more accomplished if I could build my clinic on my own merit. As for this mediocre job, I love it here. I have a fantastic boss and making connections with some cool people. I'm becoming my own person, away from your depressing shadow you try to keep me under."
Matt's father made an unimpressed hum as he walked around the bookstore. At least that was what it sounded like to Alfie. Mr. Ward stopped walking. Going off of the distance of his steps, Alfie would guess that Mr. Ward had stopped in front of the counter.
"You can't be serious Matt. How could you love working in a dump like this? I doubt it makes enough to pay you and the rent. I mean, this place has such a dated look that they clearly can't keep enough revenue to update the place. Come now, all is forgiven. You can come back home. I'm sure we can work something out. After all, Bella still really would like to meet you. I am dead sure that once you meet her, you'll like her enough. I have told you before that she knows of your sexuality. She's more than fine with you having a lover as long as you be discreet."
Alfie looked at the door in shock. He knew that Matt hadn't lied when he told him what his father did. But, hearing it out of the mouth of the very man, made him shake his head in disbelief.
"Do you even hear yourself? You want me to agree to a loveless marriage? Do you even care that I don't want to be in the limelight like you so badly want to? You don't care that you drove Mom away. You don't care shit about anybody but yourself, and it's disgusting. Did you ever care about me? Or was I always just something to control?" Matt sounded a lot more upset.
"Of course, I care. But, do you even have any idea what I had done for our family to live in the life we have been living in? Look at your mother. She has a small place she can barely pay for. And you, you sound more and more like an ungrateful child. I have sacrificed a lot to ensure that you could have the best gear, go to the best school, and have all of the finest things in life, and this is how you're thanking me? I have a mind to—"
Alfie had heard enough, more than enough.
He opened the door with more force than necessary, the doorknob making contact with the wall. Alfie didn't care as he glared at Mr. Ward, who had a shocked look on his face, very similar to that of Matt.
Matt couldn't believe what he was seeing. Alfie was clearly seething. His green eyes burning in anger, he walked in slowly, not taking his eyes off of Mr. Ward.
"How dare you!"
Both Ward men stiffened at the deadly tone in the smaller blond man's voice. "How dare you come into my store and talk to one of my employees like that!"
Matt watched as his dad sputtered and looked at Matt as if for confirmation. Matt didn't utter a word and kept his eyes trained on Alfie, who was looking at his dad as if he was the scum of the earth.
"Well?" Alfie asked with an unimpressed brow raise.
That seemed to get his dad back to himself as he glared back at Alfie. "Excuse me? Do you not know who I am?"
The unimpressed look on Alfie's face only grows stronger as he crosses his arms and leans his upper body back to regard his dad like some wayward teenager who couldn't take no for an answer.
"Oh, I know exactly who you are, Mr. Ward." That pretty face Matt adored sifted from unimpressed to a downright ugly sneer.
"You are a worthless excuse of a father who can't even see the suffering he's put his family through in the name of his own greedy ambition. Tell me Mr. Ward, what would you have done if Matt had gotten killed or mugged and had to go to the hospital? Through your heartless actions, Matt could have lost his scholarship or worse. Why? Just because you can't accept the fact that your son isn't a pawn to be placed in your grand old scheme for power and fame. It's disgusting that you, a parent who wanted the child, tells the child that he is ungrateful for things he never asked for. You, sir, are a downright