"Nathan, it is not as you think. Let me explain..." Richard's voice was desperate as he took a step toward his son.
"Explain how you have been living a double life, right?" Nathan snapped.
Isabella's smile widened as she watched the scene unfold. Alex stood beside her, looking perfectly at ease in the midst of the family drama.
"I believe there is no need for such dramatics. We are all family here, aren't we?" Isabella called out, softly.
"I hope we will get along really well, brother." Alex chimed in, calmly.
"Family? Is that what you call this?" Nathan demanded as he looked at the mother and son duo with disgust.
Isabella's smile dropped and she faced Richard as if Nathan hadn't just said a word.
"Well, I think this calls for a family lunch. We have so much catching up to do, don't we, Richard?"
Richard looked torn, his eyes darting between Nathan and Isabella.
"Perhaps we should reschedule—" Richard was saying to Isabella gently and Nathan couldn't help but scoffed at that.
"This is ridiculous!" Nathan shouted, clenching his jaw.
"Nathan, please—" Richard tried to reach for his son's arm, but Nathan jerked away.
"Don't touch me!" With that, Nathan headed for the elevator.
"Nathan! Son, wait..." Richard called after him as he stormed into the elevator.
~~~~~~~~~
One Week Later;
Nathan sat on his apartment floor, his back against the couch, as he stared at nothing in particular.
Scarlett watched him from the kitchen, her heart aching at the defeated slump of his shoulders.
"Want some tea?" She asked softly.
"No. What I want is to understand how my father could do this to me." Nathan stated, his voice hollow.
Scarlett moved to sit beside him on the floor, her shoulder brushing against his.
"What do you mean?" She inquired.
"He has blocked everything, Scarlett. My cards, my accounts, everything. He wants me to dance to his tune like some puppet." Nathan divulged.
"There must be a reason. Did he tell you?" Scarlett said gently, totally clueless what was really going on.
Nathan swallowed hard as he thought of a lie to tell her.
"It is because of his illegitimate son. That woman and her son. He wants me to play happy families with them, accept Alex as my brother." He said as he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth – that his father wanted him to leave her.
"And you refused?" Scarlett asked, taking his hand.
"Of course I refused!" Nathan pulled away, standing up to pace the room.
"I can't even put gas in my car, Scarlett. I have missed three lectures this week because I can't afford to drive to campus. At this rate... I will have to drop out." He stated and his voice broke.
Scarlett watched him for a long moment, her expression thoughtful.
Then she stood up and walked over to where he had stopped by the window.
"Nathan, look at me..." She said, her voice firm but gentle.
He turned slowly, meeting her eyes.
"Everything will be fine..." She began, reaching for his hands.
"Whatever you decide to do, I'm right here with you. But first... You need to get a job." She informed him gently.
"A job?" Nathan stared at her as if she had suggested he fly to the moon.
"Yes, a job. Something you can do alongside your studies." She explained.
"But I have never..." Nathan's voice trailed off, the weight of reality crushing down on him.
"Never had to work before? Well, there is a first time for everything." Scarlett finished for him.
Nathan felt overwhelmed by the mere thought. The idea seemed impossible as he had never had to think of that.
He was born into wealth and brought up with it.
"How am I supposed to manage both work and studies?" He asked, almost in a whisper.
"One day at a time. That's all any of us can do." Scarlett said simply.
Nathan sank back down onto the couch, his head in his hands.
"The world as he know it is crumbling around me, and for the first time in my life, money wouldn't fix it..." Nathan thought to himself and scoffed in disbelief.
"How fast life changes! My father's wealth, once a shield against all hardship, has become the very weapon being used against me..." He gritted his teeth.
"I don't know if I can do this." Nathan admitted aloud, his voice muffled.
Scarlett sat beside him, her hand finding its way to his back.
"You can, and you will. Because you are stronger than you think, Nathan West." She assured him with a smile.
He lifted his head to look at her, seeing the unwavering faith in her eyes. It scared him, that faith.
"What if I couldn't live up to it? What if I failed? What if this is the moment that proves my father right – that I am not ready for real life, real responsibility?" Nathan wondered inwardly.
"You can do anything you set your mind to, Nathan. I am sure you can." Scarlett said again and the confidence in her tone sparked something in him.
"I have to prove my Dad wrong... I have to let him know that I am a man now and I can choose my path by myself. This is my moment to be strong and face life on my own." Nathan concluded in his mind.
"And no this isn't about merely fighting to keep a woman, it is about fighting for my freedom from my dominating Dad!" He added inwardly as he remembered how his father would control him to the point of what to eat, how to eat it just to live up to the expectations of being a West.
However, a sharp knock on the apartment door interrupted his thoughts.
Nathan opened it to find his landlord outside, holding a document.
"Sorry kid, but your father's office just called." Mr. Jenkins began, shifting uncomfortably.
"Apparently, he has been the guarantor for this lease all along, and he is withdrawing his support. You have got seventy-two hours to either come up with three months' rent upfront or vacate the premises." The landlord informed and handed the document to a very stunned Nathan.
Nathan's hands trembled as he stared at the eviction notice.