I Married My Ex's Billionaire Father
Chapter 126: Let’s Talk About Levi Van Doren

Chapter 126: Let’s Talk About Levi Van Doren

Once again, Brandon’s plan had backfired spectacularly. Since he had been unable to make her come home with her, he had envisioned a romantic evening with Lyse, a chance to rekindle their "relationship" under the convenient guise of caring for her post-hospital discharge.

He’d imagined soft lighting, gentle conversation, and ultimately, a shared bed. He’d believed that her memory loss would make her pliable, easily swayed by his carefully crafted narrative.

But Lyse, even with her fragmented memories, possessed a strong sense of self. When he suggested he stay the night to "keep an eye on her," a look of firm resolve crossed her face.

"Thank you, Brandon," she said politely, but with a clear undertone of finality. "But will be fine. I’d prefer to be alone tonight."

"Baby, don’t be like that. You need me to take care of you." He leaned closely to her and his voice dropped suggestively. "I’ve missed you, don’t you want to cuddle?"

Lyse’s expression reminded firm as she said, "I am a grown woman and the people at the hospital said I’m fine, if I need help I’ll call you."

Brandon’s disappointment was palpable. He wanted to argue, to suggest that it would not be proper for her to be alone so soon after coming out of the hospital, but he decided not to push her too hard so she would not go running from him.

Defeated, he had no choice but to leave.

The drive back to his apartment was filled with frustrated resentment.

He felt that he had been so close, he’d had the perfect opportunity to solidify his hold on her, to weave his lies into the fabric of her fragile memory. But she had resisted, denying him the intimacy he craved. She lost her memories and probably her virginity but she was still holding unto her "virtue". It made him made to think that she had willingly given it up to an older man.

He unlocked his apartment door, expecting the usual quiet emptiness. He was therefore shocked to find his mother, sitting on his sofa, a glass of what looked suspiciously like his expensive scotch in her hand.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his frustration turning into anger. He was in no mood for her presence, for her judgment, for anything that reminded him of his complicated past.

"And how did you get past the doormen?"

’Someone is going to get my wrath! Those stupid doormen can’t even do their jobs properly.’

Sutton looked up, her expression surprisingly calm. "Don’t be stupid, I paid for this apartment. No one is going to stop me. " she said, taking a sip of her drink. "I wanted to talk to you, Brandon."

"About what?" he retorted, throwing his jacket onto a nearby chair. "I am not in the mood for one of your lectures, not like you are even in the position to give me one."

"It’s about your father," Sutton said, her voice even as she ignored her son’s dig at her.

"Which one of them?" Brandon asked snidely, "the one I have been calling father, or the one who donated the sperm?"

"Sometimes I wonder if the gave me the wrong baby at the hospital, shut up and listen." Sutton snapped.

Brandon remained silent, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He hated when his mother treated him like a child, which was always. She never acknowledged him as an adult, it was simply humiliating.

"Now," Sutton said, her voice regaining its composure. "Let us talk about Levi Van Doren."

Brandon’s anger flared. He didn’t want to talk about Levi, not after the humiliation he’d just endured. "What about him?" he spat.

"It’s about your birthright," Sutton continued, ignoring his hostile tone. "You my son are a Van Doren, Brandon. You are entitled to your share of the company, regardless of Levi’s... actions."

Brandon scoffed. "My birthright?" he repeated, his voice laced with bitterness. "He abandoned me. He never acknowledged me. I don’t want anything from him."

"That is foolish," Sutton said, her voice sharp. "This isn’t about him. It’s about you. It’s about securing your future. You’re entitled to a significant portion of the company as his firstborn, and I won’t let you throw it away out of spite."

"Spite?" Brandon sneered. "You call it spite? He left me! He left me to be raised by someone else, while he lived his perfect little life. And now you expect me to just... accept his money?"

"It’s not his money," Sutton countered, her voice rising. "It’s your family’s legacy. It’s your inheritance. You deserve it."

"You don’t understand," Brandon said, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and pain. "You have never understood. You were never there for me either. You were too busy chasing after... after..." He couldn’t bring himself to say the word.

"After what, Brandon?" Sutton asked, her voice dangerously low.

"After every man who looked at you, don’t think I didn’t notice it!" he yelled, the pent-up frustration finally erupting. "You are a whore!"

The air crackled with tension. Sutton’s face flushed crimson, her eyes widening in a mixture of shock and fury. In a swift, unexpected movement, she raised her hand and slapped Brandon across the face. The force of the blow stung, leaving a red mark on his cheek.

He stared at her, stunned into silence. He had never expected such a reaction from her.

"I am your mother," Sutton said, her voice trembling with barely suppressed anger. "And I will not tolerate you speaking to me like that. Ever."

Brandon remained silent, his hand instinctively going to his cheek. The sting was a physical manifestation of the deep-seated resentment that simmered between them.

Sutton took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "I didn’t come here to argue with you," she said, her voice now controlled but firm. "I came to talk about your future. About your place in the Van Doren family."

She paused, her gaze meeting his. "Levi may have abandoned you emotionally," she continued, "but legally, you are still his son. You are entitled to your share of the company. And I intend to make sure you get it."

Brandon stared at her, his mind reeling. He had never considered this before. He had always focused on the emotional betrayal, the personal rejection. He had never thought about the legal implications, the financial ramifications.

He remembered his grandmother’s visit, she had wanted him to take up the position of interim CEO. That that had been temporary, she never even spoke about giving him shares.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, his voice now subdued.

"I want you to claim your rightful position," Sutton said, her voice resolute. "I want you to take what is yours."

A flicker of ambition ignited within Brandon. The idea of having a stake in his father’s company, of finally having some power and control, was suddenly appealing. It was a way to prove himself, to show Levi what he had missed and to convince Lyse that he was the man for her.

"How?" he asked, his voice now laced with a newfound interest.

Sutton’s lips curved into a subtle smile. "I have a plan," she said. "And with my help, you will get everything you deserve."