The Return $ Succession

S1E03. Old Acquaintances

John pulls up to the sprawling estate of Nan Pierce, where he plans to meet with her about a matter of great importance. The imposing property conjures memories of a life of luxury that John was once a part of, a life that he's long grown accustomed to living without. He exits the car, the memories of a distant past tugging at the corners of his mind as he faces the opulent facade that once welcomed him, a facade that now feels like a relic of a world he has been separated from for too long.

Once he's inside, he is ushered into an opulent office where Nan awaits, her presence commanding the room with a quiet, powerful, yet reserved intensity. Nan rose from behind her desk, the years of life experience carved into her face like ancient tree rings, she looked different. John approached her with caution and the slightest hint of awe, the memories of his time working with her family. They had been close once, yet now, so many years later, they stood in different places, separated by a distance both literal and emotional. But perhaps this meeting could bridge that gap.

"It's been too long," Nan said warmly, the years of absence having done little to dampen her charisma. John stepped forward and embraced Nan's hospitality with a slight warmth of his own. "You're right about that," he agreed. "It's been decades since you and I spoke, each heading off in our own direction. A lot has changed, yet a lot has stayed the same." Nan studied him quietly, her sharp eyes piercing beneath the thin veil of kindness. John felt something within him shift at her gaze, returning him to a past he had long since put behind him.

"I don't know how to take this... look of yours" he said.

"So many things have changed in the last two decades," Nan replied 

"Yes, they have."

"I don't know what led us to drift so far apart..."

"I think we both have a good idea." With a sigh, heleaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting from Nan to the view of the sprawling estate beyond the window. The moments of silence stretched across the room like an invisible force, their shared history and mutual tension slowly devolving into an anxious anticipation for what might come next. John's mind swirled with the memories of their shared past, the feelings of hope and anticipation he had once held fading into a faint tinge of bitterness and regret.

John finally looked up at Nan, a faint hint of hope and trepidation in his voice. This was the moment, he knew, that could determine the future of the Roy family and his place within it. "I've... come back for a reason, Nan."

"I suspected as much."

"I know it's been a long time, and a lot has changed, but the Roys still need me... I mean... yes."

Nan watched John with a critical eye, her gaze piercing as she weighed his words against her intuition. John had come here seeking resolution, and Nan knew that only she could help him find it. "The Roy family has indeed been brought low by Wambsgans and Matsson. The last few months have been a tumultuous and challenging time for Waystar and the Roy family," she said with almost a sight.

"That's why the family; it still needs me. I need to be a part of it again."

"What makes you believe they still need you, Johnny?" she seemed troubled now, "After so many years, after so much time away, what do you think you could possibly offer them?"

"Let me be honest here, there's nothing I can do for the company. It's the kids I care about, especially Shiv."

"I understand."

"Logan destroyed them."

"Oh, please, don't start on that. Logan destroyed you way before you came to me. His feud with you started back when you were friends Caroline back in the UK," Nan yelled.