Chapter 58: Between father and son

As the dust swirled around the car, David gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white with his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the sweat trickling down his forehead. He'd been driving for hours after getting informed about the treasure he'd found going missing, fueled by anger and anxiety, and now he'd finally reached his destination. Even though he was not the founder of the orb, he knew its potential and the billions and fame it was going to fetch him and so he alighted from the car, barged in, and ready to cause chaos.

His Manager ran to his side as he saw him approaching into the cave.

" Good morning sir",

" What's good about the morning, and what's that bullshit story you are telling me over the phone?", he asked looking so pissed as he kept on proceeding to confirm about the missing orb.

The manager couldn't say anything anymore as they had gotten to its spot.

"What did you say happened?",

" it suddenly disappeared...".

He didn't let him finish before punching him hard in the face causing him to stagger back as he winced in pain. He couldn't groan out knowing full well that would upset him even more.

" How did it disappear and what were you all doing while it disappeared", he yelled angrily,

" It was Mr. Liam Hathorn",

" What?!",

" he was here earlier and was trying to fight his way through but we didn't allow him, not long after that it went missing and when we checked around the cave, we found out that there was another way leading inside and close to the orb spot",

" And after that?",

" He was also nowhere to be found".

David gritted his teeth and tightened his fist in anger.

" Liam", he groaned deeply in rage.

Liam's hands shook as he sat still in the car in his parent's compound, with each passing mile, his anger grew. They had never shown him the love and support he needed, always putting their selfish desires first, criticizing his dreams and accomplishments, they always made him feel like he was never enough, and there's nothing he did that has ever satisfied them. When he chose to be a researcher his father beat him mercilessly,

" Your mates are choosing to be a scientist but you are too lazy to choose to be a mere researcher", he had said to discourage him but it only made Liam more determined. He worked hard to prove his father wrong and became one of the youngest billionaires in the research and science industry. As if that's not enough he once made him fly a ship on the condition of letting him attend the university of his dreams, George and the rest of the family were shocked but it was all thanks to Papa Graeme who taught him but he knew that he was the only one that has been treated like this.

But now he was ready to confront them, to let them know how much their actions had hurt him. He'd been carrying this anger for years, and it was time to let it out.

He alighted from the car and walked into the house, he met them in the sitting room drinking, chatting, and laughing. He bowed slightly as he greeted them but it was returned by his father's cold gaze and his stepmother's fake smile.

" Good afternoon Father",

" Good afternoon son, you visited at the right time", Sarah said and gestured him to sit down but he didn't even act like he saw her.

" I was greeting my father", he shunned

" And what if I chose not to answer",

" you will after you hear all I'm about to say",

"That's even if it's worth listening".

Liam smirked, " I'm one hundred percent sure", he said and George turned to him dropping his glass of wine with a disdainful look but Liam was satisfied, he got his attention like he wanted.

" You didn't let me know you'll be using me as a tool for political goals",

" ho...you heard already, was planning to call and inform you anyways",

" on the engagement day?",

" Today",

" didn't know you'll make use of a person you see to be as worthless a rag",

" thought I could use that rag to do some dirty cleaning".

Liam laughed and that laughter made George raise his eyes, he knew Liam to be very crazy and ruthless, and that laughter was not good.

" Have you ever even for once considered me as your son?", he asked but George looked away, of course, Liam was expecting that kind of reaction.

" Was I ever in your mind when you thought of your kids? Did you ever even give me a call to know if I'm even still alive? You don't know when I eat or when I sleep even while I was still a child".

" Liam! you shouldn't talk to your father like that", Sarah interrupted,

" If I'm you I'll keep my goddamn gut shut", he said giving Sarah a side glare before turning to his father.

" Tell me, Dad, when have you ever treated me like a son, or seen me as one?".

George looked away as he couldn't provide an answer.

"That's right, you've never treated me as one", he said and grew quiet for some seconds, " Then Mr. George", he raised his voice causing Sarah and George to be shocked, " You have no fucking right to be betrothed me to anybody", he said. His calm, cool, and pained voice turned to coldness and anger that had been boiling in him. George's heart sank, he knew he lost his son the moment he called him ' Mr. George '.

" Liam!", he yelled his name with anger, " where are your manners",

"You mean the ones you never taught me, ho! Or the ones you abuse me over?", he yelled back,

" I never abused you, I was teaching a lesson",

" by wiping me? which of her children have you ever treated like that? mention one of them", he said but George couldn't give a response.

" Ain't you been so unfair, you even traded my project, issuing a take-over license to your son how could you? Did you not have a conscience? Did you hate me that much to see me succeed?".

George looked at him in confusion, " what are you talking about? What license?",

" you don't need to pretend and I don't come to you for any nonsense explanation. I'm here to give you a warning", he said and pointed a finger at him, " If you can't be my father, then don't act like one",

" Liam!",

" You are not my father!", he yelled back, " I was never your son so... I'm not marrying anybody if it involves you". He said and stormed out of the place.

" Goodness! Liam has grown wings, how could he?", Sarah said looking surprised and angry,

" what license was he talking about?", he asked but Sarah shrugged,

" I don't know, but don't worry he's just saying nonsense and he has no choice but to do your will",

" what are you going to do about that?", Papa Graeme asked as he got pushed into the sitting room. He has been in the house for some time now unknowingly to only Liam.

" Papa",

" Excuse us Sarah", he said focusing his gaze on George. Sarah eyed him stylishly as she walked out and the guard pushed him forward enough before excusing himself.

" I asked you, what are you going to do about that?",

" I'm going to make him succumb",

" Liam? you think you can?",

" I'm his father",

" he just called you by your name, he doesn't see you as one anymore",

" he will",

"When you don't act like one? Did you know how long and how much he looks at you hoping you'll look at him with love in your eyes? Will you treat him like this if she was alive?",

" I never liked her, it was Sarah that I love, you forced me to marry her in the first place",

" and did you regret it",

" I... she's gone, you don't have to mention her",

" but is she gone in your heart?", he asked a question he couldn't answer.

" You fell in love with Charlotte, don't you? But because Sarah was pregnant, you don't want to betray her isn't it",

" no",

" Still lying to yourself, you sneaked into her room every night, and made love to her, she's a very beautiful young woman, strong, kind-hearted, I've never seen you smile brightly as you did with her",

" Papa",

" Stop taking the death annoyance on Liam, he's her product, the product of you two lovemaking, I know she captured your heart and left it shattered, but, do you think she's happy with you?".

George clenched his fist.

" She never does you wrong, if at all it was you who hurt her".