Chapter 129: The Coward

Ryan’s eyes immediately filled up with panic, “That’s not fair Grandpa, you said all of us had a chance to get Grayson Corp…” He had started to complain when the old man cut him off.

“Do you think I play by what’s fair? If you have learned anything from me you would know that I operate strictly through business. My grandson founded Grayson Corp, I’m giving him a chance to get it back!”

Ryan just couldn’t accept this, if Tristan truly agreed to get married in seven days he would lose the chance to snag Grayson Corp for himself. What would he tell his mother then, that he had failed her?

His eyes sent a sharp glare to Tristan’s back.

This man was taking everything he wanted from him!

First it was the position of successor to the Blakewood Groups. A year ago Ryan lived his absolute best life. Tristan, his greatest rival to obtaining the position of successor left the family years ago and discarded the family name, though his grandparents never officially made any announcements yet he was already termed the next successor because it made sense to everyone that he would be chosen next as the oldest remaining male in the younger generation.

But all of a sudden his grandmother had cooked up a plan to bring this favorite grandson of hers back home.

Secondly, it was Celine. That sharp, feisty woman who constantly resisted his charms which made him want her even more, he wanted to conquer her.

She was the type of woman he didn’t want to give up on, she was confident, charming, irresistibly sexy, and making her his would elevate him, it would make him feel stronger as a man that he’d gotten such a woman by his side, but of course this cousin of his was in the picture, and Celine wouldn’t spare him a glance.

Then the third chance, if he would lose being a successor of Blakewood Groups, at least he would use this chance to get Grayson Corp right? But no, Tristan wouldn’t give him a chance. He couldn’t contain the amount of anger he felt for Tristan.

“I’ve always known he was your favorite, and you’ve always disliked me just like you dislike my father. How many times have I worked to prove myself to you grandpa, why do you always give him a chance?”

Ryan couldn’t hold back his rage as he lashed out at his grandfather. His father had no wealth or position, having married his mother, the daughter of the owner of Blakewood Groups had put his father in a place of wealth, but the old man never liked his son in law, even to this day. Ryan always felt like that animosity towards his father bled into him too because he seemed to have always hated him.

But what Ryan failed to realize was that his own character was the reason he was never close to the old man.

“Remember who you’re talking to young man! I made this family, this empire you’re so greedy for and I can give it to whoever I want.”

Ryan seethed at the old man’s authoritative voice but he couldn’t say anything more.

“And what hard work are you talking about exactly, drinking, taking women publicly in low life clubs and dragging the family name through the mud?”

These words caused Ryan to stiffen, his eyes widening as he opened his mouth to defend himself, “That was the past, I’ve changed. Why can’t you give a changed man a chance?”

“Changed? You might fool the world Ryan, but you don’t fool me. I know your every single move and every shady thing you do in this city, think twice before lying to me.” Ryan was rendered speechless, even if he wanted to defend himself he couldn’t say anything further.

The truth was that old habits die hard, and he hadn’t been able to kill off those old habits completely, he thought no one would ever know. It seemed the old man had wide connections.

“You can’t compare yourself to Tristan, there’s a big difference between both of you. He is strong where you are weak, decisive where you are a coward, now tell me, do you actually still believe I’d choose you over him as a successor?”

Ryan went quiet, but the rage at those words were burning in his chest as he suddenly stood up to his feet, glaring at Tristan’s back.

“I’m weak? At least I’m much better than your son, this jerk’s father!” The words landed suddenly creating a shock wave that rendered the whole room silent, it was a well known fact, nobody mentioned that man in this home.

Tristan didn’t seem to make a reaction, but underneath his fingers clenched tightly against a pen, unflinching even as the pen pierced through his skin. That man… just the mention of him woke up dark memories he’d buried in the past.

“You hate me for the way I am, but what if it runs in the family? It happened to your son too right? Your beloved grandson’s father, so how can you keep hating me for something I can’t control? You said I’m weak, but who in this family is as weak and a big loser as Aldrich Blakewood?”

“Ryan…!” George Blakewood bellowed just as a sharp snap sounded interrupting whatever the old man was about to say, when everyone looked in Tristan’s direction, they could see a broken piece of a pen on the floor by his foot, tiny droplets of red dripping down his fingers to the cold floor forming an icy bead of red.

“Tristan…” Eve quickly ran to her brother taking his hand in her own, there was a long gash down his palm, it seemed he had clenched the pen until it hurt him and snapped in two.

He snatched his hand off his sister’s grip, slowly turning around until his eyes settled on Ryan.

Ryan fidgeted as those fiery set of eyes fell on him, one would think they were open flames, burning brightly with untameable fury.

“How dare you…say that man’s name?” With slow steps, he began to approach Ryan, the latter beginning to take a few steps backwards.

The name Aldrich Blakewood was forbidden from being uttered in the Blakewood estate for one reason… Tristan.

Ryan had run his mouth in a fit of rage, but he was only realizing now that he had uttered the wrong thing, uttered the wrong name.

“What are you trying to do…ugh!” His words were cut off his throat as his breathing was suddenly seized, the tie around his neck tightened into his skin as his back slammed against the wall.

“Who gave you the right to say that name? WHO?!” The voice thundered close to his face and he felt like he was being drowned, he couldn’t breathe, the force around his neck tightening with every second.

“Can’t….breathe…” Was all Ryan could mutter as his eyes slowly began to turn red.

’Aldrich…’

’Aldrich…’

Tristan’s heartbeat thundered into his ears, all he could feel was anger…anger at those memories, those voices.

That name was a constant his mother would repeatedly call out to, and ever since Ryan mentioned it, the name echoed in his mother’s voice, repeatedly in his ears.

’Aldrich, where are you…’

The more that voice rang in his head, the more his grip tightened around the tie chocking Ryan’s breath out of him.

“Stop… please stop!” Someone was repeatedly calling by his side but he was too far gone to listen.

He wanted to punish Ryan, hurt him for saying that name. For making him remember.

“Please, stop it Tristan!” The voice next to him called louder pulling at his arm and he stopped, slowly releasing Ryan with shock in his eyes as he turned to the woman next to him.

Celine?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep