New beginning for you an end to misery
Julia covered her mouth with both hands and Jason raised his eyebrow.
"Yes," Mr Wellington affirmed his statement.
"Does it mean their true father does not know of their existence?" Jason asked to understand if James and Mirenda's biological father had not shown up because he didn't know about them or because of the fear of the Hawards.
"James's father is no more. He sneaked into the family Condo when your stepmother was pregnant with James and the guards attacked him as an intruder. Unfortunately, he didn't make it out alive," Mr Wellington explained.
"I see," acknowledged Jason but he recalled his words again and frowned his brow.
"Wait! you said James's father, do you mean to say Mirenda had a different father?" Jason asked to confirm his thought knowing it only meant Julia was the one true Haward.
"Yes. As for Mirenda's father, he doesn't know about his child," Mr Wellington said and leaned forward in his seat. "He is not the kind of man, your stepmother will even be caught dead with," he said and relaxed on the sofa, resting his back on the back support.
"So why was she with him?" Julia asked curiously.
"Prank gone wrong," answered Mr Wellington. "Her friends set her up when she was drunk just to tease her once she comes to the realization of the man beside her but alas they were also too drunk to keep up and forgot about her. Well in the end the fire could not stay away from the fuel any longer," he explained.
"Some friends she has," commented Julia with a frown feeling bad for Mrs Haward making Jason turn to look at her briefly.
"It makes sense now. Growing up, I tried to win her attention and love knowing she was my mum but I never succeeded and I never knew why. Seeing her treat Mirenda just a little bit better than she does me made me conclude James was her favourite child and she just couldn't hide it," Jason pointed out.
"So Mirenda and I were the children she never wanted," Jason concluded.
"I guess just like you, Mirenda was also trying to get Mrs Haward's attention but she never succeeded. Wow! So that is why Mrs Haward never treats Mirenda well like she does with James," Julia said conclusively.
"Yes, James's father was the man she truly loved but she was forced to marry Mr Haward as a reward for a good deed. Even though she didn't want to marry him, she later agreed because of the luxury she would enjoy but secretly kept her relationship with the man she loved," Mr Wellington explained further. "So she had had eyes for the Hawards' fortune for a long time," he added.
"Wow! All this for money?" Julia asked.
"Not just money my love, a fortune worth billions of dollars," Jason pointed out making Julia gasp in shock almost choking on her saliva.
"Well, her plans would have worked perfectly if not for a big obstacle, 'You'," Mr Wellington said looking at Jason and Julia who were sitting together on a two-in-one sofa.
"You are her biggest problem because the two of you are the only ones standing between her and the Hawards' fortune," Mr Wellington added placing his ankle over his knee and stretching both arms over the top of the sofa backrest.
"She is blind, if not she will have realized I am not interested in that money. I moved out the day I found out I wasn't a Haward," Jason said.
"Jason she never liked you from day one because you won the love of Mr Johan Haward. The man loved you like his own son. That made you her enemy. So now, she is not just after the fortune but out to destroy you too," explained Mr Wellington.
"Mr Johan realised the kind of person she is and he didn't want the fortune to land in her hands this is why he made the two of you get married knowing he has little time. So when he is gone, you will be the chosen heir. He was merciful enough though to compensate your stepmother for all the years she had stayed by his side. This is why he never took her out of his will," Mr Wellington said.
"Jason, I know you don't want to go up against her because she raised you. Irrespective of how she did it, you still respect her for that, but Jason, what is happening now goes beyond the Haward's fortune. If she is not stopped, you and Julia will never have peace and the one who will be hurt the most in this war is Julia," Mr Wellington pointed out leaning forward in the seat resting both his elbows on his knee as he looked at Jason.
Jason does not agree with everything Mrs Haward is doing but each time she pushes him down he always finds a way to raise. She raised him even if she didn't show him the kind of love he expected from a mother. There was a little love in there and for that, Jason didn't want to look ungrateful. She could have rejected him and mistreated him but she didn't. He sat down in deep thought.
"Jason, you may have found a way just like a rubber ball in water to always come up to the surface anytime she pushes you down but please think about Julia, the precious stone, who will sink to the button and probably be forever lost if thrown into the water," Mr Wellington convinced him.
Jason turned to look at Julia who was looking down at her fingers. His attention went to the bruises on her wrist which she got from being tied up in the warehouse. He did that to her too but that was before he started getting to know her better. He recalled Julia's lost pregnancy, their baby who never got to see the sun, and James's abuses. She had been to the hospital multiple times, and it was all because of the people he once called his family. He went to the hospital once and that was because Julia rejected him.
"Yes, in all of this Julia is the one who suffers the most. She had been through a whole lot because of him," Jason thought still staring at Julia.
Julia raised her head to look at Jason. Jason still staring at Julia looked into her eyes and saw a beautiful innocent girl whom he had constantly subjected to so much pain and decided in his heart, that this had to stop. He turned to look at Mr Wellington. His aura became colder dropping the temperature in the room, making Mr Wellington raise an eyebrow. This was a side of his son he didn't know about.
"What do we need to do?" Jason asked, his voice very cold, his stare very terrifying and his face darker than the button of a pot.
Julia pushed herself away from him a little on the sofa upon seeing the side of Jason which terrified her in the past. The man he first met returned. She started trembling but Jason was too angry to notice her sudden change in reaction. Mr Wellington wondered if he should continue talking or just excuse himself and leave seeing the devil in Jason awoken. He was more like a beast ready to tear his enemy into unrecognizable pieces. Mr Wellington swallowed hard and inhaled deeply to calm his fears. He decided to continue the conversation from a safer direction feeling any wrong statement might unleash the beast sitting in front of them.
"Julia is the only true Haward which means the fortune is her inheritance. We don't have to do much except use Mrs Haward's schemes against her. She had someone hack into my system a couple of days ago. I had someone lead the person to the information I wanted. She has already fallen for the bait and has made plans using that information. Now we just need to make it look like we are playing by her rules but in reality, she is playing by our rules" Mr Wellington explained.
"This is why I need you to leave Paradise Hotel for a while. Peter can stay back and manage the place in your absence. I already need your help with our family business. I will be happy if you give me a helping hand," Mr Wellington added.
"No," Jason said in a deep voice surprising Mr Wellington who was wondering why he had rejected the plan.
"Peter is very loyal to me and she knows it. Keeping him in Paradise, she will see through the plan. Peter comes with me. I will give you someone to replace Peter and you can replace me," Jason suggested and Mr Wellington smiled realizing he didn't reject the plan but instead brought a better idea.
"That sounds perfect," Mr Wellington acknowledged.
"Don't worry about the family business. I have a wonderful team and family to help," Jason said and turned to look at Julia.
Jason's gaze turned soft and gentle but then he realised Julia was trembling with fear as she nervously fidgeted with her hand. He knew she was like that because of him. He would have kissed her if not for Mr Wellington's presence. He wrapped his arms around Julia and she jumped, as she was not expecting the sudden touch. Jason pulled Julia closer to himself making her lean on his side as he rubbed her shoulder gently. She gradually loosened up and relaxed in his arms.
Mr Wellington watched the two being all lovey-dovey and remembered his wife. Knowing the kind of person Jason was, he could tell how deeply he loved the woman beside him. So much so that he is willing to change his entire personality for her.
The nurse walked in and greeted them interrupting their conversation. Mr Wellington lifted his gaze to look at the nurse but Jason kept his on Julia.
"Sir, I need to check your vitals. Are you ready?" the nurse asked politely looking at Jason as he awaited his response.
"Okay, Jason I think I have to take my leave now so I can take care of some things," Mr Wellington said to break the silence after five minutes had passed and it appears Jason had no intention of responding to the nurse who was still standing close to him.
Jason's entire concentration was on Julia whom he was trying to calm after scaring her just now.
"Sir?" the nurse called out.
"I'm busy," came Jason's deep voice and he did not even spare the nurse even a glance.
"Sure," the nurse replied and left him alone.
Mr Wellington stood to his feet after watching the whole scene.
"Son, please call Mirenda, she needs you," Mr Wellington said and Jason lifted his head to look at him.
"Why will she need me? She is dating a therapist," Jason said with a raised eyebrow.
"Therapy skills are never at their best in the presence of love. Call her," Mr Wellington said and began walking towards the exit.
"I will be right back," Jason whispered into Julia's ears and got up but Julia stood up too.
He wrapped his arms around her as they both walked Mr Wellington to the door.
Meanwhile, back in Haward's apartment, Fiona was in the bathroom using another phone to text Vera.