Chapter 7

~Thomas~

A trifecta of perfection- Wealth, Sophistication and Charisma

I sat in my opulent office, surrounded by the finest artwork and lavish furnishings, puffing on my cigar as I reminisced about my vast wealth. The smoke swirled around me, carrying the sweet scent of success. My eyes, piercing and calculating, gazed out the window, overlooking the city skyline.

As the founder and CEO of Velox Aviation and Motors in short, VAM, I had built a business empire that dominated the luxury landscape.

VAM's portfolio boasted an impressive array of high-end vehicles and private jets, catering to the most discerning clientele. With a reputation for uncompromising quality and unparalleled service, VAM has become the gold standard for luxury transportation.

My mind wandered to the latest addition to our fleet: a custom-designed, state-of-the-art private jet, tailored to meet the demands of the world's most affluent travelers

As I sat there, my mind began to wander to another one of my passions - women. Beautiful, delicate creatures that they were, I had always had a weakness for them. But sadly, no matter how beautiful they were, I could never seem to stay committed to one. My eyes would always wander, searching for the next prettier face.

"God really was a good artist," I thought to myself, chuckling at my own inability to resist the charms of the opposite sex.

Just then, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening behind me.

I turned to see my Father, standing in the doorway. Instantly, I stubbed out my cigar in the ashtray, my expression shifting from relaxed to guarded.

"You don't just barge into someone's office," I said, my voice firm and laced with irritation.

"Oh, you mean, I can't barge into my son's office?" He replied, his tone indifferent.

He walked over to my desk, his eyes scanning the documents scattered across it.

"Those documents are confidential" I warned, trying to set boundaries

He ignored me, sifting through the papers with a brazen disregard for my privacy.

His expression remained unrepentant, a sly smile spreading across his face.

"Can you at least pretend to be happy to see me?" he asked, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

"You're invading my privacy."I snapped

He looked up, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I came to bond with you, my son," He said, his voice empty of genuine emotions

"Too late, Dad. You had your chance when I was young, but you chose to be a philandering playboy over being a present Father” I scoffed

"And look how you turned out – just like me." He chuckled, seemingly proud of the fact

"I'm a reflection of your finest quality," I said, resentment betraying my voice

"At least have the decency to thank me for saving your life," he demanded

"I didn't ask for your assistance.” I shot back

“Oh, son. You looked like you were at death's door. I'm glad I showed up when I did” he said, his expression radiating self-importance

I'd had enough of his games. I walked over and snatched the document from his hands, my eyes blazing with annoyance.

"Stop joking around," I spoke through gritted teeth, "Why the hell did you come here?"

My father's expression changed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded me. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something else in his eyes, something that looked almost like... a warning

But it was quickly replaced by his usual smirk. "Can't a father visit his son?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Don't play dumb, Dad. You didn't come here to bond or catch up. What do you want?”

“I came to settle some scores," he said, his expression turning serious

A surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins"It better not be what I'm thinking," I said, my eyes searching his face for answers

He raised an eyebrow, but his expression was unreadable.

"Tell me you had nothing to do with Timothy Stanford's death," I demanded, my eyes locked on his.

His response was unexpected. A deep, rumbling laugh erupted from his chest, growing louder until it became almost infuriating and I felt my annoyance spike.

“You think I just go around killing weak men?” he choked out between guffaws.

I stood my ground. “I saw the way you and Tabitha greeted each other. I know you two have a past”

He wiped tears from his eyes, still chuckling. “I’m not gonna lie, Tabitha looks better than ever... but she's my past. I'm too busy to bother with killing her husband just to get in her bed.” He smirked. “My voice alone would open her legs wide, anyway.”

I felt a surge of disgust. “Dad, come on.” I groaned, my disgust evident

He leaned in, a sly grin spreading across his face, “So, what's with you and Tabitha's daughter-in-law? Have you fucked her yet? No judgment from me. Tabitha's son does look like an asshole.” he says with a wink, clearly enjoying the provocative topic

I rolled my eyes. “Not yet.”

Dad's grin grew wider, clearly amused by the situation. "Well, don't let me stop you. She's definitely a catch."

"Dad, focus. We need to talk about the reason you're here” I said, trying to steer the conversation back on track

He chuckled, holding up his hands in mock defense. "Okay, okay. I'll behave." But his expression turned serious, and he leaned in closer. "Listen, kiddo. I know you think I'm involved in Timothy's death, but I'm telling you, I had nothing to do with it. I did place a call to Tabitha that I was coming over to Los Angeles but that's not why I am here" he paused, looking at my face as if to get a reaction

"Some of our shipments got halted," he said, his tone steady and subdued, "And let's just say, our business associates in Vegas are getting a little... restless," he said, allowing a hint of tension to seep into his voice

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the hint of tension in his voice. "What else, Dad? Shipments getting halted isn't exactly unusual, and our associates in Vegas can get restless over just about anything."

He leaned in, his voice taking on a grave tone. "This time, it's personal, kiddo. There's more at stake than just delayed shipments or unhappy associates."

"You could've sent Vinnie or Marco to handle it. Why did you come all the way yourself?”

"You're right, kiddo. I didn't have to come myself. But I did, because... I'm retiring. It's time for you to come back home and take over the family business."

"I'm not interested, Dad. I've built a new life here, one that doesn't involve... all of that." I replied, shaking my head firmly

Dad's expression turned stern, his eyes narrowing. "You can't just walk away from who you are, kiddo. You're a part of this family and this family's business. It's time you took your rightful place…”

A light knock at the door interrupted us, and before I could respond, the door swung open, revealing a tall, imposing figure. His chiseled features were set in a stern expression, his eyes blazing with anger as he fixed me with an icy stare.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit, Andrew Stanford?" I asked, annoyance evident in my voice.