“Yes.”
“You knew I needed it.”
The investor’s face tightened.
“Yes.”
“That is disgusting.”
“I know.”
“No.”
The father’s voice rose.
“You don’t get to say you know.”
His daughter stopped eating.
The father noticed.
Immediately lowered his voice.
“Finish dinner.”
She watched him.
He nodded.
“I’m okay.”
She resumed slowly.
The father looked toward the investor.
“You abandoned my mother.”
The billionaire became very still.
The old man did not defend himself.
“You disappeared when I was twelve.”
“Yes.”
“No birthday.”
“No graduation.”
“No wedding.”
“You didn’t know my wife.”
“You didn’t come when she died.”
The investor looked down.
“I knew.”
The father froze.
“You knew she died?”
“Yes.”
Something changed in the father’s face.
The billionaire saw pain become rage.
“You knew?”
“I found out after.”
“When?”
“Three months.”
“You didn’t call.”
“No.”
“Why?”
The investor looked toward him.
“Because I had spent thirty years convincing myself my absence was less harmful than returning.”
The father laughed.
“Convenient.”
“Yes.”
“Did money teach you that?”
“No.”
“Cowardice did.”
The room went quiet.
The investor accepted that too.
“Yes.”
The little girl looked toward her father.
“Dad?”
He turned.
She whispered:
“I don’t like when you’re mad.”
The father’s shoulders lowered.
He crouched beside her.
“I’m sorry.”
“Are we leaving?”
He looked toward the windows.
Snow hammered the glass.
The caretaker spoke quietly.
“Road is closed below the ridge.”
The father closed his eyes.
Of course.
The girl asked:
“So we sleep here?”
“Looks like it.”
She considered.
Then:
“Does Grandpa have Wi-Fi?”
Everyone froze.
The elderly investor stared at her.
The father said:
“Don’t call him that.”
The girl looked confused.
“He’s your dad.”
“That doesn’t make—”
The father stopped.
He had no idea how to explain thirty years of estrangement to a nine-year-old over grilled cheese.
The billionaire rescued him.
“Maybe names can wait until tomorrow.”
The girl looked toward her.
“You’re good at changing subjects.”
The billionaire smiled.
“I run meetings.”
“That sounds boring.”
“It often is.”
The investor almost laughed.
The father looked at the billionaire.