OBLIVION The Billionaire’s Desire

THE INCIDENT

It was a sunny morning, while I was starting to cook lunch when I heard shouting and chaos outside. I ran to the door to see what was happening.

“Natalie, your father is in the field fighting with Mr. Parker’s men.”

Robin, our neighbor, panted while he told us what he saw.

“Thank you.”

And I ran fast with my mother and some people of the county who brought whatever they can to protect ourselves and went to the fields. As we came near, I saw his men kick my father and trample on his leg. He was in dire pain and agony. I shouted at the top of my voice as I ran towards him.

“Wait...stop!”

As I came nearer to my father, I stood my ground. My father recently had an accident. He fell from the roof while he was fixing it. But he goes to the field to check on the grapes in the vineyard and harvest some. We have several acres of grapevines where wineries buy grapes in buckets.

“Mr. Parker, my father told you again and again. He is not selling our land.”

Then Mr. Robbins, an old man from our neighborhood spoke.

“You have enough of land Mr. Parker, why do you want our small properties?”

People started to talk and shout at him to get out of our lives and the neighborhood and look for vacant lands somewhere else.

Mr. Parker is a rich land grabber who owns a vast land in our county. He wants to own the land that my father inherited from his parents although it’s not that big. People in our neighborhood don’t want to sell their property because it’s their inheritance, and family is always important to the people of our community. They also plan to hand it down to their children.

“We will give you a calculation on how much you can earn.”

“Just leave Mr. Parker or you’re going to have this wood on your face.”

Mr. Parker has goons with him but he asked them not to strike anyone. And they all left.

“Father!”

And my mother and I helped him to stand. As he stood slowly, people were talking about what they will do the next time Mr. Parker comes again.

My father had some bruises and limped in walking as we supported him. He has a wound on his face that blood oozed a little from. My father is a humble man, but people in our neighborhood believe in him.

When we came to our house, my mother hurriedly prepared some warm water in a basin and some antiseptic to clean and dress the wounds of my father.

“Why didn’t you ask for help?”

Mother started to wipe father with a warm towel to clean him.

“I tried, but somebody had already stricken me with a gun and I fell on the ground. One of his men was about to shoot me, but Mr. Parker told him not to. So they kicked me instead”

“Father, why don’t you just sell the land and let’s leave. We can find another land far away from here?”

With a frail voice, he answered.

“What if another Mr. Parker would be there? What if this will happen again?”

Then I went to him and held his hand.

“Father, we can sell this land and buy a house in the city. I can work and we can live a quiet life.”

My father spoke with a raised voice and his tone was stern.

“This land has been given by my ancestors and it will go down to my grandson.”

“But father, what if his goons come back and strike you harder or even kill you?”

My mother looked to my father with eyes asking him to consider.

“What if they get me or Natalie, or even kill us?”

Then I looked down, almost crying.

“What if they get me and do something evil to me?”

Though I am just eighteen, my body has developed curves in its right places and I can say that my innocent face had captured a lot of attention from men of all ages. But because my father has kept me close to him and has protected me, I already know what kind of guy I want to be with when I finally decide to get married.

“I have taught you how to hold a gun and how to protect yourself.”

“But there is fear in me that they might do something I can’t decide on.”

“Henry, they are powerful. And they can do whatever they desire. They are many and everyone follows his evil command.”

“I have lived my life in this county and I am.....”

My mother butted before he was able to finish his sentence.

“We can try, Henry. We can try. For our safety.”

My father stood, went to the window where he can see part of the whole land.

“For your sake Natalie. I will consider and look for a place somewhere else.”

I went to my mother and embraced her tight.

“We will get through this. I will still talk to him later.”

“I fear Mr. Parker’s men. They looked at me as if they wanted to taste me....to rape me.”

And I embraced my mother tighter, while my tears of fear stream down my cheeks.

“Stop crying now and I will talk to him later.”

And I cleaned my face and washed my hands and went back to my cooking. I prepared lasagna and toasted bread which is my father’s favorite food. When I was done I went to my father who was in the room resting.

“Dad.”

And I hugged him.

“I am sorry that I raised my voice earlier.”

“I understand. I am just worried that....”

“Don’t worry, Natalie. I am asking a broker to find us a place. It will hurt but I am doing this for you and your mother.”

The night went by silently. When I woke up, I went to my friends Helen and Alice. They are sisters and we have been friends since forever.

We hugged each other.

“We heard what happened. How are you? How is your father?”

“He is better. He is now thinking of selling the land and we will transfer.”

Helen looked down.

“My parents are also thinking of doing that as well.”

“I will be going tomorrow to inquire my aunt in helping us to transfer.”

“My father is talking to a broker as well.”

“Then we will be separated later on. Can we write letters?”

And we hugged again and went home after some relaxing stories.

The next day, I went out early to go to the sister of my father, Aunt Maisie, to tell her about the land and ask her to sign.

We talked about the incident and she immediately signed the papers and told me to call her if ever we needed anything for her to sign. My father and my aunt are the only siblings who inherited the big land of my forefathers. Because she is a beautiful woman, a model, and an ambassador, she was able to get married to a rich man, Uncle Theo, who is also a model and they live in the Bay area.

When I came home that afternoon, there was wailing and sadness that I felt and heard from the entrance of the villa. I ran inside our house and saw my father full of blood laid on the floor.

I knelt in front of him, sat by the floor and I hugged my father as I sobbed and shouted.

“I told you we should leave! Who did this? Who did this?”

My world was crushed at that moment. We could have gone sooner that it didn’t have to happen to my father. My mother came to me and hugged me tighter as we both cried vehemently.

“Natalie, he left us already.”

“Mum, why....why...?”

The pain left us crying for days. And I found out that my friend Helen was a witness to the killing of my father. But because of her shock, she can’t hear or talk. She would stare but not say anything.

Aunt Maisie came to the funeral and wailed painfully, losing her only brother. They grew up very close to each other and were only separated when she got married. She lived with us while I was growing up and I saw how close they were.

“Emma, after all this, Natalie and you can live with us while we are selling this land.”

“Won’t we be disturbing both of you?”

“Natalie is like my daughter and your husband is my only sibling.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you already know who did this?”

“The police are still investigating it. People are saying that it must have been Mr. Parker.”

“The land grabber who kept on insisting to buy this land?”

I saw Aunt Maisie’s eyes filled with hate, her body trembled in loathing.

“You need to get out of here or the desperado might be looking out for you. I am sure my ancestors will understand. It’s only my brother who doesn’t want to get out here.”