“What are you doing here?” Maxwell asked in a deep voice, it was like he was holding back a rage in him.
“Now that is no way to greet your father.” Mr. Forbes replied confidently, wearing a nonchalant expression; at first sight, anyone could tell that he was a no-nonsense man.
“Spare me your lectures old man, you are not my father and we share no bond.” Maxwell spat back at him.
The ladies kept their distance, almost like they knew better than to interfere. Anna had no idea what kind of a man Peter was, so she thought it was best to stay quiet and observe before choosing if to get involved or not.
Mr. Forbes stylishly fixed the wrist buttons of his suit like he was the least bothered by Max’s anger and then he looked up to him. “I doubt a DNA text will validate your claims.” He said and flashed a small smile.
Maxwell clenched his fist, his chest boiling in anger. “What are you doing here?” he asked again. “You are not welcome here.”
“Okay you two, please calm down, there is no need to get on each other’s throat right now, we can all have a decent conversation like civilized people.” Mrs. Forbes chirped in as she stepped forward.
“Quiet Maria,” Mr. Forbes shunned immediately.
“Don’t speak to her like that.” Maxwell struck back at him instantaneously.
“What do you care, little boy? She is my wife.” He said coldly.
“And she is my mother, old man.” Maxwell retorted.
“Max,” Anna called in a soft voice and held his hand.
“Stay out of this, Ann.” He flashed a quick warning angrily at her and she let go of his hand.
“You know how to keep a woman in her place, maybe you picked up something from me after all.”
“And you are still a disgusting old man, a heartless monster.” Maxwell snapped.
“Calm down boys, this is ridiculous. Max, I know you are upset but he is still your father.” Mrs. Forbes chirped in once again.
“No, he is just an old man who lives in his own head. I don’t know what you are doing here but you need to leave this moment if you don’t want to get embarrassed. You are not welcome here today or ever.” He stated clearly.
Mr. Forbes laughed heartily. “You feel like you are a man now, right? You are still that little boy that I whooped his ass every time he messed up; don’t think that I can’t still do it again.”
Anna couldn’t hold back the chuckle as she immediately covered her mouth with her hands. Mr. Blackwood shot her a threatening glance and then turned back to his old man.
“You are a Joke, Pete. Perhaps you are blind, let me make it clear to you that I am no longer that boy you abandoned on the bridge to die, I am a man now, a successful one and I did it all without you, I want you to take that knowledge with you to your grave.” He spat in disgust; the hatred he had for his father was so strong.
“Luckily for you, I didn’t come around to whoop your ass boy; I have come here only to take my wife home. So we will be on our way now.”
“She is not going anywhere except on her own accord, so you better drag your old ass out of my property.” Maxwell tried to equalize the banter. Anna found this hilarious, MB was getting roasted by his old man and it felt good to finally see someone that knows how to get the best of him.
She had never seen him this terrified of anyone because behind all that anger was a scared little boy who desperately didn’t want to lose a second time; Old Forbes must have traumatized him for life.
“Okay, everyone please take a chill pill. Mr. Forbes, we have met under horrible circumstances but why don’t we start this afresh. I respectfully invite you to have dinner with us tonight and let's talk this over peacefully.” Anna offered.
Mr. Blackwood turned to her immediately with surprise written all over his face. “What? No!” he blurted out in disapproval.
“Because you had the courtesy to ask nicely, I will stay.” Mr. Forbes said with his shoulders high.
Now Anna sees where MB got all the bad attitudes, he was more like his father than he realized, the pride, the arrogance, the rage, the toxicity, he was a less evil version of his father.
Mr. Blackwood tried to object but Ana beat him to it. “Thank you, please make yourself comfortable, Maxwell and I will join you shortly.” She replied and then dragged MB by the hand, heading upstairs to his room.
Mrs. Forbes gave Anna a quick thumbs up before she disappeared up the grand staircase with Maxwell grumbling behind.
**
“What are you doing?” Maxwell growled at her the moment they were inside his room.
“Making sure you don’t get in an unnecessary fight with your father. You know your mother is right, you didn’t have to speak to him that way, he is still your birth father and the only reason why you exist today.”
“What? You are not possibly defending him, are you? Have you forgotten everything that man did to me? Don’t even think of it, Ann.”
“Okay just sit down,” she said quickly and pushed him backwards to the bed, making him sit. “Take a deep breath and let it out, don’t get overworked over this.”
“How am I supposed to stay calm when that horrible man is downstairs in my house! I swore never to share the same space with him let alone speak to him.”
“Okay, let's make a deal, you make it through the night without getting into a fight with your father and I will spend the night with you.” she grinned.
Maxwell’s expressions changed immediately. First he looked confused, then surprised, then a small smile parted his lips.
“You are evil, you know that right.”
Anna gave him a quick peck on his cheeks and laughed, it felt good to know that she had such an effect on him, maybe she was his kryptonite after all.
“You have had a stressful day, you should rest. I will go help your mom in the kitchen.”
“Have you lost your mind? You were unconscious a few hours ago. Maybe I should have listened to the doctor and had you locked down in that hospital bed.”
Anna laughed. “That was not your decision to make, and this isn’t either. Now stop worrying about me, I am totally fine. Moreover I am not going to be doing any hard work in the kitchen, I am just going to hang around with your mom so that your parents don’t think we are doing something questionable in here.”
Another smile surfaced across his lips, she had succeeded in making him laugh. “Fine, just be careful, don’t pass out while you are at it.” He demanded.
“I won’t. See you.” she said excitedly as she hopped off to the door. Maxwell sighed and lay back on the bed, this girl will be the end of him.
TBC