Chapter 143
ASHER
"What is that supposed to mean?" Father queries me when I bluntly refuse to be a part of fixing Ashley’s mess.
"It’s exactly what it sounds like, father. I’m done being your puppet. You never truly valued my hard work anyway. Despite how many times I tirelessly poured my soul into crushing company goals, you never made me feel like I was past the point of begging to be your successor. At every minor inconvenience, you dangled that dream in my face like a carrot. Conversely, Josh’s chances as a strong contender for the same seat never shook no matter what he did. I’m done being your pawn. You’re welcome to do your worst."
"ASHER!"
"DON’T ASHER ME!" I snap right back at him. "How dare you?" I ask, charging towards him. "How dare you continuously underestimate the man you created? You molded me into this subservient, slavishly obedient son and hammered it home that your love and trust could only be earned by more hard work. All my life, I’ve felt like I’m on a hamster’s wheel, constantly running but never truly meeting your standard. Look where it’s gotten me." I chuckle dryly. "While one brother selfishly dumped his fiancée without a thought and got away with it, my father’s reward to me for my obedience all these years was to serve me up on a platter to the Spellmans in order to achieve his selfish agenda. You have absolutely no regard for me or my feelings on the matter."
Father slams his right palm on his desk. "What rubbish feelings, Asher? Are you seriously uttering this nonsense? I thought you knew better!"
"I do and that’s why I know that you are a hypocrite!" I ignore the anger simmering in his eyes. "You dare to proselytize me on the cons of believing in and marrying for love but you’re happily married to the love of your life. How hypocritical of you!"
He scowls at me before mumbling. "No. Not hypocritical at all." He sinks back in his seat. "Get out then. Duncan and I will handle it. I don’t need you. You and your brothers have done enough damage."
Something about his demeanor makes me anxious. "What do you mean by ’not hypocritical at all’? I ask him. My eyes dim with understanding. "Are you trying to say mother isn’t your true love?"
"GET OUT, ASHER!"
Refusing to think about the import of his words, I storm out of there. How am I just realizing how much my family sucks? I feel like smashing something. I badly want to go to a rage room but the closest one is quite a distance from our mansion. Maybe I’ll have one set up on the second floor or the basement for moments like this.