I tuned it out and ruminated on what kind of man Sloane may be seeing. In all our years working collectively, I’d by no means seen her with or heard her point out a date, however clearly, she needed to have been with somebody.

She was prickly as hell, however she was additionally stunning, good, and achieved. Even now, there have been a number of males sneaking peeks at her from surrounding tables.

I downed my drink and glared at considered one of them till he regarded away, his face pink. Sloane was my date in title solely, nevertheless it was unhealthy kind for different individuals to ogle her when she’d include me. Did nobody observe correct etiquette anymore?

The room erupted into its loudest spherical of applause. Eduardo stood, and I noticed the emcee had simply introduced my father because the group’s Philanthropist of the Yr.

“Clap,” Sloane mentioned with out taking a look at me. A good smile affixed her face. “The cameras are watching.”

“Whenaren’tthey watching?” I clapped half-heartedly for Eduardo and Eduardo solely.

“It’s my honor to just accept this award on Alberto’s behalf tonight,” he mentioned. “As you understand, he’s been my pal and enterprise accomplice for extra years than I can rely…”

Sloane glanced at her watch and gathered her belongings when Eduardo wrapped up his fortunately quick speech.

I straightened. “You’re leaving already?” It’d solely been fifty minutes, not an hour.

“In case there’s site visitors. I belief you’ll behave in my absence.” She emphasised her final sentence with a warning stare.

“The minute you permit, I’m throwing my drink in one other visitor’s face and hijacking the music system,” I mentioned. “Positive you don’t need to keep?”

She didn’t look amused.

“Try this, and our deal is off,” she mentioned flatly. “I’ll test in on the finish of the night time.”

She slipped discreetly out of her chair and towards the exit. I used to be so targeted on watching her go away, I didn’t discover Eduardo’s method till he positioned a hand on my shoulder.

“Do you’ve got time to speak? There’s one thing we have to talk about.”

“Positive.” With Sloane gone, I’d do something to get out of sitting right here with probably the most boring tablemates in existence.

I adopted Eduardo into the corridor. Now that the ceremony was over, the company had resumed their consuming and mingling, and nobody paid us a lot thoughts.

“I used to be going to name and let you know, however in individual is healthier.” Free from the watchful eyes of photographers, Eduardo’s mouth settled right into a grim line that had my pulse quickening. “Xavier…”

“Let me guess. It’s my father.”

“No. Sure. Effectively…” Eduardo wiped a hand over his face, uncharacteristically hesitant. “His situation is steady. There’s been no change.”

A twist of both reduction or disappointment loosened the knot in my chest. How fucked up was it that I had blended emotions over what ought to’ve been excellent news?

“Which means he’s not getting worse, however he’s additionally not getting higher,” Eduardo mentioned. “You haven’t visited him in months. It is best to see him. It would assist. The medical doctors say having family members round—”

“The important thing phrase isloved ones. Since my mother isn’t round, I assume he’s fucked.”

The one individual my father had ever really cared about was my mom.

“He’s your father.” My honorary uncle’s mouth thinned.

“Deja de ser tan terco. Haz las paces antes de que sea demasiado tarde.”Cease being so cussed. Make amends earlier than it’s too late.

“I’m not the one who must make amends,” I mentioned. There have been solely so many instances a man might attempt earlier than he gave up, and I’d reached my restrict years in the past. “Anyway, good discuss, however I’ve some place else to be.”

“Xavi—”

“Protected travels dwelling.” I turned. “Say hello to everybody else for me.”

“It’s your loved ones’s firm,” Eduardo referred to as after me. He sounded resigned. He’d solely taken the interim CEO place as a result of I’d turned it down, and I knew he clung to the hope that I’d magically “come to my senses” about persevering with the household legacy in the future. “You’ll be able to’t run from it perpetually.”

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