Leon spent the rest of the week at the old man's estate, a place so absurdly luxurious that it still felt surreal even after days of living there. The ceilings were high, the halls were endless, and everything—from the furniture to the silverware—screamed power and wealth.
It was overwhelming at first, but strangely, he adjusted quickly.
Maybe it was because Thaddeus himself wasn't as overbearing as Leon had expected.
The man had presence—an aura that commanded a room—but he wasn't suffocating. He gave Leon space, let him explore, let him process things at his own pace. The only real rule he enforced?
School.
Leon had been tempted to skip, just this once.
Hell, even Alex outright suggested it. "Come on, man. What's a week off gonna do? You're basically royalty now."
But Thaddeus was adamant.
"You will go to school." His tone left no room for argument. "The moment you start thinking you're above the rules, you become a fool. I raised no fools."
That was the end of that.
So Leon went.
It was strange, acting like everything was normal when his entire world had shifted overnight. He still went to class, still dealt with the same boring lessons, still ignored the usual nonsense of high school drama.
But there was a difference now.
He had a lifeline.
A connection to something bigger.
And, for the first time in this life—
He wasn't completely alone.
After his first conversation with Thaddeus, Leon had used the opportunity to ask for a few things.
Nothing extravagant. Nothing unreasonable.
At least, by his standards.
But when dealing with a man like Thaddeus Lioren, what was considered simple became relative.
"I want to live with you," Leon had said, straightforward as ever.
And just as straightforward, Thaddeus had replied—
"No."
No hesitation. No consideration. Just a flat, unyielding denial.
Leon had blinked. "Why?"
Thaddeus had leaned back, his sharp golden eyes watching him carefully. "Because I didn't come here to take you away, boy. I came to check on you."
Leon frowned. "That's it?"
"That's it."
For some reason, that irritated him.
"So you just found out about me, showed up out of nowhere, and now you're leaving?"
Thaddeus exhaled, shaking his head. "Don't be dramatic. I'm not vanishing into thin air."
Leon crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Sure as hell seems like it."
That earned him a chuckle. "Hah. Spirited. Good." Thaddeus rubbed his chin. "I'll make you a deal. When you're old enough to live on your own, I'll buy you a place in the city. Somewhere comfortable, somewhere safe. Until then, you stay where you are."
Leon narrowed his eyes. "And if I say no?"
Thaddeus smirked. "Then I'll tell your school you're skipping and have them drag you back by the collar."
Leon clicked his tongue. "Tch. Fine."
Thaddeus let out a hum of approval. "Smart boy."
Despite the refusal, the week was well spent.
Conversations with Thaddeus were… enlightening, to say the least. The old man had a way of making even casual discussions feel like lessons in survival and power.
Leon learned more about his lineage, more about the Lioren family and their influence. He was never given a direct explanation of their full reach, but from the way people bowed their heads at Thaddeus's presence alone, he could guess.
And if he thought too hard about it, it almost scared him.
But the strangest part?
He was happy.
Genuinely, undeniably happy.
For the first time in this life, he had someone to talk to—someone who treated him as his own person, not as an obligation, not as a mistake.
And though neither of them said it out loud, it was clear that Thaddeus enjoyed the company just as much.
The day to leave came faster than Leon wanted it to.
Standing at the gate of the estate, he watched as a familiar black van pulled up. The same driver who had brought him here a week ago stepped out, giving a respectful nod to Thaddeus before opening the door.
Leon exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he prepared himself for the inevitable.
Thaddeus, standing beside him, reached into his pocket and pulled something out.
A phone.
Leon blinked as the old man held it out to him.
It wasn't a smartphone.
It was a brick phone.
Sturdy. Durable. Ugly as hell.
Leon took it, turning it over in his hand before glancing up at Thaddeus with an incredulous look. "Are you serious?"
Thaddeus smirked. "That has my number. You can call me during vacations. Maybe I'll even let you visit."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "And why exactly couldn't you give me a normal phone?"
Thaddeus didn't answer.
He just smiled.
A knowing, mischievous smile.
Leon sighed. "You're a real piece of work, old man."
Thaddeus chuckled. "And you're still just a brat."
Leon rolled his eyes but felt warmth settle in his chest.
He gripped the phone, sliding it into his pocket before turning toward the van.
This was it.
The week was over.
It was time to go back.
Leon took a step forward—
Then hesitated.
He turned back, staring at the old man for a moment longer.
Then, without fully understanding why, he spoke.
"I'll call."
Thaddeus raised an eyebrow.
Leon exhaled, looking away. "During vacation. I'll call."
The old man said nothing for a second.
Then, slowly, he smirked.
"I'll be waiting."
With that, Leon stepped into the van.
As the door shut and the vehicle pulled away, he didn't look back.
But he didn't need to.
Because, for the first time—
He had something to return to.
…
The drive back was quiet.
Leon leaned against the window, watching as the city blurred past him in a mix of neon lights and the cold gray of concrete. The further they got from Thaddeus's estate, the more reality seemed to settle in.
It almost felt like the past week had been a dream—a break from the monotony of his usual life.
But the weight of the brick phone in his pocket reminded him that it wasn't.
Thaddeus was real.
And so was the promise of something beyond the dull, empty routine he had been stuck in.
Still, that didn't change the fact that he was going back to his parents.
His hands curled into fists at the thought.
It wasn't that they were abusive or anything. No, that would've been easier. At least then, he could put a name to the resentment burning inside him.
But they weren't cruel.
They were just distant.
Cold.
Like they had already accepted his existence as a mistake but were too obligated to do anything about it.
That kind of treatment wasn't something you could fight against.
It just… wore you down.
"Almost there," the driver announced.
Leon exhaled through his nose, straightening up in his seat as the van turned onto the familiar street leading to his house.
The warm glow of the porch light was already on.
They knew he was coming.
For a brief second, he wondered if they were actually waiting for him—if they were sitting inside, looking forward to his return.
But the moment the van came to a stop and he stepped out, reality crushed that fleeting thought.
The front door opened, and his mother stood there, looking just as she always did—composed, indifferent, distant.
No smile.
No warmth.
Just a polite nod as she stepped aside to let him in.
Leon walked past her without a word, stepping into the house he had never quite felt at home in.
His father was in the living room, seated on the couch, reading something on his tablet. He didn't even look up when Leon entered.
Typical.
"Welcome back," his mother finally said, closing the door behind him.
Leon turned slightly. "Yeah. I'm back."
A pause.
Then, without anything else to say, she simply nodded. "Dinner is in the fridge if you're hungry."
And that was it.
That was the grand welcome he got after being away for a week.
Leon wasn't surprised. He didn't expect anything else.
But that didn't make it any less disappointing.
Without another word, he headed upstairs to his room.
The second the door shut behind him, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
He flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.
The room felt smaller than before.
Quieter.
Colder.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out the brick phone.
He turned it over in his hands, debating for a long moment before flipping it open.
He could call.
Thaddeus had said he could call whenever.
But… what would he even say?
Wouldn't it be pathetic to call him the same day he left?
Leon shut the phone, tossing it onto the nightstand.
Instead, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling until sleep took him.
And for the first time in a long while—
His dreams weren't empty.