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- Herausgeber: tredition
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
Max Brewman is in a deep crisis. The loss of his beloved mother, the breakdown of his marriage and bankruptcy have shattered his world and his hopes. To make matters worse, his long-time friend turns out to be an insidious enemy, and his own children are shrouded in a mysterious silence. In a desperate attempt to get his life back on track, Max makes the brave decision to go on a journey. But what is meant to be a quest for adventure and a new beginning takes a completely unexpected turn. His fate changes dramatically when he survives a plane crash in the unexplored Bolivian rainforest. There, far from civilisation, his path crosses with that of a little girl who, like him, survived the accident. These unlikely companions become inseparable. Together they face the dangerous challenges of the impenetrable jungle. Once on the brink of collapse, Max now faces a test of survival in a merciless environment. The search for food and water becomes a daily struggle, his fragile belief in himself a constant companion. As he struggles to survive, Max also carries the responsibility of the little girl on his shoulders. A remarkable bond develops between the dwindling supplies and the threatening wilderness. In these dark hours of struggle and loneliness, Max discovers an unexpected strength within himself and a deep bond with his companion. In the vastness of the unknown rainforest, where the laws of nature set the pace, Max finds a new meaning to his life. Every step through the thicket becomes a journey of self-fulfilment, every obstacle a springboard for his transformation. The unexpected alliance between Max and the girl becomes a reflection of his own struggle - the search for a new beginning and the rebirth of hope that comes in life's darkest hours.
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The Betrayal of Max Brewman
Bea Eschen
Copyright © 2024 Bea Eschen
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printing and distribution on behalf of the author: tredition GmbH, An der Strusbek 10, 22926 Ahrensburg, Germany
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Also by Bea Eschen
The Betrayal of Max Brewman
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Foreword
Foreword
Also by Bea Eschen
The Betrayal of Max Brewman
Cover
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
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Foreword
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Chapter 1
‘Why,’ Max pondered aloud to his own reflection, ‘is Klaus refusing me a loan? It doesn’t make sense! He’s always bragging about his flourishing business, his settled life… why the reluctance? We’ve been inseparable for years!’
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Max adjusted the side panels to catch a glimpse of his changing appearance. The first hints of curls were sprouting at the nape of his neck, his once dark hair now embracing shades of grey. Change was something he’d always resisted, but the recent chaos had taught him to adapt. Now he was ready for change, even if it meant letting his hair grow wilder. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘I’ll skip the shaving too, let the beard have its way.’ He looked at his reflection and sighed. ‘Why didn’t I confront him about the loan refusal?’ He took a deep breath. ‘Because I’m a coward. Because I’m afraid of what the truth might be.’ Determined, Max pulled out his mobile phone and told Siri to dial Klaus Biderhog. The ringing echoed at the other end, signalling the start of a potentially revealing conversation.
‘Klaus here!’ Max recognised the familiar voice of his long-time friend.
‘It’s me, Max.’
‘Hey Max, what’s up?’
‘Well,’ Max hesitated, then took a deep breath, ‘why are you so reluctant to lend me money?’
‘Oh Max,’ Klaus cleared his throat, ‘I wanted to talk to you about that anyway. Can we meet at the corner pub tonight at seven?’
‘All right, see you then,’ Max replied, ending the call.
That evening, Max set off early, combining his trip to the pub with a contemplative walk. He needed to mentally prepare himself, feeling that there was something crucial he wasn’t aware of; something serious and unexpected.
Arriving punctually at seven o’clock, Max found Klaus already seated at their usual table. Klaus had an empty glass in front of him, a ritual maintained over the years. As Max took his seat, the waitress arrived with his next pint.
‘One for me too, please,’ Max asked, smiling at Claudia, the waitress. He always appreciated her presence; she was both attractive and young, her figure accentuated by stylish, tight clothing. ‘Sure,’ she smiled back.
The air crackled with unspoken tension.
‘How are you?’ Klaus inquired.
‘Like you don’t already know!’ Max replied. ‘I’ve never been a fan of that question.’
‘Apologies,’ Klaus offered, taking a substantial gulp before continuing. ‘I have a proposition for you.’
Max looked up as Claudia appeared and set a beer down in front of him.
‘Cheers first,’ Klaus suggested, raising his glass, and the clink of glasses echoed between them.
‘So, what’s this proposal all about?’ Max inquired, a hint of impatience in his voice.
‘I’m interested in buying the brewery from you. I’d completely overhaul it and introduce a range of new, organic beers. I’ve already sorted out the recipes,’ Klaus explained.
Max nearly choked on his drink, coughing violently. ‘Excuse me?’
‘Well,’ Klaus continued, ‘it could ease your financial and emotional burden. You’ve been overworked, stressed, and understandably depressed since your mother died.’
Max was suddenly overwhelmed. Tears welled up and streamed down his cheeks. He found himself gasping for breath and running his trembling hands over his face, overcome by a sudden onslaught of emotion.
‘Come on, calm down,’ Klaus said, putting an arm around his friend’s shoulders. ‘It’s just a suggestion. You don’t have to accept it if you don’t want to.’
The lovely Claudia brought over two shots and looked at Max with concern. ‘These are on the house.’
‘Thanks,’ Max said. He finally got his sobbing under control and downed the booze in one gulp. He stood up. ‘I’m going now, I’ll think about it.’
‘All right,’ Klaus called after him.
* * *
Max wandered aimlessly through the city. Confused thoughts swirled in his head. If Klaus bought the brewery, maybe I could still work there. He liked the idea, because he wouldn’t have to part with the business he had fought for for decades. The energy he had invested in persuading his long-dead father, a man who always wanted things to stay the same, of his ideas resounded within him.
He avoided the city park, filled with shouting and loud music. Maybe it would be better if I
went away. Away from everything. A radical change. Away from Barbara, away from the villa, away from Gertrud and Otto, away from the children. They’ve all been looking at me lately as if I’d lost my mind! Yes, that’s what he would do. He would ask Barbara for a divorce. She ignored him anyway. Was there anything left between them that could hold them together? Max shook his head firmly. If she agreed, she’d have to part with half of the villa, which would come to at least three hundred thousand euros. Given her income, this shouldn’t be too much of an obstacle. However, if she refused, the only alternative would be to sell the villa. A pain shot through his heart. What would happen to Gertrud and Otto? Compensation would be essential. Given their age, the prospect of finding a new job would depend heavily on luck.
Max walked until the world around him faded into unfamiliarity. Exhaustion set in and he collapsed on a bench at a bus stop and drifted off to sleep. As dawn broke, certainty washed over him. The decision he’d made was so deeply rooted that he could hardly hold back his eagerness to share it with his family.
In his eyes, Barbara had never been a good mother. The children had been an afterthought to her because she was primarily focused on herself. In recent years, she had been too absorbed in her art and poetry to pay attention to the children. She also spent an inordinate amount of time visiting doctors to find out why her legs weren’t working properly. She went from one specialist to another as no one could pinpoint a cause. They repeatedly told her that there was no physical reason for her inability to walk. Max believed it was related to her depression, as Barbara often complained of a lack of energy. She also hadn’t had any sexual desire for years. Max attributed this to their troubled relationship, and his constant absence from home certainly contributed to her sad existence. But he found it strange that she preferred to be in a wheelchair, although in unguarded moments she would get up to go to the bathroom or to bed. Was she seeking pity or attention? When he confronted her, days of silence followed. She withdrew into herself and became offended. This was usually followed by another appointment with a new doctor.
The first thing he would do is tell his children that he was leaving for good. This seemed fair to him. Julia and Alex had become loners since their grandmother’s death. No wonder, as their grandmother had practically been Barbara’s substitute at home. While his mother was alive, his children regularly met with their friends and had parties - typical teenage behaviour. But since their grandmother died, Alex had withdrawn into himself. He hardly spoke and just wanted to be in his room. This was unusual for the boy who used to laugh a lot and always wanted to know what was going on. Julia tried her best to cheer him up. Although they had argued a lot in the past, they had recently become a close team. Max found this amazing. He admired his children, for whom he felt shame and regret. He was only too aware that he had paid too little attention to them in all those years when they grew up. Maybe they would still choose to go with him. But did he want that?
He spent the morning in a café, ordering coffee after coffee. He had no appetite. Then he called Klaus.
‘Hello Max,’ Klaus answered the call. ‘Have you recovered from my proposal?’
‘Yes, and I’ve come to a decision. I’m going to accept your proposal, although I must say I’m disappointed in you. You’re taking advantage of my difficult situation. We should have the value of the brewery assessed so that you can offer me a fair price for it.’
‘To be honest, I had already thought of an amount that would take everything into account,’ Klaus said. ‘We would also save the cost of the valuation.’
‘And what would that be?’
‘Well,’ another awkward clearing of the throat at the other end, ‘I was thinking of two hundred thousand euros.’
‘I was thinking twice that,’ Max replied without hesitation. ‘After all, you’re buying the good reputation of a long-established business.’
‘But I’m also buying your debts!’ Klaus replied.
There was a long pause. Only a crackling sound could be heard on the line.
‘Maybe we can meet in the middle.’ Klaus suggested. He had deliberately set his offer low so that Max would have the chance to negotiate a higher price and make it sound fair.
Max swallowed. This brazen guy is treating me like an idiot. He’s just saying that to show false sympathy. ‘I would agree to three hundred thousand,’ he replied.
‘Then we should make an appointment with the lawyer. Does Barbara have a say in this?’
‘No, she doesn’t. I am the sole owner.’
‘I’ll be in touch.’ Klaus ended the conversation.
Max rushed to his children’s school, eager to catch them as soon as classes were over. When he spotted Julia and Alex in the distance, he knew this was his last chance to abandon the path he had chosen. Resisting the urge to flee, he stood and waved to them. Their surprised expressions mirrored his inner conflict as they stopped in front of him.
‘What are you doing here?’ Julia asked. ‘Are you alright?’
‘Yes, I am. I wanted to talk to you.’
‘Now?’ They asked in unison.
‘Yes. I’m taking you both to the tavern for lunch.’
The eyes of the siblings met, silently communicating the rarity of the moment. For their father to appear on a weekday to pick them up from school and invite them to lunch was unprecedented. Weekends were usually fleeting moments to catch a glimpse of him if he wasn’t busy at the brewery.
‘You can order whatever you want,’ Max offered his children as the waiter brought the menu.
Again, the siblings exchanged a quick glance.
‘OK,‘ Alex began.’ I’ll have a meat lover’s pizza, a lemonade and for dessert, the ice-cream sundae with chocolate sauce and extra sprinkles.’
‘And I’ll have…’ Julia drummed her fingers on the table, ‘ a steak with chips, a Coke and the ice-cream sundae for dessert too.’
‘I’ll have the steak too, ‘ Max ordered, ‘and a beer.’
The waiter disappeared and returned with the drinks.
Julia and Alex looked eagerly at their father. ‘What’s going on? ‘
Max took a sip. ‘I want you to hear it first. I’m going to ask your mother for a divorce and leave home. Klaus has offered to buy the brewery. I’m bankrupt and can’t go on.’ He felt tears threatening to well up.
‘Wow,’ Alex managed to say, staring at his father.
‘Do you really mean that?’ Julia blurted out; her eyes filled with tears. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I don’t know yet. All I know is that I need a change in my life to get back on track,’ Max replied.
‘What about us? Do you want us to stay with Mum?’ Julia asked, pulling a paper tissue from her pack with shaking hands.
‘I think you’ll still be well looked after at Mum’s, especially with Otto and Gertrud around.
Nothing will change for you, except that I won’t be coming home.’
‘You were never home anyway,’ Alex interjected.
‘I’m really sorry,’ Max said.
‘It’s okay… it’s too late anyway.’ Alex’s sarcasm surfaced, his way of dealing with situations he found difficult. ‘Maybe we’ll hang out more together when you’re gone.’ He grinned. Julia made a face too.
‘Enjoy your meal,’ the waiter said as he served the plates. Despite the news, the three of them enjoyed their meal, the mood surprisingly upbeat. Max found it puzzling, but shrugged off the feeling that his children were more relieved than sad.
He dreaded telling Barbara in the evening, his wife of unwavering composure. She sat quietly and calmly in her wheelchair, painting while he told her of his decision. She accepted it without interrupting her painting or even turning to look at him.
When he had finished, he looked at her unfinished work. A haunting scene, the painting depicted a grotesque figure, eerie and formless, reaching for the light shining from above into the dark hole in which it lay. Everything about the painted body was without contours, as if its parts had been blurred. Only the outstretched arms were clearly visible. It seemed to him that it reflected his own internal turmoil.
‘Do you have anything to say about this?’ Max asked.
