Chapter 14: Breaking the Ice
The clinking of silverware against ceramic plates felt deafening. Arthur stared at his food, desperately searching for the right words. He realized he knew how to negotiate with billionaires, but he had no idea how to talk to a ten-year-old boy.
"Mateo," Arthur began, his voice rough. The boy stiffened, putting his fork down. "I... I saw what happened today. In the hallway."
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Mateo braced himself for the delayed shouting. Instead, Arthur took a deep, shuddering breath. "I haven't been here," Arthur confessed, the admission costing him every ounce of his pride. "Not really. Not since your mother died. I thought I was protecting you by working, by keeping everything running. But I was just running away."
Mateo looked up, his eyes widening in shock. It was the first time his father had spoken his mother's name out loud since the funeral. The invincible patriarch was showing a crack in his armor, and the vulnerability was more disarming than any punishment could have been.
