Supernova||Book 1 [Wattys 2024]

Episode 16.1 : Reality Check

The drive to his father's was swift, but Jorah seethed with every passing mile. The memory of what had happened with Nine and that damned picture his father sent replayed in his mind, fueling his anger. By the time he arrived, his temper was dangerously short.

"What exactly do you want?" Jorah demanded the moment he stood before his father.

"Come." Hezlo replied. He pointed to the chair opposite his. "Sit"

"What do you want?" Jorah repeated, refusing to sit

Hezlo sighed and steepled his hands. "Fine, let's talk.I need you to come back to the company full time."

"Like hell I will" Jorah's frown deepened.

"I really believe it's in your...best interest " Hezlo's tone was deliberate.

"My best interest? Or yours?"

"Our interests are the same aren't they?"

"No.They are not."

"Then perhaps we should discuss how they can align "

"How many times do I have to tell you? I want nothing to do with you."

"I'm afraid that's impossible, " Hezlo replied. "For quite a few reasons."

"Get it through your head." Jorah gritted his teeth and pointed an index finger to his own head. "I'm NOT coming back."

Jorah's patience snapped. He turned to leave, but his father's next words stopped him cold. "So I take it you don't care about what happens to...your friend."

Jorah's heart pounded in his chest. "I told you to stay away from him."

"I won't go near him," Hezlo said, raising his hands as if in surrender. "I won't need to."

Jorah's eyes narrowed. "What are you going to do?"

Hezlo smiled, a shadow of satisfaction in his eyes. "What I do depends entirely on you."

"Upon me how?" Jorah narrowed his eyes.

"Have a seat." His father invited him again.Jorah begrudgingly sat. Seeing him comply, Hezlo smiled a bit "Drink?"

"Don't push it." Jorah frowned. "What did you mean that happens depends on me?"

Hezlo took his time pouring himself a drink, never breaking eye contact with his son. "The picture I sent you."

Jorah's fingers twitched. "What about it?"

"What do you think would happen if those pictures became public?"

Jorah kept his face impassive, but his mind raced. He knew his father too well—this was a game of power, and Hezlo was determined to win.

"It seems that in his line of work, some issues can be quite... damning," Hezlo continued, his voice deceptively casual

"I don't see where you're going with this" Jorah looked at his father.

"It's simple." Hezlo's patience wore thin. "If you return to your rightful place, I won't release these pictures to the public." Jorah clenched his fist under the table. "Even if your friend is in that kind of industry, I'm sure you both attempt to keep your private lives private no?" Hezlo looked squarely at Jorah and took another sip. "I'm not sure how his career would look if these pictures were supposed to see the light of day."

Jorah finally frowned.

"Why should anyone care about what he does in private?" Jorah tried to minimize the weight of the hand his father thought he had.