Chapter 13 Who Is Vera?

“This is a long story, Mishka, and I don’t know how and where to start from. You need to know about Vera before knowing about Jennifer,” Leo said in a low and sad voice. “Who is Vera?” Mishka asked. Vera is Christian’s mother and Luke’s ex-wife. She was a gorgeous twenty-year-old girl when she married Luke. Vera was Rosella’s friend’s daughter. Her parents died in a plane crash, and after that, her relatives started treating her like a servant. She was living in a very poor condition when my wife Rosella stepped into her life. She brought Vera to our house and loved her like her own daughter, and soon Vera and Rony became very close friends, they were in the same college, so they spent most of their time together. At that time, Luke and Berry were completing their higher studies at Harvard University where Luke met Jennifer in some bar, and then they started dating. We all were unknown about Luke’s affair and when he and Berry returned, Rosella announced Luke’s wedding to Vera. He disagreed at first because of his commitment to Jennifer and convinced Rosella to meet Jennifer once before deciding something, and Rosella agreed to meet. Jennifer came to meet us all, but Rosella rejected her for Luke. According to Rosella, she was behind our money and status. Rosella blackmailed Luke emotionally to marry Vera, and being Mumma’s boy, he agreed to marry at last and broke up with Jennifer, but he was not happy. He always ignored Vera. I still remember her heartbroken face. I knew Rony and Vera liked each other, but after the wedding announcement, they maintained their distance. If Vera wanted to, she could have refused the marriage and we wouldn’t have said anything to her, but she felt we did a favor by keeping her at our home, so she had no right to refuse for marriage. She happily agreed to marry Luke. Soon they got married, and after two years, Chris came into our life and completed their family. They looked like a happy family and we were so happy for them. It was their eighth wedding anniversary, and we were all waiting for Luke’s appearance for the family dinner. Rony brought her then-girlfriend Rose for the first time to our family dinner. We were all happily chatting with each other when Luke appeared with Jennifer. It was a shocker for us to see them together, holding hands. He came to the dining area and announced that Jennifer was pregnant with his child and soon he will divorce Vera to marry her. Vera left the dining area crying, and a little six-year-old Chris followed his mother. No husband would give his wife such a wedding gift as Luke had given to Vera. Rony like a raging bull pulled Luke from his collar, “I knew you would cheat on her, that’s why I didn’t want her to get married to you.” Rony shouted at Luke and in return, Luke punched him in the nose. “Just shut up, you asshole. I know you like her. I can see that in your eyes, and who knows, maybe you both were having an affair behind my back,” Luke yelled while straightening his shirt. Rony stood up and punched him square in the face again, and both Jennifer and Rose tried to detangle them. I left them there fighting and went upstairs to Vera’s room. Her room was half-opened, so I peeped inside, and what I saw just clenched my heart. Vera was sitting in the corner of an empty room, hugging Chris tightly and crying silently. Rosella’s decision was wrong this time. We ruined the life of an innocent soul. She looked at me and quickly removed her tears. I didn’t say anything to her and left from there. I came back downstairs and slapped Luke right across the face. “You deserve this,” I said, and then, holding Jennifer’s hand, Luke left Knight Mansion, and with that, our house began to disintegrate. The next day, he came back alone with divorce paper and much to our surprise Vera signed them silently. Along with the divorce papers, he brought Chris’s custody papers too. I requested Vera not to sign on those papers, but she smiled. “Chris needs his father, and being an orphan, I know the value of family. After this divorce, I will leave Chris here under your and mom’s guardianship, dad. I do not trust Luke anymore. He may treat my son like garbage after the arrival of his new wife and newborn baby,” Vera said in her calm and beautiful voice. “I will never do something like that. I love my son!!” Luke roared, and she gazed up at him. “I have seen how you destroy people with your love.” She chuckled, “Just look at me.” “I c..c.. can compensate for all those y..y.years you have wasted on me.” Luke stuttered while looking down and Vera smiled. “That was an investment, according to me, but never mind. I got Chris because of you. I want nothing else.” Vera said, bending down on her knees and signed custody papers. While handing papers back to Luke, “Wish you a very happy married life.” She wished and was about to leave, but Rosella held her hand. “Why are you doing this, Vera? Why are you giving so much pain to yourself? I will throw Luke out from Knight Mansion for you. Just don’t do this. Think about Chris.” Rosella sobbed and Vera held her both hands into her. “Mom, that person standing there,” Vera pointed at Luke, “He has the skill to separate a mother from her son, but I am not capable of doing that. I can’t separate you from your son. I know you love him so much, so it’s better if I leave this house,” Vera said with tears threatening to come out from her eyes. Vera looked at Luke, “I want one month to prepare my son for this change and then I will leave from here.” She stated and left. The whole next month was horrible for us, Luke shifted in the mansion with Jennifer and they started displaying their lovey-dovey acts in front of everyone while Vera, on the other hand, started treating Chris like a horrible stepmother, we were all so confused because of her behavior. My son Rony shifted to his new apartment across the street because he can’t bear the lovey-dovey acts of Luke and Jennifer. I and Rosella could not do anything because Vera restricted us, saying that she never asked anything from us ever, and now she wants to leave Luke and let him have his happiness. This was her only demand from us. Chris started getting closer to Jennifer, leaving his mother, and one day at the breakfast table we heard Chris calling Jennifer “mom” We looked at Vera, but she was eating her breakfast calmly without being bothered. It shocked us to see her like that, but we chose to keep our mouth shut and that was our biggest mistake. *** Leo took a deep breath and wiped tears from his eyes. “The same night, our security guard came running to my bedroom door at midnight and started banging the door loudly. I opened the door and Luke too opened his room door hearing the noises.” “Madam Vera is standing on the railing of the terrace,” The guard said, panting. I ran outside, shouting at Luke to go on the terrace. But when I and Rosella reached down, we saw her body falling on the driveway in front of our eyes. We rushed towards her and I held her in my arms but it was too late, blood was oozing out from her head and with a half-opened eyes, she smiled. I looked up at the silhouette of Luke on the terrace. “Are you happy now?” I shouted at him, but it was of no use now. I screamed at guards to call an ambulance, hoping it was not too late.