CHAPTER 241: THE NIGHT BEFORE

Chapter 241- The Night Before.

Tyler’s POV

I should’ve been home already.

Hell, I should’ve been in bed, face buried in my pillow, dead asleep with my blanket tangled around my legs like a cocoon. But instead... here I was. Still stuck in this damn office.

Everyone else had already gone. One by one, I watched them walk out. Laughing. Smiling. Saying goodnight.

Now the whole building was quiet.

Even the AC seemed tired of blowing.

I slumped over my desk, my eyes blurry from staring at the screen too long. My brain was mush. My body heavy.

But I kept typing.

Emails. Reports. Deadlines.

My head dropped for a second, and I snapped up, blinking fast.

Shit. I was zoning off again.

"Come on, Tyler," I mumbled to myself, slapping my cheeks lightly. "You can’t fall asleep here again."

I pushed myself out of the chair and stood up slowly, my back cracking like an old staircase. Stretching my arms high, I yawned, long and deep.

Everything ached.

I dragged myself toward the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. The icy sting helped—barely. I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

My eyes looked tired.

I wasn’t even sure how much weight I’d lost, but none of my damn clothes fit right anymore. My shirt hung on me like it belonged to someone else. My cheekbones looked sharper. My jawline was back, but it came with stress lines and dark circles.

"If only I knew adult life would be like this," I muttered. "Maybe I would’ve begged to stay a kid."

College was hard. But this? This was hell.

I dried my face and walked back to my desk.

I had just sunk into my chair again when my phone started buzzing.

I looked at the screen.

"Annoying CEO" flashed across it.

I groaned loudly and let it ring.

Because every time this man called me, it wasn’t because he missed me. Or wanted to check in. Or ask if I’d eaten.

It was because he needed something. Always.

He didn’t care about this company. Not really. He just dumped it on me like an unwanted package and called it "family legacy."

I rolled my eyes and ignored the call.

It rang again.

I let it ring again.

The third time, I let out a long, annoyed sigh and grabbed the phone. "Persistent old man," I muttered, swiping to answer.

"Hello, Mr. Tyler," came his voice—smooth and sarcastic like always.

"How may I help?" I said flatly, skipping any fake greetings. My voice was dry, clipped.

"That’s not how you greet your boss," he replied, chuckling.

"You need something, right? Then get to it," I said, cutting him off. "I don’t have time for small talk. I’ve got real work to do."

He sighed on the other end. "You still haven’t changed. In fact, I think you’ve gotten even meaner."

I scoffed. "What are you gonna do, Dad? Fire me?"

Yeah. That’s right. He’s not just my boss.

He’s also my father.

And the irony? I didn’t even want this job.

Right after college, he basically cornered me. Asked—no, begged—me to manage the company. Said it would be "temporary." Said it was for my own good. That if something happened to him, the company would be mine anyway.

Like that was supposed to be comforting.

I told him no. Over and over.

But then he went to Mom.

And she—of course—backed him.

"It’s your father’s legacy," she’d said. "Just give it a try, Tyler."

I loved my mom. I still do. So I gave in. For her.

Biggest mistake of my life.

Because ever since that day, my life’s been on a downhill slope. I barely sleep. I barely eat. I run this company like it’s mine. And where is he? Golfing. Traveling. Living.

Meanwhile, I’m the one stuck here under buzzing office lights and cold coffee.

He cleared his throat again on the phone, like he was preparing for a speech.

"Anyway... why are you awake?" he asked.

I rubbed my eyes and leaned back in the chair. "Can you stop wasting time and just say whatever you called to say, Declan?"

"Declan?" he repeated, almost laughing. "What happened to ’Dad’?"

I wasn’t in the mood.

"Like I said," I snapped, "I have important things to do. If only you took your own company seriously, maybe I wouldn’t have to carry the entire damn thing on my back."

"You shouldn’t say this, Tyler. The company is practically yours. It’s just like you building your own company from scratch," Declan said on the phone.

I rolled my eyes so hard, I swear they almost got stuck in the back of my head.

"Declan," I said slowly, gripping the edge of my desk so I wouldn’t scream, "I don’t care. Just talk. Say what you called to say and stop wasting my time."

He cleared his throat.

That fake professional tone again.

"The reason I called... uh... there’s a meeting you need to attend tomorrow morning."

My eyes widened like I’d just been slapped. I stared at the phone, blinking.

"What the hell do you mean there’s a meeting I need to attend tomorrow?" I asked sharply.

Was this man being serious right now?

Did he forget what day it was?

Tomorrow was supposed to be my off day. My first break in months. I’d been planning it. Counting down. Finishing up everything just so I could rest.

I couldn’t help but scoff loudly into the phone and shot the most annoyed look toward the air—like he could see me through the speaker.

"It seems you’re really starting to forget details about the company you supposedly ’own,’" I snapped. "Weren’t you the same person I told that I was going on a short break? That I wouldn’t be available for one week? I need the time off, Declan."

There was silence for a second.

Then I heard him gasp.

"Oh no. When did you say that? Tyler, you didn’t tell me any of this. If you had, I swear I wouldn’t have asked. I’m not a monster," he said, fake shock dripping from every word.

I clenched my jaw.

Lying. Again.

"You should’ve told me earlier so I could prepare. But you didn’t," he added in this ridiculous voice like he was some poor, innocent victim.

God. He was really playing the act tonight.

"You see, Declan," I said, breathing heavily, my voice shaking with anger, "this is exactly what you always do. Every time. I tell you something, and you pretend I never said it. Then you make me look like the irresponsible one."

I pushed away from the desk and started pacing.

"I’ve tried to take a break six times now," I said, holding up my hand like he could see it, "Six times! And all six times, you pull the same stunt. Deny. Guilt-trip. Beg. Then dump more work on me like it’s nothing."

I didn’t let him speak.

"I’m tired, Declan," I said quietly, seriously. "I’m exhausted. But luckily, this time, I was prepared."

I opened my drawer and pulled out the printed email and the screenshot on my phone.

"I voice-recorded myself when I informed you. I sent you emails. I even took screenshots of the confirmation. I’ve got proof this time. And whether you like it or not—I’m taking my break. That’s final."

On the other end, he let out a sound—somewhere between a groan and a grunt. Like he’d just been caught red-handed in a lie and didn’t know what to say.

Then... silence.

Followed by a sigh.

"Okay, okay. You caught me," he finally muttered.

I said nothing. Just kept standing there, chest rising and falling.

"But please, Tyler... consider me. Please," he continued, softening his voice. "Just reschedule your break. Just this once. Just for tomorrow. The meeting is important. Really important. I swear I’ll make it up to you. One week off. Full week. No calls. I promise."

I laughed.

He’d said that before.

The reason I was even still awake—still in this office—was because I’d been trying to wrap up all my pending work. Just so I wouldn’t be called in tomorrow or the day after. Just so I could finally rest. Breathe. Sleep.

But now here he was, once again—ruining it..

Just Declan being Declan.

I sat down slowly in my chair, rubbing my forehead.

What exactly did this man gain from frustrating me like this?

Why did he enjoy making my life this unbearable?

"I’m not going to have any meeting with whoever," I said firmly, already reaching for the red button to end the call. "You can go to the meeting yourself, Declan. Besides, you’re the damn CEO."

But just as I was about to hang up, his voice came through the speaker again, and this time, it actually made me pause.

"Your share is going to be increased to 35%."