Chapter 4: Badbye
2007 Words
Ryan pushed the door open, making Fred lose his balance along the way. Ryan was way stronger than he was and it wasn't a surprise how easy it was for Fred to almost fall flat on his face.
The huge gold-painted doors buckled on their hinges as Ryan made his way into the grand living area. It was more like an event hall than a living space If it wasn't for the huge staircase leading to the second floor of his father's house.
Robin's House.
Ashley and Dan were seated on the couch, drinking from one of the most expensive wine bottles in the house; Château Lafite.
They only took from Robin's wine collection when there was something worth celebrating. He clenched his fist as it dawned on him from the look on their faces; that he might have been the reason they were celebrating.
"Where is dad?" Ryan asked, trying to remain as calm as possible.
"Such insolence! You forgot your manners didn't you?" Ashley said, placing her glass on the table gently. She had a poise and Ryan couldn't deny that fact. If only she could back that up with a good attitude.
"His mother didn't teach him any Mum. You have such high expectations for a pest like him…"
Ryan's eyes turned cold behind those bangs, scaring and making Dan flinch in fright.
"Don't you EVER talk about my mother Dan! I won't let this end with a bleeding lip. I promise you that" Ryan's cold voice made shivers run down their spines as they both moved uncomfortably on their seats, not daring to meet his eyes.
"And what rights do you think you have in this house?"
Ryan moved his gaze towards the stairs where the voice had come from; it was Robin dressed in a suit. It seemed like he was on his way to the office.
"Thank goodness you are here! He was just about to beat Dan up!" Ashley said, staring at Ryan with a horrified look.
"And he was going to knock the door over" Dan pointed his chubby fingers at Ryan
"Do you know how much that door costs you, imbecile?!" He adds.
Ryan chuckled.
"You were quiet before he showed up. He's your refuge, isn't he?" Ryan said, staring at them with those eyes that he knew scared the wits out of them. He looked like a psychopath anytime he did that, even Tim hated that look.
"D..did you see that dad? He's threatening us!" Dan said, taking a few steps away from Ryan.
"Tell the guards to get him out of the house, honey!" Ashley said, staring at Ryan in disgust.
"I know you're not here to issue threats, Ryan. What is it?" Robin asked as he placed one hand on the railing and the other in his pocket.
"You cancelled my access to the company"
"I fired you." Robin corrected.
Dan had a smugly smile on his face and Ryan would have loved to wipe it off with a punch in his jaw.
"And what company? You'll have to be specific. I'm guessing the company in question is mine?"
"You are of no use to the company Ryan. You have only been sitting around all day and ruining every one of the contracts my son worked so hard to obtain" Ashley accused, pretending to be at the verge of tears...
"It's fine Mum. I told you I'll get another one" Dan said, assuring his mother.
Ryan couldn't believe his ears. Contracts? He's been the one growing the company. He has been the one working so hard to get things done and all Dan did was spend and squander the company's money on his numerous girlfriends.
He has been the one working. Him!
HE DID!
"For four years. Four years I've been working without a payment from you and yet!..."
"You came here for your salary?" Robin asked as though he expected nothing less.
"Eli!" He called.
Eli: Robin's assistant, made his way towards the stairs.
"Yes sir?"
"Get Ryan a platinum card," Robin said.
Eli glanced at Ryan with a sorry look on his face before he took a bow and went on to carry out his instructions.
"You think this is about money?" Ryan asked as he felt his anger building up.
He had no intention of hurting anyone today but this man….he was pushing him.
"Why else would you be here? I fired you and I have no intentions of reversing that"
Ryan and his father were very alike in one aspect and that is why he is the real son of his father.
Once they made up their mind, there is nothing that would make them do otherwise.
"Why exactly did you fire me?" Ryan asked.
"I owe the company and I do whatever I feel is right," Robin said.
"You fired me…..because you own the company"
"I'm glad you're following," Robin said, glancing at his wristwatch.
Ryan chuckled and soon burst into laughter. The kind of laughter that made everyone in the room panic except Robin; he had that side of him too...the dark side.
"I thought I was the crazy one," Ryan said, staring at his father with a pathetic look on his face.
"You mean a psychopath"
"I got that from you" Ryan smirked.
"That can't even be proven." Robin sighed. " The more I look at you, the more you remind me of your mother. She was so blinded by my wealth that she had you"
"Don't you DARE talk about my mother!" Ryan warned.
Robin smirked.
"Here sir" Eli returned with the card in a small paper bag. Robin pulled out the card from the bag
"Take the money and leave. You are starting to piss me off" Robin said as he tossed Ryan the card only for it to cut Ryan's chin.
"Oh, he's bleeding," Ashley said as though mocking him.
"Pick it up and get out. I don't want any bloodstains on my floor." Robin said without one hint of sympathy.
"You should be glad we are paying you off for your..supposed hard work," Ashley said
"Why does he get a platinum card?" Dan asked, with a hint of jealousy in his eyes.
"Don't worry, your father will get you a titanium card, okay?" Ashley assured.
"Honey, should we go on a family dinner tonight?" Ashley asked.
"Pick the restaurant and send me the location," Robin said as he walked towards the entrance.
"Don't you have any conscience?" Ryan asked.
"I lost it the day I found out you existed," Robin said and paused just in front of Ryan.
"It would have been better if you remained that sales boy. You were not interrupting our lives then" Robin said and took his leave.
Ryan felt his world crumble at those words. His father...wishes he never existed.
"Come on Dan, let's get ready," Ashley said, flashing Ryan a wicked smile.
"Of course mother"
The duo head for the stairs and up to their rooms. Ryan held his ground and refused to be emotional. He turned to take his leave, to exit the place he knew as home.
"Ryan," Eli called.
Ryan stopped on his track while the older man picked up the card from the floor.
"You forgot this," Eli said, handing him the card.
Ryan stared at the man as though he had suddenly grown two horns on his head.
"I know, Mr Robin is not...I know the man I work with but trust me. Ryan, you are going to need this. "
"I don't want anything from him," Ryan said.
"Ryan, as much as this money means nothing to you, take it"
"I am not going to take anything from him, "Ryan repeated.
Ryan turned to take his leave and Eli slipped the card into the pocket in Ryan's jacket. He sighed in relief as he watched him leave the mansion.
****
Ryan stepped out of the car park to meet a roaring thunder. Rain was falling heavily, and the evening wind was chilly. Ryan watched the rain falling and formed a bit of puddle on the floor before he stepped into the rain, into his car. He sat down there staring at his windscreen in silence. The thunder got even louder as Ryan took one last glance at the mansion.
He was never going to step foot inside that house ever again.
Ryan ignites the engine and zooms off at the highest speed limit. The car was a gift from his grandfather and to own a sports car had always been his dream.
That was one thing he was grateful for that didn't belong to his father.
I lost it the day I knew you existed Ryan pulled back the gear and stepped on the acceleration.
Robin sure had a way of making people feel less human in all aspects.
What?
Did he lose his conscience when he came into the picture?
Robin must have forgotten when he lost his conscience. It was the day he decided to leave his mother, after all the promises he made to her.
Robin never had a conscience, to begin with. It was dead and never existed in the first place.
get out of my house
Ryan chuckled.
It must feel really good to own a mansion as well as an elegant wife to fit into the picture of a successful businessman.
Robin left his mother! He did!
When she got ill...that man was nowhere to be found! He left the woman who believed in him, the woman who gave him hope and strength to be what he wanted to become what he was now.
That ungrateful….
Ryan didn't realise when he floored the accelerator making the car jerk forward at top speed.
He had decided to help, the company was losing its shares fast and he, ROBIN couldn't FIX it! He fixed it! And Dan got all the credit. How could he throw him out of the company?
How could HE?!
Ryan's grip on the steering was hard enough to pull the wheels out of their place and his knuckles turned white.
His mum.
If Robin had heard him out that day. If only he listened to him…
Ryan had called Robin for his help, trying to find help for his mother's condition but the latter had disconnected the call without saying a word just when Ryan was about to explain things to him. But when Ryan called the number again, Robin's words were a perfect warning.
Don't ever call this number again.
Even if he did..would he have paid for his mother's bills? He could have easily walked out of it acting like a victim.
Was that man his father? He couldn't believe that he had his blood running in his veins.
Ryan was related to that heartless man, He was and that fact was undeniable. Ryan pulled his car to a stop on the bridge and leaned his head on his wheel as he tried to calm himself down before his emotions got the better of him
The last thing he wanted was to end up dead for someone who would care less if he lived or died. If no one cared about him, he might as well care about himself and his grandparents too.
Ryan needed to calm himself down and try to see where he could start his life from….
Ryans' car flipped over and froze in mid air, he bolted out of his car and watched it suspend...like the way everyone had paused the day that girl….
Ryan looked around and found Mia with her hand raised in pause.
It seemed like a red truck had hit his car from behind, a man with a black mask was behind the wheel with a wicked smile on his face...
She stared at him, soaked in rain and shivering too.
" How could you fall asleep while driving?!" She scolded."Do you know how dangerous that was?" She adds with anger in her eyes.
There was someone who cared about him.
- Writer
