Potential | The Innocent Billionaire |#1 MacArthur Series|

Nineteen

Silas walked into the drawing room where Elijah was on the phone. He waited till his brother finished and then stepped closer.

"Elijah" Silas called

"Yeah"

"I need help with my maths homework" Silas said

"Sorry Silas. I'm busy. Why don't you ask dad?" Elijah vigorously texted on his phone. "I heard about your fight. Want to talk?" He glanced up at his younger brother

"No" He turned around and walked back out the room

That was strange. Elijah never said no to him. He was always willing to help. What happened to his brother?

Silas dragged his feet to library and sat beside his dad.

"Dad, I need help on a question"

Alfonso looked up from his book. He took the piece of paper from Silas examined it. Alfonso is a genius when it came to numbers. It was where the boys inheirted their love for maths.

"Dad, have I done something? I think Elijah is ignoring me" Silas asked when he thought it was a good time

"No, he's just busy you know with his work." Alfonso replied. He couldn't look his younger son in the eyes. There was too much anger building up inside him but he couldn't show it

"But he never act like this before" Silas whined

"Silas, he's a grown man. If he was ignoring you, you'd know" Alfonso cut him off abruptly. Silas drew quiet, staring at this father. Alfonso took a deep breathe, running a hand over his face. "Sorry Si, I'm a bit stressed"

"Yeah"

It was true then. Both were hurting but both did nothing about it. Elijah buried himself in work and Silas in school

This continued for days till Elijah announced he was moving out.

"Why?" Silas inquired

"I'm 28, time to move on. I need some independence" Elijah shrugged like it was obvious. Silas was having a hard time processing it. His brother loved living here, now all of a sudden he was moving out

"But---" Maria whispered, looking at Alfonso for reassurance

"I'll still visit be here, just speding my nights there. Mom let me do this. I'm still in the city" Elijah pleaded

"Have you found anything yet?" Alfonso asked, steering them conversation away.

Elijah glanced up, patting his legs as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Not really but I'll have a look around.  I do have my eye on a condo. It's really nice."

Silas silently sat and listened till he couldn't take it no longer. He just stormed out the room.

"Elijah, you don't have to" Maria said quietly once Silas disappeared out of sight

"I kind of do you know. I want to find a place before my trip to Singapore. It's the annual fair and it would be good to get some suppliers"

"But" Maria persisted

"Let the boy go. He's old enough to make his own decisions"

"Alfonso!" He ignored his wife and pushed himself out the room. He returned to the library.

"Let me talk to him" Elijah followed his father to the library. He walked in slowly, noticing him by the window.

"Dad are you okay?" Elijah stood beside him, kneeling to his father's level

"I'm not. I'm not willing to lose you to get my other son. There has to be another way"

"You're not losing me. I'm doing what I should have done years ago. I'm 28 year old living with his parents. Come on, I had to eventually move out."

"Son, you've managed to do what any son could never do for his father. I am so proud of you. You never complained, never cried, just did what I asked as a kid. I thought there was something wrong with you. The only time you cried is when I ended up in hospital and you promised you'd make those people pay and you did and more than that."

"And I'd do it all again in a heartbeat dad. This, everything was for you so you didn't have to put your head down, never had to wait on anyone.I was pretty happy in that house being an engineer but I realize you need respect. Now everyone respect us, looks up to us and that's all I ever wanted"

Silas attentively listened outside the door to every words. What had he done? He didn't want to lost Elijah or break his dad's heart. He wanted none of it. He turned around to see his mother staring at him. He shaked his head and walked off.

Inside the room, the MacArthurs had finish their conversation and Elijah went to see Charlie. They met at the local park near Charlie's house.

"Hey Elijah" Charlie answered the phone

"Charlie, how have you been?"

"Good" Charlie responded "You?"

"Great. Do you have time to meet? I kind of need to talk"

"Yeah sure. Everything okay?'

"I really need a friend to talk"

"Yeah. Normal meeting place?"

"I'll be there"