I stirred my soda absentmindedly, the straw clinking against the ice.
“You’re right,” I admitted reluctantly. “This isn’t about me or what my father wanted or didn’t want; it’s about appearances. About convincing everyone that I’m still strong, that the company is still strong.”
Sebastian leaned back, his eyes narrowing slightly. “And yet, it’s you who carries the weight of it all…”
His words hit me harder than I expected. I wanted to argue, but deep down I knew he was right.
“Sometimes I wonder if I do this for my father… or just to prove to myself that I can survive without him,” I whispered.
Sebastian’s expression softened, and for a moment I thought he would reach across the table. Instead, he clasped his hands together and clenched his jaw, as if he were holding back from saying
