Desirable

~47. Chipped Diamond

"You blew it! You completely fucking blew it!" Brad yells, kicking over a small table that held a vase of flowers. 

The harsh crash of the expensive glass made Louis wince, glass and water spread on the marble floor. Joyce quickly emerged from the couch in the grand living room, she crosses her arms and frowns.

"Bradley! My mother bought us those flowers!" 

"I gave you every chance, every opportunity in the world, to make your future successful - and you throw it right back in my face!" he steps closer to his son,  glaring at him with his face reddened with anger. 

"Dad, it was my stomach. My stab wounds were hurting and-"

"And whose fault is that, hmm? That bloody girl you always hang around!"

"Bradley, you can't blame it all on Clementine. It's the man's fault who did it." Joyce tries to reason with him, with a calm well-spoken voice. 

Brad ignores her. 

"Ever since you started being around her, you've gotten into nothing but trouble!"

"No, dad! She's-"

"Listen to me, son-"

"NO, YOU LISTEN!" Louis steps closer to his dad with his eyebrows furrowed and jaw tensed. "MY GIRLFRIEND ISN'T THE PROBLEM, YOU'RE THE PROBLEM! YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME; ALL THESE EARLY TRAINING PLANS, PREPARATION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS - IS ALL FOR YOU, NOT ME!" 

"YOU THINK YOU CAN RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME?! WHEN I PAY FOR YOUR FOOD, SHELTER, EDUCATION, A LUXURY LIFESTYLE? THAT YOUR 'GIRLFRIEND' IS CLEARLY JUST TRYING TO GET A PIECE OF?!" 

Louis chuckles, "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"What? You think she would still want you if you didn't have a penny to your name?" 

"Leave her out of this."

"She's a delinquent, Louis! A young, stupid, dangerous, gold-digging, useless delinquent! I've raised you better than to hang out with whores like her!"

"Bradley!!"

"I said.. LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!" the younger boy yells, aggressively pushing his father away from him. 

Joyce approaches the boys as soon as things get physical. However, she was too late. 

Without warning, Brad brings his hand up and slaps his son with a harsh brutal force. The sharp sound of the contact echoed in the hallway, making Joyce gasp and her hands fly up to her mouth. 

Louis' head turns as a result and a whimper leaves his mouth as a result. Carefully cupping his cheek, tears well in his squinted eyes and fresh blood begins to trickle from the cut. 

Brad looks down at his hand with wide eyes, where he notices blood stained on his diamond-crusted band ring - a diamond had chipped sharp and sliced the skin of his cheek. Still, he didn't regret it. 

"You worthless boy! I give you everything you could ever want and you act like a complete idiot and embarrass me in front of people. You are a disappointment, not only to me, your mother, but to the whole family name!" he shoves his chest, making Louis stumble on his feet. 

"Bradley, that's ENOUGH!" Joyce stands in front of her tall son, pushing her husband away. 

"Why are you trying to defend him, Joyce? He's a fucking DISGRACE!"