Chapter 14 The Family War #2
He had returned from the office expecting to find Evan in the living room, probably with his feet tucked beneath him and a book or phone in his hands.
Instead, the room was empty.
Nathaniel checked the kitchen.
Empty.
The bedroom.
Empty.
The guest room.
Empty.
His chest tightened.
"Evan?"
There was no answer.
He walked back into the hallway and saw Maria standing near the stairs.
"Have you seen Evan?"
Maria hesitated.
"Yes."
"When?"
"About an hour ago."
Nathaniel stopped.
"Did he say where he was going?"
"He said he needed some time."
Nathaniel's stomach dropped.
"Did he take anything?"
"Just a small bag."
That was enough.
Nathaniel stood completely still.
"Did he say anything else?"
Maria looked uncomfortable.
"He told me not to worry."
Nathaniel closed his eyes.
That sounded like Evan.
Trying to make everyone else comfortable while he was falling apart.
"Did he leave a message?"
Maria nodded.
"I put it on the kitchen counter."
Nathaniel walked into the kitchen.
A folded piece of paper sat beside the fruit bowl.
His name was written across the front.
Nathaniel.
He stared at it for several seconds before opening it.
I need some space.
Nathaniel read the sentence twice.
He continued.
I don't know how long I'll be gone. I just need to think without everyone telling me what I should do.
Nathaniel's throat tightened.
There was more.
I love you. That's not the problem.
The problem is that everything around us is becoming bigger than us.
My father is hurting. Your company is dealing with the attention. People are talking about me like they know who I am. I don't want to become the reason your life gets destroyed.
Nathaniel stopped reading.
His hand tightened around the paper.
He forced himself to continue.
I need to figure out whether I can be with you without feeling like I'm taking something away from everyone else.
I'll contact you when I'm ready.
Evan.
Nathaniel lowered the paper.
For several seconds, he simply stood there.
The first instinct came immediately.
Find him.
Call him.
Bring him home.
Tell him he was wrong.
Tell him that none of this mattered.
Tell him Nathaniel would fix everything.
Then another thought stopped him.
That was exactly what Evan had been afraid of.
Nathaniel had spent months learning that loving Evan did not mean controlling his choices.
He couldn't abandon that lesson now simply because he was frightened.
He took out his phone.
His thumb hovered over Evan's name.
He could call.
He could demand to know where Evan was.
He could ask his security team to locate him.
He could use every resource available to him.
He could have someone follow Evan's car.
The thought made Nathaniel's stomach turn.
No.
He wouldn't do that.
Evan had asked for space.
Nathaniel had to respect it.
He sat down at the kitchen table.
For the first time in years, Nathaniel had no immediate solution.
He couldn't negotiate this away.
He couldn't buy his way through it.
He couldn't use authority.
He couldn't make a strategic plan that guaranteed the outcome he wanted.
This was Evan's choice.
And that terrified him.
His phone rang.
Martin.
Nathaniel answered.
"Yes."
"We've had another round of questions from the press."
"Handle the business inquiries."
"There's also a request for comment regarding Evan."
Nathaniel's expression hardened.
"No."
"We can keep the response limited."
"Keep Evan out of it."
"Understood."
Nathaniel looked at the note on the table.
"Has anything changed with the company's position?"
"No."
"Good."
Martin hesitated.
"Are you all right?"
Nathaniel almost laughed.
"I'm fine."
It was the answer he had given people for most of his life.
But this time, it felt useless.
"I'm not," he corrected.
Martin was silent.
"Evan left."
"I heard."
"Don't try to find him."
Another pause.
"Understood."
"And don't let anyone else try."
"I'll make sure."
Nathaniel ended the call.
He sat there for a long time.
He thought about the first time Evan had challenged him.
The first time Evan had told him he was twenty-three and capable of making his own choices.
The conditions Evan had set when he moved into the house.
Keep my apartment.
Keep my money.
Keep my job.
Don't control my decisions.
Nathaniel had agreed.
He had agreed because he respected Evan.
Now respect had to mean something when it hurt.
He picked up the note again.
I don't want to become the reason your life gets destroyed.
Nathaniel shook his head.
Evan still didn't understand.
Nathaniel's life wasn't being destroyed by loving him.
His life was changing because he had finally stopped living according to everyone else's expectations.
There was a difference.
But Evan needed to discover that himself.
Nathaniel couldn't force the lesson into him.
He stood and walked to the window.
The city was darkening outside.
He imagined Evan somewhere alone, probably replaying the conversation with his father.
Nathaniel knew what Richard had likely said.
He knew what kind of pressure Evan was carrying.
And for the first time, Nathaniel felt angry at himself.
Not because he had loved Evan.
Because he had allowed Evan to believe that loving him meant losing everything else.
Nathaniel wanted to call him.
He wanted to tell him that his career would survive.
That the company would survive.
That public opinion would eventually change.
That Richard's anger did not have to become permanent.
That they could face everything together.
But none of those statements would solve what Evan was feeling.
Evan wasn't asking whether Nathaniel could survive.
He was asking whether he could still be himself while loving Nathaniel.