Chapter 23: CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: PAST TRAUMA

/-Jamie- /

I could feel the rage running through my veins as I stared at the television. 

"The cold and disorganized CEO of Leon allegedly beat Sir Williams into a pulp after witnessing his most prized contract get plunged down the drain." The voice of the reporter echoed around the room.

"Disorganized? Contract?" I clenched my fist as the dirty lies kept filling the heat in my blood. 

I couldn't believe the old bastard would try to rub bodies with Artemis and, after a good beating, would blame it on me as a rejected contract. 

"That old geezer." I threw my hand onto the desk, flinging all the files on my desk. 

This was bad, really bad. I couldn't let father hear about this; I'll be ruined in an instant. 

Bribery? Yeah, I could cover the news and make it seem like a rumor. That should work. 

Ring, ring… My cellphone buzzed, moving from the middle of the desk to the end. I grabbed it, staring at the caller. 

It was him. He had seen it and had decided to question me. This was bad.

I put on the receiver. "Hello."

I tried to lower the tension in my voice, but it seemed impossible knowing I would be dealt with. 

"Can you explain yourself right this moment?" His voice, deep and stern, sent chills up my spine. 

"It was a lie. I didn't beat him up because of a bloody contract..." 

"Get to the point." His voice resonated in my ears, my chest aching as I searched for a better narrative. 

"He tried to molest Artemis, and I beat him up. I'm sorry." I let out, furious at myself for not keeping it in. 

"So she's the reason…" He let out. 

"No, father, she's not." My voice deep as I clutched the phone tight. 

"Meet me at the ring at 7 AM. Don't even be a second late."

"I'll take my chances." A beep emanated as he hung up. 

The urge to smash my phone filled me as I boiled away. This wasn't meant to happen, not when I had finally gotten a chance to show Artemis that I'd changed. 

"6:30," the phone smiled at me as I clutched onto it with half my strength. 

30 minutes was impossible given the distance. He had already begun his punishment. He hasn't changed a bit. 

I could feel the air around me seizing as I ran towards the entrance. I was already a minute and thirty-two seconds late; I was cooked. 

"I'm here." I halted my legs, breathing heavily. 

"You're late."

"Only a minute." I interrupted. 

"Two minutes to be precise." He corrected. 

I grabbed my phone, checking the time. It has only just changed, and he had calculated that. 

"First off, get into the ring." He said, taking off his shirt. 

I inhaled, taking off my shirt. With a heave, I threw myself into the ring, groaning as my back hit the steel bar at the corner. 

"What do you have to say to yourself?" He braced his knuckles, taking his stance on the other side of the ring. 

I groaned, standing up and taking my stance. Our eyes met, and I finally saw him in his full fury, the monster who had given birth to me and brought me up. 

My father, Aaron Leonardo, of the Leonardo house and also the former CEO of Leon. The man who had abandoned his wife and made his children's lives a living hell all in the name of discipline and vanity. 

"I'm not disappointed. I did what a normal human would have done; I was  considerate..." I stopped as his fist smashed into my face.

His face stern as always. "Wrong." 

"I did what was to be done..." his right fist came hunting downwards, throwing me off his scent with his left. 

I staggered back as he successfully smashed me onto the ropes. 

"Wrong again." He let out a frown.

"I'm not going to hit you." I bit back. 

"I would if I were you." He smashed my sides with multiple strength-filled punches, pain slamming my insides. 

"I'm not a monster." I groaned. 

"But you beat Williams to a pulp. You should have more than that whimper in you." He paced around the ring, watching as I tried standing up. 

"You could be a full-grown ass man, a former investor in a pulp, and not beat me, who is much older." His legs moved, kicking me in the gut. 

I rolled backwards, my joints hurting. 

"I know I got the family's reputation in the ruin, and I'm truly sorry for it. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out."

"You wanted people to cheer you on, huh? Just look at how silly you are; you let your fucking emotions get in the way, and this is what you bring upon us." He smashed his fist on my face. 

I coughed as blood oozed out of my mouth. The pain hitting like an injury marked on a toddler. 

It has been quite a long time since I felt pain, and he was the only one who could bring me such pain. 

"From now on, you're not to be seen anywhere near Artemis." He let out, landing his final hit on me. 

"Why?" I groaned as more blood oozed out of my mouth.

"I don't have to tell a disappointment such as yourself something like that." 

"Just because I don't want to become a monster like you and have feelings doesn't mean I'm a disappointment. I'm greater than you, and you're just too sick to see it."

"Tell that to your ego." He rushed several punches onto me. 

I held my hand up, blocking his fist from hitting my face while the rest of my body took the hit. 

"You never knew how to behave; you were always weak, just like your mother. I built you to be strong, and you are going to be." His knuckles found their way to my face, hitting me hard on the head. 

My ears rang as his hands left my face. My eyes began to shut close, and his voice slowly faded.

"You need to be taught a proper lesson. Boys, you can come in."

Four men walked in, the Leonardo family crest up, engraved on their uniforms. He shouldn't; I hate it there. 

My eyes shut completely, and I blacked out.

The scent of lathe filled the air as I regained consciousness. My hands and legs all numb from the beating I had to endure. 

"Where am I?" I shoved my hand into my hair, twiddling till I finally realized. 

I snapped out of it, observing the room. The four-way layered ceiling was familiar, along with the little chair by the corner. 

He had done it. The one thing I could count on as my weakness. 

"Father, I'm sorry." I slammed my hand hard on the door. 

"Good to see you're quite awake." His voice crawled in. 

"Please, you don't have to do this." I pleaded, my voice thin and puny.

"Nah, someone's got to learn the hard way, right?" He chuckled.

"I promise I would do anything you ask; just don't." I slammed my fist on the door, holding back the tears that built up in my ears. 

"It's almost time for supper. Wouldn't want to keep the others waiting." He grunted as I heard him rise from the chair. 

"I almost forgot."

"Please note the light." I begged. 

"You'll be out in a week. Try not to commit suicide, would  you?" He chuckled, switching off the light. 

"Please don't." I clutched my chest as memories from my childhood began to course through me. 

I had never been able to live in the darkness ever since I was brought into this world. My mom has informed me that I cried and couldn't sleep as a baby without the lights on. I was brought up with it, and I grew attached to the light. 

I saw it as being a normal human, but my father saw it as a perfect weakness. He had smiled when my mother told him that I was afraid of darkness and had chuckled when he verified it himself. 

Shutting me in dark rooms, calling it discipline, and dancing to my wails always seemed to brighten his mood. He loves my tears. 

No, he loved filling me with fear. 

"We've always been like this, Jamie," a soft voice crawled into my ears. 

I raised my head up, and there I was, staring at a younger version of my eyes. . My eyes dilated seeing the scared little boy who had fled for his life. 

"You know it, Jamie. He's always left us in the dark."

"I know nothing of it." I wrapped my hands around my knees. 

How long had it been? Ten, fifteen… And here I was, still scared of the dark, traumatized by the deep despair it brought and the voices it gave out. 

"It's time we stand up to him, Jamie. Show him that we aren't as weak as he says."