[Amsey's POV]

I had been very shocked when my father had contacted me through Barrister Chidi.

When Barrister Chidi had informed me that my father had called him saying he wanted to discuss a thing or two with me, I hadn't believed him even the slightest bit.

Even though I had come to this coffee shop called MyYa's Cafe that Barrister Chidi had said he'd be at, I still didn't believe my father will be there.

I didn't believe not until I saw him sitting down, dressed in a casual t-shirt and a pair of trousers with a face cap on.

"Amsterdam, my son, have a seat," He said to me.

I was almost sure he had an ulterior motive behind inviting me to see him, but I didn't say anything and just sat right opposite him.

"How have you been?" He asked.

"Cut to the chase. Why did you call me here?" I asked.

"I needed to clarify some things with you," He said.

"Go on," I told him.

He cleared his throat, "Your mother... Your mother was a good woman," He said.

"I know. So?" I retorted.

He bowed his head and fiddled with his fingers.

"Your mum knew I was in a relationship with Mariam, your stepmother, even before we started a relationship. She knew I loved Mariam but she lured me to her with her money," He said.

"That's crap, and I won't sit here, listening to you insulting my mother," I said.

"Amsterdam, I admit that I treated you and your mother badly and you didn't deserve to be treated in that manner," My father said.

"But?"

"But I've always loved Mariam. And I can't apologise for bringing her home even though I was still married to your mother," He said.

I clenched my fists in annoyance.

"Is this the reason you called me here? To gloat over your unending love for Mariam?" I asked.

"No, not at all," He responded.

"Then why?"

"I came to plead with you to give me a little amount of money to pay my rent and other bills. I do not have a dime as I've given everything I owned to you," He said.

I guffawed, "How the tables have turned!"

"Amsterdam, please, you're my son. You can't leave your own father stranded and helpless," He said.

"It's funny how you just remembered I'm your son. You always made me feel small and like an outcast," I said.

"I was angry... Your mother..."

"Leave my mother out of this! She never forced you to marry her. You had a choice to make and you chose to marry her out of your own free will," I said.

"I made a mistake and I'm sorry," He said.

"You're not sorry, you only need my help and that's why you're acting like you're sorry," I told him.

"You're right. I still detest you for bringing me into this mess. I can't even go out without people pointing fingers at me. None of my friends have even agreed to help me out, my whole life is in disarray and it's your fault. This was all your fault," He said.

"This was not my fault. If you had treated me like your son and raised me with love, I'd never have done what I did to you. You didn't only hurt me, you hurt Cas and her friend and you were also planning on harming the entire country out of your own lust and greed for money and power. I didn't bring anything upon you, this was all your fault," I yelled.

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it back, he then looked at the cup of coffee in front of him, looking thoughtful.

"Amsterdam, I came from a poor home," He suddenly said.

"And?"

"We didn't have food to eat nor good clothes to put on. My father was a drunk who never valued education and he'd beat us up at every slight offence because he was angry and frustrated. I was the last child in the house and my mother struggled to send me to school with the little money she earned from doing menial jobs, making sure I wasn't like my elder ones who didn't have good jobs and were poverty-stricken, and also so I could get a good job and help the family when I finally graduated," He said.

"Go on," I urged him.

"After years of finishing school with no well paying job, I decided to work my way into the arms of my boss's daughter, your mum. She loved me but I only wanted her money. She was aware that I liked someone else but she was less concerned. She left me to make my own decision; either marry her and get money to start up a business that could change my family's lives or get married to Mariam and die a pauper," He explained.

I shrugged, "She still didn't coerce you into doing anything."

"I know. I rejected her offer at first but after my mother got terribly ill, I had no option but to marry her. Do you know what hurt me till today?" He asked.

"What?" I retorted.

Tears slid down his cheeks, "At the end of the day, my mother still died. I felt it was useless and marrying your late mother was a waste of time. Sure, I did become rich, but I couldn't repay the one who had seen me through school and I'd forever blame your mother for that," He said.

"But why?" I asked.

"I had gone to see your mother in tears to give me some money to pay for my mother's treatment but she had turned me down, saying I'd only get money from her after we got married. The wedding took three weeks to plan and my mother was fighting for her life in those three weeks, she finally gave up the ghost the day your mum and I got married," He said, dropping the bombshell.

I looked at him for a moment hoping that he was lying but I couldn't trace any lie in his eyes.

"That's... that's why...that's why you hated my mother so much?" I asked.

My father nodded.

Tears rolled down my cheeks, even though I tried to stop it. All these years, I had felt my father was just a psychopath who had been lustful and greedy for money that he didn't mind taking advantage of an innocent woman whose only crime was loving him.

"Amsterdam, there's another thing you should know. It wasn't your mother's fault, she thought I was lying about my mother being in the hospital and just wanted to dupe her. When my mother died, she apologised and was very sorry. Her apology just wasn't enough for me and I couldn't find a way to even force my heart to love her," He said.

"She should've still checked if you were saying the truth or lying, we're not to joke with people's lives," I said.

"I didn't come here with the intention of making you hate your mother. I may blame her forever for my mother's death but deep down, I know she had every reason not to trust me. Like I earlier said, your mother was a good woman. If she had known I was telling the truth, she'd have given me the full money for the treatment and even taken her to a better hospital," My father explained.

"What's the catch? Why are you suddenly defending my mother?" I asked.

"I'm only saying the truth. You shouldn't hate your mother who was good and kind to you. You should hate me instead. Even if I had hated your mother, I had no right to transfer my aggression to my own child so do not stop hating me. I just want you to help me out with enough money to secure a place for Mariam and I, and enough to pay our bills," He said.

"What about your children?" I asked.

"They're ashamed of me. Tennessee and Florida went back to the States and they told their mother they've rented a place there and gotten nice jobs, thanks to their outstanding result. Jordan is somewhere in Nigeria, don't know where exactly. He hates me and can't even look me in the eye," He responded.

"Where do you and Mariam stay?" I asked.

"In my brother's house. His family has been hostile and we really need to leave there," He said.

"You and Mariam really love each other, considering how you guys are still sticking together. My mother shouldn't have tried to come between both of you. I understand now why you were always so mean to her, but I didn't deserve to be hated. And one more thing, you could've just divorced her instead of treating her like an animal," I said.

"Amsterdam, I'm sorry, and this time, I mean it," He said.

"If you say so. I'll transfer 30% of the properties to your name. After all the legal work is done, I'll call you and hand over the necessary documents to you," I said.

"Thank you so much, thank you," He said.

"I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this because unlike you, I have a conscience," I said.

He bowed his head in shame.

"You treated me badly but I'm not like you, I'm better than you," I said.

Tears slid down his eyes again.

"I feel so ashamed," He said.

"You should. Anyways, I have to get going," I said.

"Okay. I'll just stay here for a while," He said.

"Aren't you scared someone will recognise you?" I asked.

"I've always visited this place even when I was rich and everyone liked me, just to clear my head and relax. People don't usually come here in the afternoon and everyone's always in a hurry to leave. No one has your time here," My father explained.

"Alright then, suit yourself," I said, rising.

"Amsterdam, thank you once again," He said.

"You're welcome," I told him and begun walking out.

My mother should've never tried to force love and my father had no right to treat us badly.

I had mixed feelings about the whole situation as I walked away then I saw Cas who was sitting at another table, watching something.

Rita had specifically instructed me to start ignoring her so she could see what she was missing and I had started doing that right after she walked away from the party.

In all honesty, I saw reasons with Rita. Maybe I'd been giving too much attention to Cas and that's why she kept refusing to be with me. If I started ignoring her, she'd miss me and be the one running into my arms.

I was going to leave the Cafe when I saw tears trickling down her eyes.

I ran over to her side immediately and saw the person sitting opposite her was an older lady, looking at her in pity with sorry eyes.

[Cassandra's POV]

"What's wrong?" I heard Amsey's voice ask.

"Who are you?" Mrs Rohim asked.

The woman who had introduced herself as the former cook of Mr Grumpy's family had informed me her name was Mrs Rohim.

"I'm.. I'm Cas' friend," Amsey replied.

I wiped my tears, looked up slowly and stared at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked me.

"Nothing," I responded, grabbing my glasses which I had left on the table.

He held my hands and stopped me from putting on the glasses.

"Who is this woman and what did she say to you to make you start crying?" He asked.

"Mind your business," I told him.

"You're my business!" He retorted.

I heaved a sigh and gave him the Android phone which contained a video recording of what Mrs Rohim had termed to be vital information.

He collected the phone and played the video.

"This... Is this your mother, Cas?" Amsey asked, not taking his eyes off the video.

"Apparently, can't you see the resemblance?" I retorted.

"Wow! She was really beautiful, unlike you. Wait! Isn't this Mr Grumpy?" He suddenly asked, his tone much more intense.

"It is him," I muttered.

Amsey's look went from being indifferent to being curious to being shocked.

"What??" He asked rhetorically.

He rewound the video tape and watched everything again with his mouth agape.

After watching it, he dropped the phone on the table, looking appalled.

"Did you understand what you just saw?" I asked, trying my best to be strong.

Amsey nodded.

"And what do you understand from watching that?" I asked, making sure I wasn't seeing things.

"Mr Grumpy...he killed your mother," Amsey said.

Tears slid down my eyes as I sobbed uncontrollably.

"I used to wonder how my mum had slipped and fallen down the staircase of a house she worked at for many years with no assistance whatsoever from her boss's family and it turns out that...that Mr Grumpy, after being rejected by her, was furious and he pushed her down the staircase," I said.

"I'm so sorry, Cas," Amsey said.

"That bastard... he'd definitely pay," I said, wiping my tears off.

"Cas, you have to calm down," He said.

"Don't tell me to calm down, my mum deserves justice," I said.

"I know, but you have to go easy on this matter," I said.

"I'll take him down. I'll find him whichever way possible and makes sure he either rots in jail for the rest of his life or gets sentenced to death by hanging," I said, grabbing my purse.

"But who's this woman? How did she have this evidence?" Amsey asked.

"I used to work for Mr Okorie Johnson as his cook. His wife was a housewife so even though he kept on making advances at Cassandra's mother, he could never do what he wanted with her due to his wife's presence. On that fateful day, Madam Helen, Cassandra's mother, returned back to work after almost two years of being sick and Mr Okorie Johnson's wife had travelled with her children," Mrs Rohim explained to Amsey.

"So because they weren't home, he was forcing her to have sex with him as shown in the video, isn't it?" Amsey asked.

"It is. And after she blatantly refused him and was going about her business, he pushed her down in his rage," Mrs Rohim responded.

"So how did you get that video?" He asked.

"My daughter, the eldest one, used to come around and take pictures of herself in the house because it was a big and beautiful one. She'd upload them on social media so people will feel that's her house," Mrs Rohim said.

"So?"

"So that day, she was recording a video of the house to show people how big the house is when she saw what was going on. She hid and took a record of all that was going on and later came to show me, trembling in fear," Mrs Rohim explained.

"My God! So you've known about this since. Why are you just telling Cas about this?" Amsey asked.

"Because back then, with Mr Okorie Johnson's influence, the matter would have been swept under the carpet, my life and that of my family would have been in danger and Cassandra's life as well," Mrs Rohim said.

"She came to find me now because I'm rich and I'd be heard in the court of law," I chipped in.

"I hope you're not angry at her for keeping you so long," Amsey said.

"No, I'm not. She's right. No one would have listened to me and with the corrupt system in Nigeria, the case would've been closed after collecting bribe from Mr Grumpy. Most times, you need to be rich to get justice in time in Nigeria and luckily for me, I'm not poor," I said.

"So what are you going to do now?" Amsey asked.

"I'm not going to rely on the police. I've decided to upload this video tape on the internet with Mr Grumpy's picture and I'll tell them that I'd give anyone who captures him a sum of one million naira," I said.

"Isn't that too rash? He'll know that you're onto him and he'd run away to a place no one will know him. Why don't you just involve the police alone?" Amsey argued.

I scoffed, "Nigeria may be underdeveloped but everyone makes use of the internet, both the young and the old, both the rich and the poor. There's nowhere he could possibly run to without being caught."

"You're right. I'll make sure he's brought to book and you get justice for your mother's death," Amsey said.

"Thank you. Also, Mrs Rohim here has vowed to testify in my favour in court," I told him.

"Thank you very much. This means so much to Cas and even myself. It's amazing to see people who want justice and will do anything to get it," Amsey said.

"Speaking of which, how did you get my phone number?" I asked Mrs Rohim.

She smiled, "I thought you'd never ask. Actually, my daughter informed me of your agency so we both went there. We had been going there for two weeks without getting to see the boss but today, we got to see him. His name is Mr Andrew... something...."

"Muffin," I chipped in.

"Exactly! I showed him the video and he said I'd have to show you myself so he gave me your number but said I couldn't reveal it to anyone else," Mrs Rohim explained.

"Wow! How about your daughter? Why isn't she here?" I asked.

"She had to go home to cook for her child and husband," Mrs Rohim replied.

"So she's married now?" I asked.

"Yes, and we now live here in Lagos. I have to go now," Mrs Rohim said as she stood.

"Okay then. Thank you so much," I told her and embraced her.

"He loves you, I can see it in his eyes," Mrs Rohim whispered into my ears.

I withdrew from her embrace and forced a smile.

She waved at Amsey and I and walked out of the Cafe.

"You should go as well, I want to be left alone for some time," I told Amsey.

"You just found out your mother's death wasn't natural. I can't leave you here by yourself, I'd stay with you," He said.

"You said you were here for something important. Have you concluded what you're here for?" I asked.

"Yes," He replied.

"Can I ask what that is?" I asked.

"I came to meet with my dad," He responded.

I sneered, "What did he have to say this time around?"

"He told me the entire truth, why he hated my mother and I and treated us like animals," Amsey responded.

"And what were his reasons?" I asked.

"My mother knew he was in love with someone else even before they got married and she had refused to give him money for his mother's treatment till he married her. His mother later died and that's what made him so angry, although she didn't know his mother was truly sick," Amsey explained.

"Let me ask you a question, Amsey. Did she put a gun to his head before he married her?" I asked.

"Not at all," He replied.

"Exactly! He wasn't forced to marry her and even if he hated your mother, he had no right to extend the hatred to you nor treat you the way he did," I said.

"I know but..."

"No buts. What of the citizens of this country that he wanted to extort and make their lives a living hell? What wrong did they do to him?" I asked.

Amsey sighed, "You have a point."

"Of course, I do. Your father is just a greedy and wicked person with no conscience and he's just looking for your sympathy," I said.

"You're absolutely right. I already promised to give him 30% of everything that's in my possession though," Amsey said.

"Okay then."

"You're not going to shout at me?" He asked.

"Why should I? He has a family. You're not like him, you should help him out," I said.

He smiled at me, "I love you so much," He said.

"I should get going," I told him.

"I'm sorry, Cas, for everything," He said.

"I just found out what really happened to my mother. This isn't the time for all these," I said.

"When all these is over, will you have time for us to talk?" He asked.

"Maybe," I responded and walked away, leaving him sitting there.

All I needed to do now was get justice for my mother and find Cameron's grandparents so I could convince them to give me full custody over him.

The struggle was almost over.

Except if there was another glitch from the past.

So I succeeded in adding another twist in the tale as it appears that Mr Grumpy is the murderer of Cassandra's mother.
What do you think about this twist? Did you see it coming??
Anyways, it's an honour to inform you all who have been patiently following this book that "The Child's Father" is ending this week.
Three more chapters and we're done.
Thank for reading.
Much love ❤️❤️.