Chapter 59

Sebastian

I wait to approach Gregory until the day after we get home. With the baby, Evelyn’s breakdown, and everything growing more challenging to process, I needed time to put my thoughts together.

Evelyn and Madelyn reconciled, but I can still tell Evelyn is anxious about the baby. Not only that, but Ava and I had a chance to talk again.

It was nice, I have to admit.

But now, the next thing to do is talk to my father.

I knock on the door to his office, a room I normally avoid like the plague.

“Who is it?” He calls out. I open the door and stare at him with a raised eyebrow. “Oh, Sebastian.”

“Don’t get too excited to talk to me,” I respond, closing the door behind me. “I wanted to speak with you about something important.”

“Funny. You didn’t seem to want to speak with me for the week you were across the country.”

“Because there is nothing further to discuss from that,” I say through gritted teeth.

Gregory rolls his eyes and leans back in his chair with his hands clasping. Sometimes, I can imagine that this man is my birth father. I see the same posture we both carry, and our facial expressions match perfectly.

But that simply proves we’ve lived together for years.

“My adoption,” I start, clearing my throat.

“What about it?”

“With your new baby at the end of the summer, it makes sense that you should annul my adoption.”

That seems to get his attention, because Gregory sits up straight and watches me with his dark eyes. Maybe he’s trying to guess what I’ll say next, or he’s coming up with his next string of insults.

I continue talking.

“You always speak about passing the family business on to me. But we all know I’m not your flesh and blood. Wouldn’t you rather have the family business go to your biological child?”

My skin burns as I stand there, doing everything in my power to remain in a neutral stance. The only thing about Gregory I’ve always feared is exhibiting the wrong emotions.

“And why would I do that?” He questions, his hands coming down on the desk.

I stare at the man like he’s asked me what 2 plus 2 is. “You annul the adoption so your son or daughter can take over when they’re grown.”

“And what makes you think that’s the best solution?”

And now the irritation is kicking in. “You never had a wife to have a baby with, and you always considered me to be the ‘pathetic excuse’ for a son,” I snap back. “You can be rid of what you see me as for your responsibility.”

“You’re nineteen, Sebastian. Not to mention, still living under my roof and my money.”

“Because you’re supposed to provide for a child! You chose to adopt me; I didn’t force you to!”

Gregory stands immediately, slamming his hands on his desk before pointing a finger at me. “You better fucking take a step back! You are out of line!”

“All these years, you treated me like I’ve never been good enough for the name of Cain. You berate me and accuse me and abuse me.”

He sneers at me now, his eyes rolling once again. “You’re an adult. You’re in my house. You are my adopted son.”

“It’s still abuse, Gregory!” I bellow.

“You just can’t handle the responsibility of this company because you’d rather run off and be your pathetic, idiotic F1 racer. You just rely on the thrill of putting his life on the line over a good, hardworking business job!”

Now it’s my turn to get in the man’s face. “Is this how you’ll parent that baby? With discipline and lack of love?”

“I love Madelyn!” He snaps back. “And I will love that baby!”

I snort. “Because it’s not worthless in your eyes? Because the child wasn’t abandoned by their real parents, forcing it to be adopted by an abusive, perfectionist jackass?”

His face grows even redder. I can’t stop looking for ways to trigger the bastard. I stand here and I give him the option to have his real child take over the business, and he continues to tear me down like it’s a power play.

“Annul the adoption so you can do things your way. That’s what you’ve never seemed to get with me. You may have given me a new last name, clothes and a house, and an education. But if you genuinely think you’ve ever been a true father, then you have another thing coming.”

He snarls his teeth, and I know if the desk wasn’t between us, he’d be lunging at me full force. “You really are pathetic.”

“At least I know what I want,” I throw back. “And none of it involves you.”

“The second you leave, the faster I can take away any and all power you believe you have, son.”

I laugh. “I’m not your son. I’ve never truly been your son.”

That seems to push him over the edge as he rounds his desk and grabs at my shirt collar, pushing me up against the wall with all his might.

“You listen to me, you spineless bitch!”

I can smell his breath as he spits at me, his fists tightening around my shirt.

“Let go of me, you psycho!” I bark back.

“You always think you’ll get away with anything you say! But you won’t! You continue to think you are better than everyone around you, and I have made the mistake of allowing you to believe you’re more than just a disgusting parasite!”

“Then annul the adoption!” I shout in his face.

“And let you off so easily?”

“I will run your business into the ground!”

I push the older man off of me and exit the office with flames threatening to shoot out of my ears like in a cartoon.

But Gregory doesn’t give up this fight.

I almost miss his stomping feet as he comes out of his office with a crazed look in his eyes. I manage to move out of his way before his fist flies at my face.

It connects so hard with the wall next to me that a fucking hole appears before us.

“You worthless, spineless, irresponsible bastard!” He screams.

I’ve never tried to hit Gregory back. It never seemed like a good idea if I wanted to go on living. But this time, knowing he’ll never accept me as anything more than Sebastian, I bring my fist up and take a swing.

Connecting with his temple, he stumbles against the wall, nearly hitting his body where the hole in the wall is.

“All of this because your selfish pride continues to get in the way!” I scream.

The man reacts quickly, though, and returns with his own punch. This one lands on my right cheek, and I swear I can see stars appearing in my vision.

“You will never be strong enough to carry the name of Cain,” he spits on the floor. “You will take over for the business. You will give up racing. No matter what you think you can do, I will always be there to remind you!”

I shove the older man into the wall as hard as I can, and then take several swings at his priceless face. No longer do I care about survival.

Now, it’s war.

“Sebastian!” I hear Madelyn shout from nearby.

“Stop this!” Evelyn’s voice follows.

The women, who seemingly come from out of nowhere try to get involved. Madelyn holds Gregory’s arm and begs him to let go.

Evelyn is crying as she’s trying to pull me towards her. “Sebastian, just walk away! He’s not worth it!”

But Gregory and I are unphased, and I try to take another swing at the man, ducking just in time for his fist.

I guess Evelyn’s stronger than I realized, because she pulls me away from him so fast, I get whiplash.

“Stop!” she shouts at me.

“Enough!” Madelyn scolds her husband.

“That’s it!” I snap, ripping my arm out of Evelyn’s grip. “I’m done!”

I walk away from the three of them, making my way downstairs.

“Sebastian, no, wait!” Evelyn follows behind me quickly.

I grab my keys from the key hook and open the door as she grabs my right arm again. “No, don’t leave, please don’t leave.”

“I am sick and tired of Gregory’s bullshit. I’m done.”

She’s shaking her head with her makeup running down her face. I’ve seen this woman petrified in the past. She’s the one I’ve fallen in love with.

But all I see right now is red, and the hatred that has been building finally boils over.

“I hate him! I hate that bastard! Go to hell!”

And that’s the last thing I say before I push Evelyn off of me. I leave the house, slamming the door shut so hard I pray there’s splintered wood cracked up the side of the frame.

I don’t want to be here anymore. I need to be anywhere else.