Chapter 36 #2
So much of me wanted to reach through that phone and strangle the old man.
What had he ever done to deserve being called my father?
How could he possibly be surprised that his own son would rebel against him when he treated him less as a son and more as a business intern?
How fucking clueless could Edwin Hunt be?
“I’ve got Morgan right here, Chance, and I’m going to put you on speaker phone so that the two of you can here me loud and clear,” he said. “I will admit to being infuriated beyond all measure that you would persuade my only son to join you on this endeavor.”
“Dad, it was—”
“Shut up!” Edwin shouted. My face only grew redder by the second. Not only did Edwin deserve to be smacked around, he needed a lesson in reality. But to him, if reality didn’t bend to his will, then it wasn’t real. Morgan didn’t come up with the idea, no matter how much he said so. I did.
Fucking idiot.
“Neither of you boys will speak until I allow it,” Edwin said.
I was half a second away from telling him to fuck off—the only reason I didn’t was out of concern for Morgan.
“Now, you boys have made a real ass out of yourselves. Your business reputation can be ruined in a matter of minutes if you defy me, and don’t think I won’t pull the trigger.
I’ve fucked over many people before who dared to fight me, and I’m not about to let you two be the first to get away with it. ”
He cleared his throat.
“But, I will admit, I am impressed with what you did. We sure as hell don’t have any business analysts your age acquiring deals like you did on companies worth eight figures. Most especially in a company that has the future of home purchases. I am enraged, but I am not a fool.”
Debatable.
“I have offered you many times before, Chance, a role in my company. For some stupid reason, you seem to think you don’t need me.
I do not understand your line of reasoning, boy, but I will allow it to immaturity and the stupidity of youth.
However, understand this. I will give you a job for seven figures a year, right this instance.
I will provide you every type of benefit you could ever think of.
You want a plane ride anywhere in the globe?
Hunt Industries has you covered. You need help with the law?
Hunt Industries knows who to cover. You need to pay someone off?
Hunt Industries has that taken care of to. ”
I already knew where this was going. We were wasting time, especially since Virtual Realty’s office was now in sight.
“You just need to let me take control of that investment that you just agreed to,” Edwin said, putting on a fake charming voice.
“I know you boys have skill in negotiating. But the skill to follow through on that offer is not an easy one—in fact, it’s very, very different.
So tell me, Chance, Morgan. You boys have the chance to do the right thing. What’s it going to be?”
“Morgan?”
I didn’t want to put him on the spot. But I knew my answer already, and it was not without expletives and swears at the old man. If I spoke for the group, I would have sunk both of us.
But I couldn’t speak for Morgan. I had no idea if he was in his father’s office or in some other location.
Only he knew what consequences he would be facing for the decision we had made and the fallout.
Only he could face them and handle them.
I would just remain in the same spot I always had—as an outsider who got by on the graces of Mrs. Hunt and Morgan.
The only difference would be the degree to which Edwin Hunt disliked me. Instead of seeing me as an object in the room to ignore, he would see me as a viral pestilence to his well-being and existence.
My only regret was that if Morgan agreed to the deal with his father, MCH would fall apart and I would be back to being on my own. But, well, that’s what I had always wanted, so I guess it wouldn’t have been that bad, huh?
“Dad,” Morgan said on the other line. His voice sounded surprisingly together.
“All my life, you have raised me to be the heir to Hunt Industries. You have never bothered to ask me what I really wanted to do. You never gave me a choice. It’s no wonder that I started our partnership.
When suffocated, people will do whatever they can to escape. ”
I could hear the intensity of Edwin’s breathing increase.
“The funny thing is, I know I’m throwing away a ton of money and taking a huge risk by going on this path.
But Chance has shown me something, Dad. He’s shown me that you can not just fail, but get publicly embarrassed and humiliated and thrown down by someone like you—yes, I know what you did with Craig Taylor—and still emerge strong.
If that’s not strength of a man, I don’t know what is. ”
“You’re out of your damn mind, boy,” Edwin snarled.
“Maybe I am, but I’d rather be out of my mind than out of any freedom,” Morgan said. “So no, I’m not going to take that offer.”
“And I’m sure as hell not either, Edwin,” I said.
“You both are goddamn fucking lunatics,” Edwin said. “Chance, go the fuck away and never let me see your adopted, worthless face ever again. Better yet, lose the goddamn last name. Morgan, you’re fired. Don’t you dare contact your mother, either.”
With that, the line died.
I don’t think Edwin could have said anything more insulting to me.
And yet, honestly, I could sincerely say I did not care. In fact, if anything, I felt profoundly grateful that we had all aired our dirty laundry.
I knew we had not had our last encounter with Edwin Hunt.
Mr. Hunt would not just let this go by and fall to the side.
He would find out what deals MCH was working for and insert himself in there.
He would continue to harass us with goons and mobsters until we…
I don’t know, groveled at his feet or something?
He would continue to waste his energy trying to make our lives living hells.
But I had accomplished what I’d always set out to do, which was separate myself from Edwin Hunt.
I really didn’t give a shit if I went by Chance Hunt or Chance Givens, my birth name.
Edwin could not legally compel me to change my name, though I’m sure if I didn’t I would get more calls from Darth Vader-sounding goons.
But I did give a shit that I had my brother by my side, and just like my last name, I knew Edwin could not take that away.
Morgan would have his own fallout with Edwin to deal with. But for me? I had it just fine.
I was free, finally, from Edwin Hunt. I was free to make my life as Chance.
I was free.