Images of Lester struggling underwater flashed before my eyes. I had thought he hadn’t come up because he was trying to follow his mother’s instructions, but I never considered that Kendra Glover had bound him to prevent him from escaping the water.
How desperate he must have been.
Kendra's father was furious, his voice full of rage. "A beast! She didn’t even spare her own child."
Just then, a messenger arrived with a fruit cake and said a lady named Glover had sent it.
"Dammit," Kendra's father muttered, glaring at the cake before smashing it to the floor. "She did this to her own son, and instead of coming here, she sends cake? She’s still playing around with that man. The one who forsakes his principles for money and still wants to be part of my family? What a dream!"
He pulled out his phone, ready to call her, but he called more than ten times, and she didn’t pick up. My phone rang instead, and I shakily answered.
Kendra’s voice came through, impatient. "Joseph Stout, did you go to my dad to complain about something minor? Do you think you can trick me with this act about Lester? Don’t be ridiculous."
"It was just a bit of holding his breath. He’s in the hospital, isn’t he? Didn’t your son say he was going to take over my championship? Let him continue practicing for me. Don’t make me lose face."
Her words hit me like a slap. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She had no remorse for what she’d done to our son, and to her, his life was just a game to her.
"I’ve already had someone send his favorite fruit cake. What else do you want? Don’t use these underhanded tactics. I’m busy preparing for the next competition. Don’t disturb me!"
I glanced at the cake lying on the floor. It was filled with mango. Lester had been allergic to mangoes since he was a child. The irony of it all was that Kendra claimed it was his favorite flavor.
As the nurse wheeled Lester’s lifeless body out, Kendra's father, who had been cursing just moments ago, suddenly went silent. He choked on his sobs and trembled as he pulled back the white cloth covering Lester’s face, nearly collapsing to the ground.