Seduced Fall ✔️

38. The argument

Stefan Peirce

As the stress in the room grows, my palms begin to sweat. I'm standing in the living room of my house. My father stands opposite me, facing me his back, his hands tucked into his pant pockets, staring at Charlie's painting on the wall.

I cast a glance at Mae, who is waiting right next to me for dad to say something. She's already looking at me, her eyes filled with fear and concern.

Since we were children, my sister has been one of my best friends, my mentor, and my protector. She never ceased caring for me. Even now, she's here to support me while I confront my father about the things I shouldn't have done to Asher's man.

"Dad, please say something." Mae pleads.

When we don't hear from Dad, Charlie clears his throat, sitting on the staircase, oblivious to what is going on. He is like a family to me, never has he backed down or abandoned me while I'm going through something I can't handle alone.

After a few more seconds of agonizing stillness, Dad decides to turn around. When his brown-green eyes, which Mae carried with her, settle on me, I suck in a deep breath.

Austin Peirce, the driving force and significant inspiration for many of the company's employees and workers. His father, my grandfather, founded the company. I never saw my grandfather for who he was as a person or a businessman.

But the stories I've heard about him have been fantastic. My father is the polar opposite of my grandfather.

Mae and I both respect and love our father, but that doesn't mean we don't fear him.

"What do you want me to say?" My dad speaks. His voice deep and hoarse, with an authoritative tone. I recognize that tone right away.

He is angry. I can always tell when he's angry just by looking at him and hearing his voice.

"Do you want me to applaud your brother's great glory in losing our last chance to finally silence Asher?" He yells at Mae, but his indirect attack is on me.

I close my eyes for a second then stare down at my feet. I saw that coming.

"Dad, Halder J was threatening someone dear to me." I say it as calmly as I can. I don't want to infuriate him any more than he already is.

"Is that so?" He takes a couple of steps closer to me. His brows pulled together, revealing the aging lines on his forehead. "Could you please tell me who this dear person is?"

I bite the inside of my cheek, shifting my weight from one leg to the other.

"A girl I love."

"Do you have any clue what will happen when Asher learns about your adventurous love gesture, huh?" He is immediately in front of me, screaming in my face now. "He'll try to take us down or kill us, Stefan. How can you be that careless?"

"Asher will do no such thing, dad." I assure him, feeling a slight amount of confidence when Charlie nods, attempting to boost my spirits. "He has a reputation to uphold and a fake friendship with you that he would not jeopardize for killing one of his minions."

Dad sighs and shakes his head. His hands resting on his waist. "May I ask again what exactly went wrong with Halder?" he asks.

"He threatened to harm her." Still staring at my feet, I say. Halder is the worst person I have ever met. Nothing is more messed up than him.

"Is that girl your family?" My gaze shoots up to discover him dead serious with that question.

"Dad-" he cuts me off.

"Is she or not?" he insists again, losing his patience and temper both.

I look away. "She's not."

"Correct. She isn't. We are." He puts his hand on my shoulder, urging me to focus on him. "We are your family. If Asher wants to get us in trouble, he'll go after us. Not that girl of yours."

"But he did, Dad." Mae speaks before I could say the same.

"Because they thought she was important to your brother." dad responds.

"She is." My voice gains the confidence to speak back at dad.

Dad throws his head back. He stares up at the ceiling, allowing Mae, Charlie, and I to exchange glances.

"We can't afford to let them know that." he says, "You can't be seen with her."

I nod and go over everything I can think of to keep Clara out of it. Risking any potential danger on her is the last thing I want.

"Yes, dad, I assure you that I will not be seen with her on campus or in public, and-"

"You can't be seen with her at all."

I get a chill run down my spine. I lock my gaze on the man I expected to have my back.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want you to hang out with that girl anywhere, and I don't want you to be on the campus or in this city."

"I still don't get you." I tell him.

Dad shoves his hands back into his pant pockets and faces me with the confidence that comes from years of putting up with messed-up things like this.

"You will quit college and move in with me and your mother in Caelfall." he declares sternly, without hesitation of breaking my heart.

The floor beneath my feet slips away. I can't feel it within myself to move or think or breathe properly.

"Dad, no. He hasn't even completed a semester. He's barely got any college experience. You can't simply take it away." Mae sides with me, counter-arguing with our father like she always does when I can't.

"You bet, Mae, I can."

"I need to study, Dad, I need to get a degree—" I'm cut off again.

"No, Stefan. You don't need it. What you need is to be alive." He nearly breaks his voice while convincing me. "You don't need stupid words on stupid paper to convince everyone that you're smart. You are far wiser than you believe."

I exhale in a rush. My eyelids get heavy with the realization that I know where this is going.

"Dad, what do you want me to do?" I ask, managing to get the words out in a hushed voice. "Are you asking me to leave?" To leave her?

"Yes, I am. You'll be joining me at the company. You will work alongside me for the first few months and then, you will be the official owner of Peirce Enterprise."