Forget Me, Not Chapter 16

Offroad POV

Offroad took a deep breath and fixed his collar, hoping to hide his bonding mark, before knocking on Films office door. He had been reporting to his new job since after his heat and he had been able to avoid Film in the recent days but upon arriving at work this morning he was stopped by his secretary and told that Film needed to see him.

“Come in,” Offroad had heard said behind the thick door. He stuck his head in to see Film normal as always busy behind his desk.

“You needed me?” Offroad asked.

“Take a seat,” Film said, waving Offroad to one of the chairs in front of his desk. Offroad internally groaned hoping he could have avoided an actual sit-down discussion.

“What’s up?” Offroad asked, shutting the door and making his way to the chair.

“The project I assigned to you, is it completed?” Film asked without looking up.

“It is. I turned it over last week,” Offroad informed him now wondering if there was something wrong with his work.

“Good, I’m reassigning an account to you,”

“But I’m not an account manager, I’m an analyst?” Offroad questioned.

“For the time being you will be an account manager, because we have literally run out of account managers for this client, and I’m hoping you being an omega will do the trick.” Film informed him as he took notes down on something.

“Excuse me?” Offroad asked confused.

“The account you will be managing belongs to the Kong family and the person currently in charge of the family is their omega son. He is a viper, that one.” Film laughed, finally looking up at Offroad. “You’ll be compensated accordingly.”

“Oh, I didn’t – that wasn’t- ” Offroad stopped talking and took a breath. “I’ll give it a try.”

“Great, Father is coming today to go for lunch so make sure you are free.” Film informed him.

“Oh, no thank you,” Offroad said, declining the invitation.

“I’m sorry what?” Film froze at his desk.

“I don’t like being seen in public with him, let alone in the office,” Offroad informed Film. His father had visited the southern branch once and taken him out to lunch, and the office was in a tizzy for weeks on end with rumors. Offroad hated being the center of attention.

“Oh I think you are going to want to attend this meeting,” Film smirked. “Our sister is home.”

“I know,” Offroad said glaring at Film.

“Oh, I know you know considering the tantrum she has been throwing at home.” Film laughed. “Poor Diamond has to bear the brunt of it since Jo won’t allow him to move out until after college.” Offroad suddenly felt bad Diamond had been asking for the past couple of days if he could come chill in either condo and Offroad had blown him off cause didn’t want anyone seeing the bonding mark or the prenatal vitamins. “Daous father will also be in attendance it seems he is trying to marry off his son once again.”

“What?!” Offroad asked, springing out of his chair.

“Oh so now I have your attention?” Film chuckled. “Noon, you can meet us in the garage.”

“Fine,” Offroad said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Does Daou know?” Offroad asked.

“What do you think?” Film made an ‘Are you stupid?’ look at Offroad. Of course, Daou wouldn’t know he would have put a stop to it.

“What is Mang’s issue?” Offroad asked Film. He never understood why she hated him so. Was it because they were so close in age?

“Honestly I don’t know,” Film said, sitting back in his chair. “I mean you did get knocked up by her fiance and ruin her engagement to the man she has been head over heels in love with,” Film shrugged.

“But Daou never loved her not like that,” Offroad repeated Daou’s own words to Film.

“In our world love is a concept and one that is far out of reach. We don’t marry each other out of love, we marry each other out of duty. If you wouldn’t have informed your father of who your baby daddy was all those years ago Mang and Daou would most likely be married at this point.” Film explained to Offroad.

“Then why aren’t you married off then?” Offroad asked his brother.

“Our family is filled with secrets. Some that should never be uttered,” Film said in a tone that was telling Offroad to drop it.

“And Diamond will father marry him off?” Offroad asked. His little brother meant the world to him and he wanted him to find genuine love.

“Hard to say,” Film shrugged. “If he catches the eye of anyone or if Father needs to make a deal he most likely will be.”

“That’s bullshit,” Offroad almost yelled.

“That is our life Offroad, the best thing your mother ever did for you was to not give you our father’s last name,” Film sighed, going back to his paperwork.

“Yeah well, we will see about all of that bullshit at lunch,” Offroad said, turning to leave.

“Exactly like him,” Film chuckled.

“No, I am not!” Offroad did yell this time and stomped out of the office. He wasn’t ever going to let his children grow up like that. He was going to make sure they knew they were loved and wanted and that they had the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Offroad walked fast back to his office grabbing his stuff. He was going to make sure the world knew that both of his children’s fathers loved them very much. He was sick of playing these families games and he was going to put a stop to it.

……

“Nice of you to join us,” Film said as he approached the table that currently held him, his father, and Daou’s father.

“Sorry, I had an errand to run.” Off apologized scooting in next to Film. “Father,” Offroad said. His father was an intimidating-looking man. He was tall and very muscular in a thick way. Film and Diamond had gotten his height while Offroad had gotten his thick muscle. Offroad never had to work out too hard to get the muscle he was given. “Sir,” he said next to Daou’s father.

“What is he doing here?” Daous father asked. Sneering at Offroad.

“Considering you are here to make a proposal that would also affect him I figured it was best he joined us,” His father said, putting the menu down and calling for a waiter. “Bring a bottle for the table and water and steaks medium with baked potatoes and whatever vegetable you have for all of us.” Offroad rolled his eyes he had forgotten his father’s habit of ordering for the entire table.

“Make one of those steaks, the grilled chicken, extra onions and tea for me please,” Offroad said to the waiter. The poor boy looked back and forth between him and his father. His father just sighed and nodded to the boy as he gathered the menus and rushed away.

“Always difficult,” Offroad heard Film mutter under his breath.

“So Lee please tell me the proposal you have, I have other business to attend to.” His father sighed looking at Daou’s father.

“I received a call from your lovely daughter the other day, she is back in town?” Lee said smirking at Offroad.

“That she is,” his father said.

“I heard she paid my son a visit. And I think it’s about time we hitch those 2 as originally planned.” He finished setting back like he had made a checkmate move.

“And did you hear from her after that visit?” Film asked, smiling like the cat who ate the canary.

“Well no,” Lee started. “But I spoke to her today, and she definitely is still on board to move forward in fact she should have arrived at Daou’s office to inform him of the good news.”

“Why don’t you like me?” Offroad asked point blank.

“Excuse me?” Lee asked.

“Is it because I won’t inherit anything? Because I kept Chance away? Or is it because I actually love your son?” Offroad asked.

“Sam, are you going to allow this?” Lee asked, looking at his father.

“My son asked you a question,” his father said as the waiter arrived, placing drinks on the table and filling up the wine cups.

“What can you offer my son?” Lee asked Offroad.

“Happiness, love, family,” Offroad answered without missing a beat.

“And what good is that going to do him?” Lee scuffed.

“Do you not want your son happy?” Offroad asked.

“Of course, I want my son to be happy!” Lee argued back.

“Then why are you trying to marry him off to someone he won’t be happy with?”

“Because he deserves better than someone than you,” Lee growled. It felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart with a knife.

“If I had my father’s last name would that make me worthy of him? Is that all this boils down to? Even though I make him happy, I love him more than life itself. Is that what it boils down to?” Offroad asked, leaning back into the chair.

“Your love is valueless, what would happiness do if our company went bankrupt? What if we lost everything tomorrow? How would you support him?” Lee asked.

“It’s true I don’t make anywhere as much money as anyone sitting at the table but that is because I choose to make a name for myself without getting by in my life on a last name, but if having that last name means I get to keep Daou then I give up my pride.” Offroad sighed reaching into his bag.

“What pride do you even have?” Lee laughed.

“And what pride will you have left when the media finds out you are trying to marry off your son who already lives with, has a child with, and is bonded to one child of Sam Thongchai for another due to inheritance?” Offroad asked pulling out papers.

“What did you do?” Film asked as Offroad laid the documents from his errand run this morning on the table. Back when his mother had threatened to take his father to court, just as he did with Chance there was a paternity order placed. His mother had to prove to the court that Sam was his biological father and thanks to that right on his birth certificate right under father formally now stated Sam Thongchai. Due to this Offroad was easily able to walk into government offices today and request not only his last name to be changed but in those papers were also the approved request to have Daou added to Chance’s birth certificate and the approved request to have his last name changed to Saechua.

“You son of a bitch!” Lee growled, preparing to reach over the table for Offroad. But was quickly grabbed by his father forcing him down into his seat.

“You lay one hand on my son and I will own you before the day is over,” Sam growled loud enough for all the table to hear.

“Daddy?” Offroad heard Mang call as she approached the table, with her were Daou and his mother. 

“Baby?” Daou asked immediately, rushing to Offroad.

“You bonded with him?” His father yelled through his teeth.

“What?!?” Mang screamed.

“So are you ready to accept me?” Offroad asked Lee, glaring at him hard.

“What’s all of this?” Daou asked, picking up the papers and reading them.

“Lee, what have you done?” Daous mother shrieked.

“Daddy, don’t let him do this!” Mang cried.

“Will everyone sit down!” Offroad’s father yelled, rubbing his temples clearly annoyed. Lee stood throwing his napkin onto the table.

“You think you’ve won but this is easily spun in the media if this gets out,” Lee growled pointing at Offroad.

“Yeah, it would but you know what?” Offroad asked, reaching into his bag once more and pulling out a black and white ultrasound photo. “This definitely throws a fucking wrench in your plans doesn’t it?” He slapped the photo against the man’s chest. Lee grabbed the photo and went wide-eyed as he realized what he was holding.

“Pregnant? You’re pregnant?” His mother said, looking over his father’s shoulder.

“Will someone please fucking explain what the fuck is going on?!” Daou shouted, pulling Offroad to his side.

“You want to tell him or should I?” Offroad asked Lee but then glared at Mang. “Or you can.”

“Can we please sit?” Daous mother asked. “This isn’t good for the baby, I’m sure of it.” Lee sat back down still holding the photo. Mang sat down next to our father, Daou helped Offroad into his chair and took the seat next to him as his mother sat next to her husband.

“You could of fucking warned me,” Film growled to Offroad.

“Or me,” his father sighed.

“Can someone tell me what is going on?!” Daou growled Offroad and could feel his patience wearing thin.

“Why do you think you are here?” Offroad asked Daou.

“Mom invited me to lunch and we ran into Mang outside my office. Mom invited her,” Daou asked, confused. 

“How convenient,” Offroad scoffed, shooting daggers at his sister who looked down at the table. “Let me guess she picked this restaurant?” Offroad watched Daou nod. “Because she and your father are trying to convince our father to let you two get married.”

“What?!” Daou yelled, looking back and forth between Mang and his father.

“I didn’t know,” Lee whispered.

“So now your father has 2 options. Leave us alone in peace or continue with this dumbass plan and be ruined by the end of this meal.” Offroad said smirking.

“What have you done?” Offroad’s father was the one asking now.

“If he chooses the latter, I will send all of this to every news outlet not owned by either of you and will gladly play the poor victim omega that was shunned by his family left by his bonded alpha pregnant and as a single father as he marries his sister for inheritance and business interests.” Offroad smiled. “And that’s how you fucking checkmate someone. I can see the headlines now, “Sam Thongchai’s love child to suffer the same fate as his mother thanks to the money-hungry Saechua family.””

“I would never,” Daou said, sputtering.

“I know and I love you,” Offroad said, taking Daous hand and squeezing it. “But I’m done with the games. So if you even so much as remotely think of ripping my family apart I will destroy us all and your son will forever blame you for losing his children and his omega cause I will not put up with this bullshit. I am not my fucking mother.”

——

Daou POV

Daou couldn’t breathe. What had his father done? What had Offroad’s family done? Offroad never wanted to be associated with his father’s family but now because of him, Offroad was preparing for battle as he just sat here. He could feel Offroads hand squeezing his. He could feel the panic. He could hear his heartbeat in his chest. Offroad didn’t want to do any of this but his omega was so scared of losing him he was ready to burn the world to ashes. Daou fell in love with him all over again.

“I quit,” Daou called out.

“What?” Came from his mother and father.

“If staying in this family means my partner, my omega, the father of my children has to go through such lengths then I quit, I quit my job, I quit this family and I quit being your son,” Daou said looking at his father.

“Daou,” his mother said, reaching for him but he jerked away.

“You both blame him for keeping Chance from me but you both knew. You knew but the business deal in Chiang Mai was more important than me.” Daou said feeling all the hurt and betrayal finally. “Because you both knew the moment I found out I would have run after him. You looked at me every day for 6 years and lied to me. You knew back then I would have picked him and my son over this company. Well guess what? Now I’m picking him and my children over this company and this family.” Daou stood pulling Offroad up with him. He grabbed the papers on the table and stuffed them into Offroad’s bag. “You can keep that,” Daou said, pointing to the ultrasound photo. “Because that is as close as either of you will come to meeting your second grandchild.” 

“Daou!” His mother cried. Daou turned Offroad’s hand in his and stepped away from the table only to pause and turn.

“Oh, and I will marry your son, not because he is your son but because I love him,” Daou said to Offroads father, who smiled at him and raised his wine glass to him. Daou pulled Offroad out of the restaurant; he was the one running this time.

——-

Sam POV

Sam’s laughter had everyone looking at him with confused stares. He finished his wine and signaled for another glass.

“I don’t see how this is a laughing matter,” Lee growled at him.

“Sir, what shall I do with the chicken?” The waiter asked as they brought the food out.

“Box it up please,” Sam instructed the waiter who nodded and came back momentarily with it boxed up. He took it from the waiter and sat it down in front of his daughter.

“I don’t want that.” Mang scrunched her nose at the box.

“It’s not for you, you will take that and go apologize to your brother,” Sam said as he began to cut into his steak.

“You’re kidding right?” Mang said in shock.

“No I am not,” Sam sighed.

“Film!?” Mang shrieked to her older brother.

“You were out of line Mang.” Film agreed with him.

“How was I out of line?!” Mang asked.

“What’s your problem any way you knew they were together?!” Film asked.

“You know?” Lee said from his other side.

“I didn’t know they had bonded or that he was pregnant,” Mang said, sinking down in her seat. “But it’s not fair! I’m older! Film always gets what he wants Diamond as well!

“The only person in this family up until recently who got what they wanted was my spoiled entitled daughter.” Sam snapped.

“Daddy,”

“I’ve had it,” Sam said, cutting her off. “Do you want Films life? He works from sun up to sun down. He lives, eats, and sleeps, alone. He doesn’t get to hang out with friends or go on vacations. He does the work of two people. Do you want to trade lives with Diamond? He so badly wants to be independent but he can’t be because his mother refuses to let him. The only free time he gets is when is a college and he is studying something he doesn’t want to do because he wants to be useful for his older brother. Why are their lives like this? Because after college you decided to shack up with a money-hungry grub and leave the country and who paid for that? Cause you certainly have never worked.”

“But Offroad-”

“Oh, so you want his life?” Sam laughed. “You and Film treated him so badly as a child he left and never came back. I had to beg him to let me pay for his college. Any money I sent to his mother Offroad was sent right back. Since the age of 13, that boy has worked for everything he has. He has only asked me for 2 things in his entire life to help support him while pregnant and to help him get an entry-level job. He was a child raising a child he stepped in to be a sibling to Diamond cause you and Film checked out on that one. He stepped in to be a son to your mother cause once again you all 3 checked out on that one. So tell me, Mang, which one of your brother’s lives do you want?”

“But daddy I love him,” Mang said with tears in her eyes.

“Do you? Cause I don’t think you do. I think you are selfish and once again wanted to take something from your brother.” Sam sighed, finishing his wine.

“Sam,” Lee started.

“And you, you were given the choice 6 years ago and you chose money over your son. I get it. But I’m not to blame for this.” Sam said to Lee. “And for the record, my son is too good for your family.” Sam shoved his plate away from him as he had lost his appetite signaling for the waiter to bring the check.

“I’m sorry I just,”

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to,” Sam growled at his daughter. He watched Mang sigh and stand grabbing the box of food and turning to leave.

“This isn’t going to fix this fucked up family,” Film chimed in. His oldest son had a way of irritating him like no other. He was just like his mother. The waiter had returned with the check charged to his account.

“There is no fixing this or how shitty of a father I have been or husband but I can make sure my children have a decent relationship  with each other and your sister can pull her head out of her ass.” Sam sighed as he watched his daughter disappear out of the restaurant.

“Guess Mang isn’t the only one who owes Offroad an apology.” Lee’s wife sighed.

“No, she isn’t and Lee,” Sam said standing fixing his suit jacket. “If you ever try to lay hands on any of my children again. I will be informing your son you attempted to put your hands on his pregnant omega.”

“Lee!” His wife squealed you could hear the sound of the smack connecting to his face a mile away.

“Film,” Sam nodded at his oldest son. He had sat the train back on the tracks he wasn’t needed much now. He knew Mang would apologize because his daughter wasn’t selfish at her core she was just jealous but she was a good kid. Film would stop working so hard eventually once Offroad learned more of the ropes in the office. Diamond would grow up to be a hell of a businessman thanks to both of his brothers whether that was what he wanted to do with his life or not. Sam knew his kids would be okay.