“What exactly are you doing at the company that I wouldn’t know about?”

Joseph paused in flipping through the contracts, finding the question almost laughable.

“What, you think I’ve been up to something shady?”

A faint, dry chuckle left him. “You know I’ve closed a few contracts for the company lately–it’s all in plain sight. What would I even have to hide from you? If you still can’t trust me at this point, then by all means, take the company back.”

That lit Harold’s temper instantly. “So, what–you’re threatening me now? Don’t forget, I’m your father, and…”

“I know!” Joseph cut him off with a sharp shout. “You’re my father, and everything I have came from you. So what? What else do you want to say?”

He was already on edge, and with Harold barking at him like this, it felt like his head was about to split open.

Harold was thrown off for a moment, not expecting him to snap back with such force.

“Alright, alright. That’s not why I called,” Harold said, forcing the topic in another direction.

Joseph frowned. “Then what is it?”

He honestly couldn’t imagine what else they’d have to talk about. Every call from his father was either about the company’s progress or about something Joseph had done to embarrass him. If he wasn’t getting chewed out, he was about to.

This time, Harold got straight to the point. “I know what your situation has been like these past few days. Is this about that woman, Judy?”

Joseph had been slouched in his chair, eyes dull, but the moment he heard his father’s words, he sat bolt upright.

“Dad, what exactly are you trying to do?” There was a hint of desperation in his voice. “Haven’t I already said it? Give me some time and I’ll improve. I’m not going to let her affect me. Just don’t do anything to her.”

On the other end of the line, Harold found his son’s outburst almost laughable. Pointing at his own chest, he demanded, “So in your mind, is that what your mother and I are like?”

Joseph simply nodded without hesitation. “Isn’t that exactly why Judy and I broke up? Back then, it was you and Mom who insisted on matching family backgrounds. Her family couldn’t compare to ours. But now, she’s running her own studio, she’s incredibly capable, and she’s independent–more than most women.”

Hearing his son finally steer the conversation back to the point, Harold let out a slow breath. “Alright, alright. At least you’ve finally gotten back on topic.”

He rubbed his temples, feeling that talking to his foolish son was somehow more exhausting than reviewing a stack of business reports. With others, if they didn’t understand, he could just tear into them. But with his son, it was different. As a father, he knew Joseph’s pride had been strong since childhood, and the circles he moved in had never been quite the same as theirs. Still, in Harold’s eyes, this decision made perfect sense, and in the future, even if the children ended up in the public eye, they could still hold their heads high.