Ruined (Harry Styles)

Chapter 59

MACYS POV

"Dinner and dessert were lovely." I told Leila. She waved her hand in dismissal as if it were nothing to be as warm and welcoming as she was.

"Please Macy, come over any time." Christopher chimed in.

"Yeah we can all carpool." Liam said with a hint of sarcasm, although Leila's eyes lit up for a beat at the thought of her two eldest coming home more.

"New York, is the last time I get in a motorised vehicle with you." Harry shot a glare in Liam's direction.

"Says the one that totalled his Maserati." Liam bit back, like I didn't get enough of the bickering at home.

"Yeah, and for good reason." Venom laced Harry's voice as he clenched his jaw. I caught Louis hang his head down from the corner of my eye. The story of Harry, his first car, and Louis coming to mind.

An awkward silence wavered in the air. Both Leila and Christopher avoiding the wondering eyes around the table. Perhaps a period in time that they didn't speak about anymore, none the less, I could tell the broken relationships in the family still affected them all.

"Harry." Christopher's fatherly tone broke through, to which we all sighed a silent breath of relief. "Have you considered my offer?"

Harry leaned back in his chair, stiff with annoyance and the brooding look that was now travelling through his eyes.

"Yes." Harry said shortly, twirling his glass between his finger tips. "I'm not accepting it."

Liam scoffed with some kind of amusement, earning some daggers from his brothers direction.

"Don't be stupid H." He let out. Harry's chest rose and fell slowly. His growing frustration letting me know that this conversation was one that had been had before. Leila mindlessly sullied the kids to play before bed, leaving me with a room full of testosterone and a conversation I had no desire to be around for.

"What do you know Liam? You haven't done shit for Styles Designs since it started." Harry scoffed.

"I don't need to to know that you'd be dumb not to take this up."

"Boys." Christopher glanced at the two of them with a warning. "Harry, this pitch has amazing potential, you're one of my only employees that knows the clientele and target audience well. I urge you to reconsider." Christopher's bright eyes were boring into Harry, but he looked un phased, content with the decision he has made.

"Ask him to do it." Harry threw a low effort nod towards Louis.

"No way Dad. I'm not even qualified. There's not way I'd trust myself." Louis put his hands up in protest.

Harry groaned dragging his hand down his face.

"Dad. I'm not doing it. I don't have the time. End of discussion." Harry's chair dragged back with a loud scrape to their poor varnished doors. We listened as the sound of his heavy stomps dispersed with him stalking out of the dining area.

"Hmm." Christopher hummed.

"Dad. He'll come around." Liam said with confidence, it almost reassured me.

"No he won't." Louis cut in. "Do you even know him?"

"Better than you." Liam piped up. "He's just being an idiot."

Louis rolled his eyes. The more I pondered on it, the more I thought...I don't think Liam really knew his twin better than Louis. In fact, there had been several times that had demonstrated Louis understood Harry much more than Liam. They were closest no doubt, but Louis had this ability to know exactly what made Harry tick. Liam often excused his behaviour as Harry just being Harry. There was no way Harry was going to change his mind. Not unless he could quit his job, find more time or another employee to help do it, and it wasn't Harry just being Harry. He wasn't not doing it just for the sake of it, he had reasons I'm sure no one knew or understood to the full extent. I could see sharks circling his mind of late, so full of stresses and micro dramas, his ability to keep up with it all was dwindling.