On the other side of the city, Joseph bidded farewell to his sergeant who shook his hand vigorously, thankful he was in a single piece fully unharmed, his mother surely gave everyone the scare of their lives as she related a tragic story to gain their sympathy and find a way to cut off his personal cards which weren't linked to the family business.
The elderly gray haired male expressed his wishes with a fond smile, "I hope to be able to talk next time calmly under other circumstances, Captain Johnson."
Joseph bowed respectfully, a kind smile reflected upon his lips as he replied, "I'll be honoured, Sergeant Takashi. Hope we can go for some drinks another time."
The elder patted his back roughly yet gently, "We will, boy. Take care, son.", turning his back on Joseph as he walked down the corridor.
His lawyer and best friend spoke next, landing a hand on his broad shoulders as if announcing the storm wasn't entirely gone as his mother and father were waiting for them in the meeting room.
Josh let out an exhausted sigh, closing his eyes as he knew his mother wasn't done with the scene she caused earlier when she arrived at the building as her mood swings went from concern to madness as she declared to be taken for a fool for her own kin.
"Let's get this over with already."
Josh declared firmly, taking a step towards the meeting room, leading the way, the sooner it was over the better as he still needed to find a way to nullify the lawsuit as she refused to give in saying they still caused harm to their family reputation.
In the cold room Josh's mother sat next to her husband who ignored her, talking to her lawyer instead who kept saying he would only set it aside if his wife were to give the order.
"But they have nothing. You won't gain anything from it but leaving innocents on the streets. That's not how one makes a name."
She screeched, glaring at her husband's way, grabbing his attention with her rude words and tone,"Gerald, would you stop begging like a lap dog? Where is your pride?"
The elder man still kept his composure, his voice remained calm, "You have more than enough for the both of us. I'm not a heartless being. Mr. Robbins also suffered when his brother went missing. We can't do this.", yet one could tell he held his ground even with that passiveness of his.
She gasped dramatically, feigning to be hurt by his words even if he just stared an obvious point, "It's unbelievable how anyone else's well being is more important than your family's."
The elder let out a soft sigh to keep his quiet tone on leash, "I care about you two. But he's a victim too–"
She bagged her hand against the desk, her gaze sharp, her words marred with poison, "How naïve could you be? It's clear they planned to kidnap our son."
The man barely cracked as his voice came out restrained, a slight frown appeared between his eyebrows, "Do you hear yourself? You went from one extreme to another. If that were the case he wouldn't have summoned us here."
She snapped, unwilling to accept defeat, "That's because I was smarter than them making a move before they could get their chess pieces moving. They thought they could fool us using that t–"
"Mother"
Josh's emotionless voice cut through as he stepped inside the room followed by his friend who motioned his hand towards where he should sit down next.
The woman sang, her mood changing as fast as waves triggered by the change of air in the room, "My baby–"
Josh's father rubbed his forehead just where his wrinkles formed, closing his eyes, "Geneva. Stop acting."
A loud shrieking broke in full of disdain and haughtiness, " He's my son. He may have 30, but he's my only son and I will call him as I please."
Whilst his parents exchanged words Josh sat across them, his lawyer sat at his right side, crossing his legs beneath the table, his face unreadable, and his gray-brownish eyes seemingly darker as he kept them focused on his mother, his thick and sharp eyebrows toughening his gaze.
So done with this cheap show he spoke next, his goal getting Teo and his family free from his mother, "I'm touched. However, we are here for another matter at hand. The Robbins' lawsuit."
A smug grin matching her contemptuous tone, "Lose care, baby. Those ra-"
—"Geneva"
—"Mother"
Josh and his father interjected at unison hearing the manner she expressed her thoughts not even disguising her hatred.
She continued, her voice taking upon a demeaning tone, "They deserve jail for–"
Josh retorted, not liking her mother's attitude, not just because it was Teo and his family but because she had that pompous attitude to act like the world must bow at her, "What for? I'm fine, in a whole piece. Nobody hurt me, can't you see?. No reason for you to sue anyone over an accident which none of us could predict."
She yelped at the top of Josh's voice as if to shut him up, "You went missing for days. A mother gets worried–"
To which Josh cut her off with a matter-of-fact tone, in a single breathe not leaving room for interruptions, an imposing gaze focused on the woman who brought him into this world yet she didn't act like one, "I could understand that if it were to come from a mother who truly cares, yet you're turning this into something that only concerns you, you and the 'family name', our -reputation-, everything is about what others would think or say. That's how it's always been, how can you say you truly live your own life if all you care about is others' opinion? Aren't you just looking for their approval?"
She slammed her hands against the desk, standing up as she objected, protesting against her son's words, "Hold you tongue, boy! Don't forget I'm your mother. The one who brought you into this world."
He kept his firm tone trying to keep it respectful even if he was furious with her lack of empathy, "And I thank you for that, mother. However, I must not allow you to keep controlling my life and what I do with it just to fit into your poisonous circle of friends. I'm not your puppet or doll. I'm your freaking son, for the love of God."
Josh gritted his teeth after he finished his sentence which obviously only fired up his mother who ragged fiercely.
An ear-splitting shrill made them grit their teeth, "We live in a society with rules which you must obey!"
He shook his head to recover from that ringing caused by the woman, picking up where he left it off with a sarcastic tone, "Yeah, let's name a few of them, shall we?
-Befriending people who isn't from -your- inner circle is forbidden,
-Talking to people from different social status is absolutely wrong, oh, and let's not talk about dating guys–"
Her bloodcurdling screeching came out like a thunderbolt piercing a tree, "DON'T YOU DARE TO JOKE ABOUT THAT EVER AGAIN, JOSEPH WINDSOR JOHNSON CHARLESTON. DID I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"
Her fury not only reached her voice as her eyes reflected it, clearly triggered by her son's words, making it clear the last statement would be something she could never allow to happen.
Josh crossed his arms over the table staring at his mother with a cold expression reaching his steely eyes. He knew his mother had issues about certain topics yet her hatred surely took precedents in anything she ever did, so he suspected her dislike towards the Robbins had something to do with it and that's why she refused to retract the lawsuit.
"Geneva, this is not the place to act like this. We have other issues to fix first, sit down, please."
Josh's father spoke calmly yet his stare was as tough as steel.
She sat down, pressing her lips as she was trembling in pure rage, the blood boiling in her veins as if she were to burn someone just by her look alone.
"Just so you know I'll be doing the world a favor by taking a twink out of the streets. Who knows, some hard work behind bars might straighten him up."
Josh balled his fists, unsure of who she was on about, as far as he knew she had only talked to Teo's older brother but the man could pass as straight as he didn't give himself away so easily so he asked without hesitation wanting to know who she referred to.
"May I know who you are talking about?"
"The one who dragged you into this whole mess. That goldilocks, I bet he even tried to seduce you as he was at it."
Josh's eyes narrowed dangerously, gritting his teeth it literally hurt, steam coming out from his ears and nose as he boiled like a volcano ready to erupt.