I a n
After spending the afternoon with Vanessa, everything else after seemed bleak. Even more so, the fact that I was heading to the Hollingsworth mansion in a matter of minutes to demand that my father's wishes be upheld.
It was some minutes past six, Dylan had texted a little earlier to let me know his mother was back and had settled in, indicating the meeting would start anytime soon.
Grabbing my coat and car keys, I left the building and left for the mansion. My mind wandered to Vanessa and the fact that she sensed something was up. Perhaps I should have told her about the predicament, but then again, the last thing I wanted was to scare Vanessa away by letting her know so early the level of cruel that existed within this...family.
She was a good woman – one I hoped would stick around long enough so something fruitful could be bred from our relationship. I didn't plan on messing things up and although in the coming days, my life would seem like a rollercoaster, I just hoped she was willing to tag along for the ride.
....
The gates to the mansion opened and after a brief security check, I was granted access – thanks to Dylan. I parked and was on my way to the front door when it opened up and Dylan presented himself.
"Glad you could make it. They've just started."
"Yeah, I wouldn't miss this for anything," i said as I made my way inside.
"This way," Dylan directed, gaining the lead.
We went inside and as we drew closer towards the room, faint chatter could be heard from inside. With his hand planted around the doorknob, Dylan gave me one final glance, a look of nervousness in his eyes before he pushed it open.
The chatter continued as Dylan entered but as soon as I made my way inside, the talking ceased to a moment of silence that was short-lived.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Diane shouted, her face a canvas of anger.
I noticed Danny and George was also present, an expression on their face similar to Diane's. In the far corner was Spencer who had a resigned look on his face.
"Get the fuçk out, you're not welcomed here!" George seethed from his chair.
I scoffed. "If this house was yours, I'd consider but it's not. Anyway I don't want to be in your presence for much longer, i'm only here to tell you that whatever bullshit you have planned to bury my father here, forget it," I said as calm as I could.
Diane laughed dryly. "And who the hell do you think you are?–"
"Someone you don't want to mess with. Dad made it very clear that he wanted to be buried in Clearlake beside his parents, not here beside fuçking strangers!" I hissed.
Diane straightened in her chair, her face stern as she stared at me. "Maybe you've forgotten, but moguls like Gregory aren't buried in middle-class cemeteries like nobodies. He deserves better."
I scoffed. "He deserves what he asked for. To be put beside his family. Somehow you are forgetting that the man built himself from the ground up to be where he is now. He wasn't born a millionaire and you weren't either Diane, so perhaps you'd like to step off that high horse of yours and experience the dirt you were before my father made you into something," I rasped with despise.
"How dare you come in here and talk to our mother like that?!" Danny hissed, now upright in the chair as he glowered at me with hatred.
"Everyone calm down, I'm sure this can be resolved without insults or what seems to be impending violence," Dylan cut in shyly.
"Shut the fuck up traitor!" George exclaimed sharply. "Bear in mind that you live here and your little knight won't always be around for you to hide behind."
"Are you threatening him?" I asked.
"What if I fucking am. What the hell can you do, bastard?" He jabbed, a small smirk on his lips.
I pulled in a breath and licked my lips. "Listen to me, the last thing I want is trouble so I'll only say this once, disregard all plans you had to bury my father here because it isn't going to happen."
"Who the fu"ck do you think you are, bastard! Get the fu'Ck out!" George rasped as he bounded from his chair, standing in front of me.
"You don't want to find out," I said, fingers folded into fists at my side. We were face to face, body mere inches away from each other and every second of looking at him made me feel angrier than ever.
He shoved me in the chest and I stumbled backwards but quickly regained my balance, simultaneously swinging my fist at him. It firmly landed across his jaw and he fell back, holding his busted mouth. A curse rang out and a revenge crazed Danny got up and charged towards me. He threw his fist at me but I blocked it with my arm and pushed him with the full impact of my body. He stumbled over a chair and fell to the ground, trying to quickly scramble to his feet.
"Get out now!" Diane roared but I wasn't ready. Danny came at me again, my distraction causing him to punch me squarely across the jaw. The metallic taste of blood consumed my tastebuds and my anger rose tenfold.
I grabbed him by the collar, trapping him for the inevitable blow he would receive, and true to my word I punched him again, releasing him from my hold where he fell to the ground. But I was raging with anger and wanted a means of extraction and so I poured it out all on him, punching him several times in the face as he laid flat on the floor, defenceless and now bloody.
I felt myself being torn off him and later realised that I was being pulled away my Spencer and Dylan who demanded that I stopped. Through my fit of rage, I saw Diane spewing words I couldn't make out while she attended to her son who was curled up on the floor weak and immobile.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Spencer exclaimed with a hysterical look on his face.
"Ian, what was that?" Dylan asked, his green eyes wide with shock.
I swallowed and raked my fingers through my hair. I huffed out a breath and looked at them both. "I've gotta go." I said as I walked towards my car and got in.
I closed my eyes trying to calm myself, my heart was beating rapidly and my hands were shaking. I drew in a deep breath and then released, trying to get ahold of my anger. When I calmed myself I drove home thinking I had lost my temper for the first time in a long time.
Shit!
The aim hadn't been to lose my anger but every moment of standing there and seeing the smug, entitled looks on their faces, ticked something in me. They didn't care about my father – they cared about the attention they got from his name and I'll be damned if the wishes he made on his death bed weren't fulfilled.
I didn't know how how as yet but I hoped I had knocked some sense into them – literally. There was no way I could allow them to win. No fuçking way in hell.
***
I parked in the parking lot of The Sterling and immediately received a text from Dylan.
Hey, Spencer convinced them not to call the police but Danny and George are raging about taking you down. Be careful. Good night.
Mustering a sigh, I peered at my lips in the mirror, staring at the tiny cut located on my lower lip. My knuckles were slightly bruised but somehow I had managed to calm down.
I got out of the car and noticed a familiar car that parked ahead as well. Before my brain could wonder, my eyes came to a conclusion as Vanessa stepped out. I froze, contemplating on whether or not I should approach in my ragged state. I wanted to go over and say hi but I looked like a mad man and twenty minutes ago maybe she would have thought I was.
But there was no backing out, she glanced my way and our eyes met. I smiled, she smiled back. I licked my lips and approached her, hoping I didn't look as dishevelled as I felt.
"Hey," I said, my senses caught by her flowery smell.
She was smiling but it slightly fell when I took a keener note of her appearance.
"What happened, are you ok?"
"Yeah I er – nothing to worry about, really."
She still had that look of scepticism on her face and I was able to confirm I was either a bad liar or she was just too good at reading people. I conceded, not wanting to give her any reasons to not trust me. And although this was a private and controversial matter, Vanessa was good to talk to.
"How about you come up for a drink and I'll tell you all about it," I smiled. There was a look of indecision in her eyes – a bit of hesitance – but she cleared her throat and nodded.
"Okay. I'm just gonna head over and put these down," she said indicating at the bags in her hand.
"Yeah sure, I'll tell front desk to expect you," I said as I walked to my apartment with a smile on my face.
Author's note:
Hey guys, I hope you are all doing good.
Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter; I will try to update another soon. ❤️
Xoxo
Juju