Throw Him Under The Bus
“You can throw him under the bus and finally get on your father's good side.” Tim Talbot lowered his voice as though they were conspiring to save the world.
Nathan Weston rubbed his neatly trimmed beard, studying the company quarterly report spread across his desk. His father's will wasn't finalised yet and they had begun circling the old man like vultures. Unfortunately, Dan Weston was the old man's favourite among his three children.
He was also curious about the lawyer’s sudden devotion to him. Did Tim see him as the future leader of Listre Aerodynamics Inc.? He loved the company, their future plans in advanced tech and hoped his father would trust him with its leadership.
But there was his stepbrother, Dan Weston.
His dislike for Dan stretched back decades when he smashed his limited-edition Bumblebee Transformers toy into pieces then convinced their father Nathan had done it himself. He had been too stunned to defend himself. Their father punished him for it and never bought him a toy again.
“I have reviewed everything,” Tim tapped the bound report. “The discrepancies all lead back to Dan's division. You need to show this to Richard Weston.”
Nathan flipped through the pages and shook his head. “No, that would be too obvious.” Tim raised a brow. “Let his secretary take it to him. Let the chips fall where they may.” He stood and left the office before the ambitious lawyer could say more.
Two days later, his assistant informed him that Richard wanted all three siblings in his office for an impromptu meeting.
Eighty-two year old Richard Weston was sat behind an enormous walnut desk, fingers steepled beneath his chin. He looked imposing and younger. Dan lounged in one of the comfy leather seats while Christy stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window, gazing over the city.
“Finally, brother. The meeting couldn't start without you,” Dan drawled with a grin. Nathan smirked at him and kissed Christy on the cheek.
“Father,” Nathan greeted, taking the second seat in front of Richard. The old man nodded and tilted his head at Christy to take a seat. She sighed dramatically and did. “I don't mind standing, Dad. I've been sitting all day.”
“Now that you're all here. I've read the quarterly report and found some concerning discrepancies,” he said.
“I wouldn't be surprised if that traces back to our big brother, Nathan,” Dan said with a sly grin that quickly faded when their father shook his head.
“It's actually leads to you, Daniel,” the old man drawled. “I'm disappointed.”
Dan shot upright. “What? How—”
“Calm yourself. I had the report independently investigated and it turns out there are staff and people on the board invested in taking over but you kids are oblivious to it!”
Nathan sat upright too. “Father, what are you talking about.”
“Yes, Dad. We have everything under control,” Christy said.
“No, you don't. Legal Deputy, Tim Talbot working with Board Member, Blake Ritson had plans to manipulate the figures and take control of the company. They are being arrested as we speak.”
Silence settled over the office. Nathan felt a chill crawl up his spin as Richard studied his children, his gaze lingering on him.
“You have all been competing for my approval for a year now and that's good,” he said solemnly, holding their gazes one after the other. “But you lost sight of what's important. Worry about protecting what I've already entrusted to you.”
Nathan lowered his eyes, wondering whether Tim had tried to manipulate him into throwing his own brother under the bus.
I hope you enjoyed reading this short piece. It's inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt phrase "throw him under the bus".
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