Chapter 33
WREN
T he press conference is brutal, but Junior holds strong. I, on the other hand, can’t stand looking at Darcy through a screen, his calm and in-control demeanor in place.
It rips my heart to shreds to see him so cold. It also makes me jealous because while he’s able to maintain his composure, I’m on edge, and Toby can tell.
After the press conference, we log out, and I close my laptop.
“What’s up with you?” Toby asks. “Is Junior’s fuckup really getting to you that much? I didn’t realize you cared.”
I do care, but not as much as I care for the man beside Junior.
I can’t say that though. “Over the last couple of months, I’ve believed I don’t fit in with you.
With MediaCorp. And the split second I sense hope?
That maybe I could … this happens and reminds me why I never went to grad school.
Why I didn’t pursue a career in business.
If Junior, who grew up in this world, can make huge mistakes, I’m going to fuck everything up beyond repair. ”
Not to mention working for MediaCorp after believing Darcy and I had something irrevocable will kill me.
I can’t sit across the hall from him, knowing he’s behind those frosted glass windows, working and focusing, in desperate need of a break that he’d never take for himself.
I wish I could be the guy to remind him to take a breath, to prioritize and delegate so he’s not overworked, but after ending things over a fucking video call, I can’t. I can’t even look at him.
“You can’t expect to pick up the job in only a couple of months, and no one’s expecting you to,” Toby says, and even though we’re getting along better now, the reassurance coming from him hits harder than it coming from Darcy for some reason.
Maybe because Darcy had been on my side from the beginning, so his reassurances might have been pandering. Trying to make me feel better.
“I understand that.” I really do. But, fuck … “I don’t belong in the corporate world. It’s as simple as that. It was only going to be three months, and now that time is coming to a close, I’ve made my decision. You, Darcy, and Junior deserve the company.”
Toby scoffs. “Well, it’s all Darcy’s. That’s how it works. The eldest gets controlling shares.”
“Don’t even get me started on that bullshit,” I say. “I thought it’s been fucked-up and archaic from the beginning, but it’s not my place to change it. I guess I should be thankful Darcy was born a few weeks before me. What was our father’s plan if I was a preemie?”
Toby shakes his head. “I don’t want to think about Father having sex with my mother, let alone anyone else.”
I wince. “Neither. Did you want to hang out for a bit? Want a beer?”
“Sure.”
Good. Because Remy still isn’t home, and the last thing I want to be is alone with my wallowing. Toby can distract me.
I grab us some drinks from the fridge, and we move to the living room.
After a few beats, Toby says, “Are you really going to resign? What then?”
“I’ll go back to construction.”
“Really? You’re a gajillionaire now. Go do something fun. Travel. See the world.”
“I still don’t feel comfortable using that money. I’ll probably keep it to give to my kids or whatever. If I ever have them. If not, I guess it will go to yours or Junior’s kids. Or however it all works.”
“If I ever have kids, I’m adopting.”
“You’re what? What about bloodline and all that other crap?”
He lifts his drink and points the neck of the bottle my way. “Exactly why I don’t want my kids to be blood related. They can inherit the money with none of the pressure.”
“Surely, there’s a legal loophole to get around all of that … Right?”
Toby purses his lips. “I’ve never really thought about it before. But maybe? Grandfather was the one who set it all up.”
“It’s so weird to me. As someone who grew up with not much family around, and being queer on top of that, I learned at a young age that blood isn’t thicker than water. Family doesn’t have to share DNA to still be real.”
“That’s deep.” He sips his beer. “And that’s what she said.”
“Hey, that’s what he said.”
“What do you think the chances are of having two brothers who are gay?”
“I’m sure they’ve done studies. It’s probably more common than people think.”
The fact Darcy is also gay only makes me think the universe or God if there is one had a plan for Warren Ritcherson’s oldest child. Whether it was going to be me or Darcy, a gay man was going to take over a billion-dollar conglomerate.
Fuck knows it’s time for some diversity when it comes to CEOs. Now, instead of another cis, white man in charge, we have a gay cis, white man. Progress.
I guess.
Woo, baby steps.
“Genetics are weird,” Toby mutters.
Not really, but I can’t exactly say that. “I also have a gay cousin.”
As if mentioning him summoned his presence, Remy comes through the door.
It’s the middle of the night, so he pauses at the sight of someone in our house.
“I swear to God, if you ask if we’re sleeping together, I’ll kill you,” I say.
“Eww, what?” Tobias asks at the same time Remy steps closer, a look of wonder in his expression.
“Holy shit.” Remy approaches Tobias and pinches his cheeks. “He looks like you did ten years ago.” He pulls on Tobias’s face.
“Can you stop accosting my brother, please?”
Remy finally lets Toby go. “Fine. But it’s crazy.”
“Junior looks more like him.” Toby thumbs in my direction. “It’s weird how Darcy looks more like Mom when the three of us took after Father.”
Not too weird , I think, and if the way Remy glances at me is any indication, he’s probably thinking the same thing.
“What are you doing home?” I ask Remy.
“Sanden’s shift starts at six, so he told me to get out, or he wouldn’t get any sleep.”
“Aww. Romance isn’t dead after all.” I hold my heart.
“What’s going on here? I thought you said your brothers were assholes?”
“And now it’s my cousin who’s the asshole.”
Tobias laughs, and Remy grins.
I’m able to joke and be casual, but if I’m honest, I’m still dead inside.
I’m tempted to flake on the company, leave without a word, but I should do the right thing and tell Darcy in person when he gets back from London.
Dread fills my stomach at the thought of facing him.
* * *
Darcy’s back sooner than I expected, and I’m not prepared to see him. I’m even more unprepared that not thirty seconds after he walks into his office, his mother and fucking Harvey appear.
Darcy’s not wasting any time, is he?
I grit my teeth so hard I swear a molar cracks.
The last thing I want to do is go in there, but if I don’t do this now, I’m going to chicken out. And if I chicken out, I’m going to be here every damn day, watching Darcy move on.
He says he’ll be the unhappy one, that there’s no chance of him falling in love with Harvey, but Darcy’s parents are proof you can learn to love someone you’re forcefully tied to.
I’m itching out of my skin to go across the hall and yell at him for choosing wrong. For following in our father’s footsteps.
But I can’t.
For the same reason we can’t be together.
No one can find out about us. Ever. And if I stay working for MediaCorp, there’s no way I’m going to be able to lock it all down.
It hurts too much.
So, with a deep breath, I shut my work laptop down, close the lid, and leave it on the desk when I stand and make the short walk into Darcy’s office.
He’s laughing at something Harvey said, and maybe I’m reading into it, but it sounds genuine. Fuck, if that doesn’t cut deep.
Darcy’s mother scowls at me, and I clear my throat to get Darcy’s attention.
His face falls when he sees me, but he’s too late. I’ve already seen how funny he thinks Harvey is. He probably thinks he’s hot too. Hell, I think he’s hot.
“What’s up?” Darcy asks.
“I, uh, need to speak with you? Privately?”
“Make it fast,” Darcy’s mom says. “Darcy and Harvey have a reservation for lunch.”
“You just got in,” I say to Darcy.
“I’m technically not here today. I came in to grab a few things so I can work from home for a while.”
“Okay, well, this will be super quick,” I say.
“Can we schedule a meeting about it?” Darcy can barely look at me.
He’s going to make me do it here and now, and that’s fine because he made it clear there’s no relationship between us. This isn’t about us .
“I was just letting you know that I spoke to my old boss in construction, and I’m leaving. I don’t want a permanent position with MediaCorp.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see his mom’s entire face light up.
So as my parting words, I look at her and say, “You win.”
Then, before I can get too emotional, I spin on my heel and walk away from the only man I’ve ever loved.