Rise To Riches: The Rejected Son-in-law's Revenge

chapter 8

Scott’s POV

“ Nathan!” Scott shouted as he watched his brother storm down the hallway. To say he was not concerned as he watched his brother rush down the hall was an understatement.

He remained fixed on the spot he was standing in, mainly because he was wondering what the hell had just happened. He could also feel Elton’s shocked eyes on him, as well as his secretary's, but he couldn’t explain what had just happened.

He tried to cast his mind back to find out what had triggered that type of reaction from Nathan, but still couldn’t find any. Because, one, Nathan has never done business with Elton, and he knew his brother shouldn’t even know who Elton Ross was; he just woke up from a ten-year coma. So why had he stormed off?

"What is going on?” Elton asked him, bewildered.

Scott released a deep breath and shook his head. "I have no idea, Mr. Ross," he mumbled, turning to face the man.

Elton frowned, looking down the hallway that Nathan had disappeared into before turning back to him. "I sincerely hope he is alright... I mean, I can reschedule if he’s not ready to meet people yet. He just woke up, so I understand," he said.

Scott sighed. Had he forced Nathaniel to come to the company when he wasn’t ready? He thought. He had been told to take things easy with Nathaniel, and that was what he had been doing for weeks. He had thought that Nathan was ready to finally move out of the house and start seeing people again.

Things were now different, and he knew that Nathan had changed. Not just in his physical appearance, but his attitude and interest had also changed.

Nathan was moody and didn’t entertain any form of body contact. Scott had noticed how Nathan had shrunk the times he tried to hug him in the hospital and on several other occasions. Nathan, before the accident, was a hugger and didn't hesitate to display his affection towards his family.

Nathan was the type of person who wouldn’t miss an opportunity to come to the company and work with their dad; he called it their bonding time. He would always stop by the company rather than go back home after school like Scott would do.

“Uhm… I’m sorry, sir, I have to reschedule... I didn’t expect this. My secretary will reach out to you soon." Scott apologized.

He wanted to say that his brother was not ready to meet people, but even he knew that was not true. Nathan had been perfectly okay being around people after he left the hospital.

An annoyed look passed through Elton’s face for a second, and before Scott could even register the expression, it disappeared. He could understand why the man would be annoyed, but the situation could not be helped.

Elton nodded and extended his hand for a shake. "I understand. I await your call, Mr. Hayes," he muttered.

"I'm not Mr. Hayes; that was my father. Call me Scott," he blurted.

Elton forced a smile on his face; the man was clearly annoyed, and nodded. "I understood," he said.

Scott hesitated at first, staring at the stretched hand as he remembered the scene that had just played out between Nathan and Mr. Ross, but then shook the man’s hand and watched him walk away.

He turned to his secretary and said, "Reschedule this meeting and please call Samuel." He ordered before hurrying down the path that Nathan had taken.

It didn’t take long to figure out where Nathan had gone because he could hear the tap running when he entered the restroom. Nathan was staring at himself in the mirror with anger and disbelief on his face.

He walked closer to his brother to stand beside him, staring at Nathan’s reflection in the mirror. His appearance beside Nathan must have shocked his brother, because Nathan jerked.

Another thing he had noticed since Nathan woke up was how he always looked distant and deep in thought and sometimes looked lost, like how he was staring at Scott at the moment.

"Are you okay?” Scott asked him, turning to face Nathan.

Nathan blinked. "I'm fine,” he grunted, turning off the running tap.

Scott sighed, stubborn as ever, he thought. He felt the urge to reach towards his brother and offer his sympathy, but he stopped himself before his arm moved. His brother might not appreciate the gesture.

Being in a coma and waking up after ten years could make anyone vulnerable. Dr. Maxwell had told him that, and he knew it was going to take a while for Nathan to get back fully to being himself.

He had only thought that bringing him to the company and places he was familiar with would help Nathan readjust to life again. It was obviously a bad idea if Nathan had stormed out after Mr. Ross had offered a handshake.

"Your reaction just now says otherwise, Nathan... I don’t know why you did what you just did, but I can tell that you’re not fine." Scott muttered.

Nathan rolled his eyes. "It's just..." He started but paused to stare at Scott, who nodded for him to go on.

"I wasn’t expecting the gesture. It spook me a bit,” Nathan explained.

"The handshake," he mumbled in disbelief.

Nathan blinked. "Yes," he said as a look of anger appeared on his face for a brief moment.

Scott stared at his brother, and even though he knew that it was a lie because there was something that Nathan was not telling him. Deciding not to push the matter further, he smiled.

“ Okay… I can take you back home if you’re not ready for this," he suggested, since Nathan had not wanted to come in the first place.

Nathan shook his head. "No, I’m okay to do this,” he responded.

Scott still doubted him and thought about taking Nathan back to the hospital, but he allowed himself to comply with his brother’s wishes. He would trust Nathan for now, he thought.

“If you say so, c'mon," he said, walking out of the restroom. He waited for a few seconds at the door before Nathan joined him outside and silently walked down the hallway beside him to his office.

Nathan gasped the moment they entered the office, causing him to turn around to see what had happened, but instead, he saw his brother standing by the door with wide eyes.