A Menacing Old man

<Asher >

The sound of footsteps echoed as I walked at my fastest pace but to be honest, I was basically running, followed by a devastated Logan.

"You could've chosen the outfit the first time you saw it. You made them take out so many options and in the end, you chose the one they first brought out. What is this behavior?" Logan complained as I rolled my eyes, "Cut it out," I said as I went towards the counter.

"Mr. Asher Howard?" the female employee called out. "Yes!" I nodded as I tried to catch my breath.

"Please follow me. The Chairman is waiting for you" the lady said and walked ahead.

"I'm dead," was what came out of my mouth as I silently followed the lady and Secretary Logan followed me. The lady led us to a beautiful dining room where a menacing old man could be seen sitting quietly, waiting for someone, or should I specify? Me.

"I'll be leaving" and with that, the lady left. I gulped a lump in my throat as the old man looked up with a jolt, startling both me and Logan.

"Father. I-I can explain" I stuttered for some unknown reason. I closed my eyes in frustration, preparing myself for what was to come my way.

"You! Brat! You all are really out of hand now! I intentionally came thirty minutes late knowing you brats will make me wait, but look here! You are still late and what if I arrived on time? You would have made me wait a whole hour?! This is not right! You! Come Here!" and with that, Father stood up and picked up his cane.

"D-Dad! Calm down, we can talk this out like adults. Father!!" I ran as Father struck me with the cane but missed. And then we both father-son duo were running around the dining table. Me running for my life and my father who thirsty for my blood.

*Bang*

The door flew open, catching everyone's attention and there stood an out-of-breath Hernan.

"I'm really sorry. I'm la-" Hernan stopped mid-sentence when he witnessed the chaos. I, using my arms as a shield, the old man with his stick in the air, and Logan sitting at the dining table, reading the menu.

"What's...going on? Grandpa? Uncle?" Hernan looked around, confused.

"Oh! My son~ You're here?!...You are late!" said the old man as Hernan smiled innocently, "...I'll let it slide this time. There must be a reason for it," the old man laughed it off whereas I was extremely offended by this act of discrimination.

"Dad~!" I exclaimed, not wanting to accept this behavior from my biological father. The old man looked at me as if I broke his favourite cane, "What Dad? I'm not done with you yet. And you!" Father said, pointing towards Logan. "M-Me?" he got confused.

"This brat too! Come here!" and with that the old man started to chase after Secretary Logan as well while he ran for his life, questioning, "Why me too?!" But I was quite content with that.

<><><><><>

"Ah! Ah! Hernan! It hurts!" Logan exclaimed as he removed Hernan's hand from his shoulder. Hernan apologized and continued eating.

"Ah, it hurts" I whispered to myself as I moved my arm whereas Mr. Smith Howard, who is unfortunately my father, was just enjoying his dinner peacefully as if he didn't just beat me up with his walking stick.

Smith Howard, a well-known business tycoon. The founder and chairman of Nexus Automotive. Nexus Automotive is a well-known automotive company that manufactures modernized cars with the latest technologies and they are popular not only in the US but overseas as well.

After his wife's death, he indulged himself in work and built a whole empire. He even holds a chain of five-star hotels under the name Eve, which was after the nickname he gave his wife, Evelyn Wilson Howard, his late wife's name, and is really famous and known in the US.

Even though he turns sixty-three this year, he still thinks and acts as if he is not a year older than forty-five and holds a very enjoyable and optimistic personality. He had two sons but unfortunately lost his eldest son and daughter-in-law soon after his grandson turned five. And even after that he never lost hope and tried to be the ray of light in his children's life.

"Why aren't you eating?" Father asked. "We are eating" Logan and I said in unison before attacking the food. "Eat slowly or else you'll get indigestion" he added. "Yes" both of us again said together and on the other hand, I can clearly see that Hernan was secretly enjoying every second of our torture.

This is really unfair though. The discrimination is obvious. I ate my food as I thought about the discrimination between the son and grandson. I looked at Logan and could clearly tell that he was wondering why he also got punished. I'm happy that Logan also got a lesson. Come on, teach me more of your life lessons. Take that, Mr. Valuable life lesson. I looked at Logan with a satisfied expression.

"Asher" Father called out as the utensil unintentionally dropped from my hands, "Y-Yes. Dad" I said as I neatly placed the utensils.

"Have you given it a thought? What I said this morning?" Father asked as my expression suddenly dropped. I knew that was coming, "I told you my answer that very instant" I replied and continued to eat.

"Why~?" Father whined, "She is a really nice girl" he added. "But I don't want to get married yet!" I exclaimed, having enough of this topic.

"Then when will you?! You are already thirty-two! When will you get married and when will you have ki-" Before he could complete his sentence, I cut him off, "Don't blackmail me by using grandchildren as a weapon. You already have one and he is also quite a special one"

"Thank you, Uncle" Hernan said with a big smile. I looked at him blankly before speaking, "Bold of you to assume that it was a compliment" Hernan's shoulder dropped as he rolled his eyes and continued eating.

"But still. When will you start a family? I want to see you happy" Father said. I looked at him, "I am happy," I said. "I can't see that," Father said as he folded his arms over his chest.

I sighed and placed my fork on the table while others just watched my actions. "Okay so, look here," I said and everyone got attentive to what I was going to do. It was nothing much.

I looked down and took a deep breath before looking up. The corner of my lips soon turned upwards as I revealed my teeth. I smiled for them, I don't like to smile very often but I still blessed them with my million-dollar smile. 

"Look. I'm happy" I said, my smile intact in place. The others looked towards each other and then back at me as I raised my eyebrows.

"U-Uncle, you can stop now. It's okay. We know. We understand you are happy. We can see that" Hernan said and I stopped smiling and nodded before continuing to eat, not thinking much of it.

"Gosh. That was scary" Hernan mumbled as he placed his hand over his chest. I frowned, "What?" I asked since I didn't quite catch that. He took a bite from his food, "Nothing," He smiled and avoided my gaze.

"Mr. Carter?" the old man whispered and leaned towards Secretary Logan. "Yes. Sire?" He leaned in too. "Do you think he has someone in his life?" Smith whispered. Logan pondered a bit before speaking, "...I don't think so. He isn't the type who can impress women" Logan replied.

"I can hear you" I spoke as the other two males readjusted their posture.

"Uncle?" Hernan called out to which I hummed in response. "Do you like older women?" he asked as I paused in his actions. I looked at him as he threw his hands in the air, "Look, if you do then you will now get a grandma, no other option since you are too old now. You have to lower your standards, bro" Hernan completed.

I slowly turned towards Hernan and pierced my gaze through his soul. It was enough to shut the hell out of him. Where is this generation going?

"It was an opinion, jeez. Chill. If looks could kill, I would have been laying here lifeless and my soul would have reached heaven by now" Hernan exclaimed. I glanced at him, "Again, bold of you to assume that you will go to heaven…brat" I whispered the last word. "Grandpa~" Hernan whined as Father laughed.

"Ah? kiddo, what about that kid? Why didn't you bring her? I really liked that kid" Father said.

"Oh? Abigail? She also likes you a lot but is a little scared of Uncle" Hernan said as he avoided my gaze. I blankly looked at him, wondering, What have I ever done to people?

"I asked her to join but she wanted to stay back and cheer her sister up but luckily there was no need for that since her sister got the job" Hernan explained. "Oh alright. Where does her sister work?" Father questioned.

"Why are you so interested?" I asked but got ignored, making me sigh. I should be used to it by now.

"Right! She got a job in our company! Nexus. At first, she was struggling a lot to find a job and I even offered to help her but she refused and said that she wanted to be someone who could proudly say that it was all her hard work and she did it without any help" Hernan spoke fondly.

"Such an ambitious girl, full of dignity. I'm impressed. She reminds me of someone" Father said and even I can't deny, that was an impressive comment. "I want to meet this girl. She seems nice" Father said.

"She is! She is really pretty. She is confident. She is sweet and soft-hearted as well. Sometimes she is stubborn and hot-headed but other than that she is perfect. I really admire her. She takes care of me as a mother would. She never makes me feel that I am missing a mother figure in life" Hernan smiled. All of us paused as we were taken aback by his statement. I didn't know what to say.

"I want to meet her" I spoke as others looked shocked by my sudden comment.

"What?!" all said in unison.

"Why? I already met his little girlfriend, can't I meet her sister too? I have to look into what her family is like" I explained.

"She is single too" Hernan added and avoided my gaze as I glared at him.

"Okay then. I'll arrange a meeting with her this coming weekend" Hernan exclaimed as I nodded.