Silence draped over the table. For about fifteen minutes, we focused on our plates. No one uttered a word, but I could feel my mother’s eyes on me. I continued to eat but my mind drifted to‘Bleu’s’It was another new business endeavor that I had to keep putting a heavy pause on since I had so much going with ‘Dom’ and ‘Maison Langston’s’.
I wanted to build up on the building. I also had plans on turning the club into a membership only kind of club.
“Bleu.” My mother broke the silence first, which wasn’t a surprise.
“You’ve continued to run a flawless empire at Maison Langston’s. You’ve even expanded Dom’s into three new countries.” She paused as her eyes narrowed.
“Success means nothing without a family to represent it.” She smiled warmly.
There it goes, the real conversation that she wanted to have tonight…
I met her gaze, then took in a deep breath before speaking.
“I’m not interested in playing husband for the perfect press release.” I practically gritted the words out.
Dreu sniggered but kept his gaze off of me. My mother’s fork clinked against her plate as she looked over at my father. The two of them communicated with searing gazes before he nodded his head.
“Then perhaps your brother is more deserving of the position. He wouldn’t mind settling down and marrying someone to give your father and I an extended legacy. Besides, investors love a man with a family image.” She smiled evilly.
This was the side of my parents that I despised. I could feel Dreu’s smirk from across the table. My father didn’t say a word, but his eyes flickered in recognition. If he objected which was unusual for him since both of my parent’s always remained on the same page in front of Dreu and I, he would have cleared his throat and spoke the fuck up. My father seemed to always approve of mother’s manipulation; he even let it work on him. He truly didn’t give a fuck, as long as it meant him keeping his dick wet with all of his super model side pieces that my mother didn’t give a damn about as long as she got her way.
My mother’s way meant everything to her. She loved control and was obsessed with this family image remaining perfect to the public eye. If the world knew who they praised as gods was so flawed like Mr. and Mrs. Langston, they would all be in disarray. My parents lived double lives that everyone behind closed doors ignored.
My jaw tightened, I couldn’t help but to feel insulted. I didn’t want to live like my parents. Sure, they had been successful with raising Dreu and I. They kept their image perfect in front of public and even tried to hide the real them in front of me and mybrother for years. When the cold dark truth was that they’d been fallen out of love when I became a teenager. That’s if they had ever been in love to begin with.
They didn’t sleep in the same room, and they both had their side pieces sign NDA’s to further protect the secret openness of their marriage to see other people.
“You’d risk the company’s reputation to make a point?” I asked carefully.
“I’d risk anything to make sure this family has an heir that knows how to balance control with loyalty. Your father and I made the same sacrifice, and it has been worth it till this day.” She said softly.
Control. That was one thing I had mastered from them, and it was the one thing that they still didn’t think was enough.
“There’ll be a Gala in a few days, your presence will be great. Mr. Jackson and his family will be there as well. He has three daughters; his oldest daughter is looking for a husband. I’ve seen pictures of her and think she’s beyond beautiful. Now the Jackson’s are well off, but they don’t have the type of wealth we have,” she chuckled then rolled her eyes. “This will be a blessing for their family…I love giving blessings…of course like Earline loves to say, God willing.” She smiled and dramatically raised her hands in the air like she was praising the Lord.
I looked at my mom with fire dancing in my eyes. I loved my family with everything in me, times like this made me want to disconnect and stay the fuck away. The mind games, and manipulation over the years with my mom in particular was getting out of hand.
“I’m not rushing you son, I think a year is fair enough for you to find a good partner that you can marry and procreate with.”
I simply nodded my head; there was no winning in this conversation. I wanted to give up Maison Langston’s and tell my parents to go fuck themselves. Something deep inside of me refused to make it that easy for Dreu’s lazy ass. He would ruin everything that I spent countless dedicated hours of building within the company. I fell in love with fashion and creating, I took the entire company up a notch and helped with the massive expansion of the Maison Langston brand alone.
Everyone continued to talk and ignored how I was just given an ultimatum. When dinner was over, I stood to kiss my mother’s cheek again.
“If you want a marriage for the headlines, buy one. I won’t spend a dime of my money wining and dining a woman to appease you. I will do it but just know I don’t like how you easily offer my position to Dreu when he knows nothing about it. It’s something that he never even asked for. I’m sick and tired of your manipulative games mother. One day your gonna push me hard enough to not have the retirement that you and father long for.” I stood up straight then smoothed down the front of my shirt.
“That little boy over there will not ruin what I’ve built and put into the company.” I spat out with finality.
She didn’t respond, but the look in her eyes said enough. She didn’t give a damn about my loud threats; all she accepted was that I agreed with what she wanted.
Four
TRULY
“Girl it’s justsomething about a nigga with one or two hoop earrings in they ears! They be real freaked the fuck out, okay!” Naveah snapped her fingers.
She dramatically fell back on my bed and lifted her legs in the air. I looked at my little sister and shook my head but couldn’t hold my laughter in once Naveah clapped her thunder thighs together. I loved my best friend so much, she always brought the sun to my stormy days.
She got real dramatic whenever she spilled the tea about a new man, she called herself dating. Right now, I could use the distraction since this week had been a bad one for me since my run in with Aubry.
