That was it, the women couldn't hold each other, the elderly and the youngest among them, they sniffled, one after the other. Princess Charlotte couldn't hold back, she stood up, took a step and paused. She saw her son, she invariably saw the younger version of her husband.
Prince Clifford stood up after his wife and snapped his fingers. Immediately all the men stepped out. He doesn't know who the lady was that came along with Andre, hence he let her remain.
“I thought I lost you, my son. I never stopped crying about the loss of you. Every year, I make prayers for you and visit your supposed tomb in remembrance of you. I thought you died, we all thought you didn't make it alive from the neonatal care unit.
But today, I'm seeing your face and I know what you really looked like. Please come to me, son, come to your mother” Charlotte pleaded, her tears filled face staring at him with pleas.
“That's true, she's your mother. They are your parents, Andre. They came for you because only recently did they find out the truth that their son was not dead. They had thought you were dead and gave you a befitting burial” Alice explained.
Andre's heart was beating faster than usual. Everything seemed like a dream to him. For twenty eight years they thought he'd died? But he'd really dead to them.
“Both of your mothers are right. When you were born, someone schemed against us and swapped the babies. We came for you and found a dead child in your place. That was how the whole scenario went for nearly three decades now.
But recently we heard the truth. The scoundrel who did such evil was at the verge of death and he confessed to his evil. We started an investigation and that's how we ended up here, today” Prince Clifford explained.
Andre listened to the prince and then glanced at the princess as she sobbed uncontrollably. He turned away and sneered. He doesn't feel attached to them but he believes their story.
“I'm sorry your Highnesses', there might be a misunderstanding here. Your assertions might not be true. I was adopted from the orphanage, I might not be your son indeed. Why don't you look elsewhere” he blabbed.
If he was swapped at birth, who then brought him home? Who are his real parents and why would they take him to an orphanage instead of their home? Why?
“We have all the details that prove that you are our son. The couple whose child we were given, knew the truth from the beginning hence they relocated from Ashanti city to this city and dropped you off at the orphanage because of the fear of being caught with a prince.
Another evidence that you are our son is this, can you look at your face in the mirror and look at mine? We're from the same bloodline, we both took after my father, your grandfather and we are a living image of him
And ultimately, we have a DNA test to back it up. We have your DNA performed and it matched exactly with ours. We are your parents, and that is not negotiable” Prince Clifford answered him.
How can a man like him not have enough proof and evidence to support his claim? He is a respected figure and personality in the society and cannot do things in an inappropriate way.
There was silence again. How did they get his sample for a DNA test done? Even Alice was lost. She didn't expect that they were a step ahead in all they do.
“Is my DNA done? How?” Andre asked, thinking very fast. How could they have achieved that within just a few days? He glanced at the prince and he smiled. He picked up the remote control and the screen came up.
He was done, having lunch with Rita and he stood up and went away with her. Then a certain person came, picked up his cutlery and wrapped it up neatly without drawing attention to himself and the clip was paused.
Andre remembered that day. So he'd been trailed all those while? He turned and glared at the prince. The older man chuckled softly and said “if I wasn't super certain that you are my son, I would never leave my royal city and come over here” he stated.
Andre sighed softly and glanced at his mom. She was by the sidelines now. This doesn't concern her anymore, it's about Andre and his parents. She will be there, to cheer him up, whatever decision he takes.
“You should never have invited me here. I really don't want to have another mother besides you. If it weren't for you, I would not be here or listening to a history of twenty eight years ago” Andre blurted.
Prince Clifford squinted. He doesn't have patience for nonsense. They just told him what happened, that separated him from them and he tagged it a history?
“Are you even serious now, Andre? You call all that has happened a history?” Prince Clifford bellowed, his fury surging within him. How dare he think of him and his mother historians?
“Isn't that what it is sir? It's been twenty eight years and you come to find him, telling me about how you thought your baby died. Your son is dead. Accept that fact and move on. I haven't resurrected from the dead.
I am dead to you, leave it that way. I love my life now. I have no regrets being a middle class member of the society. I love my mom and I am content. I have no interest in the life of royalty and the complications that come along with it.
If I wasn't your son, whoever that scumbag was, that swapped the babies and separated from my family will have no reason to do that. My only sin was being born by you and that's why I ended up like this.
So now, I don't acknowledge you as my father nor the princess as my mother. Who knows who will be there, to poison or eliminate me when I eventually return? I can't endanger my life because my mom's life is tied to mine.
If anything happens to me, she won't survive it. I will remain with her till her last breath. I have no interest in being your son…” Andre was still saying when Alice broke down in tears.
“Not again Andre, not now son…”