Tim's Thoughts
I always grew up believing that parents were entirely incapable of loving their own children. In my childhood years, I never once felt that my mother or father truly cared about my existence or valued my well-being. My entire world was anchored solely by Theo and Damian; they were my absolute universe. And the day I lost them, the entire sky collapsed over my head, leaving me in total darkness.
After that tragedy, my father resolved to send me away to a specialized boarding academy. But calling that wretched place a school was a complete lie; it was a literal prison. It was a dark facility where children were stripped of their dignity and monitored like maximum-security prisoners. It didn't take long for my mind to realize that I had to escape that cage, but the extraction had to be executed in absolute secrecy. My single ray of hope rested on Robert, so I reached out and begged him for his private assistance.
Robert managed to swap my identity, sending another youth to register at the facility in my place, while I vanished into the shadows, shifting from one secret shelter to another across different countries. During those traveling years, as I watched ordinary families in the streets holding hands, protecting, and deeply loving their little ones, a profound realization hit me: there actually were parents in this world who would sacrifice their entire existence just to ensure their children's happiness.
But I also knew, with absolute certainty, that I would never possess a family like that. I had no clue that Willy's domestic world was plagued by the exact same coldness. The moment I walked through the door of his apartment last week and discovered him broken and crying on the floor, the puzzle pieces immediately locked together in my mind. I understood everything. I fought incredibly hard to restrain my dark instincts during this dinner, because I knew that no matter how much pain his parents caused him, their approval still held immense weight in Willy's heart. It's a tragic parallel to my own life. Despite the horrific trials my parents forced me to survive, a small part of me still watches over their safety to this day. I possess every single right to hate them with a burning passion, yet my heart refuses to carry that poison. After all, they are the ones who brought me into this world, and because of their choices, I was ultimately able to cross paths with Willy, the one singular person for whom I would gladly tear down the entire universe.
What my mind completely despises more than anything else are individuals who worship money above all else, and parents who believe their children owe them their entire lives simply because they brought them into existence. Armed with that toxic mentality, these parents attempt to dictate and run their children's lives exactly as they see fit. They entirely forget the reality that their children are independent human beings who possess every rightful claim to live, love, and breathe exactly the way they choose.
I navigate my life by one golden rule: I treat every single person exactly how they choose to treat me.
The morning weather forecast back at the apartment had predicted a heavy autumn storm rolling into the city, but that natural turbulence was absolutely nothing compared to the devastating storm that was about to completely flatten the Miller household.
Despite the thick malice vibrating across the dining table, Tim remained perfectly calm, his posture completely relaxed as he set his coffee cup down.
Tim looked directly into Benjamin's cold eyes, his voice dripping with smooth, effortless authority. "How interesting. Tell me, sir, do you treat every single guest with this level of hostility when you invite them into your private home, or am I simply receiving a special, VIP welcome?"
Benjamin's face darkened, his jaw clenching. "What on earth are you talking about, boy?"
"If your mind had already settled on a permanent verdict before I even stepped foot on your driveway, then what exactly was the objective of this family gathering?" Tim asked, a faint, dangerous smile touching his lips. "Ever since I took a seat at this table, I have heard nothing but your loud attempts to diminish my character. Personally, I don't give a single damn about your opinion of my history. Why should my mind care what you think of me, when you have absolutely no shame humiliating your own child right in front of the person dearest to his heart? You have no concept of how hard I fought to maintain my composure today. But you just crossed a line that you should have never dared to touch. Every single action carries an equal consequence, Mr. Miller, and your corporate mind should understand that reality exceptionally well. I would have sat here in total silence if your insults were directed solely at me, but I will completely destroy anyone who attempts to inflict pain on the person I love more than life itself."
Benjamin's face turned an angry crimson, his hand slamming flat against the wood. "You arrogant, insolent bastard! How dare you speak those words to my face in my own house?!!! Who do you think you are?? Do you hold absolutely no concept of how to speak to an adult, you complete idiot?!"
Tim let out a soft, mocking chuckle. "I'll admit my domestic manners are quite lacking when it comes to dealing with demanding adults, sir. That's mainly because I didn't have the luxury of being raised by my parents. Instead, the streets taught me to mirror people. I treat everyone exactly the way they choose to treat me. If your mind honestly expects appreciation and high respect from my mouth, then you should have possessed the basic decency to extend that same courtesy to me."
Benjamin let out a harsh, mocking laugh, turning to his wife. "You hear this brat? He truly possesses zero breeding. I will never comprehend what my brainless son ever saw in a stray like you. Do you honestly believe you command a single shred of actual power in this city just because your father used to be a high-ranking ambassador?"
Tim threw his head back and burst into a bright, genuine laugh, which only pushed Benjamin's temper past the boiling point.
"I don't require a single cent of my father's wealth or a shred of his political leverage to stand on my own two feet, Benjamin. Unlike you," Tim added, his eyes turning into shards of black ice. "If your name commands any standing in this city today, it is entirely because your own father built this grand fortune and handed it to your safe keeping. I, on the other hand, constructed every single block of my empire with my own bare hands. Are you genuinely curious about what my resources can accomplish? I am entirely certain that when you were frantically trying to dig up dirt on my past, your people questioned everyone about the name Tim Grant. But unfortunately for your investigation, that is not the identity I operate under in the upper tier of the business world. That is exactly why you hold absolutely zero clue about the sheer scale of what I can execute."
Benjamin leaned across the table, his eyes narrow and venomous. "You need to be taught a brutal lesson, boy, and then we'll see if your mouth still runs this fast. Let's remember reality if your beloved boyfriend enjoys a single luxury in this life, it is entirely because my money funds it. Let's see how high your confidence flies when I strip every single asset away from his name and leave him with nothing."
Willy's chest heaved with anger, his chair scraping back as he prepared to scream at his father, but Tim gently caught his wrist beneath the table, his grip warm and unyielding. He refused to let his husband get his hands dirty in this corporate slaughter.
"Money, money, money..." Tim mused, shaking his head with an expression of pure pity. "Just as my background check predicted, your entire mind is completely consumed by wealth. Let's talk numbers, Benjamin. How much capital have you actually invested into your son's upbringing over his lifetime? Ten million? Fifteen? Twenty million? Tell me if my bank accounts hold a larger mountain of fortune than yours, will your arrogant mind finally show some basic respect?"
The grand dining room fell into a suffocating, dead silence. Miles, Alexandra, and the twins stared at Tim, completely frozen, unable to utter a single word.
Tim leaned forward, his voice dropping into a deep, intense register that vibrated through the walls. "Wealth is the only metric that matters to your cold mind, Benjamin, but Willy is the only metric that matters to my entire existence. I am prepared to pour every single asset I own flat at his feet. I can always construct more wealth, but if Willy is not anchoring my life, then my entire existence holds absolutely zero meaning. My heart, my soul, and every single breath I take belong entirely to him."
Benjamin sneered, though a flicker of unease finally touched his eyes. "You are nothing but loud talk and empty theatrics. I will completely refuse to ever authorize your relationship. You possess neither the capital nor the social leverage to stand before me. You speak as if you can wave a hand and alter the city, yet you don't even hold a proper higher education. If your mind possessed any actual intellect, you wouldn't be enrolling as a mere university freshman at your age."
Tim laughed aloud, the sound echoing off the grand chandelier. "I don't hold an education? That is hilarious. I already hold an accredited bachelor's degree and a master's degree, Benjamin. The only reason I chose to enroll in this local university campus now was because I was waiting to officially finalize my master's thesis before taking on a new project." Tim smiled wickedly, tapping his fingers against the table. "And you claim I don't possess money? As we speak, there is a baseline of seven billion sitting securely in your son's private account. I personally transferred that capital to his name this morning simply so he can spend it on whatever whim catches his eye. And honestly, that specific sum is nothing but pocket change to my empire, because I easily converted two hundred million from my overseas holdings into this local currency. If my corporate teams actually transferred the entirety of my international wealth into this city grid, your accountants wouldn't even know how to count the zeros."
Willy's head snapped around, his eyes wide with absolute, profound shock. He had a fortune of seven billion in his name? He hadn't held a single clue.
Tim's eyes remained locked onto Willy's stunned father. "You claim I don't command power? Let me offer your mind a live demonstration of what I can execute. Willy wept bitter tears because of your cruelty last week, and your mouth just commanded him twice to sever his bond with me. So right now, I am going to ensure you comprehend that you will never, ever dare to inflict pain on my husband again. Since your mind prefers to play a dirty, underhanded game, I am going to play by your exact rules."
With an effortless movement, Tim pulled a sleek phone from his jacket pocket, dialed a single digit, and held it to his ear. The line connected instantly.
"Alice," Tim commanded smoothly, his voice cutting through the silent room like a blade. "Contact the executive boards of Terra Firm and Evolve immediately. Issue a direct order that they are to completely cancel and refuse to renew their current corporate contracts with the Miller Group. If their CEOs demand an explanation for the sudden severance, inform them that it is my explicit personal wish, and nothing further."
Alice's professional voice responded clearly over the speaker. "And if their legal teams press for a secondary corporate reason, sir?"
"They won't press for a single thing, Alice," Tim stated coldly. "They will execute the directive without asking a single question, because my voice commands it. Furthermore, prepare the legal transfer files for the Sapphire property holdings. As of this afternoon, the registered legal owner will be Willy."
"I will compile the deeds immediately and transmit them to your tablet for your digital signature, sir," Alice replied before terminating the call.
Tim lowered the phone, slipping it back into his pocket as he leveled a chilling gaze at Benjamin. "Moving forward, every single time your mouth utters a command for Willy to leave my side, your corporation will instantly lose that exact number of major contracts. How many tens of millions did your firm just lose in a matter of thirty seconds, Benjamin? I am well aware that your mind has been desperately plotting to purchase the Sapphire Hotel property for the past decade. I was actually planning to buy it and hand it to you as a formal family gift, but it's an exceptionally good thing I restrained my generosity. Now, your son holds total legal ownership over the exact crown jewel you have been fruitlessly aiming to capture your entire life."
Benjamin's face turned from red to an ashen, deathly white. His mouth opened and closed, but his brain was completely unable to formulate a single coherent sentence. He sat frozen in his chair, utterly paralyzed, unable to comprehend how a young guy who appeared to hold no major leverage had just unleashed an apocalyptic storm right inside his private dining room.
Tim stood up smoothly, smoothing down the front of his jacket. "I believe your mind has received a sufficient lesson for one afternoon, sir. Now, it is officially time for us to depart, because I know your corporate office is about to become an absolute war zone. I expect their executive boards will be blowing up your phone within the next five minutes to notify you of the contract terminations. It's a massive shame, really your firm worked so brutally hard for years to secure those alliances, but now your mind understands the absolute weight of words."
Tim stepped around the table and extended a warm, open hand down to his husband. Beneath his calm exterior, Tim's heart was beating at a frantic pace, his chest tightening as he anxiously waited for Willy's response. He knew this was the ultimate choice. Without a second of hesitation, Willy reached up, his fingers wrapping securely around Tim's palm, and stood tall right beside him. A profound wave of visible relief washed over Tim's handsome face.
Tim turned back to look at the stunned siblings. "Mila, Alan, if your lives ever require a single thing, you understand exactly how to contact my line. If you two ever desire total financial freedom from this household, I am fully prepared to write a check for twenty million this evening. I personally don't know how a parent puts a financial price tag on a human life, but it appears your father values your existence at exactly ten million a piece. Miles," Tim added, offering a polite nod to the older brother. "I am well aware that your mind still harbors doubts about my character, but my door remains open if your corporate tracks ever hit a wall."
The teenagers were completely paralyzed by the sheer gravity of the situation, unable to utter a response. They knew exceptionally well that the moment the front door closed, a secondary, far more terrifying domestic explosion would rip through the house.
Tim turned his gaze to Willy's stunned mother, offering a polite, theatrical bow. "Before I take my exit, let the record show that this arrogant bastard has completely defeated your husband. It was an absolute pleasure being introduced to you, mother-in-law. Oh, I almost forgot best of luck sorting out the pieces of your crumbling corporate grid. Here is a free piece of advice from a genius: you can accomplish absolutely anything in this world if you learn to love your own children more than you love a stack of paper."
With those final words, Tim and Willy locked hands and walked out of the grand dining room, stepping through the front door into the fresh air. Behind them, the muffled sound of Benjamin screaming in pure rage echoed through the walls, followed by the loud crashing of expensive porcelain being smashed against the floor.
The grand mansion truly looked as though a literal hurricane had just torn through its foundations. But the reality was simple: if those parents had simply chosen to love, shield, and cherish their own flesh and blood instead of bowing to greed, not a single drop of this devastating storm would have ever hit their world.