Page 21 of The Betrayer
Why did I always expect him to step up and be the man I wanted him to be? That was always the question, and I didn’t know why I envisioned a different result. Over and over, my father had shown me that he put himself first, forever and always. He thought about himself and what he wanted. It didn’t matter that I was his son or that he was the company’s CEO. The only thing that mattered was him getting what he wanted.
I didn’t know why I was surprised by my father’s actions tonight—he behaved exactly as I imagined he would. Somehow, yet again, I thought, for once, the man might realize how important this night was to the company, to me, even to himself—he was the founder and CEO, after all.
Instead, as I’d squinted into the darkness beyond the bright stage lights, I’d caught sight of him. Had he been rushing toward the stage? Had he been watching me intently to see how I did?
No, he had been chatting with a blonde woman I had never seen before. I hadn’t been able to see much through the crowd and with the lights, but she had looked young—very young. Far too young for my father and certainly far too young for him to bring her as his date.
I wasn’t sure how I had continued through the blinding anger that had suddenly raged through me.
The problem was I didn’t think my father knew what he was doing. His actions weren’t malicious—the man didn’t have a mean bone in his body. He was everyone’s friend. When it came down to the hard decisions he had to make for the company, he did it with a heavy heart and kind words. I’d learned that from him.
But to my father, the entire world revolved around him, so why shouldn’t he bring a young woman who was way too young for him to the most significant event for our company all year? Why wouldn’t he leave me high and dry on one of the most important nights of my life? My father’s needs were met, so everyone else had to be okay with his actions, too.
Somehow, I’d kept going while he chatted with the young woman, joked as he had leaned close to whisper something in her ear, his charismatic half-grin on his face. I knew that grin, and I knew what it meant. The blonde had laughed, and as I helped auction off more items, he had tugged her back beyond the ring of milling guests so I could barely see them. Then I had wished I couldn’t see anything at all because my father leaned forward, pressed the young woman back against the wall, and kissed her. It hadn’t been just a peck on the cheek, either. His back had blocked most of what went on between the two of them, but it wasn’t difficult to figure it out.
I had looked away, unable to watch any longer. That had only given me a clear view of the disapproving expressions on the faces of some investors and board members who also witnessed the display.
The cool autumn breeze cooled the sweat from my face, the chill creeping under my sauna-like tuxedo jacket. At the memory, the heat roared back through me. Instead of anxiety, this time, it was driven by a wave of hot and heavy anger.
One night. That was all I had asked for—give me one night, help me out for one night, give me your attention for one night. This significant night. Be there for me just this one night.
Not only had my father not been there for me tonight, but he had made a spectacle of himself in front of some of the most influential people in our company and the city. By tomorrow morning, it would be all around town how wildly inappropriate my father had been at the fundraising gala.
Hurt and embarrassment surged with the anger until all three burned, my heart rate rising again. This was supposed to have been a night to remember and celebrate all we had accomplished. We—I—had even announced the acquisition of our biggest rival. We had worked for years on that deal, inching closer and closer at a snail’s pace, and with the announcement, I knew our stock prices would soar.
Instead of focusing on our triumphs, all I could think of was my father. All I could feel was my anger, disappointment, and hurt. I felt angry at myself for believing anything could be different.
The door banged open suddenly, startling me and the servers on their smoke break. Angela swept out, her gown incongruous with the back-alley scenery. Her gaze took in the scene before finally coming to rest on me.
“There you are.”
My girlfriend sounded relieved and irritated as she approached me, letting the door swing shut behind her. One of the servers had to grab for it before it closed and locked us all out, but Angela missed the dirty look he shot toward her back.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“I needed some air,” I said, the only explanation I was going to give.
“You could have at least told someone,” she admonished, brushing invisible dirt from my lapels and inspecting my face with a concerned gaze. For some reason, her concern only exacerbated my annoyance, and I brushed off her concern.
“I’m fine, Angela. I just needed some air. You know I hate talking in front of large crowds.”
Angela didn’t look convinced, her mouth pulling into a pinched line. She watched me for a moment before she shook her head. “It’s your father, isn’t it? I saw him with some blonde kid, all dolled up.”
I took a deep breath against the rush of anger. “He probably bought her the damn dress. What did he do, find her on the sidewalk and take her to Barker’s to get it and that jewelry?”
My voice sounded both angry and plaintive to me, sarcasm lying heavy on the words.
“That’s exactly what he did.” I was sure of it. “He picked her up, maybe at a bar or the golf course, took her to get a dress, and brought her here.Hereof all places. Tonight, of all nights.”
I paced, and Angela watched me without interfering, a twist of concern at the corner of her mouth.
“I can’t believe he did this. He couldn’t pull himself together for one night. Not one damn night. Not for his son. No, he has to put himself first, always.”
The words snaking through my mind spilled out as vitriolic fury, my anger gaining momentum the faster I paced and the longer the words poured out, heedless of the watching servers. Instead of calming the storm inside, it worsened until it was a gale I couldn’t contain.
This was the last straw, and I wasn’t going to keep it to myself any longer. I stopped abruptly, turned on my heel, and headed for the door.
“Paul—”
