Treat You Better ✅

Chapter 16

Suddenly, Bright felt more alone than ever he felt in his entire life. He was hyper aware of all the people around him who don’t know him  or give a shit about him. Bright misses Win, he misses his humour and his soft touch. Bright misses how raw and honest his feelings were with him and he hates himself for that closeness. He hates that he let himself fall for the pretty face man he can't have, he hate himself that he went back to the bar to look for Win a second time. He hates knowing that he has hurt him in the process because Win doesn’t deserve this. The most he hate himself knowing Win might be hurting and feeling lonely and empty without him. Bright believe only he deserves the emptiness and pain this must be his punishment only and not Win. His alone time with Win, living in their bubble of happiness was Bright's best kept secret. Win didn't respond Bright's last text, He left Bright's apology text on seen and no  love songs prepared them for that kind of heartbreak.

Bright's new apartment is already being decorated and furnished they were ready to move into it straight after the wedding.  It was a failed attempt but Bright tried to make amends with Josh. He suggested they do atleast some decorations together in their new shared space, they’re going to be married afterall they need to try to get along anyhow. But Josh shot his idea down by saying that it was someone else’s job and he doesn't have time to waste on such things.

Bright wanted to do it though, he wanted to be barefoot in the kitchen with paint stained skin, singing along to the radio, carefree and happy just like the last time. He was craving for that time once again. He wanted him to hold his hand and spin him as the daylight dimmed. Bright came to a reality he can’t have this with the person he's marrying, he doesn’t want any of those things with Josh either. He wants it with Win. Win gave him a sweet taste of heaven in reality which he can’t forget and now the reality taste bitter and cold. It leaves a sour taste in his mouth.

Gulf apologize to Bright "I’m sorry, Josh saw me out shopping and he’s sneaky, I didn’t even see him until Mew told me he was behind us, it was too late to hide then". Bright shrugs "It’s fine. It wasn’t your job to protect me, I shouldn’t have put it on you in the first place" then Gulf ask "Do you love him, the lawyer? Was it all worth it?". Bright replied "Does it matter? It’s over now, I can’t see him anymore. There’s no use in thinking of the past".

Bright has been avoiding his mother for a week. He was, trying to figure out how to bring up the contract without throwing Win under the bus. He needs to be clear headed when he does bring it up he can’t say something he has to regret later. But now it’s only a week until the wedding, and time is running out from Bright's hand So Bright makes a plan, takes his mother out for lunch, he will say it’s a celebratory lunch not that they did much for the wedding, Everything was done by Green. It was just an excuse to go out though, to get together and his mother won’t question it, why would she? Pam barely pays attention to Bright's at the best of times. There’s only one person who pays all the worlds attention and sees right through him. He won’t ask Win for any more information, he has given him enough information to go on.

Bright always led a sheltered life and where he felt grateful but he also wishes he had more life experience. There was very little life experience that could prepare Bright for confronting his  mother about the contract. It’s only a week until the wedding Bright has hardly been able to breathe. There’s a strong gut feeling that he’s making a grave mistake by marrying Josh and allowing the contract to go forward.
So Pam meets Bright at the restaurant and Bright tries his hardest to prepare some sort of script, but he knows he won’t stick to it. He will let all emotions get the best of him.

Bright decides to dive straight into the deep end there’s no use in waiting. He ask after ordering the food "Mom How’s the contract going? Have you finalised it yet?" Pam shrug "Just a few little bits left to change, I’m sure it will all be drawn up and signed by next week". Bright atleast figured out when his mother lies to him. Bright hums it's now or never and said "That’s  good, Am I getting a good deal?". Pam slowly nods and lied again "You’re getting fifty percent of the company, which is equivalent to the whole of what it is now since it’s doubled".

Bright then quickly ask "What about when it gets sold at the end of Josh and Mine marriage contract?". Pam instantly freezes upon hearing her son it was almost comical to see Pam shocking face she ask "What are you talking about?". Bright replied "Mom, I’m not stupid, I know you think I am but I’m not. I know there’s a reason for the twenty five year of marriage contract, you’re planning on selling it.... or planning on us selling it when all that’s over. I just want to know why?"

Pam stated "I wouldn’t expect you to understand this company matter..". Bright snaps "I’m taking over the company. Do you not think I need to know? Do you not think I have a right to know?". Pam respond "It’s not just that. The whole thing with Vincent is complicated. You won't understand". Bright ask "Then explain it to me, because right now it seems like you don’t even want me to take over my father's company. Then Why the fuck I have to marry Josh. Why did we have to merge our well settled business with them". Pam weekly said "Bright You will not understand". Bright stated in demanding tone "Alright if you don’t explain it to me then I swear to god I won’t go through with this nonsense wedding, I’ll break the contract and leave you and this company for good. Deal with it yourself."

Pam froze and stares at Bright weighing  if he is bluffing. Bright is not bluffing, he doesn’t need any more of an excuse not to go through with it and his mother knows that. Pam sigh dejected and started confessing "After your father died, I needed some help with money. It was always your father's who look after everything then Suddenly all of it was on my plate. You were just a teenager, I couldn’t expect you to help so I asked Vincent, it was just supposed to be a short term thing. But soon after Vincent help us we went again in debt  the research side was good, but we weren’t getting the contracts. I made an agreement with Vincent that if he helped us more we would share our research. He wanted to take it a step further, their contracts are good but their research was lacking, we decided to merged longer than you think, but Vincent wanted something solid in return.
Vincent didn’t wanted Josh to take over alone. So we agreed that once you  finished your College and had started working in research centre you two would go into marriage contract. Vincent and I decided that after the 25 years is better the company should  get dissolve. He’s worried what Josh will do. He is going to dominate the company and ruin it all"

Bright said in demanding  "So you thought you’d just throw me under the bus? You thought you’d make me a solid contend as Josh to take over?". He hasn’t even processed half of what she’s just said. Pam shook her head, tears run down to her eyes. Bright knows his mother It’s all fake, there’s no way she is sad for him. she’s the one who started this game. She could have just let the company go, she could have gone to anyone else for help but instead she put Bright into an arranged marriage with no warning, with no intention of them even keeping the company. Bright demand again  "How much do I get when we sell the company?" Pam stayed quiet and Bright ask firmly "Tell me, don’t you think I deserve to know?". Pam gulped and said "I got it up, Vincent wanted you to have fifteen percent because of how much our debt he paid off, but I got it up to twenty five". Bright laugh "Twenty five percent? I’m running fifty percent of the company for twenty five percent? You can’t be serious Mom. When were you planning to tell me all this?"

Pam was Silence. Of course she wasn’t going to let Bright know may be after twenty five years from now it won’t be her problem then, it would have just been a major blow to Bright. How naive! Bright has been thinking this was just an ordinary contract, he should have known the second the Vincent were involved it was going to be a big trouble for him.

Bright whispered with shaky voice "I don’t know if I can do this. I didn’t want to marry Josh. He’s awful and now you tell me all of this is because the company was in debt? Why didn’t you just give it up?" Pam softly muttered "Bright how could I. Your father and I built this company from nothing, he had just died, I couldn’t give all that up". Bright demand "So instead you just damned me to a life with Josh for not even half of the company at the end of it. It’s not even about the money, I don’t care about that. It’s that you’ve thrown me at Josh as a way to get yourself out of debt". Pam cried and said "Do you not think I feel awful about this? That I didn’t try all other options before going down this route?". Bright flatly stated "You obviously didn’t. You feel bad enough to even tell me about it until a few weeks before I had to sign the contract".

Next is last chapter don't forget to attend the wedding of Bright and Josh 😜