It started as an ordinary afternoon. Aria was curled up on the sofa with a book, the girls were having their usual post-lunch playtime on the padded mat, and Elias was lying on his stomach nearby with his ever-present plush bunny tucked securely under his chin. Leon had his laptop open on the coffee table, reading through a draft of a contract for the upcoming foreign partnership meeting.
He hadn't intended to talk business aloud, but a particularly tricky clause caught his attention, and before he knew it, he was muttering about numbers, risks, and negotiation terms.
Aria glanced over with a small, amused smile. "Talking to yourself again?"
Leon didn't even look up. "Thinking out loud. Helps me work through it."
It was only when he paused to take a sip of coffee that he noticed Elias.The boy wasn't playing anymore. He was sitting cross-legged now, bunny in his lap, looking directly at his father. His eyes—sharp and focused for someone his age—were following Leon's every word as if the numbers made perfect sense to him.
Leon chuckled and tried a little test. "Quarterly revenue projections up twenty-two percent if we close the Westfield deal," he said slowly.
Elias tilted his head, as if genuinely considering it.
Aria noticed too. "Is he… paying attention to what you're saying?" she asked, setting her book down.
Leon grinned. "Oh, absolutely. Look at him. He's locked in."
He leaned forward conspiratorially toward Elias. "But we'll need to negotiate the equity terms to make it worthwhile."
Elias blinked once… then twice… still listening.
Leon sat back with a mock-serious expression. "That's it. I'm calling it now—this boy is a born tycoon."
Aria laughed, shaking her head. "He's one year old, Leon."
"All the greats start young," Leon countered. "Soon he'll be telling me to diversify my portfolio."
As if on cue, one of the girls squealed from across the room, reminding Leon that their "male alliance" was still hopelessly outnumbered. He reached over and ruffled Elias's soft hair. "Don't worry, son. You, me, and Mr. Bunny—we'll run the empire together."
Elias gave no verbal response, of course, but the tiny, knowing smile he offered made Leon think—just for a second—that maybe he understood more than anyone realized.