Investigators at Work
Mrs Haward frowned on seeing Jason returning with the old man. Jason had a servant prepare a room for his grandpa without saying anything to Mrs Haward.
Jason ignored Mrs Haward as he walked past her helping the old man to his room. Mrs Haward looked on as the two walked past her.
"This can't be happening. How did he find him?" Mrs Haward thought as she bit her nails. "Does it mean he doesn't believe anything I say?" she thought. "Think Matilda, think?" she thought, pacing up and down the living room.
"You raise this boy and know his weak point. Think of something?" Mrs Haward said as she continued pacing but immediately stopped when an idea hit her.
Mrs Haward quickly went to the kitchen and prepared Grandpa's favourite drink, a strawberry milkshake. She placed it on the tray and carried it to the old man's room.
"Can I come in?" came Mrs Haward's voice.
Jason frowned, but the old man said nothing.
"I just want to apologize," Mrs Haward said, still standing behind the door.
Jason opened the door for her and she entered carrying a tray. She placed it on the table.
"How are you, Grandpa?" Mrs Haward asked with a smile.
"What do you think after dropping me in that hell-hole," replied the old man angrily.
"Hell-hole?" Mrs Haward asked, sounding innocent. "James told me you were living with a friend," she said.
"Well, that spoilt son of yours dropped me into a hell-hole," Grandpa repeated.
"I am so sorry Grandpa, I didn't know. I didn't want us all moving in to bother Jason, and he said he would send you to a friend of his who is a nurse. I felt it was a good idea to have a medical person take care of you in a home," Mrs Haward said.
Jason frowned. He did know James had a friend who was a nurse, but why would James send Grandpa to that place? He didn't believe his mother would be this cruel, but well, anything was expected of James.
"You spoil that boy too much," complained Grandpa.
"I am sorry Grandpa. I will deal with him, but I brought you, your favourite," Mrs Haward said with a smile, and the old man smiled on seeing the glass of strawberry milkshake.
"Thank you," Grandpa said, forgetting he had been angry earlier.
"Jason, can I talk to you for a minute?" Mrs Haward asked and Jason nodded, following her out of Grandpa's room.
"Look, I know now you are thinking it was intentional, but believe me, I didn't know. I thought he was with James's nurse friend," Mrs Haward said, sounding sincere.
"I understand, but you know how James is. At least you should have told me. I would have double-checked," Jason said.
"I know, please forgive me. I wouldn't know what I would have done if something bad had happened to him. It's my fault and I accept it," Mrs Haward said, and Jason nodded.
"It's okay mum," Jason said, and Mrs Haward hugged him.
Jason left for his room.
"That was close," Mrs Haward thought as her face gradually turned serious. "I need to act fast to get this property back," she said, and quickly sent a message to Mirenda and James.
'He is getting suspicious of us. Tomorrow, search the house for anything you can find,' Mrs Haward typed and sent to them.
The next morning, Julia got ready for work and Jason decided to do something for Grandpa before going to the office, so they all left the house together. He asked one of the guards to drop Julia off at work, and he went to the park with the old man.
Back in the apartment, James walked into the living room and saw Mirenda holding her cup of coffee and heading back to her room. She stopped seeing James all dressed up.
"And where are you going all dressed up?" Mirenda questioned, looking at James with a frown.
"Investigators at work. What do you think?" James said, giving her a 360 turn.
"You are going to Jason's workplace again?" Mirenda questioned and James frowned his brow.
"No, I am going down to the garage, admire the place, and return to my bed," James replied sarcastically, and Mirenda rolled her eyes.
"It was only a question requiring confirmation, you don't have to be a big ass about it," Mirenda said.
"If you don't want such answers, try asking intelligent questions in the future," James said and turned to leave.
"When you stop behaving like an ass, maybe, just maybe you will get questions that will add wisdom to your life from me," Mirenda said with a smirk and entered her room, shutting the door.
James bit his lower lip, stood for a while and headed for the door without saying anything. Mrs Haward walked into the living room 10 minutes after James had left and went straight to Mirenda's room. She entered after a knock.
"I gave you a task, when do you plan on starting?" Mrs Haward asked once inside.
"Mum, you are asking me to investigate a person I don't have any connection with. I need a plan to get close to her," Mirenda replied.
"If it's about getting close to her, it's simple. Just be the one defending or siding with her anytime I act rude towards her," Mrs Haward said. "It's an easy way to win her over," she added.
Mrs Haward said in a low-key, "Just remember, you are supposed to be a fake friend, so you can get the information you want. Get it?"
Mirenda nodded in response.
"Where is James?" Mrs Haward asked.
"He left for Jason's company," Mirenda replied, emptying her cup of coffee.
"Good. Instead of sitting here, you can go keep the flea company and get to know her," Mrs Haward said, flipping through her magazine.
"Mum, she also left with Jason for work," replied Mirenda.
"What are you saying?" Mrs Haward asked, turning her gaze to Mirenda.
"Mum, I saw them leave, and her dress is not for a party," Mirenda replied.
"Wait, so, we have the whole house to ourselves?" Mrs Haward said with a smile.
"Mum, what are you thinking?" asked Mirenda.
"I hope you know how to pick locks?" Mrs Haward asked.
"Why?" asked Mirenda with a frown.
"We are going on a search," Mrs Haward said, pulling Mirenda out of the room.
"Go to Jason's bedroom. I will check Julia's and let's see what we can find," Mrs Haward said.
Mrs Haward was inside Julia's room going through her things but found nothing important. She saw a picture of Julia and her mother. The woman looked familiar. She searched her mind to recall where she had seen the face before, but nothing came to mind. Sitting on the bed, she was lost in her thoughts, reminding herself why she was doing all this. The truth is, Mrs Haward had not told James and Mirenda the whole story.
Jason was not her biological child, but Mirenda and James were equally not her husband's children. Mrs Haward's husband did adopt Jason when he was just 8 months old. According to him, Jason had been abandoned by his mother. Mrs Haward recalled why she had poisoned Mr Haward, her husband. She found out he had cancer, and she added medication that would accelerate the growth, leading to his death. Her reason was, her husband had found out James and Mirenda were not his biological children, and he threatened to divorce her, after which he would send her and her children packing. She was not happy with this threat and decided to do something quickly before her husband changed his will and kicked her and her children out.
Before her husband found out about the paternity of her two children, Mrs Haward had overheard her husband's conversation with his lawyer. She already knew what each child was going to get and Jason was not in his will. She also knew the clause in the will for any of the children in the family to become the heir of the Haward wealth, which is marriage. In the light that none of the children is married at the time of reading the will, she will automatically manage the family's wealth until such time that one of the children will get married and will become the heir. That child will be the one responsible for her upkeep. She was now wondering if Jason knew about her husband's will and the reason he claimed to be married so that he could become the heir.
What Mrs Haward didn't know was that her husband discovered that his quickly advancing cancer stage was triggered by her. This information was confirmed the night he was out with Jason at the music festival. Knowing he only had a couple of days left to live, and his lawyer was out of town, making it difficult to change his will, he drugged Jason and got him to marry Julia Harrison, who was equally drugged. After the ceremony, which took place in his office with a judge present, he had his guard drop them both at Jason's apartment. They were both awake but very delirious. He was happy they were both able to sign their correct signatures, making the marriage certificate valid.
Knowing Jason, he added the contract which he made Jason sign sometime back because of Jason's relationship with women, just so he can give himself enough time to fall in love. Adding the document, the marriage can only go through the process of divorce after one and a half years. He was certain by then Jason would have found out the truth about his wife and may have also fallen in love with Julia.
Mrs Haward did not know her husband had found out what she had done. In her mind, she believes Jason may have found out about his father's will. She was just looking for something to confirm her suspicions but little did she know that her husband had arranged Jason's marriage.