Page 94 of Ms Perfectly Fine
Tim removed the cheques. The first returned his investment with interest.The second was for the house Autumn had been renting for the last six years.
“What is this?” Tim scoffed, his eyes narrowing.
Elijah leaned against the table and spoke calmly; the last thing he wanted was an argument. “I sold the game to Nirosoft to buy out your investment. My company now has the capital to stand on its own.”
Tim looked as though he would rip up the cheque. Not that it mattered; Elijah would write another. He doubted his father would want to bring the contract to court and have it revealed that he was his son.
“Is this a joke? We had an agreement,” Tim protested, tossing the cheques to the table.
“We signed a contract stating that Randell Investment would invest in Kyloware Inc. Nowhere in the contract did it say you had rights to the game or anything my company produces,” Elijah said.
Tim shook his head. “You would do this to your own father?”
Elijah took a deep breath before he continued, careful not to react. “You have your money back, plus a healthy amount of interest. Your board will be happy; many weren’t keen on the investment in the first place. Real estate and tech aren’t exactly in the same lane.”
“Why would you prefer to sell your work to your biggest competitor rather than work with your own blood?” Tim asked, pulling at his tie.
“My own blood? You put my company in a chokehold to force a relationship with you,” Elijah said, clenching his fists beneath the table. “I won’t have the company I’ve spent my life working towards be used as a bargaining chip.”
Tim put the cheques back in the envelope, not bothering to even look at the second cheque, which Elijah was sure he would have got a kick out of if he hadn’t been so pissed off about the other.
“I never wanted to force you to do anything. I never thought you could despise me so much as to do this. I wanted to help you because I wasn’t there for you in the past,” Tim said.
Elijah felt his chest tighten. He wanted to believe that his intention was pure, but after years of being pushed into the shadows and now only being addressed because of his success, he just couldn’t fully trust his father.
Tim put down the envelope and began to pace behind his chair. Elijah had thought he would feel relieved, even satisfied, at seeing his father blindsided, but instead his scheme felt shallow, leaving an ashy taste in his mouth.
“Please sit. I don’t want to fight about this. I understand if you wish to sever ties after this, but I won’t be forced into your life.”
Tim ran his hands over his face. “Your company is your own. I won’t interfere any longer, but should you need help in the future, I will help you,” he said at last. “I…I did force your hand, and I apologise.”
Elijah thought he must be dreaming. “And the strings?” he asked. There had to be a catch.
Tim shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. “No strings. Is it really so bad to want your son in your life?”
Elijah felt like he had been slapped. He tried to keep his voice steady. “Where were you for the first thirty-odd years of mine? You’ve never acknowledged me as your son, and if my company wasn’t ranked the next tech company to watch, I doubt you would have even picked up my call.”
“I can see how my actions have hurt you. Tomorrow, I’ll tell the board of your decision and that you’re my son. I’ll inform them that it was in both of our best interests to dissolve our working relationship,” Tim said gruffly.
“You expect me to believe that?” He had to be bluffing. “That simple?”
Tim reclaimed his seat and leaned towards him. Elijah could see how serious he was, and suddenly felt like he was the one being blindsided.
“I admit I handled the investment poorly. I didn’t know how to approach you; I didn’t know where to start,” Tim began. “When you asked for my help, I knew I wouldn’t get this chance again to make amends with you. I’m an old man. I don’t care as much as I used to about the opinion of others, and I wish I had cared less in my youth. You and your mum deserved far better than me.” There was genuine sadness in his voice.
“I understand wanting to make amends, but you forced me to live with Autumn to keep an eye on me,” Elijah said. He’d felt as though he was on house arrest—though Autumn with himhadmade his jail time sweeter.
“Yes, I went too far in trying to keep you close. In all honesty, I really didn’t think it would be an issue. You both needed a bit of push; the pair of you only think about work and take no time for yourselves,” Tim said, leaning back into his chair.
Elijah rubbed his forehead, trying to figure out if his father was being sincere or whether he’d been possessed. He was right, they had both been stuck in their bubbles.
“Speaking of Autumn, you might enjoy what’s left in that envelope,” he said, looking at the envelope.
Tim removed the second cheque and tilted his head. “What’s this for? Don’t tell me you’re trying to buy me out of my own company?” He chuckled.
Elijah smirked. He had no interest in investments. “The house. I want the house for myself and Autumn.” He couldn’t wait to see Autumn’s face when he told her. It would no longer be her house or his, it would betheirs.
“This is far above the asking price,” Tim muttered, and then settled into a laugh. “Well, it seems I did something right when it comes to you.”
