Chapter 3 - The King Who Walked Away
The private clinic occupied the top floor of a building with no sign.
Elias refused admission until Ivy promised to stay.
"You found me," he told her.
"Technically, your pennies did."
"I knew you'd understand eventually."
"I didn't. Your terrifying son did."
Adrian stood near the window.
"Terrifying?"
Ivy shrugged.
"Your employees practically stop breathing when you blink."
Elias almost smiled.
"That part he inherited from his mother."
Adrian's expression remained stone.
The doctor entered.
"Mr. Vale is suffering from exposure, dehydration, and exhaustion. Another night outside could have been serious."
Adrian stared at his father.
"You nearly died."
Elias looked away.
"People do."
"Not because they're too stubborn to call their son."
Elias turned sharply.
"My son stopped listening years ago."
Ivy stood.
"I should go."
"No," both men said.
She slowly sat again.
"Fantastic."
Elias looked at Adrian.
"You want to know why I left?"
"I've wanted to know for eleven months."
"I told you."
"You gave me riddles."
"I gave you warnings."
Elias pointed toward him.
"I built something because I thought power could protect a family. Then I watched you inherit it and start protecting the power instead."
Adrian's voice lowered.
"You left me with everything."
"Exactly."
"What was I supposed to do?"
"Choose."
"Between what?"
"Being feared and being worth following."
Adrian laughed without humor.
"Easy lesson from a man who walked away."
Elias fell silent.
That one landed.
Ivy watched father and son stare at each other.
Finally Elias said, "Yes."
Adrian blinked.
"I walked away."
The anger disappeared from Elias's voice.
"I was ashamed."
That surprised everyone.
"Of what?" Adrian asked.
"Of what I taught you."
Silence.
Elias looked at Ivy.
"Then I met this girl."
Ivy raised an eyebrow.
"Woman."
"Bossy woman."
"Better."
"She had almost nothing. Yet every night she gave something away."
Adrian looked at Ivy.
Elias continued.
"I wanted to know whether kindness still existed when nobody was watching."
"You made yourself homeless to conduct a philosophy experiment?" Ivy asked.
"No."
His smile faded.
"I left because I couldn't stand my own house."
That answer felt real.
"I wandered because I had nowhere I wanted to return to."
Adrian sat down.
"You had me."
Elias's eyes softened.
"Did I?"
Adrian looked away.
Nobody spoke.
Then Ivy's phone rang.
Wade.
She answered.
"What?"
"Don't bother coming back."
She stood.
"What?"
"You disappeared during your shift."
"I told you—"
"You left with those people. Register was short."
Her face hardened.
"The register wasn't short."
"Don't care. You're fired."
The line went dead.
Ivy stared at the phone.
Adrian had heard enough.
"He fired you?"
"Stay out of it."
"I can buy the diner before breakfast."
"Exactly why you're staying out of it."
Elias chuckled.
"She does that."
"Does what?" Adrian asked.
"Talks to powerful men as if they're disappointing children."
Ivy grabbed her coat.
"I have bigger problems."
"Like?" Adrian asked.
"Rent."
She immediately regretted answering.
Adrian stood.
"How much?"
"No."
"Ivy."
"No."
"You saved my father's life."
"I fed him soup."
"You found him."
"We found him."
"Then let me help."
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"I didn't feed Elias because I thought he might secretly be rich."
Adrian went quiet.
"And I'm not accepting money now because he is."
She walked toward the door.
Elias called after her.
"Ivy."
She turned.
"Come back tomorrow."
"Why?"
May you like
"Because there is something I need both of you to hear."
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