Family Business

Chapter 47

William decided to walk to his fathers house. To mentally prepare himself for what he could expect. He was scared of his father.

As he walked he passed police station and wondered if he would be better off in prison or killed by his father. He was still wondering this till he reached the front door of his house.

Just as he was about to knock, the door opened and his mother Helen appeared, looking worried.

"Oh its you, I thought you were John." She mumbled letting him in.

"Dad called me over. He said there was a family meeting." William said, not disturbed by his mothers behaviour.

"Yes, everyone is waiting in the hall." Helen said coldly.

William ran his fingers through his hair nervously as he sat down next to Cristy who was busy texting. She only looked up when she saw him arrived and gave him a nod.

Aaron was there too, sitting by the window and smoking. Aaron looked the calmest among them, puffing a smoke every few seconds, looking out.

"Where is Dad?" William asked Cristy but she just shook her head and continued to text.

Feeling anxious William stood up just as the door bell rang and Helen charged towards it.

It was John.

"Where have you been? Are you ok?" Helen whispered to him quickly.

"Everything is fine." John said casually and walked past her to the rest of the family.

"I'm so glad you made it William." John said with a smile that sent a shiver down William's spine. "There is so much that needs sorting out and I thought best if we do it face to face."

William's throat became dry. What was he talking about?

"John, what's going on?" Helen said coming between them.

"Darling, everything is fine." John said with a sinister smile. "Let's continue this conversation downstairs, shall we?

John indicated the bookshelf in the living room as he spoke and William realised with a jolt that Adam still  lay on the table in there.

He glanced at Cristy who also exchanged a nervous glance at Helen before he followed them down the stairs behind the bookshelf.

Aaron was hovering behind William as though making sure he couldn't bolt.

As they entered the room, William noticed that Adam wasn't there, the incinerator was on. Again he glanced at Cristy. This time she looked at him. Clear horror etched upon her face.

"Dad" William began, his throats so dry that it came out as a croak but John held his hand up to silence him.

"To run this business successfully is to be perfect. I have meticulously run the show without raising the slightest doubt." John said.

"What is this?" William wondered looking at Cristy questioningly. She only shook her head in response.

"What I want is, for this to continue after my time." John continued "I will not have my family's name tarnished by the mistakes of the new leader. Therefore I must choose wisely."

"How can I choose? Between my flesh and blood and the one I love just as much?" John said and Aaron let out a funny noise.

"Then I realised it's not about what I want anymore. It's about the work I have done. And I must do what is necessary to keep this business running smoothly, not just for me, but for all the people involved."