Bounded by Secrets

"Bound by Expectations"

Jack, Rimmy, and Kevin arrived back at Ren's headquarters, and the atmosphere was far from relaxed. Kevin had called Jack into his office for a serious discussion. Jack walked in, his usual calm demeanor shadowed by the weight of the situation. Behind him, the giant black dog he so often kept by his side trailed in, its presence immediately causing a visible shift in Kevin's mood. Kevin hated that dog, but he bit back his frustration, trying to keep his composure.

Jack took a seat on the other side of the desk, his posture stiff. Kevin sighed deeply, looking at his son before speaking. "My dear son," he began, his voice taking on a tone that tried to mask the anger simmering underneath, "You very well know how much your late mother and I love you. You were our firstborn, Jack. I don't think you'll ever understand how uncontrollably your mother loved you... and I loved you too, more than you can imagine." Kevin paused, his gaze hardening as he locked eyes with Jack. "But, there's a condition to that love. You follow me. You follow my rules. And when you don't? You're smart enough to understand what I can do."

Jack kept his gaze down, the weight of Kevin's words sinking deeper. "And now, you've resigned from the company-*my company,* the one your mother and I built from the ground up. One of the most reputable and wealthiest companies in the world." Kevin's tone darkened. "Do you realize the level of embarrassment this brings to us? To the company? Why would anyone else trust it, knowing that one of its future ambassadors, its heir, abandoned it?"

Jack's face remained unmoving. Kevin observed his son's expression, searching for some sign of guilt, but there was nothing. Jack had heard this speech before, and it had lost its effect.

Kevin continued, his voice growing more controlled. "Jack, I know you know that this is the nicest way I can approach this. Otherwise, I could *force* you, but I know how much you hate that."

That was the tipping point. Jack couldn't take it anymore. His voice cracked as he finally spoke up, the weight of his emotions spilling out. "You don't get it, Dad. The pressure... the tension... Every time I do something, every single thing, you all blame me. You want perfection from me, and when it isn't enough, I'm the one who gets the blame. *Is* that how you want me to live? I can never be enough for you, for anyone!"

Before Jack could say more, Kevin's frustration peaked, and he slapped Jack across the face with a sharp crack. The sound hung in the room. Jack flinched but didn't raise his head. His hand instinctively went to his cheek, and in that instant, tears began to well in his eyes. He fought them back, but it was too much. He buried his face in his hands, trembling as he began to cry.

Kevin stood there, conflicted. He wanted to continue the reprimand, but seeing Jack break down in front of him made his anger falter. He didn't know what to do. The silence was broken when the door opened slowly. Ren stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable, though the tension in the room was palpable.

Jack didn't even notice him at first. He kept his head down, his shoulders shaking with the intensity of his tears. But Ren, sensing the situation, moved forward, kneeling beside Jack. He reached out and gently played with Jack's hair, lifting his head up by it.

"Stop. Stop crying," Ren's voice cut through the room like a command. "Stop. You're not a kid anymore, Jack." His voice softened, yet there was an edge of concern in it.

But Jack couldn't control himself. He stood up, his face flushed from the tears, and turned to leave the room. Ren sighed heavily and asked Kevin, "What happened to him?"

Kevin's tone was surprisingly calm, almost a touch wistful. "Nothing. Just his usual mood swings." He turned to shout out the door, "Rimmy! Go after him before he does something crazy!"

Rimmy, who had been waiting just outside, nodded quickly and rushed into the room, eager to comply. Kevin's gaze lingered on the door where Jack had just left, a mixture of anger, concern, and frustration playing across his features.