Dear Father How....

White-hot anger replaced any sentiment Zane previously felt. Both his father and the younger woman he was in the middle of kissing both looked equally startled by his presence. Based on the way the back of her shirt was hitched up on her back, it seemed that more than a kiss had been planned. Bernard being the quicker of the two to recover spoke first.

"Zane, what are you doing here? I didn't receive word that you would be coming home today. You have been ignoring my calls and text from previous days. What is the meaning of that."

"Get out." Zane ignored the older man's question, focusing on the woman who shrank under his ice-cold gaze. Tucking herself further against his father as though the older man could protect her. The older scarlet tightened his grip on her waist, narrowing his eyes at his son.

"Who do you think you are to tell her what to do? You might be my son but I am the one who is in charge of this estate." Zane stalked forward, holding himself at his full height as he approached the other's desk. Slamming his hands on the table, he leaned down so that his face was mere inches from the others. The older man didn't even bat an eye at the power display.

"You really think that you're in any kind of position to be saying that right now? I highly recommend for your sake that in the future you refrain from being in such close contact with damaged goods. They'll end up contaminating you."

"What a rude way to address this young woman here. One of your potential dates no less. You should learn to show more respect and class." Both kept their gazes locked on the other. This didn't stop Zane from letting out a sharp, derisive laugh. His hot breath brushed against the older man's face.

"Bernard, I wasn't referring to the lass on your lap." The older Scarlet's expression changed as though his son physically slapped him with his words.

"And don't you even try to put this off on me. Even if this woman here could've been one of my dates, there's no way I would take her now. I will say once again that she will leave now before I take it upon myself to remove her." Zane's fingernails dug into the desk as he leaned forward even further. His breath came out short in huffs. The only indication of his barely controlled anger.

Bernard wasn't about to move on this matter but the young woman seemed to take care of the matter herself. Pushing away from the older man despite his attempt to hold her, she managed to free herself. Jumping off the other's lap, she scuttled out of the office as quickly as she could.

"Don't leave here just yet. I want to talk to you later." Zane didn't look away from his father but could tell the woman heard him by the slight pause in her movements.

"Close the door." Bernard ordered as he leaned back in his chair. Somehow managing to regain his composure despite the situation. Zane didn't move though. His emotionless gaze remained fixed on his father. Nails still dug in the desk in order to refrain from getting physical with the other. He couldn't stop his hands from trembling through from the mixture of anger and adrenaline.

"Why? Worried that your reputation might get damaged?" Bernard rolled his eyes.

"Get over it already. You were the one who just told me days ago I should think about getting myself someone else to be with. I don't see why you're making a big out of me making sure the woman would be good enough to satisfy you."

"Satisfy me? Oh, that's very rich father. Considering I'm not the one even seeking out a potential partner right now. I don't even remember you checking with me to see what I might be looking for. Don't even think that you can blame this one me just like you try and blame everything on everyone else." Zane took in a deep breath before slamming his hands on the desk again. This action startled the older man who had turned away from the other.

"I honestly cannot believe you sometimes. It would happen on the day that I come to visit you that you manage to ruin it as always. Can't you just try for once to do something that would make me actually want to come back here?" Bernard glared at the other.

"You're my son. You will show me more respect than that. You don't get to make such requests because as your father, I know what's best for you and what you need. Both in this situation and when I call you to come back here. Until you take over after me, you will remember that I'm your father and your position is under me."

"As my father? Really? You think that you deserve a title after everything you've done these past few years?" Zane scoffed.

"You hardly deserve that title. I only call you that out of habit. It used to hold meaning to me but somehow over these past few years, you have managed to destroy that." Running his hand through his hair, he turned away from the older man.

"Dear father... how is it possible for you to actually make me hate you more than I already did. For a while, I was actually starting to believe that meant it when you turned everything around." He missed the look that passed through his father's eyes as the older man stared at his back.

"Now though, I think I was right in the first place to believe that it wasn't anything more than a poor act put on by you to fool everyone."

"I loved your mo-"

"You have no right to speak of her!" Zane snarled, whipping around to face the other as he cut him off.

"You never deserved. Not from the beginning, not when she shut up and sucked up dealing with your infidelity until it made her sick and killed. Certainly not now that's no longer on this earth. She's twice the person you could ever be." Bernard opened his mouth to retaliate but shut it quickly when he saw the look on his son's face. The young mafioso stared at him as one would when faced with the most disgusting piece of trash they'd ever seen.

"I can't stomach standing here in front of you any longer. I also can't promise that I would be able to control myself should one more word come out of your mouth." Zane didn't wait for the other to say anything before leaving the office.