Five

DAVE'S POV

Throughout the journey, I was preparing myself for the argument I was going to be having with my parents over the same topic for the last three years.

The car stopped in front of Styles Company, the Fashion company owned by my parents. I stepped out to see that the white-colored concrete building has been replaced with royal blue glass with the company's name calligraphed boldly at the top.

The men in suits ushered me inside and I covered my head with my hood as the door opened. I walked toward the elevator with five men surrounding me and I could hear the whispers of people asking who I was.

Over the years, I had managed to keep myself away from anything related to the company except the money I get from it though. My parents didn't mind because my brother was ready to take up the responsibility of succeeding after them which made me relax but little did I know that things would take a different turn and I would be pressured to take the responsibility I have been running away from. But I promised myself that I wouldn't give in to that pressure no matter what.

We stepped into a private elevator that took us to the top floor. The reactions of the employees there were the same as the ones I came across on the first floor. Everyone knew the name Dave Mendez but they didn't know what he looks like. I had been living a low-profile life not wanting to live with the power and pressure that came with my family's name, and I planned to keep it that way.

I was greeted by my mother's voice the moment I stepped into my dad's office, "Thank God, you're finally here." She stood up and pulled me into a hug, kissing me on both cheeks. "Why didn't you come home yesterday?"

"I didn't feel like it." I moved out of her embrace and sat on the couch.

The door opened again and a slim tall lady with long raven hair walked in with a suit. "Here's the suit you asked for, Mrs. Mendez."

"Thank you, Lena. What would I do without you?" She took the suit from her."How is it going in the meeting room?"

"The shareholders are getting restless and demanding when the meeting is going to begin but Mr. Garret is trying to calm down," Lena replied.

My best friend, Nixon Garret was the directing manager of the company and from what I've heard from him, the lady standing before me was the New Head designer, Lena Fernandez. For some reason, he wouldn't stop talking about her whenever we spoke on the phone since she started working in the company last year.

"We don't have much time." My dad stood from his chair and approached me. "Change into the suit and let's go."

"Yes, hurry up." My mom removed the bag covering the suit. "We arranged the meeting for 8:30 and it's already past nine." She took my hand and tried to pull me up.

"Mom, I'm not attending the meeting." I removed my hand from her grab.

"What do you mean you are not attending the meeting? It was arranged just for you," my dad voiced out.

"That's exactly why I'm not going."

"Don't start this again, Dave. We let you be for good two years, it's time to step up on your responsibility. You can't keep running away forever," Mom added.

"Sir, the shareholders are leaving." Nixon barged into the office.

"Do something to stop them," my father yelled at him.

"Just let them go, it would be a waste of time if they stayed." I leaned back into my seat with my hands folded.

"Dave, what is wrong with you?! How long do plan to keep this up?" Dad raised his voice as my mother sat on the single couch in defeat.

"Till you give up on trying to make me your successor." I shrugged.

Nixon and Lena noticed that the conversation was getting heated so they excused themselves from the room.

"You are our only child, If you don't succeed us who are we supposed to leave all my fortune to?" Mom asked in a low voice with tiredness written all over her face.

"I don't know. You can adopt a child or something."

"Listen to yourself. Your brother worked night and day for the growth of this company and you want me to hand it over to someone who doesn't have the blood of the Mendez family running in his vein." He moved closer and towered over me. "Do you think your brother will be happy with that decision? Daniel would have wanted you to continue from where he left off and keep the family legacy going."

"Enough!!!" I stood up to match his height. "Stop trying to use my brother against me. Daniel worked his butt off for this company and what did he get in return? I'm not planning to end up like my brother, so please just let me be."

I hated it when they tried to play my brother's card on me. "Your brother would have wanted this, your brother wouldn't be happy with this," they always say just to let me do what they want.

My brother was the person who understood me more than anyone else. When my parents tried to make me join the company, he convinced them to let me do what I want because he knew very well that I didn't like the fame and power that came with being a Mendez. He promised to help my parents with the company and he did a great job which made my parents relaxed that the company would be just fine when my brother took over.

But everything took a drastic turn when the cold hands of death took my brother away three years ago. Three months after he left, I was mad at him because his death could have been prevented if only he paid more attention to himself.

"Dave, this is a responsibility you must take, you don't have a choice." Dad glared at me.

"I have a choice. I won't do it and that's final." I walked past my father toward the door. Holding the doorknob, I turned to look at them. "I hope you don't bring up the conversation ever again." I opened the door and walked out.

I knew that they wouldn't give like that and would try to look for other means to make me change my mind, but I would be ready for them when they come.