DAMIEN
The swift knock on the door made me stop talking.
“Who’s there?” I asked, moving closer to the door.
“It’s Lily, sir,” Lily said. “The guests are leaving, and your father is searching for you.”
I tried not to groan as I heard her speak.
“Let him know that I will be downstairs shortly.”
“Ok, sir,” Lily replied.
I turned to face Missy afterward. “We will discuss this further later.”
She nodded, and together, we made our way downstairs.
When we arrived at the hallway, I moved through the crowd, offering polite smiles and brief words, though my mind was elsewhere.
Each farewell that spilled out of my mouth was forced.
“Thanks for coming down. I know it’s been a long night,” I said to Rafael as he approached me.
“It was a long night,” he said, pointing to his stomach. “But
