New Strategy?

Ryder’s POV

"I'm not buying this shit." I snapped, glaring hard at my father. I didn't care if he was in debt or whatever.

My father was the most selfish person you'd ever meet on this earth, so this bullshit of "trying to protect my legacy" wasn't going to work today.

"You don’t get to decide that, Ryder." Robert shot back and began to take a few strides toward me, "This family’s future depends on you."

"All my life it’s been about you," I yelled, causing my throat to burn. "If it's not about your company it's your damn legacy. Where the fuck do I fit in that? Have you ever thought about what I want?"

A grin formed on my father’s lips, and I wasn’t surprised, not even a little. He never really cared. I knew his begging was just another tactic to make me do what I didn’t want to do.

"You think life is about what you want?" My father said, the grin still tugging on his lips, "Grow up, Ryder. I’ve built this empire with my blood, and I'm not going to fold my hand and watch you ruin it."

I slammed my fist against the wall, trying to hold myself back from landing a punch on my dad's annoying face.

"So now it's my fault?" I chuckled. "You've made a bad business decision, and now I'm the cause? Listen to yourself..."

"Ryder listen to me... This affects all of us, and if you were in the business you will understand—"

"I’m not marrying Lira." My voice dropped, "Not for money or for your debts! I’m not saving you this time, father."

His brows furrowed. "Why the fuck are you—"

"Alive?" I stared straight into his eyes...

"That's not what I wanted to—"

"Oh spare me that Father." I cursed under my breath. "I’ve been trying to live outside Cade’s shadow my entire life," I spat, shaking with rage. "But you never let me. Never."

"Don’t bring up Cade." His spat.

"Oh, so you're the only one capable of bringing up dead and gone people into conversations?" My nostrils flared, "But you never shut up about Mother. You throw her name around every time you want to chain me to something I never asked for."

"Ryder stop!" My father's eyes reddened and I could swear I saw a tear threaten to leave his eyes.

"Oh no, we're having this—"

"Enough..." His voice broke and I noticed how hard it was for him to hold himself from crying.

The room grew calm and quiet that you wouldn't just hear the sound of a pin drop but be able to find it.

My father walked back to his study desk and began to pick up a few files and pile them up while I watched in silence.

He stacked the documents up and then walked up to me, "Ryder," he took a deep breath, "I know I’ve failed you in many ways. Made you do things you didn't want to do. I chose the schools you attended, the courses you took. I have been programming your life and I want you to know it's not because I don't love you." He paused and stared at me.

I didn't say a word, I wanted to see where he was going with this new tone and line of speech.

"I know my ways of showing love might be new and different. I don't expect you to accept me that way, I just want you to see that I'm trying to do what's best for all of us." My father said gently. I didn't blink, let alone make a sound.

"Here..." My father handed a document over to me.

"What's this?" I hesitated.

"Just go through them. See for yourself." My old man said.

I took the documents from his hand and began to go through them.

If I weren't staring at the letterheads and the signatures in these documents, I would have thought my father had faked them just to get back at me.

My father wasn't lying this time. He wasn't playing games or trying to manipulate me. Maybe he had played those tricks in the past, but right now, he was telling the truth.

"How could you have let this happen, you are—"

"I've been judged by my advisors, lawyers, please... I can't handle one more judgment." The tears in his eyes were becoming clearer. I wasn't dreaming.

"What do we do? How do we solve this?" I asked.

"Marry, Lira, please... You don't have to stay with her forever. Just stay for a year or two. Please save us."

"I'm sorry. I can't." I replied and turned to leave, but he caught my wrist.

My father's grip wasn't strong, but it was enough to stop me.

"Don’t walk away from me, Ryder. Not now. I've shown you the papers. I'm toast... Please."

I froze. Completely conflicted. Darian's voice kept ringing in my head and at the same time my father's...

I knew I had to make a decision immediately, but I just couldn’t figure out which one was the right choice.

"Fine," I turned and met his teary eyes, "I'll marry Lira. But just for a year." I mumbled, "And seven days? That's insane. You'll have to push it to a month if you want me to play along."

"Thank you, son." My father's expression softened, and before I could process what he called me, he had already wrapped his arms around me. "A month it is, whatever you want."

"You might want to start making the calls now," I whispered, as I pulled away gently from his shackles.

"You're right. Thank you very much, son." Robert said, grabbed his phone, and began to punch numbers.

Son? Now that was new.

I left my father's room with a smile on my face. This was what I wanted, for my father to finally see me. See my importance, but just as I took a few steps away from my father's, my chest became heavy with shame.

I didn't know how I was going to face Darian after this. I had told him that I was going to call things off, but apparently I didn't.

I had to explain things to him, so I headed for his room, praying he wasn't going to be very mad at me.

But the moment I placed my fingers on his doorknob and was about to push out open, I heard my name, "Ryder!"

Without turning, I knew who had that voice, Lira.