OLIVIA’S POV
“Why are you here, Jose?” my dad asked, his old voice filling the room.
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“Why am I here?” Jose’s tone was sharp, the kind that cut into the walls and lingered. His eyes red with something more than anger – resentment, bitterness. “You’re seriously asking me that question after what you did?”
What he did? Has Dad done something else that I don’t know of?
“Do you see the way I’m looking?” Jose continued, his voice climbing louder. “Do you see what has happened to my family?”
“That has nothing to do with me,” my dad replied, his tone calm but firm, as if he’d rehearsed those words many times in his head.
“Oh, it has everything to do with you, Donald,” Jose shot back, spitting his name like it left a bad taste in his mouth. He took a step forward, his presence dominating the space. “Do you think if Father was still alive, he would approve of what you did? Do you think he would’ve liked the path you’ve chosen?”
Dad’s jaw clenched. “Is this what you came here to do? Lecture me about my decision? Even after all the threatening messages you sent to me weeks ago?” He moved toward the couch with measured steps, refusing to back down.
Jose followed him closely, his body tense like a predator circling its prey.
I crossed my arms, a frown tugging at my lips. Great. So much for my appointment with themissioner. Looks like that’s going to have to wait, because judging by the fire in Jose’s eyes and the unshaken resolve in Dad’s face, this wasn’t ending anytime soon.
“Two hundred years,” Jose began, his voice shaking with rage, “two hundred long years since thispany was created by our grandparents. And in all that time, not once, has a woman been CEO. This was a sacred tradition, one we guarded, one that was passed from father to son, from brother to brother. And you broke it. You spit on that tradition.” His finger jabbed into the air, trembling. “And for what? Because you found some girl who suddenly appears and ims to be your daughter? A girl who knew nothing about how our business works?”
His wordsnded like knives. I stiffened, heat rushing to my face. It wasn’t the first time someone doubted me or dismissed me, buting from my own uncle, it stung in a different way,
Dad’s eyes darkened. He pushed himself up straighter, his voice steel. “I won’t let youe into this house and insult my daughter. She has proven herself, and she is more than capable of running thispany. She’s a better person to lead than you ever were.” His tone grew sharper with each word. “We’re brothers, Jose. I know you like the back of my hand. I know what you’re capable of, and I knew exactly what you would have done if thepany fell into your hands. If I had made you CEO, thispany would have copsed. It would’ve been ruined under your greed.”
Jose’sugh was hollow, bitter. “Every time we’ve spoken about this, you’ve given me the same sermon. The same pathetic excuse. You hide behind this preaching, Donald, like a priest with no faith, clinging to words so
<b>11:58 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>15 </b>
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you don’t drown in your guilt. You’ve convinced yourself you made the right choice, but we both know the truth.” He took another step closer, his voice dripping venom. “You’re lying to yourself. And that’s why I’m here. That’s why <b>I </b>came. <b>Because </b>I’m your elder brother, and it’s my duty to correct you, to put you back on the straight path. It’s clear you’ve wandered too far off it.”
Dad squared his shoulders, his fists clenched at his sides. “I’m very much on the right path.”
“Don’t lie to yourself, Donald,” Jose barked, his voice booming through the room. He turned sharply, his eyes finally locking on me for the first time since he entered, his re heavy and full of venom. His hand shot up, his finger stabbing the air in my direction. “If you’re on the right path, then do the right thing, remove her from the seat.” His finger stayed there, pointed at me, though his attention remained locked on my father.
The room fell silent,
My eyebrows lifted in disbelief, shock rippling through me so strongly that I almost forgot to breathe. I always knew my uncle Jose carried no love for me, he had never hidden his disapproval the moment my father announced me as the new CEO but I never thought he would go this far. For him to leave everything behind in Mexico, step foot in New York for the very first time, and stand here in our home just to demand my removal… It was almost too much to take in.
A swirl of emotions pressed against my chest – anger, hurt, and even a little fear but I forced myself to keep quiet. My lips parted, ready to defend myself, to tell him that I had earned this seat despite his bitterness, but I quickly shut them again. No matter how much the words burned on my tongue, I couldn’t interfere. This was a conversation between elders, between brothers. I had been raised to respect that boundary. Even if the subject of their heated argument was me, it would be improper to jump in.
“I should remove her from the seat and leave it open? Come on, let’s be reasonable here,” my father said, his voice steady but carrying a hint of exhaustion. “I’m not giving you that position, Jose. If it’s money you need, you can ask. You’re still family. Instead of sending me threatening messages just because you want a position, you could have juste to me like a man.”
There was no anger in my father’s words, but rather a certain sadness, the kind only brothers could draw out of one another.
Jose’s face hardened, his jaw tightening as if he was holding back years of resentment. “Look,” he said slowly, his tone sharp, “I’m going to say this to you as a warning. This is my first time here, so I’ll take it lightly on you people. But you don’t want to cross me, Donald. You said you know me, so you know what I can do and what I will do to get what I want. Take her off that seat. You wouldn’t want me to take action on this.”
The air in the living room grew heavy, tense enough that it felt like the walls themselves were listening. My heartbeat quickened, thumping against my ribs as Jose’s words sank into me. It wasn’t just bitterness anymore – it was <b>a </b>threat, in and raw. He wasn’t here for reconciliation, he was here to draw battle lines.
But my father didn’t flinch. He stood his ground, his eyes locked on his brother’s, his voice calm yet unyielding. “We’re not kids anymore, Jose. I’m not scared of you and what you can do.”
That line struck me deeply. For the first time in my life, I saw my father not just as the unshakable man I had always known but <b>as </b>someone carrying the weight of every decision, every bond fractured in the name of family and business.
Jose narrowed his eyes, his body stiff with restrained fury. “If you force my hand to take action, you will regret not listening to me.”
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The finality in his tone sent chills down my spine. He wasn’t bluffing; he meant every single word.
Silence settled for a brief moment, stretching out long enough that I thought perhaps he might say more. But instead, he took a few steps back, each footfall echoing against the floor like a drumbeat. Then he turned, heading toward the still–open door.
As he reached the doorway, he stopped, his hand resting briefly against the frame. Slowly, deliberately, he looked over his shoulder, his eyes finding mine. That look… it wasn’t just anger. It was a silent promise, a warning that he wasn’t finished, that this was only the beginning.
My breath caught in my throat. I didn’t move, didn’t dare speak, afraid that even a single word might provoke him further.
–
And then he stepped out. Just like that, the house felt different colder, heavier, filled with the lingering shadow of his presence.
I let out a shaky exhale, one I didn’t realize I had been holding. My hand instinctively moved through my hair, pushing the strands back as though that simple action could help me untangle the mess of thoughts racing through my mind.
I still tried to process what had just happened. My uncle, my father’s own brother, had crossed a border, invaded our home, and threatened us both in the span of a few minutes.