Just For You

Chapter 24: Zeus

22 years ago

"ZEUS TOLLIVER!! Get in my office now!" Father's voice rang through the manor halls. I hauled my little ten-year-old legs as fast as I could to get to him.

          I took a calming deep breath before I walked into his office. He was standing over his desk, nose flaring.

          I looked down at the ground instinctively. "Yes, Sir?"

          He glared at me, rushing over to me. It took everything I had not to flinch. "I got a call from your homeroom teacher; she said you've missed four assignments. Why?" He was still yelling.

          I really hate private schools. Why do they call him about everything? Why not call Mother?

          I swallowed and put my hands behind my back. "I l-lost them, and I was t-to afraid to ask to replace them."

          He stood over me. He would never stand at my level. Even though he's ten times my size, he doesn't want to be seen as weak. "That isn't an excuse? How the fuck do you lose some paper anyway? You're inability to be organized will have bad effects on this family. On the business, you and your siblings are supposed to run. Get your shit together."

          I lost them because he dragged me out of his car after school one day and made me do my homework in his office. When I didn't finish at an appropriate time, she beat me all the way out of his office, telling me to get out of his face.

          When I went to get my school folder from his office, it was gone. I assumed he just threw it away because he didn't care to look at what it was.

          He raised his hand at me, and I cringed. "Are you not going to apologize? For embarrassing me like that? Having to have your teacher call me."

          I don't want to apologize. I did nothing wrong. I will not apologize. He must have read the disobedience, as he liked to call it, on my face because he pulled his hand back further and swung at me, slapping me across the face.

          The impact was so strong I fell to the floor. I heard a loud gasp come from behind me. He hit me so hard that my eyes started to water. I hated crying in front of him. It just spurred him on.

          I turned around, holding a hand to my face, when Mother walked in, a look of horror all over her face. She kneeled down to me, cupping my face. "Zeus..." she whispered my name.

          She looked back at Father, holding me close to her chest. "How dare you?! How dare you lay your hands on my daughter!?" she yelled.

          He scoffed, running his hands over his hair and combing it back. "The kids need discipline. It's the only way my methods have worked. It's just some times we have some hiccups." he looked at me.

          Mother's mouth gaped open. "Have you been doing this to all of them? H-have you been hurting my kids?"

          I nodded my head, answering for him, and she looked down at me. Her entire face had gone pale.

          "Our kids. And no, I haven't been hurting them. I've been teaching them. There's a difference." he said, walking over to his desk and sitting down.

          Mother helped me up, tears falling down her face. "Go pack important things. And go find your brother and sister. Tell them to do the same." She said to me.