There’s no resisting that. Not with her looking at me like this. I pull her into a deeper kiss, hunger and tenderness colliding without apology. Our foreheads touch, our breath mingles, and everything aligns in that perfect way.
“Sei tutto il mio mondo, Cecilia,”I murmur to her lips.“E io sono tuo per sempre.”[LXXXI]
I hold her closer, feeling the beat of her heart meeting mine, knowing—without question—that after everything, we werealwaysmeant to be.
Epilogue 02
Almost three years later
April, New York
Dad
Colin
“What is the long-term viability of this model?” I ask. “And how do you intend to generate a meaningful return on the capital you’re asking us to invest?”
My tone remains professional. I don’t need to raise it for the skepticism to land.
He responds, rolling into a pitch that’s been rehearsed down to the cadence. And mostly unconvincing. I let him speak for another ten minutes without interruption.
When he finishes, the board and I move through a handful of procedural questions, nothing that reveals our position or intent. Then we thank him for his time and assure him we’ll be in touch.
As soon as the door closes behind him, Amarildo turns to me. “That guy should be working for NASA with those numbers.”
I give a dry laugh. “The concept itself is sound,” I say, gathering my things and sliding them into my briefcase.“Innovative, even. But the execution is too immature. We can finance it—but his equity will need to be adjusted significantly from what he’s asking.”
I exchange a few more words with the partners, then check my Rolex. I say my goodbyes and leave, knowing that tomorrow we’ll go over all the week’s proposals.
I hear the click of heels behind me in the corridor and turn. Clementine—Louis’s niece—is approaching, a playful smile already in place.
“I thought I might invite you for a drink,” she says. “Since I’m just a temp, I assume the non-fraternization rule doesn’t apply to me. Right?”
There’s no denying it: she’s striking. Early thirties. She’s beautiful in a way that turns heads without effort: brown skin, striking dark eyes, long legs, generous curves.
And yet, I feel nothing.
I’ve learned my lesson about getting involved with anyone at work, temporary or otherwise. And certainly not the relative of a board member.
“Clementine,” I say evenly, already turning away, “you’re a beautiful young woman. I’m sure there are plenty of men your age who would welcome that invitation. And the rule does apply to temporary staff. I made sure of that myself when I drafted the contract.”
As soon as the elevator opens and I step inside, I have just enough time to stop by the penthouse, shower, change, then pick up Alicia from her mother’s place.
The last few years have brought real progress in my relationship with my children. And, unexpectedly, with their mother.
At the start of her new relationship, I behaved like a bastard. I hoped it would fail. I couldn’t stand the idea of another man claiming space in my children’s lives, and it cut deeper than Iadmitted to watch the woman I once planned a whole life with fall in love with someone else.
But it didn’t fail. And today, I can say wholeheartedly that I’m glad Ceci found happiness again. After everything I put her through, she deserves it.
And despite my best efforts to push those thoughts away, a part of me will always wonder what could have happened had I been the man to make her happy again.
As I step through the glass doors, I glance back at the building rising behind me. The venture capital firm occupies two full floors of a Manhattan high-rise.
ECA Innovation Fund.
What most people assume stands for Engineered Capital Alliance is merely a name. To me, it carries the initials of the three people who matter most.
Ethan. Ceci. Alicia.
