Oliver jumps in, sensing the tension rising. “What’s wrong with being an assistant?” he asks, shooting a glance at our father.
“Oh, nothing at all,” Dad replies, casually spinning his wineglass between his fingers. “But I can tell Lauren is an ambitious woman. I’m sure she aspires to something more.”
Lauren straightens a little, her voice calm and confident. “Yes, I do.I want to eventually start my own real estate business, but I want to specialize in eco-friendly construction.”
That gets a reaction. My father raises an eyebrow, intrigued. Luca stops swirling his wine, and even Killian looks up from his plate.
Why didn’t I know this?The thought strikes me hard as Lauren reveals her ambitions—something I should have known.
But before I can react, my father jumps in, “I’m really pleased that the company is giving opportunities to young entrepreneurs,” he says, slipping into his usual corporate tone. “I’ve always said it—we’re the best, and it’s our responsibility to pave the way for others.”
Killian, as usual, can’t help but challenge the idea. “I don’t agree. If we clear the path for others, someone younger with a new, innovative vision could outshine us.” He gives Lauren a playful wink. “And we’ll end up like those outdated companies that can’t keep up with the market.”
“That’s why I hired a new marketing firm for Miami,” Luca chimes in, as if to prove he’s already ahead of the game. “We need to stay on top of trends.”
And just like that, the conversation shifts to business. My father and brothers dive into their usual back-and-forth, and I tune out the noise. I’m still caught off guard by this strange feeling in my chest—it’s not the usual panic, not the heart thing. It’s something else entirely.
I lean in toward Lauren and whisper, “Thank you.”
“For what? I just spoke the truth,” she replies softly, as if she doesn’t realize the impact her words had on me.
Lauren doesn’t know how much it means to hear someone fill my ears with something other than endless criticism, the way my father does. For once, someone has my back. I place my hand over hers, relishing the small intimacy we share in this moment—amidst the shouting men and the ever-watchful eyes of my mother.
Honestly, I don’t care about anything else right now except for the quiet, grounding presence ofthe Alchemistbeside me.
After lunch, my mom whisked Lauren away under the guise of needing to pick up last-minute decorations for the Christmas tree—or at least that’s the excuse she gave. I have no doubt she's probably prying into Lauren’s personal life with unnecessary and intrusive questions. So, I text Lauren.
Silas:
Don’t answer anything you’re not comfortable with. I’ll deal with my mom later.
Seconds later, she replies.
Bunny:
No worries. No interrogations so far—we’re in non-hostile territory.
I let out a loud laugh before I can stop myself, and suddenly, the room goes quiet. My siblings and my father stop mid-conversation, and all four pairs of eyes land on me, full of curiosity.
We’re scattered around the living room—some with coffee, others with cigarettes in hand—all waiting for an explanation.
“What was that?” Oliver asks, eyes narrowing at me.
“What?” I reply, feigning innocence.
“That sound that came out of your mouth.”
“It’s called laughter, Oliver.”
“I know,” he says with a grin, “but it never comes out ofyou.”
Without missing a beat, I grab a throw pillow and toss it at his head. He dodges, smirking mischievously.
“Guys, control yourselves, please,” my father mutters, giving his prized Cuban cigar a reverent glance, like it’s a holy relic. Then he turns to me. “Silas, I trust I don’t need to remind you that I don’t want any harassment lawsuits for the company, right?”
Here we go.
“Don’t worry about the company,” I say quietly, standing up and pouring myself a glass of whiskey, even though I know I probably shouldn’t.
