Chapter 5 - The Glass House
By mid-afternoon, the house felt different. It was still a massive, echoing mansion, but the tension had shifted from hostility to a cautious curiosity.
Clara was in the greenhouse, trying to organize the chaos of overgrown ferns, when Ryder approached her. He was holding a remote-controlled drone.
"The last one wouldn't let me fly this in the house," he said, testing the waters.
Clara wiped her hands on her apron. "The house is full of breakables, Ryder. But the solarium is all glass and high ceilings."
Ryder’s jaw dropped. "Really?"
"Take off," she said.
He flew the drone, zooming it in loops above the ferns. He was talented—incredibly so. She watched him, noting how his confidence soared when he was allowed to do something constructive rather than destructive.
"You’re good at that," she said.
"I want to be an engineer," he admitted.
"You could be," she said. "But to build things that last, you have to learn how to measure twice and cut once. Chaos is easy, Ryder. Precision is hard."
She heard footsteps on the gravel path. It was Victor. He watched the drone zip overhead, his eyes tracking his son. He looked at Clara, who was standing back, letting the boy have his moment of triumph.
"You’re giving them things," Victor said, his voice quiet.
"I’m giving them trust," Clara replied. "And structure. It turns out, they were just waiting for someone to stop being afraid of them."
Victor leaned against the glass doorframe. "I was afraid of them, Clara. I’m still afraid of them. I’m afraid I’m failing them."
"Then stop being a billionaire and start being a dad," she said bluntly.
Victor blinked, stunned. Most people bowed to him. Clara Bennett was the first person who dared to look him in the eye and tell him he was doing it wrong.
"And how do I do that?" he asked.
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"Start by watching the drone," she said, gesturing toward his son. "He’s trying to show you something."
Victor looked at his son, really looked at him, and for the first time, he didn't check his watch. He stayed.
