Chapter 82: My Only Love

Ashton's POV

My siblings and I are already gathered inside the library of our mansion. It seems like yesterday that I was here when I had my talk with my father regarding my football career. Right now, I couldn't believe I was already a father to a seven-year-old boy, and he is the most adorable child I have ever seen. Maybe it was because he is my son, and I couldn't stop myself from missing Megan and Axel, and I was hoping Mr. and Mrs. Corteza would be coming with us tomorrow in Majuscule, and I will drive them to Megalopre right away.

My father cleared his throat the moment he got inside while my mother was following behind him, and there is no denying Gregory Pritzgold is back to his old self. I could see the way he looked at us, his children, and I know our Father loves us, but he has his way of showing it to us, and I wondered why he turned out this way when our grandpa Henry was so different from him, and I could tell our grandfather raise him well with so much affection and care.

"Thank you, all of you, for coming home, and I wonder why we need to call or text you before you will visit us. None of you got a family of your own, and I think it is odd that you are enjoying so much of your life without thinking about your parents." He said in an authoritative voice.

"Dad, we all wanted to come home, but it feels like you will always be the same Gregory Pritzgold that we knew," Lennon responded, and my father looked at him with irritation on his face, and I could tell his statement shocked our beloved father.

"What is that even mean, Lennon?" He asked, and I could feel my father's disappointment by my brother's answer.

"We are your children, but it feels like you are giving us a memo and not a message as a father; we are living in fear of you, and I think it is about time you should show us you are our dad and not our boss." My brother bravely responded to our father, and I wanted to clap my hands, but I remained silent as I listened to them.

"Lennon, you have no right to tell me what to do, I am still your father, and I will always will. I am still the owner of our company and properties even if I have already made a last will. Still, lately, I revised it to make it more profound," He said in a stern tone, and we were all surprised with his declaration, and yes, even if he asked me to take over the company, I am aware my father still owns everything.

"I could still disinherit anyone who will try to oppose me." He said as his eyes looked at Lennon and then at all of us.

"Honey, Lennon was right; they are our children for heaven's sake, they are not your employees, and I guess it is about time you show them through your words and actions that you are a dad, and not the business tycoon Gregory Pritzgold." My mom interjected as she held dad's hand, and I smiled; I have never heard her talk against dad, and this was the first time she spoke what was on her mind in front of us, and it makes me so proud of her. And it made my father's face soften, and I felt relieved, and I thought he would get angry.

"I allowed you to discipline them, but it is enough already. Haven't you realized our children don't want to see us? Honey, we are already old, and we need them; you became so busy all your life working, and let me remind you, it was for them, all your hard works and sacrifices." Our mom added.

"And now that your dad's company is number one globally, I think you should give it a rest and let us enjoy our remaining days with our children. I don't want to grow old and die alone." Our mother continued as she looked at us one by one with love in her eyes, and I wanted to get up and hug my mom, but I didn't want Dad to get more upset with us.

"Lenore, you know why I did all of those things to them? I don't want them to suffer and live their lives in poverty." He responded, and my mom softly laughed.

"I don't think our children will end up poor even if the company gets bankrupt, they are all intelligent, and God bestowed them with good looks, and you don't need to worry about them anymore, they all graduated in college, and they will be fine without us," Mom responded. Dad looked at her for a long time, and I know there are a lot of reasons why I hated my dad ever since I was young, but there is one thing that I love about him, and that is his love and respect for our mother.

"Okay, but this is the last thing I will ask them to do." He said as he looked at our mom, and our mother nodded her head in agreement.

"I wonder why none of you got married, or in a relationship, I am getting older, and I don't want to die without seeing the future heir of our company, and as a general rule of our family, Ashton's eldest son will run the company, but I could tell it is not happening soon." He said, and I suddenly felt nervous about what was on his head right now.

"So, I made a decision, and I revised my will, whoever got me an heir either it is a boy or girl, that grandchild of mine will be the future heir of the company provided I approved the mother of your child, and that is my only condition, and I am sorry Ashton for doing this to you." My dad said, and my shoulders sagged, and I know my father will never 

like Megan, and all my siblings' eyes are on me, and I did the most sensible thing; I got up from my chair before I could say something terrible to my father.

"Ashton! Don't you dare walk out from me! And don't tell me the rumors I heard were all true?" My father shouted, and I stopped in my tracks and took a deep breath and turned around and looked at him, and I could see the anger on his face.

"What do you know, dad?" I asked.

"That you are going crazy with that woman again, how could you, Ashton?" He asked.

"Are you really my father, or am I adopted? How could you dictate your children whom to love?" I asked, and his mouth hung open.

"I did everything I could to follow what you want. I even gave up one of the things I love the most, you knew my love for football, but as a father, you never supported me once; it hurts me that during my games, I couldn't see you on the bleachers while my teammates' fathers were shouting their sons' name on the background feeling so proud. But I understood you were a busy man." I declared.

"I am always the star on every game, but I was the only player who felt so lonely after every game, and I left Megan because you threatened me to ruin her family, and do you know for eight years I was living my life pretending to be happy even if I was dying inside? I was living in hell, dad," I added, and I could see his anger intensify, but I no longer cared.

"And now I realized you are the worse father I have ever known for making your children suffer, and you don't have any plan to make us feel we are your children. But one thing I am sure I will never abandon my son and let him feel he doesn't have a dad." I said, and I walked out of the library without taking a second glance, feeling so piss as I closed the door with a loud bang.

"Hey!" I heard Isabelle's voice, and I was on the clearing sitting on the grass, and I felt so glad the moon illuminated my favorite place. She sat down beside me while I saw Cole and Lennon put a cooler in front of me, and even if I felt so angry with our father, I laughed as I saw my brother pull out bottles of beer. Cole handed me one bottle, and I mumbled my thanks as I took the cold bottle from his hand.

"Why are you here, guys?" I asked.

"Because we love our brother, and there is no way we will be like our father, bro," Cole answered.

"Yeah, don't worry, Ashton, we know dad was out of bounce, and he has no right for doing something like that; it was a ridiculous idea, but don't worry, we will never get children until dad accepts Axel as the only heir of the company," Lennon said.

"Ha! He will never accept Axel, guys, and you know the reason, dad will never accept Megan whatever I do, and you know I could never love anyone else because she will always be my only love." I said as I released a heavy sigh, and my siblings were looking at me with sad expressions on their faces.

"Well, I know dad will come along, and I am sure his heart will melt the moment he met Axel." My sister stated.

"I think he already found out about Megan and you, and of course, about Axel," Lennon added.

"Yeah, and that is why he revised his will, and I couldn't believe that he will be playing this kind of scheme; we are no longer children who will always be afraid of his rules," Cole said, and we all agreed with him.

"I am sure dad still has his men monitoring all our activities, and I couldn't believe he will turn out to be like this again, and I guess our father will never change." Isabelle's said as she lay on the grass, and we all followed her. And as I looked at the night sky, I realized how I miss my son.

"Don't worry, we will find ways, we will support you, Ashton, until dad will surrender, and I wonder how he will react the moment he realizes Cole got a boyfriend, and I am sure he will disinherit you, my dear brother," Isabelle said. 

"I don't care, my boyfriend loves me, and he said he will never abandon me if ever dad finds out the truth about my identity." My brother said.

Cole confessed he was gay when I was in freshman in college, and we loved our brother and accepted him for what he is. We all protected Cole from our father's prying eyes, and mom knew about Cole, and she was cool about it, and our only problem was Gregory Pritzgold.

I don't think I can discuss this matter with Megan because I am afraid she will push me away, knowing I will lose the company if I do not find another girl. I know her personality. She will always think about what is best for me, even if it means breaking her heart into pieces. But it will never happen again; there is no way I will leave Megan and Axel, they are my life now, and I love them so much, and losing them means I will lose the meaning of living.