“Four times a year?”
Adathan took a bite of cheesecake. “Mm-hmm. Every quarter.”
William’s brow furrowed. “Why?”
Adathan scooped a bit of cheesecake and aimed it at William’s mouth. William cringed as he stared at the approaching, slightly trembling spoon.
It was entirely William’s fault. Adathan was merely mirroring his behavior. William would have to be more mindful of what he did from now on.
He leaned forward and accepted Adathan’s offering. The cheesecake was smooth and rich, and just sweet enough to balance the tangy taste of cream cheese. The graham cracker crust and blueberry coulis complemented the cake perfectly. William would remember this for years.
Adathan beamed as he pulled his spoon out of William’s mouth. “To entertain the investors.”
William nearly spat out his bite. “What?”
Adathan chuckled. “I’m kidding.”
William hated that he couldn’t tell whether Adathan was lying. His “person” behavioral mode seemed to have him telling risky jokes, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a trace of truth behind them. Could it be Adathan’s way of expressing his trauma?
Did Adathan even have a mom?
Adathan gulped down his champagne and slid his empty glass toward William. “It was our reward for having been good.”
“Wine was your reward for having been good?” William echoed with disgust.
Adathan nodded as he took a bite of macaron. “Among other things.”
William wanted to know what Adathan meant, but he was sure he wouldn’t be able to stay calm if he asked. On one hand, Adathan deserved to spend the rest of the night without having to deal with his anger, but on the other hand, William didn’t like how convenient it would be for him to bury his head in the sand.
He reached for a macaron, watching his hand move as if it belonged to someone else. Was he being selfish? Or was it exactly what Adathan needed? This dilemma was all too familiar to him. He’d faced the same while supporting Oliver during his convalescence. Even today, William wasn’t always certain whether he should prompt Oliver to talk about his accident or keep his mind off it.
It’s you who gave me the will to keep living.
William took a bite of macaron, barely registering the taste as a lump grew in his throat. All that time he’d been convinced he wasn’t doing enough for Oliver. And yet...
William looked up, and in Adathan’s relaxed smile, he found his answer.
CHAPTER 6
Sorrows
“What’s his name?” Adathan asked as William poured them both more champagne.
William paused. “Who?”
“Your friend.”
“Oliver.”
Adathan propped his elbow on the dining table, resting his chin in his hand. “You two seem close.”
William’s brow furrowed as he put the bottle away. “What makes you say that?”
“You haven’t told anyone else about your victory.”
William technically hadn’t told Oliver about it either, now that he thought about it. To be fair, he’d been too busy freaking out about the human being he’d found himself in possession of.
Wait.
