Taking a walk

Knoxville seethed with indignation as he slid into the car, his anger simmering just below the surface. He couldn't believe the audacity of Mr. Lionel, thinking he was entitled to arrange a marriage between him and his daughter. The very idea that their relationship could go beyond business and into the realm of family ties was laughable. Knoxville's gut twisted with disgust as he thought about it.

He wanted to order the driver to take off, to get as far away from the absurd proposal as possible, but he knew he had to wait for his father. So he sat, fuming, his eyes fixed on the door as he waited for his father to emerge.

After a few minutes, Mr. Ricardo finally appeared, his guards opening the door for him with a nod. "Why did you walk out like that?" he asked, his voice even but laced with a hint of curiosity.

Knoxville scoffed, his expression incredulous. "Because I wasn't interested in that discussion," he replied, his tone dripping with disdain. He couldn't believe his father was even asking, as if he should be considering the proposal. The very idea was ridiculous.

"Don't tell me you're even considering that!" Knoxville demanded, his voice rising in indignation. He glared at his father, his eyes flashing with defiance.

Mr. Ricardo's expression remained calm, but his voice took on a persuasive tone. "You know Lionel is our best client, he spends billions of dollars in our company every month. We can't afford to lose him to our competitors. It would be a huge loss for us."

Knoxville's face reddened with anger. "You must be kidding me, Dad!" he thundered, his fists clenched at his sides. "I'm not going to get married just to secure a business deal. And you'll have to work with my own pace, not try to force me into some arranged marriage. Moreover, you have another son. Why can't Maxwell do that?" he exclaimed, his voice echoing through the car.

Knoxville's rebellion was palpable, his refusal to be swayed by his father's arguments clear in every line of his body. Mr. Ricardo's calm demeanor seemed to be wearing thin, his patience stretched to the limit by his son's defiance.

"You will not raise your voice to me!" Mr. Ricardo thundered, his face reddening with anger, his eyes blazing with authority.

"I'm not raising my voice," Knoxville shot back, his tone firm but controlled. "But don't think about trying to match me with someone again," he warned, his eyes flashing with a hint of rebellion.

Mr. Ricardo's expression turned calculating, his voice dripping with greed. "I won't stop until you bring the woman you want to marry to me," he said, his words dripping with manipulation. "You know the benefits if you marry Lionel's daughter. Since he doesn't have a son of his own, it will be more beneficial for us. We'll gain control of his empire, and our family's wealth will soar."

Knoxville's disgust was evident on his face, his lips curling in distaste. "You're only thinking about the money, aren't you?" he accused, his voice laced with contempt. "You don't care about my happiness or well-being, just as long as you get what you want."

"Who told you I don't care about you?" Mr. Ricardo protested, his voice rising in defense. "I'm just being business smart. As a businessman, you have to be calculative."

Knoxville's expression was incredulous. "I should have thought about it," he said, shaking his head. "You and Mr. Lionel are birds of the same feather. All you want is to secure your business; you don't care about me."

With that, Knoxville opened the car door and stepped out, his movements swift and decisive. "I won't do this with you," he declared, his voice firm.

Mr. Ricardo's face fell, his eyes widening in surprise. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Knoxville took a deep breath, feeling a sense of liberation wash over him. "I'm getting down from your car; I need some breathing space. You should go back to the company without me," he said, his eyes scanning the surrounding area.

Mr. Ricardo's expression turned calculating, his voice smooth as silk. "If you're not going to go with me in this same car, why not take the other one? We came here with four cars," he suggested, his eyes glinting with a hint of manipulation.

"I am not taking any of these cars," Knoxville declared, his voice firm and resolute. "Secretary Tyler, get my father back to the company safely," he instructed, his eyes flashing with anger.

"And I think, since you're his close person, you should talk to him," Knoxville added, his voice laced with frustration. "Everything isn't about business. Sometimes family love matters really well."

With that, he slammed the door shut behind him, the sound echoing through the air. His PA, Henry, who had been observing the exchange from another car, quickly got down and approached Knoxville.

"Sir, what happened? Did you have an argument with your dad?" Henry asked, concern etched on his face.

Knoxville took a deep breath, his expression still simmering with anger. "Henry, just go with them. I'll be taking a walk," he said, his voice firm.

"Take a work, how's that even possible when there's four cars here? If you can't be in the same car with him, then join the other car," Henry said, trying to reason with Knoxville.

But Knoxville didn't reply, instead, he started walking away, leaving Henry confused on what to do. Henry knocked on Mr. Ricardo's car window, "Sir!"

But before he could say anything, Mr. Ricardo said, "Since he wants to take a walk, follow him. No matter what form of transportation, we will still arrive at the same place."

The driver whine up the car window, and they drove away, leaving Henry to run after them. "Wait, sir! What should I do?" Henry called out, but Mr. Ricardo's car was already speeding away.

Henry was left standing alone, watching as the cars disappeared into the distance. He took a deep breath and started running after Knoxville, who was still walking away from the scene. "Trek, wait! I'm coming with you!" Henry called out, trying to catch up to his boss.