Two months had slipped by since Scott's parents' visit, and those weeks hadn't been easy for him. Each night, his father had a knack for dragging him into long conversations that stretched well past his bedtime. Scott had tried numerous times to put a stop to it, but every effort was met with failure, leaving him feeling defeated.

There he was again, caught in his father's trap. With drinks in hand, they sat on the balcony of Scott's flat, gazing at the sprawling city below them.

"So, how are things at the office? Is your brother treating you right?" Mr. Alexandar MacLen inquired.

Scott let out a weary sigh. "Yes, he is," he replied, casting a side glance at his father. "I think he's starting to trust me."

His father raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

"He gives me more space to share my input on certain matters regarding the firm's growth." Leaving out the part where he had made him a partner at his firm.

Mr. Alexandar turned his gaze from Scott back to the cityscape beneath them, a smile creeping onto his face. "I'm glad to see my children getting along."

"I suppose I should thank God that, despite everything I put my family through, at least he has helped keep you two close."

A long pause hung in the air before Scott added, "You should indeed. You owe thanks to him and your ex-wife as well, because it was her love and effort that encouraged my brother to bring me closer. I owe that woman a lot."

Mr. Alexandar contemplated his younger son's words, staring into his drink thoughtfully. He knew Scott was right. Both his ex-wife and current wife had tried to shield him from the truth: she had been helping raise his son during tough times.

He was acutely aware that it was his ex-wife who had covered Scott's tuition from childhood until he graduated from Yale. His pretence of ignorance wasn't from a lack of care, but rather from shame, knowing that despite the maltreatment he had inflicted on his ex-wife, she ultimately stepped up to support her son, his so-called "bastard child," along with his lover, now wife. The irony stung.

He glanced back at Scott, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "One day, I'll find the courage to thank her. For now, I just don't have the balls to do it."

Scott scoffed at his father's words, muttering under his breath, "To be honest, you never did."

***

Ben was focused on his laptop, furiously typing away, when he heard his office door swing open and then shut. He looked up, curious to see who had entered. To his surprise, it was Scott, approaching him with dark circles under his eyes that suggested he hadn't slept in days.

"Wow, Scott, you look terrible. Is everything alright?"

Scott let out a soft chuckle. "For you to be this worried about me means I must really look like shit." He sighed heavily and flopped into the visitor's chair by Ben's desk.

"Well, if you want the truth, big brother, all this on my face is thanks to our father. He's driving me up the wall with his late-night antics. I swear I'm losing my mind."

Ben couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Damn! Dad's really got you in a state. I'm glad I'm not the one hosting him."

Scott groaned at his brother. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Ben. I don't need your laughter right now. What I need is for you to help me figure out how to get them to go home."

Ben straightened up, clearing his throat. "Sorry, bro."

"I didn't mean to laugh at you, but let's be real-it's a bit funny. Look, you already know what you need to do to get them to leave, but knowing you, you probably won't do it."

"Ever since I've known you, you've let Dad walk all over you. You've never stood up to him. If you want both your Mom and Dad to go back home, you need to make that clear. It's time to grow a backbone, brother."

Scott leaned forward. "Just so you know, I have plenty of backbone, Ben."

"Oh really?" Ben shot back with a smirk. "Where is it, then?"

Scott shot him a glare, which only made Ben laugh harder.

Scott sighed, "Forget I came to you for help. I'm out of here."

"Wait! Look, the best advice I can give you is to tell him you don't want to stay up late chatting. Then, just outright ask them when they plan to return home. You need to find a way to suggest they leave without making it obvious you want them gone."

"Fine, I'll give it a shot," Scott replied reluctantly.

"Good. Now let's get back to that assignment I gave you. Were you able to dig up any information from Dad about his gallery?"

***

After a heart-to-heart conversation with his brother, Scott made his way to the office kitchen, determined to figure out his feelings for Sylvia. She was the woman who had captivated his attention and ignited his desire.

Not a day passed without thoughts of her swirling in his mind—her curvy hips, those beautifully shaped lips that made him imagine ways to please her, and those voluptuous breasts that he longed to hold and massage, all in hopes of hearing her moan in delight.

As he approached the door, the chatter of women inside pulled him from his daydreaming, and he paused. He caught snippets of their conversation, and when he heard his name mentioned, it piqued his interest.

"Well, look at you! So you managed to win the Rosario case. Good for you!" one woman in a tight-fitting skirt chimed in, addressing Sylvia. "I hope there’s a celebration in the works. Is Mr. MacLen taking you out or something?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Sylvia's voice was laced with panic. "Mr. MacLen isn’t taking me out. Why would you think that? We’re not that close at all.”

Another woman jumped in. "Oh, come on. We've all noticed how cosy you two are at the office. With him coming in and out of your office—what else could he possibly want to discuss? Calculus?" The group burst into laughter, and Sylvia’s discomfort was palpable.

"For heaven's sake, you two need to cut it out," Sylvia snapped. "There’s absolutely nothing between Mr. MacLen and me. He’s the last person I would ever go out with. Who in their right mind would date a guy who cracks terrible jokes or wears that goofy grin like a child? I want a real man, not a man-child."

Scott stood frozen, stunned by Sylvia's words. To say that her comments didn't sting would be an understatement. Anger surged through him, and he clenched his fist at his side.

How could she speak so cruelly about him in front of those women? So, being kind and easy-going made him less of a man in her eyes. If it was a "real man" she wanted, then fine—Mr. Nice Guy was about to take a backseat.

_

A/N: LOL. It's about time Scott. What do you guys think?