Page 38 of Never To Suffer (The Hollywoodland #4)

PANIC ATTACK

THE GLORIOUS SONS

I wake up to the alarm I miraculously remembered to set, still exhausted from a late-night phone call with my new personal psychiatrist. My shower takes longer than it should, daydreaming and jerking off to the thought of him and how he looks at me with those hazel eyes.

I hurry to get dressed, and take out the foundation and concealer Dani taught me how to use, getting to work covering the tattoos on my face and neck.

Once I put in the contacts and slick my hair back, I complete the transformation.

I grab the rings out of my bag and slide them on.

They’re not special, they’re not even expensive, but they give me just that bit of assurance that I’m still me under all this bullshit.

I snap a picture and shoot it off to Theo with the caption: What do you think of your corporate boy toy?

Stepping out into the hallway, I find Oliver there with his arm raised, ready to knock. With a wink, I walk past him and to the bank of elevators, pulling my jacket on as I go.

“You coming, Oli?”

His hurried footsteps run past me, and he jabs the down button. “Sorry, Mr. …err... Xander. I hadn’t anticipated you being as…punctual. Especially after how late you were out last night.”

“Bro, just because I hate being professional doesn’t mean I’m bad at it.

I’ve been doing this shit since I was five.

Relax.” I rub my temples, still unable to shake the headache I’ve had since landing here days ago.

Listening for the doors, Oliver taps me on the shoulders.

I open my eyes again and I’m greeted with a bottle of pills I can’t read, but the graphics I recognize from back home.

Finally, the good stuff. So far, I’ve only had the generic shit Oli’s been giving me from a first aid kit he found in the office.

“Oh shit, I love you! I got like two hours of sleep. I can’t adjust to the time difference and trying to find the right time to FaceTime my new man? Impossible, bro.”

“Most people have trouble adjusting to the time difference when they contact friends and family back home,” he assures me with a smile. “These are the strongest tablets they had in the shops.”

“You’re a lifesaver.” I open the bottle and pop three into my mouth, swallowing them dry and regretting that a moment later. I should have checked to make sure they were the coated ones—they’re not.

Oliver escorts me through the building and across a pedestrian bridge, avoiding the morning rush of pedestrian traffic.

It reminds me of an ant farm, everyone moving with purpose toward their individual goals in life.

I hate everything about it. When we get to the offices, my father already sits behind a giant oak desk that makes him look both older and smaller than he is.

Enormous windows look out over the city and modern furniture that clashes with his desk fills the room.

“Ah, Alex! Glad to get you into the office. Sorry it took an extra day; contract negotiations are a bear.”

I replay a conversation with Theo about boundaries in my head and take a deep breath. “Dad, these trips gotta stop. I’ll let you and mom parade me around LA, but no more travel, and only on my terms.”

“Right. We can discuss that later.”

“I don’t want to discuss it, Dad. They’re done.”

“Fine. Let’s get through today before you throw any more demands on me, though.

I have an announcement to make, and I need to focus on that.

So will you.” He picks up a stack of files and looks at Oliver for the first time.

“Oliver, please take five minutes to acquaint my son with the new computer system and get him signed up.”

“Signed in, sir, and yes, right away.” Oliver nods and moves across the room to a large cabinet, pulling out a drawer that has at least five new tablets still in their pristine white boxes.

He turns and nods toward a door in the back of the room.

“Follow me, I’ll get you set up in your temporary office while IT runs their updates. ”

Not once in all the years I’ve been playing business with my father has he ever given me an assistant, an office, or a single piece of technology.

When Oliver walks me into a space adjacent to my father's, more than one warning bell goes off in my mind. I try to shake off the feeling, flopping down on the couch across from the desk. My hands cover my face, and contemplate passing out, but Oliver announces he’s done, and when I check my watch, I’ve spent fifteen minutes lost in my mind.

“Just in time, sir, here’s your tablet. You should be capable of completing the registration and setting your password since you’re more computer savvy than your father. But if you run into any hiccups, let me know. I’ll be sitting behind you through the meeting.”

“Behind me?”

“Ah, executives and special guests only at the table. The assistants will all be in the back to not cause any distractions or disturbances.”

The immense size of the room takes my breath away, and Oliver makes it a point to introduce me to at least a dozen people.

I promptly forget all their names before I even take a seat, and by the time my father comes in to start the meeting, my leg bounces so fast I could use it to power a small city.

Nothing feels right about this. I should have kept my passport with me and had a backup plan for a flight home.

“My friends, shall we begin?” My father says to the mostly male table.

I take a deep breath, assuring myself that I’m over-reacting and jumping to conclusions.

“There’s no need for me to bury the lead on this.

Most of you know why we’re here today. As of last night, Maxwell Corp became the new home of Tanaki Industries.

Even with the ink barely dry, we’ve begun to implement procedures and transition staff to new positions where needed to ensure this goes smoothly. ”

There’s clapping around the table when my father pauses to take a drink of water. My tablet vibrates and I glance down.

Melody Maxwell

Stay calm and remember where you are. Trust me.

When I try to look down the table at her, she has her head down, typing furiously on her own tablet.

“Now, for the best part of that news, at least for me. Our new branch here in Tokyo will need leadership, and while our company isn’t hurting for options, this one will need a unique appointment.

Because of the reputation Tanaki Industries holds, I wanted to make this a fresh, bold pick.

I want someone with fearless ideas who understands the new age we’re entering and can tackle the evolving opportunities this venture will bring.

The choice didn’t come easy, and I spent many hours mulling it over and discussing it with my closest partners in this business, but in the end, only one choice made sense.

May I introduce the new C.E.O. Of Maxwell Industries, Tokyo branch, my son, Charles Alexander Maxwell! ”

My face drops and I choke on my own saliva as I stare up at his big smile.

People around the table are clapping, and I can’t hear a damn thing over the high-pitched screaming in my ears.

My father motions for me to stand up, but if I do that, I’ll bolt for the emergency exit the second my ass leaves this chair.

I stare at him from my seat, stunned into silence.

“Ah, I caught him by surprise, folks. Now the cat’s got his tongue. I’m sure Alex is eager to meet all of you as he settles into his new role.” He flashes me a look I’ve seen more than once from my parents. Disappointment. “Alright, with that out of the way, let’s get onto the strategies for?—”

He drones on, but I’m distracted by the messages popping up on the tablet Oliver gave me what feels like hours ago.

Congratulations, Alex!

Welcome aboard!

Can’t wait to meet you, Charles!

Where are all these coming from!?

I glance around the room and notice the camera coming down from the ceiling. My father didn’t announce that to the room of executive ass kissers, but to the whole damn company.

When my aunt finally looks up, she mouths, “I didn’t know,” before tapping on the edge of her tablet.

Melody Maxwell

The gift. Hurry! Before he cuts us off.

My brain cycles through the thousand things she could mean. My office? An assistant? No, it’s something else. Something bigger. Why would I need a gift if my father—SHIT. I pull out my phone and type frantically, hoping the message will send.

I’m not leaving you! Don’t believe anything they tell you! The furniture was a payoff!

I hit send and watch the bar slide across the screen.

I’m not even sure if she’s been home yet, so she may not have a clue what I’m talking about, but at least there’s some warning.

The bar stalls halfway through sending and stops.

This isn’t good. Since when has my father had enough tech know-how to lock me out like this?

He couldn’t even come up with this idea, he can barely send an email without crashing the security system.

Unable to send messages. Please try again.

I smash the button again, but I get the same results.

I check the agenda and, sure enough, there’s a fifteen-minute break after this.

Fifteen minutes. He ruins my life and thinks it will only take fifteen minutes to smooth this over and make it right.

When the meeting ends, I don’t even wait for him, bee lining to his office and already pacing when he walks in, my aunt and Oliver close behind him.

“What the fuck?!” I scream. It feels good, especially since the door hasn’t closed yet.

“Alex, I can explain.”

“Yeah, I don’t think you can. Tricking me to coming here, thinking you can buy Dani off with some furniture, broadcasting it to the whole damn company, and blocking my damn phone?”

“Alex, you’re thirty years old! You have no job, no future. We’ve put up with your games, we’ve played along in some cases, but not anymore. I will not allow you to single-handedly ruin the Maxwell name and reputation.”

“I refuse the position. You can shove it right up your pompous asses, every damn one of you pricks.” I storm for the door.

“You can’t leave Japan, Alex. I’ve frozen the credit card and told the plane it doesn’t leave under any authorization but my own.” His voice doesn’t tremble, it doesn’t even raise. The calm is unsettling.

“First off, fuck you. Second off, I will find a way home. You can’t keep me here!”

“You are home, Alex.” My father spreads his arms wide like he’s Jesus at the last supper or some shit.

“ LA is my home. Dani is my home!” I scream back. “And while we’re at it, my fucking name is Xander .”

“I’ll give you two weeks to finish your freelance jobs, settle up, and close out your dealings with your clients.

After that, you’ll be here in the office full time with Oliver and Melody, helping you get accustomed to your new role.

” It’s like he hasn’t heard a word I’ve said, like my opinion and my life means nothing to him other than to move it around like a chess piece.

He plays at shuffling papers around on his desk, his way of ending the conversation and dismissing me.

“Son, if you continue to act defiant, we’ll cut you off completely and you’ll hear from our lawyer about arrangements for back payments. ”

“Back what?”

“We took you into our home, clothed you, raised you, gave you every opportunity to succeed, and you’ve done nothing but squander everything we’ve done for you.

If nothing else, we’ll be seeking repayment for every cent we’ve given you, in whatever format, since you turned eighteen.

The legal team has the paperwork drafted. ”

I pull my wallet out of my back pocket and slip two hundred-dollar bills out, slapping them down on his desk. “Here, keep the change.”

“Alexander—”

“No! You want to talk about back payments? How about the therapy sessions, trauma, and humiliation? The years of being raised in a cold, heartless home and the abuse I lived through at those damn schools you sent me to. You knew what would happen to me. You always knew. And when I tried to tell you, you told me to stop being so dramatic.” I can’t control my voice or keep the tears back.

“You want dramatic, Dad ? Fine, you have no son. You don’t deserve one. Get another dog.”

I don’t wait for a response, walking out the door and slamming it shut behind me. I expect him to yell after me, chase me down and threaten me more, but if he does, I don’t hear him. Before I can press the button for the elevator, a familiar hand reaches out and presses it for me.

“Uhm, you probably don’t want to see me right now, but Melody had a feeling it would come to this and asked me to, well, look out for you.”

“Look out for me? You mean convince me I’m wrong?”

“No, not at all. I am only here to help you with navigating the city, translations, and procurement of necessities. When your aunt realized what your father planned, she asked me to keep you safe. Nothing more.”

“Alright, let’s get the hell out of here. I never want to see this place again.”

“Anywhere in particular you’d care to go?”

“Yeah, actually. There is. I need some pain therapy.”