Chapter Three

Family Feud

Meanwhile, back at the Vanguard Estate, Elias sat at the back seat of his car as his driver drove into the parking lot of the large building that towered before them. A place where Elias once called home when he was younger but now it's like an empty shell of his younger self. He had felt that way ever since his mother's death and he wouldn't stop blaming his father for her death. He had watched him beat her to pulp whenever they had a little argument.

He had always cried whenever he remembered his mother. She had committed suicide because of how Dr. Reginald, Elias' father, treated her. Elias might have been young but he wasn't blind nor deaf. He saw everything, the evening beating, the early morning argument. When his mom had committed suicide Dr. Reginald had lied to the rest of the world that she was suffering from a mental illness. Dr. Reginald called it bipolar disorder, what an intentional and precise liar.

The car came to a halt as the driver walked out of his seat and opened the door for Elias. Elias was hesitant at first, but walked out of the vehicle, he stood outside staring at the large building before him. He shoved his hands inside his pocket and brought out his glasses which he wore on his face as the glasses sat gently and undisturbed on his pointed nose.

He walked into the building with Austin, his driver, walking  behind him at a calculated pace. The building was grand, a testament of the wealth of the Vanguards. The room reeked of old money and expensive champagne. Dr. Vanguard, Elias's father, sat on the sofa in the living room. Immediately Elias saw him, he turned walking to take the elevator instead of the stairs. Elias and his father had a strained relationship ever since his mother's death.

“Elias!” Dr. Vanguard called out, his voice old and raspy, a proof of old age.

At first Elias pretended not to hear him but on Dr. Regina second calling, Elias halted on hearing his father's voice from behind. He stood there for a few moments, his gaze lowered on his shoe and the hem of his white sleeves that were still stained with red wine. He had tried to cover it with his coat but he couldn't. After standing there for a few seconds, he walked up to his father sitting on the couch opposite him.

He placed his leg on the other bringing out a pack of cigarettes from his side pocket as he lit it up with his mobile lighter. He drew smoke in and exhaled, filling the room with cigarette smell that mixed with the smell of old money and expensive champagne that once filled the room.

“I got a call from the Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Richard. Why weren't you at the business meeting yesterday?” Dr. Vanguard asked. He coughed, covering his nostrils with his palm.

“Do I really need to tell you that?” Elias said, his gaze fixed on the cigarette held in between his fingers as it burned slowly.

“Elias, you're the heir of the Vanguard Conglomerate Group. Why don't you act like one? Where were you yesterday? Were you out having sex with women and drinking yourself to death?” Dr. Vanguard yelled, his voice raspy as he let out a heavy cough.

“At least I'm not sleeping with men. Moreover, since when did my life outside these walls become your concern?” Elias asked, placing the burnt out cigarette on the ashtray on the table before him.

“You're my son Elias! You're the heir of my company! Everything about you is my concern!” Dr. Vanguard yelled.

“Liar!” Elias spat out. “I only became your concern after my mother's death. Enough with those cliche lines. I see you've been watching a lot of telenovela” Elias said, his grip tightened on the box of cigarettes he held.

“I have told you not to ever bring your mother up again.” Dr. Vanguard yelled.

“Why? Did I lie? You were never there for me on important days. During my highschool graduation you weren't there for me, it was always mom. My university matriculation and convocation you weren't there as well. You always gave business related excuses.” Elias yelled, he jolted up finally squeezing the box of cigarettes in his hands throwing it on the table before him.

“I was always there for you and your mother. I was out there working hard for the wealth you're enjoying now!” Dr. Vanguard yelled.

“Stop lying to me!” Elias yelled, walking close to his father till they were inches away. “I won't allow you to use me as your puppet just as you did with mum. Mother was just a means to an end for you, if you ever truly loved her you would have done something when she was dying but instead all you could do was punch her till the little life inside of her jumped out!” Elias yelled.

Smack!

A loud sound echoed through the room as Dr. Vanguard's hands came in contact with Elias's face. “How dare you? I am your father!” Dr. Vanguard yelled. “Don't you ever say such words to me. I loved your mother as much as I loved. You all meant the whole world to me. How dare you utter such a blunder right to my face!”

Elias stood still, his face still in pain from the slap. “Father?” Elias scoffed. “That's a title you didn't earn, you were nothing but a murderer, I wouldn't be surprised if killing someone was your love language but don't you ever think you can play that game with me!” He straightened up as he walked out on his father heading to the elevator. Austin stood by the door side that acted as a cranny as he watched the whole event unfold.

“Elias! Elias!” Dr. Vanguard yelled.

Elias was unfazed as he kept on walking towards the elevator. His face still stings but he couldn't care less about the pain on the outside. What hurt the most was eating him from the inside.

“Ahhh.” Dr. Vanguard yelled, placing his hands on his chest as he fell on the sofa.

“Sir! Sir!.” Austin said, running towards Dr. Vanguard who sat on the sofa grunting in pain. “Your BP has spiked. I'll take you to the hospital right now.” Austin said as he supported Dr. Vanguard up.

Elias's resolve remained unfazed as he walked upstairs into his large expansive bedroom. He entered his bedroom, locking the door behind him. Everything reminded him of the past, of the life he was trying to forget that he had.

“Ahhhh.” He yelled into the space of the room.

He walked towards the mini bar at the corner of the room bringing out bottles of wine which he throwed on the floor. The cold carpeted floor was filled with different kinds of wine spilling over and broken bottles.

He walked towards his bed jumping on it as he laid his head on the pillow.

Ding! Ding!

A notification popped up on his phone screen. He picked up the phone staring at the text message.

“The Vanguards launch event of the “Aurielle Couture” fashion house happens in three days' time. You need to go shopping for your outfit for the day.”

It was a text from Raj, Elias' personal secretary. Elias' grip tightened on the phone.

“I'll find a way to ruin the launch event!”

Elias thought and he was truly going to do it.