CHAPTER 112

CHAPTER 112
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“Son, how are you doing?” Dad’s deep voice carried that usual mix of authority and warmth as he reached me.

“Hey, Dad. Great,” I replied with a small smile, trying to look casual.

“Yeah? That’s great.” He gave my shoulder a firm pat, the kind that felt both reassuring and heavy at the same time, before he and Mom stepped inside. Our maids were already hurrying to take the luggage from them, moving like a small welcoming committee.

I lingered at the doorway, my gaze drifting outside, scanning the dim street. No sign of Chase. Of course, he couldn’t be here right now—not with my parents suddenly home.

Pulling out my phone, I quickly typed a short message to him.

"Can’t tonight. Parents came home. Sorry."

My thumb hesitated for a second before pressing send.

So much for our plans.

\-

“So, how’s study, son?” Dad asked, his knife gliding cleanly through the steak on his plate.

We were seated at the dining table, the warm light above casting a soft glow over everything. It was a little late for dinner, but Mom had insisted on cooking so we could all eat together. That was her way of saying she missed me.

I shifted in my seat, straightening my posture before answering. “It’s doing great, Dad. In fact, we had our Sport Fest the other day. My band and I won the Battle of the Bands—”

But before I could finish, he set down his utensils and cut in, his tone calm but firm.

“Have you thought about considering joining business plans?”

The sudden shift in topic made my words stick in my throat. It was so… him. Always looking ahead, always steering me toward his world.

I took a slow breath before answering. “Not yet, Dad.”

“Well, you should start doing it, son. You’ll graduate soon. You’re gonna take over the family business.”

“Yeah, sure.” I forced a smile, even though my stomach felt heavier than the steak on my plate.

“I’m counting on you, Austin. Can I do that, right?” His eyes locked on mine, firm and expectant, like there was only one right answer.

“Of course, Dad.”

He smiled, satisfied, nodding his head. “Good.” Then he casually sliced another piece of steak and took a bite, as if we hadn’t just mapped out my future in the span of a few sentences.

Again, I let out a breath and just started poking at my food—just poking it, because my appetite had vanished the moment Dad spoke.

“Anyway, we have an important occasion to attend tomorrow. Don’t be late. David will send you the address.”

“Sure, Dad.” I already knew it would be something business-related. It always was.

After dinner, Dad went straight to his private room, of course, to deal with some business matter. Even at home, work never seemed to leave his side.

I stayed in the dining area with Mom, the faint clatter of dishes from the kitchen filling the silence. She sat across from me, sipping her tea, her eyes soft and curious—like she had something she wanted to say but was choosing her words carefully.

“So, tell me about the sport fest,” Mom said, her voice light and curious.

I couldn’t help but grin a little. “It was great. I really had a great time.”

“Yeah? What did you guys perform? Do you have any footage? I wanna see.” Her eyes lit up with excitement, leaning forward slightly.

“Of course, yeah. Here.” I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my gallery until I found the video of our performance. Turning the screen toward her, I handed it over.

She watched intently, her lips curling into a proud smile as the sound of our band filled the quiet dining room.

“Wow! Look at you, sweetheart! You’re looking so handsome! I bet many girls at university like you,” Mom said, her tone playful but proud.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Not really, Mom.”

“Oh, I don’t believe you,” she teased, eyes never leaving the screen.

I just laughed softly, the sound almost slipping out on its own. She kept watching the video, her smile unwavering, and I found myself just… watching her instead. For a moment, the pressure from earlier faded away. For a second, I felt at ease—like I had all the support I needed, right there in my mom’s smile.

“You were really amazing there, son. You have such a great voice,” Mom said, handing my phone back to me. “My bad, I wasn’t there to watch you.”

“It’s okay, Mom. Thank you.” I smiled, and for a moment, I genuinely felt happy.

“I’m proud of you, son. You know that.”

“I know. Thank you, Mom.”

She reached out and gently held my hand. “I know how much you love singing. But you are the heir of this family.”

The moment those words left her lips, my smile faltered. The heir of this family. I knew exactly where this was going, and just like that, the warmth in my chest was replaced by a heavy, sinking feeling.

“You are our only hope. I expect that you’ll never let us down,” she said, gently squeezing my hand, her smile full of hope.

I had no choice but to just agree. “Yeah.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” She patted my forehead and stood up. “You should get some sleep. Good night, sweetheart.” She kissed the top of my head before walking out.

“Good night, Mom.”

Silence wrapped around me, heavy and suffocating. How am I supposed to tell them that I don’t want that damn family business? Ever since I was a kid, I never dreamed of inheriting my parents’ wealth or whatever title comes with it. I just want to be free—free to do the things I love, to chase the dreams that make me feel alive, without being ordered around or molded into someone I’m not.

I let out a long sigh of frustration, running a hand through my hair. Just then, my phone vibrated on the table. I glanced at the screen—it was a message from Chase.

"Hey, yeah, I was about to hit you a text. Something came up, so I can’t make it tonight. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you," I replied quickly, my fingers hesitating over the keyboard before I typed another message. "Is everything ok?"

I stared at the screen, waiting for the typing dots to appear—but nothing. A minute passed. Still nothing. Maybe he’s busy… or maybe I’m just overthinking.

With a quiet sigh, I set my phone down, stood up, and headed upstairs.

\-

CHASE's POV

Almost an hour passed before I finally decided to send Austin a text message. I lied to him. Nothing really came up.

Truth is, I was already near his house when I saw a car pull up right in front of it. I stopped pedaling my bike, my hands gripping the handlebars as I just… stared.

The driver got out first and went around to open the back door. From there, a woman and a man stepped out—probably in their 50s, but looking so youthful and refined. I knew them instantly. They were his parents.

I don’t know why, but seeing them there made me freeze, my chest tightening for reasons I couldn’t quite name.

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