I Was Your Favourite Son
Jason shut down his laptop and picked it up, looking around to see if he had left anything behind. Peter took the laptop from him, and they exited the building, driving back to Southwest Ranches City.
At Aventura, back in the family house, the big condo, James had returned from Chicago after visiting the two businesses of which he was the CEO, according to his father's will. He was very happy about it and wanted to share his joy with his family. As a person who loves women, he didn't disappoint his family when he returned from Chicago in the company of a beautiful young lady.
"Oh, James, is that your new PA?" Mirenda asked, knowing very well, James was just being James.
"You can say that," James replied, smiling and offered the lady a seat.
"She is the PA of my heart," James said, leaned in and kissed the young lady's cheeks, making her blush.
Mirenda rolled her eyes at James's reply and Mrs Haward joined them in the living room, hearing Mirenda talking to someone.
"Who is this?" Mrs Haward asked with a frown, looking at James.
"The PA of his heart," replied Mirenda who was tapping on her phone, sitting on the sofa opposite the lady with her legs crossed.
Mrs Haward's frown deepened; she was beginning to lose count of the number of ladies James had brought into the house. This is probably the reason why their father never trusted James to handle the family business and had to give it to a stranger.
"James, let me speak to you privately," Mrs Haward said, looking at James, who was sitting next to the lady.
Mrs Haward forced a smile on her face as the lady stared at her smiling.
"Sure mum," replied James, and he gave the lady a peck on the cheek before getting up from the sofa.
"I will be right back," James said as he followed Mrs Haward to the private living room. The door was closed and the curtain drawn.
"James, how many times do I have to tell you not to bring your numerous girls to our private home? What happened to you sending them to a hotel instead?" Mrs Haward chides.
"Mum, I was taking her to a hotel when your call came through asking me to come home because it was important," James replied, and Mrs Haward facepalmed listening to his explanation.
"Have a driver drop her at any of the hotels. We have a family matter to discuss. You can go finish your business with her later," Mrs Haward said, and left James in the private living room.
James stepped out of the private living room and did as Mrs Haward had requested. James is Mrs Haward's favourite son, so she spoils him and he can get away with everything and anything.
Yes, Matilda Haward is the name of their mother. She married Mr Johan Haward 26 years ago and James happened to be her first son. She has just turned 50 years old, and she is now a widow with three children, starting with James Haward, the eldest son, 25 years, Jason Haward, (the adopted who doesn't know he is an adopted child) 24 years and Mirenda Haward, the youngest, 20 years.
The Hawards have a unique way of choosing partners and naming their children. All women must have their first name starting with an M, so their initials always read M.H. Their position is indicated by a number. Mrs Haward would be using the initials, M.H. 7th, if she had succeeded in becoming the caretaker of the Hawards' fortune until, such time as any of the children get married. The men go with J.H. and the same rule applies to them. The trio sat in their mother's room as she addressed them.
"Are you happy with what your father left you?" Mrs Haward started the conversation:
Mirenda lowered her head, knowing what Mrs Haward was about to say.
"Yeah, you should have seen the business in Chicago that Dad left for me. It's huge, and I don't have to do much aside from signatures and stuff like that. The staff are well-equipped and experienced in managing things on their own. I will have more time to myself while earning some money," James said excitedly, and Mrs Haward sighed.
"Son, you don't see anything wrong with that? You are just a figurehead, and you are happy?" Mrs Haward questioned, and James raised his eyebrows but did not reply.
"Look at Jason, he can move mountains by just clearing his throat. He is on TV, on the news channels, and if he steps out of his car, in 5 minutes people will gather around him like ants on sugar. He gets invited to international conferences as the guest of honour. He visits a firm, and it is like Jesus himself came down. He gets whatever he wants at any time, people are willing to do stuff for him. What about you, son? Aside from the fact that your face attracts any type of woman you want, what else?" Mrs Haward pointed out sternly.
"Mum, that is Jason, I don't need any of those?" James said, crossing his legs.
"Besides, that is a lot of work, and I am not up for it. See Jason's life, I can bet you a thousand dollars he doesn't know anything about women. The only way he will ever get laid is when someone drugs him, or he is raped by a woman," James said, laughing.
"So, you think life is all about sex?" questioned Mrs Haward.
At this moment, Mirenda had just plugged in her earbud so she wouldn't have to listen to what they were discussing.
"It may be not, but I don't think it is about public control either. I don't see any fun in a group of people who know nothing about me, dictating to me, how I should dress, eat, talk and who I can and can't be with, and that is Jason's life practically, in which I am not interested," James said, raising his eyebrow.
"See me? I am a free citizen. I have some cash, women, etc. and I just enjoy life. There is no fun in Jason's lifestyle," James replied, and his mum was livid, her eyebrows joining at her glabella.
"Son, this world is a jungle and the only way you will survive is by having money and power," Mrs Haward pointed out.
"So, you are asking me to live like Jason? Mum, seriously, whose side are you on? I thought I was your favourite son?" James questioned.
"You are my favourite son, that is why I don't want a total stranger to take what rightfully belongs to you and your sister," Mrs Haward replied, and James raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, what! What are you saying?" James questioned with a frown.
"I am saying, Jason is not your brother. Tomorrow, we will all end up on the streets if you don't wake up from your slumber. He has been working his way to the family riches since he joined this family. I could not say much because your father doted on him," Mrs Haward said.
"James, do you remember when you were 12 years old you tried to build that toy car using your father's tools and you couldn't? Do you remember what Jason did?" Mrs Haward drew James's attention to something Jason did as a child.
"Jason helped me build it and urged me to present it to Dad," James replied, seeing nothing wrong with it as he recalled the day like it was yesterday.
"Jason received the honour award from your dad," Mrs Haward pointed out.
"Jason did, but he gave it to me, saying it was my idea, and he only helped me identify what was missing," replied James.
"Yes, after getting the praise from everyone when he received it openly, and after he gave it to you in secret," Mrs Haward pointed out.
James wanted to react but froze as he thought about what Mrs Haward had just said.
"Aha, you see how he won your father's heart and deceived all of you? He gave the award to you, after getting the honours. He made sure you were all in the shadow. Today, his plan paid off, he is the family's heir and what are you, nothing?" Mrs HAward pointed and James frowned.
James thought about their growing up and many similar incidents like that happening with Jason and felt his mother was right. Jason fooled them all.
"And look at it, when the prerequisite for becoming family heir was marriage, boom! Jason presented us with a woman none of us had ever seen before as his wife. We all know how Jason is when it comes to women. So, when did he date one, let alone talk of marriage? With all this, what is his status now? The Haward family heir. This was his plan all along to get the inheritance at all costs," Mrs Haward said.
"You see why you need to wake up? Jason is here to destroy all of you," Mrs Haward said, and James frowned deeply.
"So, what do we do?" James asked.
"Good, I have a plan, but I need your commitment. We will use everything to take back what belongs to us?" Mrs Haward said, and James nodded.
Mirenda had music plugged in her ears, so she didn't follow what her mother and brother talked about.