Sacred Madness

XX. Turbulent

Mark was greeted by a man who appears to be in his late 50s as he entered the large room which he was all too familiar with. The said man was thin but he was tall and has a few strands of gray hairs. The most striking feature was his eyes. It looked like that of someone who has seen so much violence in his life. It was piercing.

"Ahhh finally. My son, take a seat." The man beckoned him to come. He was smiling but Mark can still trace an underlying malice in it.

"Good evening dad." Mark greeted after sitting down. "What do want to talk about?" He asked right away. This room was giving him unsettling feelings and he wanted to get out as soon as possible.

"Well. You see, your old man has an illness and so my days are numbered."

Mark did not even feel anything despite the fact that his father just told him he's dying. Perhaps he had hated his father, but mostly because Mark doesn't really care. He doesn't really care enough to hate him.

When his mother died, Mark was left seeking for someone else's warmth, and he tried finding it with his father. Of course the man provided him with everything his money can buy but that's just because he's obligated. But the young Mark thought that was affection, and so for long, he had learned to live with him.

"I decided that only one of you will be the heir." His father continued speaking. "I won't split my properties. One will have everything and the other needs to get the fuck out of my house without bringing anything."

"Father." Mark's pupils dilated with the words that he's hearing coming from his father's lips. Of course Mark have heard worse things from his father but still, his cruelty always left him speechless.

"We all know that none of you are my biological children. You should even be thankful that I let you live in such luxury for all your life."

Mark shook his head in disbelief.

The man leaned back on his chair, his intense gaze directed towards the wine bottle on the table. "I know your brother is a homosexual. You think I wouldnt know all of the shits you've been doing while I'm away?"

His father poured him a glass of wine, staring straight at him as he handed the liquor. "And Ive heard that you've been hanging around with a pretty boy lately. Too be honest, I couldn't care less about your sexual preferences, you two can be faggots all you want but too bad I have a reputation to keep." His father poured a shot for himself, eyes still drilled at the boy in front of him. "Only the three of us knows that were not related in any ways but everyone thinks that we are. And Mark, my dear child, I don't want to die in vain."

"What do you mean?" Mark asked as he settles down the now empty wine glass on the table.

"Simple." The man said while pouring another glass of wine for Mark. "The first one to get married and can give me a grandchild will be the heir and the other one will be disowned. I will not allow a homosexual to continue using my last name." His father had an ecstatic smile on his face, he looks genuinely excited like he was just playing some random games. He was taking this lightly, too lightly for Mark's liking.

"Count me out then." Mark said with confidence before standing up. He was about to leave when his father spoke again.

"Are you sure you can live on your own Mark? Do you think I will allow you to take even just a single penny from me? I will make sure that you will leave this house with nothing. Not even a single piece of clothing." His father suddenly burst into a hysterical laughter and it took a little while before he composed himself. "I still have a year to live which means you still got a year to straighten your shit." He continued before raising his glass filled with wine in the air. "This is for you Mark. I'm rooting for you."