Begin Again

ONE DAY BEFORE

Delano sat in his office. His mind replaying what seemed to be the cruelest thing he had seen in his life till then. His father never came home last night. When his mother stormed off crying, all he could do was go after her, but his father never did. For the first time in years, he saw what a heartless beast his father was. All those nightmares he had about his father's pitiless eyes were true after all. Somehow he was taking this situation calmer than he had expected. There was a tiny but strong feeling in his gut telling him that this was going to happen, and he didn't even want to deny that it was because of him overhearing his father's calls two days ago. Was it even possible to doubt someone's loyalty based on a three second scene? He didn't know, and was in no mood to ask about it. 

After leaving the office the day before, Corinne grabbed her coat and mumbled something about going to a friend's house for the night. Delano had no idea where she went and her phone was probably dead. He cancelled the auditions that were supposed to go on that afternoon and locked himself in his office, reminiscing their family drama that was hurting him like hell. 

Picking up a photograph on his desk, he still found it hard to believe that his father would throw away their happiness for his own, knowing that it was not his father's way of doing things by apologizing for his mistakes, or worse, he didn't even think that he did something wrong. 

The photograph fell from his grip and smashed onto the floor, the glass breaking into hundreds of tiny pieces, the sound of it echoing through the floor. Moments after, Flavien burst into the room. 

'What's going on?' His tone was dead serious, as if nothing had happened the day before. However, the young man could sense that the owner of the company was trying to hide his insecurity. 

'So you do care, after everything you've done? What do you want?' Delano tried to keep his cool but the flame inside of him at the sight of his father made him tremble with rage. He loved his mother more than anything in the world but this horrible man stabbed her right in her heart. 

'Manners, boy,' Flavien held his chin up high. For once, Delano was sick of his father's arrogance. He stepped over the pieces of broken glass on the floor and stopped with his face inches away from his father's. This was the first time he looked so fiercely into the eyes that had always taught him to suppress his emotions. This time, he took no effort to control his anger.

'You are the most selfish person I've ever seen. What did you do to mother? How could you cheat on her?' His words were sharp, but they carried his feelings of hurt. 'She was one of the kindest people I know, she didn't deserve this.' He turned away, not wanting his father to see his tears streaming silently down his cheeks. He wasn't a man who cried, but this time it wasn't just sadness, he felt lost.

'One day, you would understand what I did. Your mother, she...' Flavien paused a little, struggling to find a word that wouldn't make him seem heartless. Seconds later, he sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

'She just wasn't fun anymore.' He spat out the sentence word by word, his eyes challenging Delano to make a move on him, knowing that kind heart of his son's would never be violent to him. Every word was like a blade, slicing Delano's heart where it was bleeding. He blinked hard. 

However, what Flavien did not expect was a grip on his collar, so strong that he could have sworn he trembled a little. He was lifted two inches off the ground, by the hands that had once been little, that he had held in his sleep.

'You're a jerk.' Delano whispered into his father's ears. His voice was soft, but it borne power and authority. Flavien was finally a little impressed at his son's change in attitude, all his life he had been training his son to become a warrior, and today he could hear the spirit of fighting in his son's voice. But the right feeling came at the wrong time. 

With a hand flying out from nowhere, a crisp sound was heard from the inside of the office. Delano looked away, his face red but unreadable. Slowly, he held his hand up and touched the spot where he had been slapped, his tears dry from disappointment. Flavien was startled at his own actions, he had lost control. 

Seconds later, Flavien tidied his collar and tie, brushed off dust from his shirt, and looked at Delano with the corner of his eye. The man's face was back to his usual, as if nothing had happened. 

'You of all people are in no place to insult me.' 

He turned his back and walked out of the room, slamming the door after him, leaving Delano speechless at the center of the room with his eyes shut. His hands gripped tightly, veins bulging out.