Chapter 21: You’re an Absolute Pussy
Soldier Boy’s gaze made it harder for Holander to breathe than any roaring ever could.
Holander stood up, not knowing what to say. He detected the disappointnt in Soldier Boy’s eyes. There even seed to be a trace of exhaustion in his look, as if saying: I knew it would be like this, but I still hoped you wouldn’t.
Holander’s face lost all its color in an instant. He parted his lips, wanting to say sothing. But the explanation died in his throat, pushed right back by Benjamin’s silent gaze. Because Holander knew all too well that regardless of what he had been thinking just now, and regardless of whether he had ultimately given in, he had been just a single step away from turning back into that pussy manipulated by Madelyn’s milk.
Madelyn stood up from the sofa, pulling at her crumpled neckline in an attempt to restore so semblance of decency.
"Mr. Soldier Boy, I think this is a misunderstanding—"
"Shut the fuck up, you filthy old whore. If you’re starving for a man, go find an old beggar on the street," Benjamin said.
Madelyn’s mouth snapped shut. She was terrified that Benjamin’s shield would suddenly co crashing down on her head.
Benjamin didn’t look at her again. His gaze remained fixed entirely on Holander, lingering for a few agonizing seconds before he turned and walked out. The sound of his footsteps gradually faded down the corridor, each stride trampling directly on Holander’s chest. The room was left with nothing but the faint hum of the air conditioner and Madelyn’s rapid, uneven breathing.
Holander stood in place, his hands hanging down at his sides, clenched into tight fists. Madelyn reached out, intending to touch his shoulder, but he sidestepped to avoid her. That evasive maneuver was cleaner and more decisive than any before it, completely devoid of hesitation.
"Get out. Now," Holander said.
Madelyn stood behind him, her lips moving slightly, but ultimately she said nothing. Bending down to grab her handbag from the sofa, she walked toward the doorway in her high heels. Passing by the blasted-out door slab, her footsteps paused for a fraction of a second before she hurried out. When Holander tells soone to leave, they absolutely must leave—that was the golden rule when dealing with Holander. Those who didn’t leave usually didn’t get to leave ever again.
Holander stood alone in the empty room. Before him lay the tal door slab that his father had violently kicked off its hinges. There was a deep boot print embedded in the tal. He stepped forward, squatted down, and reached out to touch the imprint.
Soon after, Holander followed him.
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When he burst into the Executive Director’s office, Benjamin was already there, knowing Holander would co.
Holander walked over and ca to a halt right in front of Benjamin’s desk. The edge of his cape swayed gently behind him before falling still. Holander’s hands hung down at his sides, his shoulders slightly tensed, his lips parting as if wanting to speak but not knowing where to begin. He rarely felt like his tongue weighed much, but right now, it felt as though it had been filled with concrete.
Benjamin stood up, and then he raised his right hand.
Holander’s pupils contracted. His body reacted a step ahead of his brain—his neck involuntarily ducked, and his shoulders instinctively hitched up half an inch. The most powerful Supe on earth, when faced with his father’s raised hand, actually flinched as his default reaction.
He was waiting for the fist to co down. Like the punch on the rooftop, or the strike delivered to his shoulder in the conference room. And truthfully, he was used to it. From childhood onward, making a mistake ant being punished. The lab researchers punished him for not cooperating with tests, various technicians punished him when his performance wasn’t good enough, and Vought punished him when he was disobedient. So it made perfect sense for his father to punish him too, because he had been a disappointnt.
But the fist didn’t fall. Benjamin’s hand hovered in midair, remaining poised just above Holander’s ducked head, before pulling back.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
Holander slowly lifted his head, looking toward Benjamin. His expression was written with pure confusion.
Benjamin looked at him, slowly bringing down that hovering hand to rest it against the back of his head.
"You thought I was going to hit you?" Benjamin asked.
Holander looked up, parting his lips, his voice raspy. "I thought you were disappointed in ."
"I am disappointed in you," Benjamin said, slowly withdrawing his hand. "Look at yourself. An absolute fucking pussy. You really are a massive goddamn disappointnt to ."
Holander’s face turned white as a sheet. So he really was a disappointnt after all? He felt that being insulted with those words by his father felt worse than taking a few punches. It stung far deeper than any physical beating.
"I... I was about to refuse," his words began to stumble incoherently. "Even if you hadn’t stopped , I still wouldn’t have done it..."
"The way you were looking at that old whore, you looked like you were ready to fucking drool over her."
Holander opened his mouth.
"What the fuck is your relationship with that old hag anyway?" Benjamin lowered his voice. "Fucking buddies? Or so mother-son roleplay? If it were the forr, it wouldn’t make this goddamn angry. After all, that’s just your private life and none of my business. But when I walked in, it looked like you two had sothing way weirder going on than just a basic hookup."
Holander stood there, panic plastered across his face.
"Did you sleep with her?" Benjamin asked.
Holander hesitated for a mont, then nodded.
"Then do a favor and stop looking at Madelyn like she’s your fucking elder, alright? She’s just a goddamn hookup. You use her, throw her onto the bed, pull up your pants, and walk out the door."
Holander nodded again. Madelyn wasn’t a mother, nor was she an elder. In fact, she was highly likely one of the Vought executives who had frad Soldier Boy. Besides, Madelyn’s heart had been racing just now—she was definitely lying...
Benjamin watched him nod several tis in succession, falling silent for a few seconds before taking a step forward and reaching out to pat him on the shoulder.
"Accompany for a drink tonight."
Holander looked up. He had never had alcohol before.
"I’m not saying a grown man can’t drink milk," Benjamin said, pulling his hand back. "But I expect you to drink it like a man—regardless of what kind of goddamn female animal it’s coming from—not like so helpless baby. Co on, you’re the most powerful Supe on the planet. Act like the number one entity in the world. You’re not just going to be the number one Supe; you’re going to be the number one man!"
Holander stood in place, chewing over those words in his mind. As a man, not an infant...
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
"What should we drink?" Holander asked.
"Beers first, then the hard liquor." Benjamin walked over to the doorway, casting a backward glance at him. "Your treat—those goddamn corporate fucks at Vought haven’t paid yet."
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A/N: Next goal: 150 Power Stones = 1 bonus Chapter!
And if you want to read ahead and find out what happens next right away, you can get up to 20 Chapters ahead on my p@tr~on:
/ForgottenDaoist (@ = a, link is in my profile).
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