroline's eyes were wet as she said, "Go away! All you want is money! I have known about that!" Caroline slid her hand between the iron bars of her luxurious fence, then threw a five hundred dollar in Samuel's face. Samuel was shocked. He closed his eyes, pressing his teeth so hard he could endure the insults his ex-wife threw at him.

Seconds after Samuel regained his composure; because his pride had just been trampled on, it was only then that Samuel dared to open his eyes; he could see the money that his ex-wife had just thrown right in his face scattered on the ground. Some of them floated in the air as if mocking Samuel. Samuel didn't budge, he needed money, but he wanted to see his son more. Her mouth was closed, and her heart was torn. "When I came to this house, my goal was not to ask for money," replied Samuel with a pale face. He only had ten dollars left, he wanted money, but he didn't want to get it from his wife's insults like this. 

"Do not lie! I know what you want! You always need money because you're a bum who doesn't have a job! You're just a shameless man who took a living off your uncle and aunt! That's why you always pretend to find an excuse to meet Haykal! If only Haykal were as normal as the other kids, surely he would be able to know whether you want his presence in the world or not! Do you love him sincerely or not!" Caroline's words were scathing, Samuel wanted to meet Haykal, even though Haykal was not like other normal children, but Samuel would always take the time to continue seeing with Haykal. However, Caroline still accuses Samuel that he doesn't love their son.

A man saw this bickering. "What is it, Honey?" asked a deep male voice. Samuel looked at the man approaching Caroline; he took a few steps back, loosening his grip on the large railing of his ex-wife's luxurious fence. The man who was now standing beside Caroline was Caroline's current husband. Until now, they do not have children; they both only take care of Haykal. Caroline turned to Frans, her husband; Caroline's face was flat, only her voice continued to indicate that she did not like Samuel's presence. "There is not any. He only asked how Haykal was, and I already answered that Haykal was fine. This man has nothing else to do and is going home now."

As if all the blood in Samuel's body had been sucked up to the top of his head, he felt the heinous humiliation that his ex-wife had just inflicted on him. Samuel nodded as if he understood, then he lowered his head, his mind blank, but something in his mind told him to leave the house. "I… I accidentally was around here; I happened to remember Haykal and was asking how he was." Samuel turned around slowly, and his life was no longer passionate; even Samuel had nothing if he wanted to sue Caroline in court; he told the judge that he was forbidden to see his son. "Yes, I know every beggar would make excuses like that, but I can't understand why he always uses the same excuse to ask you for money? Why does he keep trying to come here?" Frans' voice was low when he asked his wife, but Samuel could still hear him. He had turned around and strolled away from the house. As his eyes moved to and fro, his hands squeezed the hem of his shirt, and his mind was restless. He didn't know what it was, but it was rare for his legs to feel heavy to leave the house. Samuel is a former detective who lost his job eleven years ago at the country's most famous elite detective society. No one does not know the CDA, the number one association of great detectives. At that time, he was accused of mis-analyzing a case that caused an innocent person to be sentenced to death.

After being expelled from the most prominent big company in their country, Samuel Chandra found it challenging to get a job again. Now his life is only at the mercy of his friends, who he helps when he solves problems. He divorced his wife and now lives with his uncle and aunt. "He just happened to be passing by; I already explained to him that Haykal is fine," Caroline replied; She glanced at her ex-husband's back. It still looked solid and muscular but looked like it had lost its soul for a long time. "Huh? What do you mean? 'Okay' you say? When your son peed on my hand and caused a stir because some of his filth spread everywhere. That you said was fine!" Fran's voice sounds very insulting.

Samuel's feet stopped suddenly, and his face lifted straight ahead.

"My dear… my dear, please listen to me. We agreed, we would take care of Haykal until we were old. Haykal is your son too," said Caroline, her voice frightened. There was tension; everyone around them could feel the temperature drop suddenly. No one should challenge Mr. Roger Lopes, the most famous businessman in the country. He is known to be cruel and authoritarian. "Our son! Since when did you barren have children!" The voice pierced Caroline's heart even more. Samuel turned, he immediately ran towards the majestic fence that symbolized full power. "Open the fence! I'll rip the mouth of this criminal!" shouted Samuel, his face full of anger. If he was the one who was insulted by the man, Samuel could still endure it, but just now, the man didn't recognize Haykal as his son either. Even though Frans and Caroline don't have children from their marriage yet, Frans shouldn't have launched such a cheesy sentence just now; That sentence, of course, broke everyone's feelings. "Open it! Or I'll force you to open it!" This time Samuel tried to shake the railing, to no avail. The fence was too sturdy, so Samuel's strong wobble was nothing compared to the sturdy material of a five thousand dollar fence. Frans laughed at Samuel, who looked ridiculous at the moment. "Open the fence," Frans ordered to security. Security nodded, he opened the fence. Samuel, who was initially fiery, became shocked; this tyrannical quickly asked security to open the fence, then the fence opened in front of him. "Can you repeat what you just said?" The fence was perfectly open; Frans looked at Samuel with a sneer. One of his lips lifted upwards, and his feet slowly stepped one by one towards Samuel. Samuel froze; his legs felt heavy to move. "Say it one more time because I can't hear." Frans narrowed his eyes; he smirked at the frightened rabbit in front of him. 

"I-I'm sorry." Samuel's voice trembled. Both of his palms that were in front of his chest aimed at Frans. He said, "I'm just annoyed you're talking about Haykal. He's indeed a more special kid when compared to the other kids, so . . . so I thought that didn't bring up his filth that was all over the place." It was clear that Samuel's voice was shaking; his eyes seemed to be begging Frans not to prolong the problem. Frans laughed, he quipped Samuel, "So you mean, I can't afford to have children!" The voice was so dominant deadly that it spread throughout the listener's body.

For whatever reason, Samuel didn't say that. Before Samuel managed to defend himself, Frans' hands had already flown all over Samuel's body; Frans beat Samuel several times until Samuel's body could no longer endure the pain he had all over his body. 

Brak!

Samuel's feet took a few steps back, he fell. "Ahhh!" Samuel groaned. Something rancid ran down his face. His face was battered. His whole body ached severely. Frans had kicked him in the stomach, and at this moment, Samuel wanted to get his stomach contents out. As Samuel wiped the blood coming out of his nose, Frans hit again and again. Samuel shielded his body, and he curled up in pain. "I-I'm sorry. I-I'm sorry." 

"Forgive you!" asked Frans, his voice heavy and gripping. Frans was still not satisfied, and he still wanted to beat up Samuel.

Frans's breath hitched, sweat covered his face. He adjusted his cloth. Standing while holding back the anger that welled up in his chest. "Don't talk to me recklessly," Frans said, his voice sharp. Samuel writhed in pain like a chicken about to die. He groaned. His stomach was kicked so many times, and the pain was unbearable. Blood came out of his mouth and nose. The skin on his hands was torn, his face was battered, his eyes could barely open; when he tried to open them, he could only see the shadows of Frans and Caroline standing tall in front of him. Samuel's heart and body shattered into pieces. As he struggled to move his hand up into the air, Frans immediately kicked, and a "Crack" sound came from the direction of his hand.

"Aaaahhh! Emmmppphhh!" 

It is hurt so bad. Samuel could feel pain running through his body. Something was crushed in his hand. However, Samuel's voice was suddenly muffled by Frans's loafers which had now silenced his mouth. "This is the last time I warn you," Frans whispered; he wiggled properly so that Samuel's mouth almost burst. "Never. Come. Again. To. My house. Understand?"

"Frans ... Frans ... stop it. It's my fault that this beggar is still in our house. Next time I will ask security to expel him straight away if he dares to come into the house," Caroline exclaimed like a frightened person; she pulled Fran's sleeves; it wasn't that Caroline cared about Samuel; she didn't want to deal with the dead. "Forget about this guy. He doesn't even have the money to fight us. He's just a bum with no place to even live." Caroline gave Samuel a disdainful glance, then looked back at her husband with adoring eyes. "We'd better go in." Frans looked at Samuel one last time. "Remember. I don't want to see you hanging around my house." Then Frans turned to the security guard in front of his house. "Get him out of here." After the security nodded and said, "Yes, Sir." Frans and Caroline embraced each other walking towards the house. Caroline had time to glance in the opposite direction, which was quite far from her house, a black car parked in front of her neighbor's house. She had never seen such a cheap car pull up in front of her neighbor, who was also rich.

Must be another beggar, thought Caroline. Caroline took Frans' arm possessively through the yard. The courtyard was very spacious and beautifully arranged—colorful blooming flowers. The hibiscus flowers are bright yellow, popping beautifully from the large pot located at the very end of the ornamental plant. The orange Soka flowers are deliberately separated from the others on the right side of the house. Their presence there looks so beautiful and luxurious; every eye of the guests who come will easily catch the beauty of the flower. While orchids, lilies, tulips, roses, and daffodils, coexist on the north side. All the charms seemed to be all there. Fir trees lined up neatly on the right side. The courtyard is stunning. Shady in view. A beautiful garden that Caroline would never have had if she were still married to Samuel. Caroline also has a fountain located in the middle of the yard. In the lower pond, she keeps ornamental fish which are now big and fat because they are well cared for. The situation is so calm and peaceful, as if there has never been a dying person who is now being forcibly pulled to be thrown into the nearest river.