For a few seconds, father and son simply stared at each other, neither willing to back down.
But beneath Alvin's anger was something far deeper—fear that his only son was slowly throwing his future away.
Fabiola was about to lunge at his father again when Nicki quickly grabbed his arm and held him back.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Nicki snapped. "Do you really want to fight your dad? I know how naughty you can be, but fighting your own father? I'm not going to stand here and watch you do that."
Fabiola might have been trying to defend her, but Nicki certainly wasn't impressed by his heroics.
"Nicki, why did you stop me?" Fabiola demanded. "Whose side are you on? You're the reason I'm doing this in the first place. You should be on my side. Let's beat the hell out of this man!"
"Not under my watch," Nicki replied firmly. "You don't have to prove anything to me."
She turned to Fabiola and sighed.
"Just apologize to your father."
"Apologize for what exactly?" Fabiola scoffed. "I didn't do anything wrong. I was only trying to protect you. You should be grateful."
He glared at his father.
"What my dad did was unfair. He should be the one apologizing to us!"
"Unfair, you say?" Alvin asked incredulously. "Then let me tell you what's actually unfair."
He pointed toward the mess around them.
"You brought your girlfriend into my house and slept with her in my living room, and you expect me to be happy about it?"
Alvin shook his head in disappointment.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, son, but I will not tolerate this kind of behavior. It's a complete disrespect to me and my home. What the hell is wrong with you?"
He glanced at the clock and scoffed.
"Damn! It's Monday. Do I have to remind you? You should be at work, yet here you are sleeping beside Nicki with empty bottles of liquor scattered all over the floor."
His voice grew harsher.
"Can't you emulate your peers who are actually making something of themselves? You're becoming a terrible influence, and I'm not ashamed to admit it."
Alvin then turned his attention to Nicki.
"Get her out of this house. I don't want her here."
"Nicki stays."
Fabiola's voice was firm.
"She goes nowhere."
He stepped in front of Nicki, shielding her from his father's glare.
Alvin stared at him in disbelief.
"What has come over you?" he demanded. "Do you even realize what you're doing? You're actually standing against your own father to defend your girlfriend?"
"I know exactly what I'm doing," Fabiola replied coldly. "She's my guest, and I decide whether she stays or leaves."
Alvin stared at his son, disappointment etched across his face.
"I knew it would come to this," he muttered. "If only your mother were alive to see the beast you've become. What a pathetic excuse for a man."
He shook his head bitterly.
"I should have known I was making the biggest mistake of my life when I built my entire empire around you. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would have chosen differently. I would have preferred not to have you as my son."
Fabiola's expression hardened.
"Please, spare me the sermon."
His voice dropped as he glared at his father.
"And take my mom out of your fucking mouth."
Alvin leaned forward, narrowing his eyes at his son.
"I've got my eyes on you," he said quietly. "You won't find this funny next time. Consider yourself warned. If I don't find you at the company today, you'll regret having me as your father."
He paused at the doorway.
"This is not an empty threat."
With that, Alvin stormed out of the house and headed for the office.
Surprisingly, Fabiola remained completely unfazed.
He made no attempt to get ready for work. Instead, he turned back toward Nicki as though the heated confrontation with his father had never happened.