He could feel the house shake at the command his father's voice had on this household, but he would not have it.
"where were you James?"
His father hated a few things, repeating himself was one of his favorite things to hate.
"I do not think I have to answer to you, Bird" James responded, half fearing for his life, and half willing to match his father's wit.
Bird Ward, a resilient, angry man. His anger was calm and fiery. He had lost his wife to complications from a pregnancy he had paid the best doctors to handle. He loved his wife, and for that he refused to remarry. His anger would start when he got home from that hospital and looked at that child whom he perceived killed his wife, his Amy. He hated his children, Luke the worst of them. Bird Ward, his father.
He looked away from his father as he tried to make his way up the stairs to his room. He could feel his father smile, obviously from the rage he was trying so hard to suppress as he had called him by his first name.
" I hear you're running around with a pauper"
I knew who he was talking about, who told him?
Wait, he's Bird Ward, of course he knows, he owns Orange county.
" what's it to you, Bird?" I pushed on. He was trying too hard to control me again, as usual. It was working.
He had called his Rose a pauper, he did not call Rose poor, he called her a pauper.
"I have to remind you James, that I own you, you'll do as I say"
He said that what a certain command to his tone, the son knew what he meant.
he had been betrothed, to the governor's daughter. It was said to bring more business opportunities to the father and her father. He did not like the idea of being sold out like fresh meat or new lamb, you could say he was doing the same to Rose. In his defense, in their case they shared a connection. He did not share anything with the rich spoiled spawn of the governor.
His heart inadvertently belonged with Rose, and without meaning to, he had fallen for her.
He would not be bothered by his father's utterances, but instead he waked into his room, his abode, to be alone with his thoughts. He ended up thinking about rose for the entirety of the night, unable to sleep, his heart was in the right place. He hoped he thought of him too, he really hoped.
To break habit was not a thing he was used to. He woke up everyday at exactly 6am, he did his morning workouts till 7am, he had breakfast everyday at exactly 7.30am, after a brief 30 minute shower, at 8, he was prepared for his day. He was the boss, but he dare not be late.
His routine was going according to plan, he had reserved his date with Rose for dinner-time, she deserved all his time and he was going to give it to her. Although he had payed a dirty game to get her, he was going to play fair to win her heart.
He was confident about the day. He was ready to face his father for the files he needed.
He knocked on his father's shut door, thinking about his brother Luke. Determined to get that file damning all consequence he pushed open his father's chambers. He wondered where his father was. He asked the help for his father's whereabouts as the man mostly got up late in the day. Lucky him, he doesn't have to run the company.
As he thought up different scenarios in his head, he concluded that the man was a red bull, he was definitely fine.
He waltzed out the house humming the tune to staying alive by Bee Gees. He jumped in his car and with a twist of the ignition, the engine purred, with a smile, he zoomed off, leaving without his driver.
He was truly happy.
He walked into the skyscraper owned by the company. Perhaps if he had bothered to look for his driver, he would have noticed him missing also. If he had taken a second to survey the driveway, he would have seen his father's car.
He walked into the conference room prepared for his meeting with the company shareholders, ready to serve them a hearty breakfast of profit margins and balanced checkbooks.
To his surprise, they looked satisfied and ready to leave. Standing in the middle of this terribly awful meal was the man he had been looking for all morning.
James' blood boiled, he was fuming. He looked at his father give him a cold stare and a smile to match. He was truly evil.
James walked into the conference room anyway determined to be professional and ready to face his father.
"ah James, I was just leaving." he stated, smiling at his son.
"so soon, Father?" James doubled.
"well, my business here is done" his father finished.
As he walked out of the room, Bird took James' shoulder, whispering something to him.
"This is how easy I can take everything from you" he started, sending shivers down the spine of his son.
"Do as I say James, dump that middle-class burden, I made you, I can end you, I'm watching you."
With these words, Bird Ward had managed to improve his son's resolve, but instead of going out openly to show his love for her. His plan was to despise her publicly, giving his father's eyes the idea that he hated her and she hated him and then getting married to her.
His plan was stupid, he knew it was, but for a desperate man any plan is a good plan.
It was working, but as he dropped her off, after an evening of being his absolute worst self to her, he noticed she was going to leave him, she had spunk, he loved it.
He wanted to come get the car door, he wanted to give her his jacket. He wanted to kiss her. He did not do any of those things. As he saw her bring out her phone, he did the worst thing. He sent her the footage.
As she turned to face him, he saw a look of horror. A look of fear, pity even.
He saw that same look as she stood facing him, as she said I do. He saw this same look after their wonderful night together. She completed him, he wanted to tell her th
e truth, but it was still as terrible.
What was he to do?
"James"