Frosted

XIII ~ Ryan

I wanted to bang my head onto my glass desk. Nobody could do anything right in the damn place.

Due to some idiot's mistake, an entire batch of AI watches had to be recalled. The watches were apparently missing the screen. So Hale Tech had just shipped a bunch of leather straps.

I freaking love my job.

I called the product supervisor and gave him a piece of my mind. "They seem to have vanished, sir," the man said defending himself.

I ended the call by briefly threatening to fire him.

I spun my chair around to face the floor-to-ceiling window behind my desk. The skyline of Gercalais City was full of high-rise buildings, but none reached the height of the building in which I was standing.

I need a drink. With this job, I always did. People my age never shouldered such responsibilities, why did I have to? I should be out partying, or getting drunk.

I strolled over to the other side of my unnecessarily enormous office where a table with an assortment of alcoholic drinks perched. I chose one an poured myself a half a glass.

As I sipped on it, I heard a sharp knock on the door. "Come in," I answered. A tall man with blond hair like mine entered the room.

"Drinking, son?" Father pointed out.

"Just a glass." I poured one for him and sat back down at my desk. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

He walked over to the window. "I miss this view," he said, his one hand in his pocket.

Cut the bullshit, old man. "It is splendid. But I rather prefer the one from my bedroom window."

He laughed. "Those slums?"

"Not every house smaller than yours is a slum, Father." I finished the rest on my drink. "You said the same thing about my place when I bought it."

"Nasty Street is no place for the son of a Head Director."

"It's Nashtier. And it isn't all bad, Father. The people are wealthy, just not as much as you."

"Us," he corrected. "Don't forget, you are still a Hale, son."

Sometimes I wish I wasn't.

He swirled the drink around in the glass before draining it. I rose and stood beside him. The afternoon sun shone into my eyes. I took a step back and waited for Father to speak.

"I don't think you're only here to admire the view," I said, breaking the unbearable silence.

He waited a few moments before answering. "You know damn well why I'm here, boy." His voice was barely a whisper, laced with an underlying threat.

I tried not to show my discomfort. He knows. "I don't understand."

"Then allow me to make it clear for you, boy. I told you to pull out of MaxCorp. You disobeyed me. The money is being wasted, Ryan. Stop the donations now," he ordered.

I don't know from where the confidence arose, but I was sick of him thinking he could boss me around. "Or what, Father?" I taunted, my tone matching his. "I think you forget that I'm an adult, no longer the little boy you once knew. And I run things here."

He glared at me. "Don't forget," he said through gritted teeth, "I own Hale Tech. One board of directors meeting is all it will take to kick you out.

"You gave me the responsibility of running Hale Tech," I responded, my voice rising. "For two years I've been running around, trying to straighten the messes that you created right here, in this office. All I have been doing is busting my ass getting this company back in profit." I leaned on my desk, crossing my hands. "So intimidate me all you want Father, but if it's a coin toss, I think we both know who the board will side with."