2. Birthday Present

He stood in front of a mirror at eight o'clock this morning, combing his hair and spraying himself with perfume. At that moment, a knock came on the door. He went to the door and found Uncle Elias, an old servant of the house, standing there with a letter in his hand. "That's for you, sir," he said, then closed the door and left.

It was his birthday, and he knew that every birthday Uncle Elias gave him a letter to read. He didn't focus on them; sometimes he opened and read the first line, and sometimes he ignored them entirely. He knew that every letter contained unnecessary suggestions and advice that seemed useless to him.

Ryan saw the letter with his name on it, marked "Happy Birthday," and underlined with a bold, "Must read it." He tossed the letter onto his bed without opening it and continued to comb his hair. Then, he turned to the bed, picked up the note, and opened it, intrigued by the insistent words.

He never bothered to read them. However, this day was different—it was his 20th birthday.

He opened the letter and began to read:

"My dear son,

I hope you're having a wonderful birthday. I'm not sure if I'm a good dad, but I know that I am very fond of you. I've been sending you letters before, although I don't know if you've answered them or not, and this time I made it clear to you that you need to have a look at them. I'm going to meet you and give you a birthday present. Be ready by two o'clock today; my driver will pick you up at two o'clock. Goodbye.

Your father, Mr. Edwards."

After reading this, Ryan was surprised. Why does he want to meet me now when he hasn’t bothered to see me in several years? I've been alone, and I was fine with that.

But there was no choice for him. Now, it was time that he had to meet with his dad. He thought he would finally get answers: Where had he been all these years? Why had he abandoned him?

It was an extremely hot day at 1:50 p.m., and he stood on the main road, waiting for his father's car.

Sweat dripped from his forehead due to the intense heat. He kept looking at his watch, angry with himself for leaving the house ten minutes early.

He checked his watch again—it was exactly two o'clock—and a white car stopped right in front of him.

The driver requested Mr. Ryan to sit in the car via the window.

Ryan stared at him at first, then opened the car door and sat down. On the way, he kept wondering about seeing his father after so long, unsure if his father would recognize him or how he would recognize his father.

He had the impression that his father had never wanted to meet him all these years and that his father didn't love him.

Then suddenly, he shook his head and dismissed the ridiculous thought.

After half an hour, the car stopped in front of a graceful, bungalow-like office. The driver got out and opened the door for him.

A short girl, wearing a white shirt and black skirt, greeted him warmly as he exited the car. "Welcome, sir."

Ryan acknowledged her with a faint smile and followed her inside.

Two guards outside an office snapped to attention and saluted him. Momentarily perplexed, he paused before continuing. The girl approached the reception desk and inquired about Mr. Edwards.

The receptionist's gaze fixated on Ryan as she picked up the phone to call Mr. Edwards. After a few minutes, she informed them that Mr. Edwards was in his room and granted permission to proceed.

An elevator awaited them. They stepped inside, and as the doors closed, a silence settled between them. After a brief moment, the girl asked, "Are you truly Mr. Edwards' biological son?"

Ryan replied simply, "Yes."

The silence persisted as the elevator carried them to their destination. Finally, the doors opened, revealing the corridor leading to Mr. Edwards' room. With a shared sense of purpose, they began their journey, Ryan's apprehension evident with each step.

As they walked down the corridor, an office with elegant glass doors caught their attention. The girl opened the door and gestured for him to wait inside. "Sir, please wait here. Mr. Edwards will join you shortly."

Seated in a chair, Ryan observed the room. The atmosphere was tense as Mr. Edwards entered, causing Ryan to become alert. The door swung open, and Mr. Edwards approached, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Ryan rose and embraced his father warmly. "How are you, my son?" Mr. Edwards asked affectionately. "I'm good," Ryan replied with a faint smile.

Ryan's eyes never left his father, noting any subtle changes. Despite the years apart, Mr. Edwards remained a loving presence. However, Ryan himself had changed, now showing noticeable aggressiveness.

Mr. Edwards sat in a rolling chair and began a heartfelt conversation, recounting his years of solitude. Ryan listened silently. Finally, he mustered the courage to ask, "Why haven't you lived with me?"

Mr. Edwards, his eyes moist, struggled to compose himself. He admitted that he had wanted to be by his son's side but was restrained by Ryan's mother’s disapproval.

Suddenly emotional, Mr. Edwards rose and retrieved several files. With a gentle smile, he extended the property files to his son, intending to transfer the business to him. As the sole heir, Ryan was to take charge of the enterprise while continuing his education.

Ryan was shocked that his father still wanted to give him a financial present. He didn't care about my emotional needs, he thought. Silent and deep in thought, he suddenly spoke.

"I don't need the business, Dad. You always think about money and status. What about my emotional needs and support? Do you know who I am now is completely because of my own efforts? And you know what? I don't want to talk about that woman who was unfortunately my mother. She abandoned me, and then you did the same." Ryan said and left.