Building The Strongest Family-Chapter 204: The Cost Of Freedom

The city of Neo-Luminara was alive, its neon lights pulsing with energy, a dazzling spectacle that never seemed to dim.

Yet, in its vibrant heart, there were shadows where the glow couldn’t reach.

Two weeks had slipped by since Billy’s name splashed across every holoscreen and gossip board in the entire city.

Two weeks since Kaia’s words sliced through him like a knife, leaving wounds deeper than any physical scar.

Two weeks spent clocking in at YoruMart, his body weary and limbs stiff from the monotony of life, surviving on instant noodles and aimless walks that led nowhere.

But tonight, tucked away in a forgotten corner of a neighborhood far from the glitz of Old Heights, Billy found himself alone at a tiny iron-wrought table in a rooftop café called Black Solace. The name fit perfectly.

The café was bathed in soft candlelight, its atmosphere humming with gentle music and the rich aroma of cheap coffee.

With his hoodie pulled tight over his head and tired eyes gazing out over the district rooftops, he looked every bit the part of someone waiting for an inevitable blow a flinch that never came.

Just then, faint footsteps echoed as the door creaked open.

He didn’t look up until he felt the chair across from him slide out. When he finally did, breath caught in his throat.

Ashley sat before him, her long legs crossed elegantly beneath her silk cream coat, a stark contrast to his worn-out appearance. She hadn’t changed much; her sharp features and sleek black hair pulled into a neat bun still radiated confidence.

But those eyes that once sparkled with youthful exuberance now dimmed as they took him in.

"Gods," she breathed heavily as she settled into her seat. "You look like someone shoved you out of a moving train."

Billy chuckled weakly. "Feels more like they reversed and ran over me again."

She didn’t laugh; instead, she sighed deeply while shaking her head.

Her gaze lingered on the bruises under his eyes, sunken cheeks, and faint scars on his knuckles, a silent testament to battles fought both inside and outside.

"I saw you on the news," she finally said after what felt like an eternity. "Took me ages to track you down, your number’s dead."

"Yeah," he shrugged nonchalantly. "That kind of comes with being turned into a pariah by your big brother."

Ashley tapped her fingers lightly against her porcelain cup as silence enveloped them,not awkward but thick with unspoken history and regret.

"Billy," she began slowly, "what exactly are you doing?"

He blinked in confusion. "Living."

Her humorless laugh pierced through the tension. "That’s what you call this? Hiding out in a slum? Working retail? Sleeping in that... broom closet you call home?"

"It’s better than being chained to something I didn’t choose."

Ashley leaned forward, her voice a fierce whisper. "Seriously? You sound like a child."

Billy’s expression hardened. "Thanks for the support," he shot back, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Don’t twist this," she snapped, frustration bubbling over. "You want honesty? Fine, here it is: This isn’t some cheesy TV drama where the prodigal son runs away and finds meaning in hardship. This is real life, Billy and it’s eating you alive."

He opened his mouth to retort, but she raised her hand to stop him.

"No. Just listen for once. You crave freedom? Independence? That’s great! But look at this".

She gestured toward his worn hoodie, the scars lining his arms, and the dark bags under his eyes. "This isn’t freedom; it’s self-punishment for being born into privilege."

Billy stared at her, jaw clenched tight as if trying to hold back a storm of emotions. Ashley pressed on.

"And spare me the nonsense about how Sophia inspired you to live your own life. Where is she now? Huh? The moment things got tough, she vanished, just like that! She never truly stood by you; she wanted the thrill of rebellion without any of the consequences."

He fell silent because deep down, he knew she was right.

Ashley softened her tone slightly but remained firm. "You think tossing aside your last name proves something? That struggling through dead-end jobs makes you better? It doesn’t,not in this world or in Neo-Luminara."

She reached across the table and tapped his chest with two fingers for emphasis. "You were born with fire in your blood, Billy not everyone gets that gift. Not everyone can survive without it."

His gaze dropped to the table in shame. "I just wanted something for myself, something not built by Arthur’s hands."

"Then build it!" Ashley urged passionately. "But don’t start from rock bottom just to prove you’re not afraid of dirt! Power exists for a reason, backgrounds, reputations, lineage, they’re tools! And in this city? The ones without tools are breaking their backs while men like Arthur shape the world around them."

Ashley leaned back slightly, her voice turning quiet and almost mournful. "Do you really think morality matters in a world built on hierarchy? It doesn’t! Without power, you’re invisible; without backing, you’re disposable, that’s the harsh truth of our city and our world and you’re learning it the hard way."

In that moment, something inside him cracked open, a cold truth he’d been avoiding for weeks.

Ashley leaned in again with earnest intensity. "You don’t have to become Arthur but you need to stop running from being an Osborn because trust me, the world won’t stop treating you like one."

Silence enveloped the room, broken only by the soft strains of music and the gentle rustling of napkins.

It was a moment suspended in time, where every heartbeat seemed to echo louder than words.

Then, with a voice barely above a whisper, Billy broke the stillness. "What if it’s too late?" His question hung in the air like a fragile thread.

Ashley offered him a sad smile that spoke volumes. "You’re still breathing, aren’t you? That means it’s not too late. Come home, Billy, before you lose what little is left."

This time, he didn’t say no.

----------

It had been over an hour since Ashley walked out, yet Billy remained seated, lost in thought.

Her words echoed in his mind like a haunting melody he couldn’t shake off.

In the dimly lit café, he stared at the flickering candle between his hands as if it held the answers he dreaded to confront.

For the first time in weeks, he allowed silence to envelop him, no holoscreens flashing notifications, no vending drones shouting discounts, and certainly no Kaia playfully smacking him on the back of the head for daydreaming. Just quiet.

He replayed her voice: "This isn’t some damn TV drama."

No, it wasn’t. This was real life, every aching joint, every stomach filled with cheap food, every condescending smirk from customers who thought they were better than him.

This was waking up in a cramped space and telling himself, "This is what freedom feels like," even when it felt anything.

"Power exists for a reason."

That stung more than he wanted to admit. How many doors had slammed shut because of his past?.

Even more frustrating was how many opportunities slipped through his fingers now that he had none, no connections, no title, no leverage.

Just another name on a résumé lost in a sea of mediocrity.

He had walked away from the mansion, the security and power, thinking he could carve out something meaningful for himself.

But all he’d brought along was pride; and pride didn’t fill empty stomachs or unlock doors.

Clenching his jaw, Billy leaned back and gazed at the stars above.

They were barely visible through the haze of city lights and pollution but they were there somewhere, stubbornly shining from afar.

"Then build it."

Ashley wasn’t asking him to retreat; she was challenging him to rise to construct something not from rock bottom but from the bricks life had handed him. Was that so wrong?

Thoughts drifted to Liz, her quiet strength, and how her wide eyes looked when he left.

He remembered Kaia’s pained voice reminding him that he didn’t grasp what he truly had and Arthur’s stern demeanor that felt unyielding.

Billy didn’t want to become Arthur.

But maybe... just maybe... he didn’t have to be like anyone else at all. Maybe there was room for improvement, for being better.

Pulling out his cracked phone, Billy noticed there were no messages or calls, just the soft glow of his home screen staring back at him like a blank canvas waiting for color.

He tapped into his calendar: two weeks until rent was due.

It hit him hard: he needed to move not just for survival but for something far more significant, a chance at building a life worth living!

Thinking upto here, Billy shook his head and came back to his senses, stood up and went to the counter to pay the bill but the owner said Ashley have already paid.

Billy just smiled lightly and then just walked out of the cafe with a simple smile on his face.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆novelkiss