Elias Thorne didn't wait. He didn't call Rhys; he sent a curt, digital calendar invite: "Meeting. Alden Tower. 10 AM." He knew Rhys would accept the challenge. After the events of the last seventy-two hours, Rhys needed this final, formal confrontation as much as Elias did.
Elias walked into the same sterile conference room where Kaelen had tried to contain him just days earlier. Rhys was already there, standing at the window, the image of controlled, dangerous composure. He hadn't changed clothes since leaving the penthouse; he was raw, ready for battle.
"You're late, Thorne," Rhys stated, turning slowly.
"I had to ensure Kaelen and the boys were secure," Elias replied, walking past him to sit at the table. He laid a thick, bound document on the polished obsidian surface. "Sit down, Rhys. This is business, not a brawl."
Rhys took the seat opposite him, his eyes like ice. "Kaelen told me you're abandoning Thorne Global. A surprisingly stupid move, even for you."
"A necessary move," Elias countered, opening the document. "It's the only way to ensure my father's poison is nowhere near my sons. Now, let's talk about the future."
"The future?" Rhys scoffed. "You think winning a paternity lottery and coercing Kaelen into a kiss gives you the right to dictate terms?"
"I gave up a billion-dollar empire to prove my worth to Kaelen," Elias said, meeting his gaze evenly. "You gave up a night's sleep when Seth had a fever. I am not here to insult your devotion, Rhys. You are a good man, and you were a good father to them. But you are not their biological parent, and you cannot protect them from the legal firestorm that will erupt when my father retaliates."
Elias pushed the document across the table. "This is a legal co-parenting and guardianship agreement. You are listed as the children's Legal Guardian and Co-Parent. The document ensures you maintain visitation rights equal to, if not greater than, Kaelen and me. You will remain in their lives. You will be their Da."
Rhys looked down at the document, his name appearing multiple times with official, formal weight. It was the ultimate concession, a legally binding guarantee that the lie they had maintained for five years would become a protected, functional reality.
"Why?" Rhys asked, confused. "If you have Kaelen, why not just cut me out entirely? You have the blood and the money."
"Because Kaelen chose you when I wasn't an option," Elias admitted, the truth tasting like ash. "And because the boys love you. My ambition nearly ruined them once. I will not repeat the mistake by treating them as corporate collateral. You are their primary source of stability, and I respect that."
He tapped the document. "This agreement also formally names you as a signatory on their medical and educational decisions. But it mandates a shared, primary residence for the boys in neutral territory—a home Kaelen and I will purchase, nowhere near Thorne Global or Alden Tower."
Rhys looked up, his jaw slack with grudging respect. This wasn't the selfish, demanding Elias Thorne of the past. This was a father who was prioritizing the children's stability over his own dominance.
"And your name change for Seth?" Rhys pressed.
"I am legally changing Seth Alistair's name to Seth Rhys Thorne," Elias revealed. "No public announcement. I am removing my father's influence and formally acknowledging your parental role. I am giving them your name, Rhys. Can you accept that I am the father, and you are the Da?"
Rhys finally leaned back in his chair, the battle draining out of him. He realized Elias wasn't competing for the title of "father"—he was competing for Kaelen's forgiveness and the children's future peace.
"You really did throw away your inheritance," Rhys mused. "Just for a chance with her."
"I threw away the poison," Elias corrected. "Now, sign the agreement. Kaelen and I are telling the boys the full truth tomorrow. They need to know we are all unified, even if our relationship has changed."
Rhys picked up a pen. He scanned the document one last time, looking for a loophole, a trap. Finding none, he signed his name on the designated lines for Co-Parent and Legal Guardian.
He pushed the papers back to Elias. "She told me you kissed her."
Elias didn't flinch. "I did. And I will not apologize for reclaiming the woman I lost. You were her safe harbor, Rhys, but I am her fate. I broke her, and I am the only one who can put her back together."
Rhys stood up, offering his hand across the table. "Don't break her again, Thorne. Or the paper won't save you. The boys deserve the stability I gave them."
Elias shook his hand—a hard, final, respectful grip. "I learned my lesson, Alden. The only empire I care about now is the one she built, and I intend to be a loyal subject."