Edmund
I walked straight into my father's office without knocking. He was on the phone, but I didn't care. I stood there until he noticed me. He raised a finger, finished his sentence, and hung up.
"What is it now?" he asked.
"I'm tired," I said. "And I don't want to be under Asher."
He leaned back in his chair. "Sit down."
"I don't want to sit."
"Sit," he repeated.
I sat. "I'm serious father. I'm done already. I can't do this anymore."
"You have barely started."
"That man sent me out of a meeting today, like I was fucking nothing. He made me wait for hours. He ordered me around. He even threatened me."
"He is your supervisor."
"He is not my father."
"He is in charge now, Edmund and you must get used to it."
"He is in charge of his company," I snapped. "Not me."
My father sighed. "You knew what this deal was."
"No," I said. "I didn't know shit. All I knew was that you and your stupid friend, made a stupid deal without properly informing me and now I'm stuck with his pride ridden son for God knows how long."
"He treats everyone like that. You of all people should know that."
"Then he's a problem. Which is precisely my fucking point. If he's the one with the issues, why am I suffering for it?"
"He's efficient and strategic. You can learn a lot from him son."
My dad already looked tired of this conversation.
"He's arrogant and a jerk."
"He knows the world of business more than you do, Edmund."
"I don't care."
He leaned forward. "You will care."
"I won't," I said. "I refuse."
"You don't get to refuse."
"Why not?" I asked. "Because you think that because I'm afraid of losing my inheritance, that I'll be ready to do just anything you say? Why me? Why can't you order and boss around your other son like you're doing to me?"
"Because this is bigger than you. Even bigger than the both of us, Edmund."
"It's my life."
"It's the company."
"I am the company too."
"You are learning," he said. "That's the difference."
"I've worked my ass off," I said. "I didn't need him."
"You need more than just that."
"I need respect. Okay let's say I really have to be under him, I should be accorded respect. It is my fucking right here, father."
"You earn it. See this, this is why I want you to be under Asher. You sound so immature, it's hard to believe you're 25."
"He disrespected me first."
"It's part of growth, Edmund."
"He talks down to me too."
"Then take it," my father said. "Without complaining."
I laughed. "You're joking."
"I'm not."
"So I'm supposed to stand there and let him humiliate me all the time?"
"I'm not saying that, son.."
"He grabbed my face."
My father paused. "Explain."
"He put his hand on me, father."
"And?"
"And you're asking me to explain?" I said. "That's enough to make you go back to the Asbourne estate and burn the entire place down. That's what good fathers do for their sons."
"He didn't hurt you."
"That's not the point."
"I'm sure Asher just wanted to make you understand what control means. The boy isn't at all like you paint him to be."
"Are you actually being serious right now, father?"
"Yes."
I rubbed my palms together, restraining myself from trying to punch my dad.
"I am not a fucking child father. You put your hands on kids and not adults."
"You are acting like one."
I stood. "I won't do this anymore."
"You will," he said calmly.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Because this partnership matters more than your privileged ass could ever understand."
"More than me?"
"Don't twist my words."
"Then say them clearly."
"You will endure it," he said. "For now."
"For how long?"
"Until the supervision ends."
"And if I walk away?"
"You lose everything."
"That's a threat."
"I'm speaking to you as a businessman, Edmund. And in business, you do not work with sentiments."
I stared at him. "You're choosing him over your own son."
"I'm choosing survival, the survival of our company. Something you would already know if you were not out, crashing cars and wasting money."
"Our company isn't dying father and I haven't crashed a car in three weeks."
My dad looked at me with a sarcastic expression on his face. Well, maybe three weeks isn't enough time to say a person has changed but even though!
He stood up. "You will go back tomorrow."
"No."
"Yes."
"I said no."
"And I said yes."
Silence stretched.
"You're tired?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Then rest."
"I don't want to do this anymore, please father. Okay, how about we find me a new supervisor? We have connections in E-net and Brown Entertainment. Even if they're not as big as Asher's, I'm sure it's still the same training."
"You will take it," he said. "Without complaining."
I gave up. It was pointless to hope that he'd be on my side for once.
I turned to leave.
"Edmund," he called.
I stopped.
"This is not a punishment. I wish I could properly explain this but it's bigger than you, it's bigger than the both of us. You have to understand."
I left without saying anything further.
I went straight to my room. Took off my clothes, and entered the shower. I started scrubbing my body. I scrubbed every inch of my skin until I came to my face. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I lifted my fingers and slowly carressed my chin.
I could still feel Asher's hands on me. Back there, I was angry and really pissed but hell, when our faces were inches apart, I was this close to begging him to kiss me. It was such a weird feeling because he was being a complete asshole in that moment. Those fucking emerald eyes.
I couldn't even concentrate on the anger that was eating me up on the inside. Something told me that Asher wasn't in fact bluffing when he said he'd make me eat my words. Infact, there was a very sharp moment where I was sure he was going to make do on that threat and I'd wanted him to.
I hated Asher. That much was true but fucking hell, he was hot. And not just average hot, extremely hot. The type of hot that could set you ablaze once he was done with you.
I hated myself for even noticing these things, but somewhere, a part of me knew that if Asher had somehow kissed me back there, I wouldn't have pushed him away.
But I was being delusional and I knew that I only imagined it. Because there was no chance that he was gay, and even if he was, I would most definitely not be on his list of fucks.