Worship Him

6. Adam

6

ADAM

T he champagne flows, and the buzz of polite conversation fills the air. My date, Madison, walks close to me, her sequined dress catching the light with every step.

"Smile, darling," she whispers, her breath warm against my ear.

I plaster on a grin. "Just remember why you're here."

She laughs softly, but it lacks warmth. "Your company throws one hell of a party even when it’s a charity gala."

"That it does." I steer us toward a group of potential investors, noting their watchful eyes as we approach. "Evening, gentlemen."

They turn, faces lighting up. "Adam Ryder," one of them says, extending a hand. "Always a pleasure."

"Likewise," I reply, shaking hands all around. "This is Madison."

She gives them a practiced smile. "Nice to meet you all."

I dive into conversations about the latest app updates and future projections. Madison stands by my side, nodding at the right moments but clearly bored out of her mind.

"Your company's resilience is impressive," one investor says, swirling his drink.

"Comes with the territory," I reply smoothly. "We hit a bump, we bounce back stronger."

Another investor leans in. "What's next on the horizon for SynapseX?"

I glance around the room before answering, ensuring everyone's attention is on me. "We're looking into AI integration for our graphic design software. Something that will revolutionize user experience."

"Ambitious," someone comments.

"That’s how we became dominant in the industry," I smirk, raising my glass.

A waiter passes by with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Madison grabs one and nibbles delicately. Her presence here is purely for show—a pretty face to distract from the chaos that’s been my life lately. She’s performing well in her role, for now.

As we move through the crowd, I catch snippets of conversations about stocks and market trends. Someone mentions my name, and I pivot towards them.

"Adam! Heard you're making waves again," an older man in a sharp tuxedo says.

I shake his hand firmly. "Just staying ahead of the curve."

Madison shifts beside me, her eyes glazing over at another round of business talk.

"Excuse me," she says sweetly before slipping away towards the bar.

The man chuckles as she leaves. "Women—never interested in shop talk."

"They've got their own priorities," I say dryly.

He nods sagely before diving into a question about our latest quarterly earnings report. We exchange numbers and projections like they're trading cards until another familiar face appears at my elbow.

Madison returns with two glasses of champagne.

"For you," she says with a wink.

I take it but don't drink. "Thanks." My mind is already racing through strategies to finally close this chapter with Destiny and focus entirely on what's ahead for SynapseX—and maybe find some semblance of normalcy again.

Madison loops her arm through mine again, looking around to make sure all the women know I’m taken for the night. I resist rolling my eyes.

We continue to navigate the room, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries until the night blurs into a series of practiced smiles and hollow laughter.

The noise from the crowd fades when I make my way to the bar, finally alone for a moment. The bartender slides a whiskey in front of me without asking. Perks of being a regular, I suppose.

"Ryder," a voice calls out, familiar but not quite welcome. I turn to see Ben, an old acquaintance from our mutual college days. He’s all smiles, clearly having had a few too many.

"Ben," I nod. "How’s life treating you?"

He claps me on the back, nearly spilling my drink. "Oh, you know, same old grind. My twins are driving me crazy, as always. But hey, enough about me. How’s Destiny? She tired of you yet?"

I tighten my grip on the glass, the amber liquid catching the light. "Actually, we’re in the middle of a divorce."

Ben's smile falters. "Oh man, I had no idea. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It’s complicated," I say, keeping my tone even. "But it’s for the best."

"Wow," he says, shaking his head. "You two seemed perfect together."

I take a sip of whiskey, letting the burn settle before speaking again. "Life has a way of surprising you."

"Yeah," Ben mutters awkwardly, clearly at a loss for words now.

I seize the opportunity to steer the conversation away from my personal life. "So, how’s your business going? Last I heard you were expanding."

His face brightens as he dives into an update about his latest ventures. I nod and make all the right noises but my mind is elsewhere—thinking about Destiny and everything we built together that crumbled apart.

"Enough about that," Ben says finally, looking relieved to have finished his spiel. "Anything exciting happening at SynapseX?"

"We’re making strides with AI integration," I say smoothly. "It’ll be game-changing."

Ben whistles appreciatively. "Always making big moves, huh."

"You know it." I raise my glass in a mock toast. Part of me is growing irritated with repeating the same lines and hearing the same responses. But I pretend to be interested and excited. It’s how I remain one of the biggest players in the tech industry.

We chat for a few more minutes before Ben excuses himself to rejoin his group. I watch him go, feeling an odd mix of relief and frustration.

The bartender catches my eye and raises an eyebrow in silent question. I shake my head; one drink is enough tonight.

Madison’s laughter rings out, high and hollow, as she entertains a cluster of socialites by the grand piano. The sound is grating, almost making me wince.

I scan the room, my smile never faltering. Networking events like this are a necessary evil. Tonight, every handshake feels like a chore, every laugh forced.

"Adam, there you are!" Another voice, another eager handshake. "I’ve been dying to hear about your latest project."

I nod, engaging in yet another conversation about our planned AI integration. "We're developing a new algorithm that predicts design trends before they happen," I explain.

"Impressive," the man replies, his eyes wide with interest. "You’re always ahead of the game."

"That's the goal," I say, but my mind is elsewhere—stuck on the unfinished business with Destiny.

Madison sidles up to me again, her champagne glass nearly empty. "You look like you’re plotting world domination over here."

"Just business as usual," I reply dryly.

She leans closer, her perfume overpowering. "Well, don’t forget to have some fun."

"Fun," I echo, glancing at my watch. The night drags on.

Another group approaches, and we launch into another round of pleasantries and small talk.

My face aches from smiling.

"So, Madison," one woman asks. "How did you and Adam meet?"

"Oh," Madison laughs lightly. "A mutual friend introduced us."

I force a chuckle. "She means my assistant set us up."

The group laughs politely.

"So romantic," the woman coos.

"Like a fairy tale," I deadpan.

Madison squeezes my arm a bit too hard. I glance down at her fingers digging into my bicep and pull away.

"Excuse me for a moment," I say smoothly and slip away towards the balcony.

The cool night air hits me as I step outside. The distant hum of traffic is a welcome change from the chatter inside. I lean against the railing, staring out at the city lights.

"Taking a breather?" A voice asks from behind me.

I turn to see Ben again, looking equally worn out by the evening’s festivities.

"Needed some air," I admit.

He joins me at the railing. "These things can be exhausting."

"I won’t argue with that." I take another deep breath and straighten up. "I should get back inside."

Ben nods but doesn’t move to follow me. As I re-enter the room, Madison catches sight of me and waves me over with that practiced smile again.

"Adam! Come join us!" she calls out.

I paste on another grin and head back into the fray, determined to get through this night without letting anyone see just how much I'd rather be anywhere else—preferably figuring out how to deal with Destiny and our unfinished business once and for all.

Madison’s chatter is a buzz in the background, but my mind is already miles away. I scan the room one last time, deciding I've had enough of the evening’s charade.

"Madison," I say, catching her eye. She’s mid-conversation with some socialites but turns to me with a questioning look.

"What’s up?" she asks, clearly hoping I’ll say something that keeps her entertained.

"I’m heading out."

Her smile falters for a split second before she covers it with a laugh. "Already? The night’s just getting started."

I shake my head. "Got an early meeting tomorrow."

She tries to hide her disappointment. "Sure, Adam. I’ll catch a ride with someone else."

I nod, giving her a brief smile before making my way towards the exit. The doorman nods as he opens the door for me.

"Have a good night, Mr. Ryder."

I nod, stepping out into the cool night air.

The city is alive with lights and sounds, but it feels like a different world out here. I loosen my tie and start walking. The night is crisp, a welcome change from the stuffy event.

I round the corner and hail a cab, sliding into the backseat as it pulls up to the curb.

"Where to?" the driver asks.

"SynapseX headquarters," I say without hesitation.

As we drive through the city, I let my thoughts wander back to Destiny. I know what needs to be done. It's not about sentimentality; it's about closure and moving forward—both for me and for Destiny.

The cab stops in front of my building, and I hand over some cash before stepping out. The lobby is quiet this late at night, a stark contrast to the hustle during business hours. I take the elevator up to my office floor.

Inside, it’s dark except for the city lights filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. My desk is cluttered with reports and plans for our next big project.

I sit down, taking a moment to soak in the silence before flipping on my desk lamp and diving into work. Tomorrow is another day filled with challenges and strategies—another step towards reclaiming what was almost lost.