Chapter 6 - The Night Atlas Chose a Side
Three months later, my clinic looked different.
The flickering lights were gone.
The broken examination table was replaced.
The overdue rent was paid.
I used most of Jared’s money to rebuild the place.
But I refused every offer he made to do more.
Eventually, he stopped offering.
Instead, he started showing up.
Sometimes with Atlas.
Sometimes with coffee.
Always after calling first.
That mattered.
One rainy evening, Jared arrived carrying two cups.
“You’re late,” I said.
“You noticed.”
“Atlas noticed.”
Atlas was already sprawled behind the counter like he owned the clinic.
Jared handed me coffee.
“Dinner?”
“Maybe.”
“You’ve said maybe eleven times.”
“Still counting?”
“Yes.”
I smiled.
Then the clinic door opened.
A man stepped inside.
I stopped breathing.
Jared immediately noticed.
“Willa?”
The man smiled.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
My former stepfather.
Graham Thornton.
The man I’d spent years getting away from.
“What are you doing here?”
“I heard you came into money.”
Of course.
Jared moved beside me.
Graham looked him over.
“And you are?”
“Someone she invited here.”
Graham laughed.
“Willa doesn’t make good decisions.”
Jared didn’t respond.
He looked at me instead.
“Do you want him here?”
The question hit harder than any threat could have.
Not Should I remove him?
Not Do you need me to handle this?
Do you want him here?
“No.”
Jared nodded once.
“Miles.”
Miles appeared from the hallway.
Graham’s confidence disappeared.
“You can’t throw me out.”
I finally found my voice.
“Yes, I can.”
Graham stared at me.
“You think money changed you?”
“No.”
I stepped forward.
“Leaving you did.”
His expression twisted.
“You owe me.”
“No.”
“I raised you.”
“You controlled me.”
“Willa—”
“Leave.”
He stared at Jared.
“You going to let her speak to me like that?”
Jared’s answer was almost calm.
“I don’t let Willa do anything.”
Silence.
“She decides.”
Graham looked at me.
And for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel small.
“Get out.”
He left.
The door closed.
My hands started shaking.
Jared didn’t touch me.
He simply stood nearby.
“Do you want me to stay?”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
Only then did he take my hand.
Atlas walked over and sat between us.
Jared looked down.
“Seriously?”
I laughed through the tears.
Atlas leaned against both our legs.
He had chosen his side.
May you like
Or maybe he’d decided we were finally on the same one.
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