N

ing between his lips as he puffed out smoke at intervals. My jaw clenched tightly. No matter how hard I tried to be indifferent toward him, I couldn't help the resentment I f

putting out the cigar and gesturing

the room and lowering mysel

t his arm to pat my shoulder. I stiffened, instinctively withdrawing fr

thank you f

of the fact that he was getting older. I wasn't sure whether I was just in awe or if it was just startling. Surely a little bit of both. His o

I asked, my thr

one sided, so it was understandable. "Fine, fine. I'm taking my vita

ke you're leaving a mark on Maxine Enterprises. I can't tell y

been avoiding for three years. The one that no one wanted to talk about. The one

ain not to even think about it. But he was everywhere. The memories were everywhere in

ed into to find my elder brother sprawled on the floor, lifeless. Even as

. "Yeah, business is great. It's moving slowly, but moving nonetheles

and lived up to you, scored deals in days. Deals that would have taken me weeks to get in my time. I'm s

n he would bring this up. It seemed

ou're pulling right now. We're

told you so many times

man is happiest with a wife, son. You're not getting any younger. And look at me," He gestured to himself. "I'm

y from marriage was foolish. And there was nothing I could do to change his mind. Rafael had been first in line to get married, so after he passed, all those responsibilities somehow passe

shoulder. "It's time to settle down and start a

the idea. I believed that anyone who decided to get married was crazy. It just wasn't worth it. What was it? Companionship? You had friends and family for th

h,

t overused

al, and rosy, and not just something that only happened in movies.

that you would be willing to die for them? I would only ever feel that way about my famil

pester me. So I nodded, telling him I'd think about it. I just wished

o spend time together. But I couldn't. It made me sick to my stomach when I was with him

and heading to the door. "I h