Autumn is a second spring

12. Mother

SLAP

A resounding slapping sound echoed through the walls of the living room.

"Is this how I raised you, Fluke?" Remi said in a tone laced with disappointment.

When she got the call from the Head of the gynaecology department of the Taipei Branch of her hospital to tell her about Fame's pregnancy, she was shocked. She never expected such a mistake to happen on Fluke's part.

"Didn't you know that that girl is such a snake? She wouldn't think twice before biting the hands that fed her. I have been telling you this for years and look what you have done." Remi was crying.

"Mom, you are thinking too much." Fluke tried to console her.

"Thinking too much?" Remi looked at her son in bewilderment. "First, you wanted to help her recover from the coma and look what she did! She went behind your back and got herself inseminated. Now she is pregnant with your child and you are telling me that I am 'thinking too much'? Are you out of your mind, Fluke?"

Fluke was quiet.

"It is only a matter of time till your Dad figures this out and then Fluke, don't come to me asking for help. Because I know that he is going to flip because of this matter!" Remi said firmly.

As the first son of the Siripongthon family, things hadn't been easy for Fluke. Unlike Kao's, Ohm's or Boun's families, the Siripongthon family wasn't raised from generational wealth.

The family itself began when Fluke's great-grandfather was taken to Canada as a slave. Thanks to the kind master who owned him, he managed to learn how to read and write. The master even gave him a name and even sent his children to school.

Fluke's grandfather who got an education due to the grace of his master, started a small business in Canada but wasn't very successful. Only when Thas, Fluke's father took charge of the family and business at the young age of sixteen did it flourish and the name of the Siripongthon family became established.

This put a lot of pressure on Fluke. He was only ten when he entered the stock market. Working as a singer and taking up multiple part-time jobs along with the income from his stocks and investments, he started his own cafe, Moon Pearl Cafe, in Oklahoma without taking a single cent from his parents.

Through the years, he had managed to develop the cafe into a full-fledged coffee company across the North American, European and Asian continents. He established the Pearl Oyster Group of companies at the age of twenty.

He also became a certified music therapist while he was still in high school. He only started his acting career after he completed his double degree in business and biotechnology.

Despite all his achievements, Fluke had always kept a low profile among others. He was loyal and warmhearted towards the people he cared about. And it was exactly his warmheartedness that landed him in trouble.

"Leave your dad. What about Ohm? Do you even realise how much this baby is going to affect your relationship?" The more Remi thought, the more worried she grew. 

"Mom, please calm down." Fluke helped his mother sit down. "Please listen to what I have to say before you jump to a conclusion."

Remi looked at her son, waiting for his explanation.

Fluke let out a sigh of relief seeing that his mother had given in and was willing to let him talk"I do agree that it was a fault in my part that something like this happened. But I have already talked to both Fame and Mist about this matter and had a legal agreement signed that they wouldn't reveal that the child is mine to anyone else. This would include P' Ohm too."

He waited for a few seconds to see if his mother wanted to interrupt him. Seeing no signs of his mother's disagreement, he continued. "Mist has already resigned from the post of being my manager and moved to Taiwan to live with Fame. I have also arranged for my men to keep an eye on both of them.

If they show any signs of creating more trouble, my men will take the baby away as soon as she gives birth. She won't even be able to take legal action against me. Even though I had made the donation, they hadn't done the paperwork to get my consent to inseminate her. If it was some other hospital I would have sued them." 

Fluke knew he was being cold-hearted by coming up with such a decision but Fame's action had made her lose the last ounce of warmth he had towards her.

 Remi narrowed her eyes "How much did you put as a penalty if they breach the contract you made?"

"One billion US dollars," Fluke answered.

"What about Ohm? How are you going to explain everything to him?" She asked.

"I don't plan on telling anything to P' Ohm, Mom. Even though the child is biologically mine, Fame and Mist are its parents. The baby's life wouldn't get entangled with mine as long as both of them maintain the agreement and live. If something happens to them and they pass away, then the baby will be mine as I am its godfather."

"What if he finds from some other resource? Don't forget that the Ritpraserts are a very powerful family and as the heir of the family, I am sure Ohm has his own power as well. Do you think that he can be kept in the dark for long?" Remi questioned.

"Mom, I will handle it if something like that happens. Please don't worry." Fluke assured her.

"How can I not worry about you two?" Remi stared at her son. "I agree that I am not really happy that you are dating him. But still, aren't you in love with that child? Do you think that what you did is fair to him?"

"Mom, I don't see what is unfair in this. I have already cut ties with Mist and Fame and don't plan on keeping in touch even after the childbirth."

"You should have done that long ago, Fluke. You should have cut ties with those girls long ago. If you had done that things wouldn't have gotten to this extent."

Fluke felt a headache coming his way. Almost everyone including his best friends was telling him the same thing. "Mom, there is no use talking about something that already happened."

Remi sighed heavily. "Fluke, you already know how Ohm is. He has sent his men to keep an eye on you twenty-four seven. He doesn't have any trust in you." 

"Mom, he is not as bad as you say. He did have his men follow me around. But they have always kept a respectable distance and never invaded my privacy. P' Ohm is the same too, Mom. He never restricts me or tells me what to do or what not to do. He never makes me do anything against my wish, Mom. He does have some trust issues and is a bit insecure about our relationship, but he never shows it, Mom. He always tries his best to make me happy."

Fluke held his mother's hand. "Mom, one day I hope you can witness it yourself and accept P' Ohm as my partner."