Ryan's POV
Father is about to go home when I enter his office without knocking. His secretary had already told me they were going out but I really can not let this wait till some other time.
I also have a lot to do back in the office which is why I decided to come here straight instead of going back to the office from my out-of-office meeting.
He steps back to allow me in, his gaze firmly fixed on mine.
Realizing that I haven't greeted him, I say slowly. "Good morning, Father."
"Why are you here?" He demands instead of replying to my greeting and offering me a seat.
I take a seat without his permission and without answering his question.
A lot of questions keep popping up in my head that I haven't found answers to. Apart from the fact that I want to do this for Valerie's sake, I am doing this because of the curiosity consuming my whole existence.
I want to know why. I want to know what is wrong.
"I asked why you are here, Ryan. I have a meeting in the next thirty minutes and I have to be on my way now", he remarks with gritted teeth.
"I won't take much of your time, dad. I just need to ask you a question", I twirl the chair around to face him where he is still standing.
He is quiet for a while before asking me. "Is this business related?"
I shake my head in response. "No!"
"You know well enough that I don't entertain personal discussions in my office, why can't we do this later tonight?"
"No, dad. Come on. I will be fast about it. Come sit already", his resistance is pissing me off. This is something we can be over with in a few minutes.
My words get to him as he glares at me for a while before walking over to his seat, opposite me.
"What is this about?" He questions with impatience.
Now that I think of it, Mr. Adams' need for help isn't the only thing that I need to know from my dad. There are a lot of things that puzzles me about his relationship with my mother ever since I got to know about her health issues. He is indifferent and acts nonchalant about it like it has nothing to do with him.
The one who should be miserable ought to be him. They are in love, aren't they? He is about to lose his wife yet he has the mind to act like nothing is going to change even if she is gone.
I sigh deeply.
One thing at a time.
"Valerie and I fought last night. I think she got a call from home about fulfilling some promises which I have no idea about. She thinks I am involved but I am not. Obviously, her father told her this is between you and him and I am not involved so I want to know what is happening."
His expression doesn't waver. He isn't looking shocked, surprised, or angry.
"Why are you telling me this?"
I scoff. I thought I just made myself clear. "Why aren't you helping them?"
"How is this any of your business?" His eyes bore into mine, his hands balled into a fist.
"What?!" I exclaim in disbelief. "How is it my business?"
"Yes. He already said it is between us so why do you want to interfere?"
"I am not interfering", I say with a raised voice. "I just want to know when you intend to help him. It is taking longer than they expected so why aren't you seeing him and…"
His soft chuckle cuts me off.
That usual wicked chuckle reminds me of something.
"Are you doing this on purpose?" I ask him, slumping back into the seat when the realization dawns on me.
I know the kind of man he is. He doesn't just do anything. He does things that profit him.
When he asked me to marry Valerie, I opposed the idea because I thought it was something he is going to benefit from financially but then I got to know he isn't benefiting anything but Valerie's family will be the ones on the receiving end, seeking our help.
Why did he do this when he wasn't going to get any form of benefit from the union? I don't want to believe that my mother made him do this. There has to be something he wants to get from this.
"This is between Adams and I, so get lost!" He yells at me with blazing red eyes which gets me more confused.
Why is he pissed up with the topic of Mr. Adams? Is there more to this?
Instead of leaving, my interest intensifies. "Dad, is there something you are not telling me?"
He grips the edges of his large mahogany table and leans forward. "This is none of your business."
"I know", I reply sharply. "I know it is none of my business but my wife is involved. Valerie is my wife and I want to know if everything is fine and why you are not fulfilling your end of the bargain."
He does not reply. He remains silent, his jaws tightening while I examine him carefully wishing so desperately to read through him to find my answers.
"Did he offend you?" I question softly and his nose flares up, letting it sink deep into me that I have hit the nail directly on the wall.
This must be it.
This is how he wants to get back at the poor man.
"As I said earlier, this is none of your business. This is between…"
"If this is none of my business, then don't involve me", I can no longer hold my anger. "Involving Valerie means I am involved. Do what is right for her parents and then I will have no reason to question you about how you do a thing!" I yell back at him, pointing an accusing finger at him.
He bursts into laughter, throwing his head backward and shaking his head vigorously. I watch him fold his arms while he laughs, cross his upper leg over the other and twirl his chair around.
My chest heaves up and down as adrenaline shoots down my spine.
This is unfair.
We got married to satisfy the two families and let them achieve their aim. I really do not know what aim my father has to gain from our union but I am so sure that not allowing Valerie's family to achieve their own aim will let him achieve his.
This is totally unfair to Valerie and me. This is lost unfairly to her parents who thought getting their daughter married to someone she doesn't love will put an end to their problems.
"See yourself out!" His voice jerks me out of my reverie. He has stopped laughing. His face is looking stony and he points to the door.
Rising slowly, I think of what else to say to him.
Is this even the right time for all this? His wife is at home battling with an ailment that will soon cost her to leave the world and all he cares about is ruining someone's life for his own selfish reasons.
Isn't he supposed to be looking for ways to save her life or possibly spend more time with her?
Isn't he supposed to be making an effort to make her last days be in happiness?
"That reminds me, I thought you said you don't love that girl, what's her name?"
His question piques my interest and I stare at his face.
"Valerie? Yes, that's her name. I remember how you were hell-bent on not going through with this", he smirks. "What has changed?"
"She is my wife, isn't that what you and mom both wanted?"
I throw the question at him, expecting him to fall deep into my trap but my father is way smarter. He does not respond, his grin widens instead and he also chuckles lightly.
I expect him to shake his head and tell me he didn't want it to happen too. I expect him to nod and tell me, yes, he wanted it too.
Both answers will pave the way to finding out what his true intentions are. If he didn't want me to marry Valerie, then there must be a reason. If he wanted me to marry her truly, then there has to be a reason too apart from the reason of being betrothed to each other or because mother wanted me to be married and have kids before she dies.
Mr. Adams and my father claim to be friends but I have never seen him in our house while I was still staying there.
Mr. Adams and my father must have a history together and that history will be the answer to all of these questions.
If it was a good history, then there is absolutely no reason for my father to be doing this. But if it is a bad one, then that says it all.
He got me married to Valerie for a single reason. And that reason is what I will find out by visiting her father.
Without waiting for him to say anything else, I twirl back abruptly and walk to the door.
"Say hello to Valerie. I promise to pay you a big visit pretty soon."
I turn back slowly to see him getting up from his chair and taking a few things from the table to go out too.
I shake my head and turn the doorknob to take the exit out.
I really need to see Valerie's father. He will be the answer to these puzzles.
****
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