Chapter 10

Martha rushed into the room at the sound of glass shattering. “What the heck, Tyler?”

The glass had shattered the television screen, causing glass to spread across the room, and a piece had embedded itself into Tyler's fingers. “Are you okay?” She rushed towards him.

Tyler shrugged her off, mad with anger. “Do you know what I just watched?”

His mother shook her head, and Tyler stood up, shaking with anger. “I just saw Justin on TV. Apparently, he has his own restaurant now and thinks he's a big deal.” Remembering the punk’s smile during the interview was making him more furious.

Martha frowned. “What do you mean? Which Justin?”

Tyler glared at his mother. “Which other one do you know?”

Martha shook her head. “You must have seen wrong. It cannot be that pathetic dog.”

“I saw him. He was just on the news. Apparently he's taking over a restaurant and renovating it now, and from the responses of people that were interviewed, they are really looking forward to it's reopening.” Tyler insisted.

Martha glowered, “Well, that cannot happen. Even if it wants to happen, it can't be anytime soon. We can’t just let him go like that, after the humiliation.

Tyler sat down. “I'm going to do everything I can to ruin him. He obviously didn't get the message. I'm going to make sure he regrets thinking he could make something of his life and show him, in clear images, the life he deserves.” The worthless dog had dared to lay his filthy hands on him and thought he could do scot-free; he had thought wrong.

Martha smiled, “Of course.”

“I'm going out.” Tyler carefully walked out of the room, avoiding the shards, and got into his car. He needed a drink, and wine wasn't going to cut it.

Justin sat down and looked at Nora, Nelson, and Benson. “So, what do you think?”

They had just gone around the restaurant, which was already in the finishing stage of the renovation, and Justin had changed everything about it to make it look more modern and classy. It was now bringing life to the old and unconventional look of the restaurant. It wasn't finished yet, as the lights and some accessories weren't installed yet, but they could all see the final look from its current picture.

Nora smiled at him. “It's beautiful. I'd never visited here before you took it over, but it looks nothing like the pictures I'd seen of it. And you claim you don't have any artistic talent.”

Nelson looked around the room and nodded. “It looks good and expensive. It will be worth whatever price tag you put on your food. I didn't peg you as the type to have the desire to own a restaurant.” His usual quiet brother teased, and Justin laughed.

He knew he had done a good job on the renovation design. He already had a design in mind and had been going through his parents’ library and had seen something similar his mother had designed. After asking Benson, he had decided to bring the design to life with a few altercations, and it looked exactly like he had pictured it.

“I know, right? It wasn't really an active dream of mine, but it's something I really wanted to do apart from tech. I guess I have Mr. Stanford to thank, then?”

Benson, who had been quiet, shook his head and gave Justin a look. “It's stunning, and the design is so original, but I still don't see any good at managing this yourself. The company is waiting for you, and you will be so busy once the takeover begins. I can't imagine how you intend to do the two together.” Benson commented.

Justin laughed. “Lay off me, Benson. It's just something fun I want to dabble in. I swear I'll get someone else once the work gets too hectic.”

“Alright then.” Justin stood up. “Thanks for coming with me to see the progress. How about some lunch together, Benson?”

Benson checked his wristwatch and nodded. “Lunch should be about ready at home, but we can go somewhere else if you are craving something else.”

Justin shook his head. “Of course not. What's the point in that? Let's go home.”

Even though Justin had spent almost two months living as his father's son, the life he was living still amazed him. Sometimes it felt like it wasn't that long ago he was exchanging his pride and self-respect, and now he was a man that commanded authority wherever he went. It was an amazing feeling.

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Nora dropped her fork on the plate and looked at Justin in shock. “That was so good. It's better than the food in the fancy restaurants I've been to.”

Justin laughed, “We can't really trust your judgment, big sis. How many fancy restaurants have you been to?”

Nora crossed her eyes and mock glared at Justin. “Then mom and dad should be able to tell us. You've been traveling the world. Don't tell me you didn't visit any fancy restaurant.”

Maryl and Drew Anderson had finally taken a break to congratulate their son on his newly found achievement, and it was better than what Justin had dreamed of. Immediately his mom had seen him at the airport where he went to pick them up, she had run to him and hugged him, and his dad had also hugged him when he got closer to him with a huge smile on their faces. If he was being honest, he had been nervous about seeing his parents again. His conversations with them had felt tense since he had found out he was adopted, mostly of his own fault, but thankfully, the love they'd been showing him since they had taken him in hadn't reduced a bit.

Maryl laughed and dropped her fork on her now empty plate. “I've eaten at fancier places during our cruise, and I can say I've never eaten something this sumptuous.”

Justin smiled, taking note to relay his thanks to the kitchen staff through Benson. Benson had advised him to keep his distance from the staff for now, since he was still in a precocious position and his enemies could use them to find his weakness.

Drew belched, causing them to burst into laughter, and even grumpy Nelson had cracked a smile.

Maryl took Justin's hands. “We're so happy for you, you can't even imagine it. It's already time for you to also have good things happen to you.”

Justin sniffed, touched by her words. He supposed his worry had been obvious, or his parents had the parental instinct that let them know every time their kids were unsure or worried about something. “Thanks for saying that, mom.”

His father put his arm over his shoulder. “That applies to all of us, okay? Keep moving forward and making us proud, and we'll join you in whatever battle you intend to fight. That's what family is for, right?”

Justin nodded and hugged his father. “Right. Thanks dad.”

Nelson cleared his throat, and they all turned to him. “Before everyone gets so emotional and everywhere gets mushy, can Justin give us the house tour he owes us?” He groaned, causing them to laugh at his bored face. Nelson was never one for sappy emotions.

Tyler’s Point of View

Tyler nodded, laughing. “That's a great suggestion.”

He nudged Rosetta, who was fiddling with her phone, “What do you think?”

Rosetta removed her arms, cutting Tyler's contact. “I don't care. Just make sure it ruins him. Do you know how horrible I feel daily knowing my name is associated with a loser like him?”

Tyler scowled at her. “Of course. You’d better care, though. He wasn’t just associated with you. Think about how many times he humiliated our family.