Dropping The Crown

Chapter 70: Lion King

Ricardo's POV

"Sir, here are the files you asked for and Miss. Vant is holding on line two," my secretary informed as I returned from lunch.

I took the files and headed into my office.

"What is it, Penelope?" I spoke.

"Ricardo, when am I going to see my son?"

"This weekend. This is your third time calling me this week with the exact question and I've gave you the same answer," I answered with annoyance. She was beginning to get on my nerves.

"Well I'm just making certain."

"Bye now," I said and hung up the phone. Already exhausted from a long morning and sensing an even longer afternoon ahead, I exhaled sharply and began looking through the files.

~
I left the office and headed for home as soon as the clock striked 5:00pm. I had a perfect evening planned for Adani and little Ricci before he left for the weekend to his mom's.

I opened the doors and entered the living room area but no one was in sight but a new maid. I headed up the stairs, walked into the bedroom and found my wife flipping through a magazine with a frown on her face.

"Good evening," she greeted without even looking my way.

"Hi. Baby, what's the matter?" I asked.

"How was work?" she deflected.

"Work was work. What's wrong, Adani?"

She put the magazine aside, took a breath, shook her head then stood up from the bed. She approached me and assisted with my necktie.

"It's little Ricci," she answered.

"What's wrong, did something happen to him, is he okay?" I asked with panic. I didn't want anything happening to my son while in my care.

"Listen, he came home from school today with a frown on his face. I met him as the driver dropped him off. I asked him how was school and he said stupid."

"Hmm. Do you think he's being bullied?"

"Something is the matter with him but I don't think it's bullying. I think he's being influenced."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because he called me a 'black bitch', Ricardo."

"What!?"

"Yes. When I tried to get him to talk to me, he said he'd rather talk to you. I told him that you're at work, I'm his step-mom so he can tell me if something is wrong. He yelled at a deafening tone that I wasn't want to talk to me, I should mind my own business and that I was a black bitch."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"I'm his bedroom."

I made a beeline straight for my son's bedroom and found him playing on his cellphone.

"You and I have to talk," I started. Adani stood behind me but I gestured for her to stand next to me. Little Ricci looked up from his cellphone and gave his undivided attention to us now.

"What did I do, dad?" he asked.

"You called my wife, your step-mom, out of her name today and that wouldn't be tolerated. That is not okay."

"So you do love her more than you love me?"

"Little boy, you're never to utter those words or any other disrespectful words to your step-mom or anyone else for that matter. When you disrespect her, you're also disrespecting me, and I wouldn't tolerate that behavior. Now, apologize."