Once, my paranoid love

Ron and William stood in the Derek’s office, awaiting his arrival. Their excitement was palpable, a stark contrast to the tension that had settled within Derek. Ron couldn’t contain his anticipation.

“Where is your partner, Dad?” Ron inquired, his youthful curiosity evident in his voice.

“He’ll be here shortly,” William replied, his tone measured. Derek’s name hung unspoken in the air, a heavy secret between them.

Moments later, an employee approached and called out to William. “Mr. William, sir, is here. He’s calling for you,” the employee said.

The time had come. Derek had finally returned to face the man who had not only disrupted his life but had also torn his family apart. As the employee led William and Ron to Derek’s office, a wave of mixed emotions washed over him.

Derek sat at his desk, engrossed in his laptop, but his concentration wavered as the door to his office swung open. William, accompanied by Ron, entered with a smile, but the atmosphere in the room crackled with tension.

“Hello, Mr. Houston,” William greeted Derek, his words heavy with the weight of the past. Derek raised his head, his eyes locking onto the man who had caused so much pain in his life and in his mother’s.

Years of simmering resentment and unspoken grievances flooded Derek’s mind. This was the man who had taken his mother away, leaving Derek to navigate the tumultuous waters of life without her. The wounds of the past had remained unhealed, festering beneath the surface. Now, it was time to confront the source of his pain and anger.

Derek’s gaze met William’s, and for a moment, the room seemed to close in around them.

William was taken aback by the unexpected surge of familiarity that washed over him when Derek looked up. His thoughts raced in a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. It was a nagging feeling that he couldn’t quite put into words.

‘I’m not sure why he looks so familiar to me,’ William thought, his mind in a state of disarray. ‘That’s impossible, right? He was no longer alive. If his mother couldn’t live, it would be impossible for that child to survive as well.’ The notion was absurd, and yet, there was something undeniably familiar about the man who sat before him.

William mustered an attempt at a grin, though his mind continued to churn with confusion. Derek, in response, offered a smile that carried a sense of curiosity, as if he too were grappling with an inexplicable sense of recognition.

Intrigued by the unexpected connection, William decided to bridge the gap. He called Ron over to meet Derek, eager to see if his son shared this inexplicable familiarity.

Ron, who had been eyeing Derek with a puzzled frown, approached, his youthful features reflecting his curiosity. “You?” he questioned, his frown deepening as he scrutinized Derek

William, still processing the enigmatic sense of connection, turned to Ron and inquired, “Do you know who he is?”

Ron’s response was candid and to the point. “Yes, Father. Yesterday we met,” he stated with a tone that conveyed a level of understanding that eluded William.

“Please have a seat, Mr. William,” Derek replied, his tone carrying a hint of derision. “I don’t think you’ve come to introduce me to your son.”

The atmosphere in the room remained tense as Derek and William locked eyes, their unspoken history and emotions simmering beneath the surface. William, however, was here with a different purpose in mind.

“Mr. Houston, no, not that,” William clarified. “I’ve come to talk about business.”

Derek’s curiosity was piqued. He nodded, allowing William to proceed. “Tell me,” he said, his voice measured.

William began to explain, “Actually, your father-in-law, I mean, Robert D’Souza, is one of my friends.”

The mention of Robert D’Souza’s name elicited a shocked response from Ron, who was still grappling with the revelation of unexpected connections. “How Dad? What father-in-law?” Ron asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

As the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place, Ron couldn’t help but wonder about Elena’s current marital status. “Elena is now married, but when did she get married?” Ron thought, his mind racing as he looked at Derek, the man who seemed to hold the answers to the secrets that had been kept from him.

William confirmed Ron’s query, acknowledging Derek as Robert D’Souza’s son-in-law. The revelation sent shockwaves through the room, and Derek and Ron exchanged glances laden with surprise, confusion, and a tinge of anger.

‘He and Elena? Damn it!’ Ron gritted his teeth as he thought.

As William attempted to continue speaking, Derek gestured for him to pause and turned his attention to Ron, who had been struck by the revelation of Elena’s marriage.

“Do you know Elena?” Derek inquired, his voice steady but bearing a hint of urgency.

Ron hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with questions. “Y-yes,” he finally replied, his voice quivering with the implications of the situation.

The atmosphere in the room grew tense as Derek broached a topic that had long remained unspoken. “As far as what I’ve heard, you allegedly tried to molest my wife. Mr. Ron, is that true?” Derek’s words hung heavily in the air, and the accusation left Ron stunned.

“Does Elena tell him everything?” Ron wondered, his mind racing as he glanced nervously at William. He had not anticipated such a direct confrontation with the past.

Frightened by the seriousness of the accusation, Ron struggled to find his voice. “It’s not true, Dad,” he stammered, his voice trembling. “You mistook me, Mr. Houston. I’ve never done anything like that.”

Derek’s expression remained inscrutable, his gaze unyielding. He was not one to take such allegations lightly, and he was determined to protect his wife at any cost.

Derek then shifted his focus away from the personal matter at hand, his gaze now firmly fixed on the business aspect of the meeting. “I’m not interested in discussing business with you, Mr. William,” he stated plainly. “Mr. Robert has already handed over his property to me, so it’s not my responsibility to return your money if he took it from you.”