Chapter 10

chapter TEN: ON WHEELCHAIR

The once elegant dining room, now tainted with the acrimony of a family feud, was plunged into a charged silence as the verbal sparring reached its pinnacle. The guests, witnesses to the spectacle, were caught in a dilemma - whether to stay and witness the aftermath or make a discreet exit from the Peterson mansion.

As the tension hung thick in the air, the grand entrance swung open, revealing Julian, returning from a day's work. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the chaotic scene before her. The guests, previously engaged in hushed conversations, fell silent, unsure of how to react to the arrival of the lady of the house.

"What on earth is happening here?" Julian demanded, her tone a mix of anger and incredulity. Her eyes darted between her mother and Williams, searching for an explanation.

Lady G, still seething with fury, wasted no time in pointing an accusing finger. "Your useless husband and his mother started this whole drama. They disgraced me in front of our guests!"

Julian's gaze shifted to Williams, her face contorted with a mixture of disappointment and rage. Without uttering a word, she raised her hand and delivered a resounding slap across Williams' face. The room shuddered with the impact, and the guests winced in discomfort.

"Is this what you've reduced our family to, Williams? A spectacle for everyone to witness?" Julian's voice was laced with anger as she glared at her husband.

Before Williams could respond, Julian stormed into the kitchen, her frustration escalating. Moments later, she emerged, brandishing a gleaming knife. The guests gasped at the shocking turn of events, their eyes wide with apprehension.

"Julian, what are you doing?" one of the guests exclaimed, aghast at the unfolding scene.

Ignoring the voices of reason, Julian advanced toward Williams, the glint of the knife casting an ominous shadow. Williams, his eyes wide with fear, began to move backward. The atmosphere in the room grew more suffocating with every step.

As Williams retreated, the staircase became a treacherous obstacle. In a cruel twist of fate, he lost his footing and slipped. The room gasped collectively as he tumbled down the stairs, the sickening sound of bones breaking echoing through the once serene mansion.

"Williams!" Mrs. Angelina's cry pierced through the shocked silence. Reacting on instinct, she rushed to her son's side, her maternal instincts overriding the tumultuous family drama.

The guests, shaken by the sudden turn of events, began to murmur among themselves. Lady G, momentarily forgetting her rage, watched the unfolding scene with a mix of shock and concern. The grandeur of the Peterson mansion had crumbled, replaced by a stark reality of fractured relationships and the consequences of unchecked emotions.

Mrs. Angelina, cradling her injured son, frantically called for an ambulance.

At the hospital, the diagnosis was grim - Williams had suffered multiple fractures in both knees, and the prognosis indicated a long and challenging road to recovery. As he lay in the hospital bed, his once vibrant spirit seemed eclipsed by the weight of physical and emotional pain.

Mrs. Angelina, a pillar of strength for her son, stood by his side, grappling with guilt and concern. The incident had not only fractured Williams' knees but also exposed the fractures within the Peterson family.

One evening, as the subdued atmosphere lingered in the Peterson mansion, Mrs. Angelina sat by Williams' side in his adapted room. The room, once a sanctuary of solace, was now filled with an unspoken weight that mirrored the fractures within the family.

"Williams," Mrs. Angelina began, her voice a mixture of regret and sorrow. "There's something I've kept from you, and it's time you know the truth about your father's death."

Williams, confined to his wheelchair, looked at his mother with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The room seemed to grow quieter, anticipating the revelation that hung in the air.

"Your father, God rest his soul, was investigating a grave matter before his untimely death," Mrs. Angelina continued, her eyes revealing a pain that transcended the present family turmoil. "He was delving into the money laundering scandal orchestrated by Mr. Andrew Peterson, Julian's father."

Williams' eyes widened in shock, the gravity of his father's involvement in exposing such a scandalous affair hitting him like a tidal wave. "Money laundering? Dad never mentioned anything like that to me. Why would he get involved in something so dangerous?"

Mrs. Angelina sighed, her gaze fixed on a distant memory. "Your father was a journalist with a deep sense of justice. He believed in exposing corruption and ensuring that the truth prevailed. He couldn't turn a blind eye to the wrongdoing he uncovered, especially when it involved powerful individuals like Mr. Andrew Peterson."

Williams absorbed the information, a mix of pride and sorrow filling his heart. Pride for his father's unwavering commitment to justice, and sorrow for the heavy toll it had taken on their family.

"He was closing in on the truth, gathering evidence to expose the money laundering operation. But before he could unveil it to the public, he was attacked," Mrs. Angelina continued, her voice carrying the weight of the painful memories. "Your father paid the ultimate price for seeking justice, and the truth about Mr. Andrew's illicit activities remained buried until recently."

The room seemed to close in on Williams as he grappled with the revelation. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place - the attacks on his father, the subsequent betrayal by his uncle Kunle, and the relentless humiliation the Peterson family subjected him to.

"Williams, your father left behind a legacy of integrity and a commitment to what is right," Mrs. Angelina said, her eyes misting with unshed tears. "You must carry that legacy forward. Expose the truth, not just for our family, but for the justice your father sought."

Williams, though stunned by the revelations, felt a surge of determination. His father's sacrifice had laid the foundation for a battle that now extended beyond personal vendettas. The quest for justice had become a family legacy, one he felt compelled to honor.

"Mom," Williams said, his voice filled with newfound resolve. "I won't let my father's sacrifices be in vain. We'll expose the truth, no matter the cost."

Mrs. Angelina nodded, her hand gently resting on her son's shoulder. In the quiet room, the echoes of a family's turbulent past collided with the unwritten