A Wrong Surrogate for the CEO-Chapter 65: Not anymore

"Your father is here sir. I just got a report that his car was sighted in the parking lot," Lazarus said to Curtis.

Curtis sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Let him in and find somewhere else to be," he ordered his bodyguard, who nodded and walked out.

Minutes later, Curtis’ father walked in.

Curtis stood up as a way of showing respect and he nodded at the man he took after.

Adrian was disappointed at his son. He had so much faith in him, and Curtis had never let him down before.

Not once. Not ever.

But now everything was falling down. Their family was breaking apart and it was all because of the woman Curtis got married to.

"Have a seat, Father," Curtis said politely. He knew that his father probably came to talk to him about his mother and the last conversation they had.

Adrian refused his son’s offer with a slight shake of the head.

"I won’t be here for long, I have no reason to be seated," he stated. His voice was firm. Calm. Edgy.

His expression was stern too, and it gave nothing away. Curtis wasn’t moved. He stood his ground and stared at his father right in the eyes.

"What are you here for, then? It must be pretty important, if you’re here yourself instead of sending me an email or placing a call," Curtis spoke, and his voice was as firm as his father’s.

"What is the matter with you, Curtis?" Adrian asked.

His son cocked his head to the side. "You’re going to have to give me a little more than that if there is a context behind that question, and I am pretty sure there is. What are you talking about, Father?" he asked.

Adrian took a step closer, letting Curtis see the disappointment in his eyes.

"I raised you better than to raise your voice at your mother, Curtis. I did not raise you to be disrespectful to either of us. We are your parents, and we deserve your utmost respect."

Curtis didn’t blink as he responded.

"You used to. But not anymore. Not after what mother did. Did she tell you the truth, or are you here to pick a fight with me without knowing what the full story is?"

Adrian’s hand curled into fists.

"That woman is not good enough for you. Why are you not seeing it? We are only trying to make you see the light. You’ve always listened to us. You don’t anymore. And we want the best for you. Your mother wants the best for you. You are her only son. Stop being so difficult."

With each sentence that Adrian said, Curtis felt a surge of anger.

His father dared to stand before him and tell him that his mother wanted the best for him?

What a load of bullshit.

"She wants the best for me? And the only way she could do that was to poison my wife? Are you even listening to yourself?" he snapped.

Curtis was trying so hard to not lose the grip he has on his anger, but it was getting harder to hold on to the leash.

"Your mother was wrong, that I will admit. But her actions didn’t go too far, thankfully. Your ’supposed’ wife is alright, and I even heard that she has been discharged. I don’t see why you are still holding on to a grudge. It’s useless. We are your family."

The leash slipped slightly, and Curtis’s eyes started the blaze red with the weight of his anger.

"Family?" he spat at his father, shaking his head with his entire face twisted with disdain.

"You disgust me. All of you. I can’t believe — how could you even condone what she did? The both of you kept insisting on the fact that Lara didn’t die, but that is a fucking moot point. So what if she didn’t? Is that even a valuable excuse? You guys almost became murderers, and that didn’t matter to you. You still have the guts to blame me? To the extent of pointing accusing fingers at me? What the actual fuck?"

His voice had gone down to the lowest decibels, and he sounded cold, colder than he had ever been.

Curtis’s anger was like ice in his veins. It solidified into a solid shape, wrapping around his lungs like bands of lead.

"You are making a terrible mistake," Adrian said softly.

"No. No I am not. And you know it. Getting married to Lara is the best decision I have ever made in my entire life. I am not a kid. I am old enough to decide what is best for me. And if you, and the rest of the family cannot be happy for me, then fine. You can all fuck off," Curtis deadpanned.

Adrian paled slightly. He had come all the way to his son’s office to talk some sense into him, but Curtis was past that stage.

He was so far gone, and Adrian felt a spike of alarm for his son.

"You are willing to throw away everyone, your family, because of a woman?" he asked, and there was worry in his voice.

Curtis folded his arms across his chest.

"You guys were the one who threw me away first. You don’t trust me, and now your wife has successfully managed to sever the last link between us. Yes, Father. I will repeat what I told her. I want nothing to do with any of you."

Adrian’s jaw tightened as he held his son’s gaze.

"The family reputation means nothing to you?" he asked as a last resort.

Curtis did not bat an eyelid.

"Not anymore."

Adrian cursed inwardly at those words. Knowing his son, he knew Curtis’s mind was made up.

He never thought the day would come, a day where his one and only son would turn his back on the family.

But it was already happening. Curtis had already turned his back on them, and it was happening because of a woman.

"Have it your way, Curtis. Cut us off. Have nothing to do with us. But remember, all of these — the decision you just made — everything is going to come back to haunt you one day. You are going to regret what you just did."

Curtis nodded at the words as though he was considering them, but Adrian knew he wasn’t.

Curtis just wanted him to get out. And sure enough, he said so.

"Get the hell out of my office, Father."

And without another word, Adrian stepped out. As he walked away from his son’s office, a realisation settled heavily on his shoulders.

He had no son. Not anymore.