Chapter 38
“Domino”
Istood just outside the hospital room, my hands shoved deep in my pockets, mind running.
I don’t cry. It’s true; I’ve never been that type of person. But when I got the call that Alejandro had passed out? Yeah… I felt something in my chest shift.
In the back of my mind, I had suspected something was wrong for a while now, but standing there in the hallway, the uncertainty loomed larger and heavier.
I still didn’t have answers, but I knew I would soon enough.
The soft click of the door drew my attention, and I looked up to see Ajori stepping out.
Her eyes, usually bright and expressive, were clouded with a heaviness that told a story without the need for words.
Something wasn’t right.
“He wants to talk to you,” she said softly.
I nodded.
“You good?” I asked, cupping her face gently with my hands.
She nodded back, though the subtle tremor in her features betrayed her. “I will be. Go talk to him.”
Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the room. Alejandro was propped up against the hospital bed, but he didn’t look like himself.
“You look tired,” I said, attempting to inject a bit of humor into the moment. It was meant to lighten the weight in the air, but I wasn't sure if it came across as intended.
He let out a faint breath. “I am.”
“You used to hate admitting that.”
Alejandro chuckled lightly. “I used to hate a lot of things.”
Then he nodded toward the chair.
“Have a seat. I need to talk to you.”
I sat and waited.
Alejandro took a second before speaking, then finally, he revealed, “I have cancer.”
Just like that.
No build-up… no warning.
The words hit and sat heavy.
“Before you ask, like Ajori, why I didn’t tell you sooner, well…
it’s because a man in my position doesn’t get the luxury of breaking down in front of the people who depend on him.
I built everything around strength, control, and stability.
The moment people smell weakness, everything starts shifting… and I wasn’t ready for that.”
I nodded slowly. “I get it.”
“I know you do. That’s why you’re sitting where you are.”
“So this explains the spur-of-the-moment trips, the closed-door meetings, and the calls you kept stepping away for.”
Alejandro nodded. “Yeah. I went the treatment route, but it was too far gone. Some fights don’t respond to money, connections, timing or status… they just show up to remind you that you’re human.”
His voice lowered. “I don’t have long. I can feel it.”
My jaw tightened in response, but I forced myself to maintain composure, desperate to remain strong for him.
Alejandro looked at me intently. “As of today, I am officially stepping down, and I want to hand the torch over to you. I don’t expect that to come as too much of a surprise.”
It didn’t.
“I wouldn’t give it to anybody else. You earned it.
Every year you stood beside me… every decision…
and every time you chose loyalty over everything else.
I trust you, and I don’t say that phrase too freely.
Trust isn’t something I hand out because of time; it’s built in moments, in pressure, and in situations where most men fold…
and you never did. I’ve watched men talk a good game and crumble when it mattered.
I’ve watched loyalty switch sides when money got involved…
when fear got involved.” A small shake of his head.
“You never moved like that. You stood ten toes down when it was easy and when it wasn’t, and when it benefited you and when it didn’t. That’s rare.”
He leaned back, letting the words settle.
“And when something is rare, you don’t gamble it, you protect it. That’s why this goes to you.”
Those words meant more than any material possession he could have passed on.
“I appreciate that.”
“No,” he corrected, shaking his head slightly. “Thank you. And if you ever decide to step away from it, you make sure the next man is cut like you… not just skilled but solid.”
“I will,” I promised, determination flooding through me.
Alejandro nodded, leaning back slightly as if he needed a moment to gather his thoughts.
“As for my daughter, you take care of her… with everything in you. Make sure to give her the life I couldn’t. I’m leaving you more than enough to make sure that the both of you will always be good.”
“I got her.”
“I know. That’s why I ain’t worried.” He cleared his throat, and transitioned the conversation. “When the time comes, my lawyers will handle everything legally.”
I nodded.
“As for the business, you already know how to run it.”
“I won’t let you down,” I promised.
And I meant that.
He searched my face one last time, an unspoken understanding passing between us. “I know you won’t.”
We discussed a few more serious matters until Alejandro politely suggested that he needed his rest. I stood reluctantly, walked out, and found the nearest bathroom. Once inside, I locked the door, and that’s when the emotions hit me.
I leaned over the sink, gripping the edge, allowing the tears to fall freely.
They say men ain’t supposed to cry, but that man was more than a boss; he was the closest thing I had to a father. So knowing I’d be losing him soon? Yeah… that stirred up something in me.
I dropped my head for a second, let it out, then I got myself together… because that’s what he would expect.
When I stepped back out, I almost walked right past Ajori’s mama.
“Excuse me!”
I turned and noticed her flagging me down.
She looked nervous but determined.
“Hey!” Vanessa greeted me as she drew closer. “I’m Ajori’s mother, Vanessa!”
“I know,” I replied simply, trying to keep the conversation cordial despite knowing what I knew about her.
She hesitated. “I heard you and my daughter are… dating.”
I rubbed the back of my neck slightly. “Yeah… you could say that.”
She smiled. “I’m so glad that she’s found someone. She looks so happy. I wish I had that kind of bond with her. She hates me.”
I exhaled slowly.
Ajori had already told me enough about her mama, and let’s just say she definitely doesn’t deserve the Mama Of The Year award, so I didn’t rush to disagree with her.
“She’s hurt,” I corrected gently, recognizing the complex emotions at play. “Hate and hurt look the same, but they ain’t.”
“How do I fix it? Us?” she asked, as if I had the slightest fuckin’ clue or held the key to their reconciliation. “I don’t want to die one day with my daughter still looking at me like I failed her.”
I really didn’t want to get tangled in their personal business, but since she asked and I didn’t want to come off as rude to my “potential” future mother-in-law, I gave her my advice.
“First thing… don’t think shit is going to get fixed overnight.”
She frowned slightly.
“That’s where people mess up,” I continued. “They want forgiveness on their timeline instead of earning it on the other person’s.”
Vanessa listened closely, her eyes wide and hopeful.
“You hurt her… and not just with what you did, but with a pattern. And until she sees that pattern change, your words ain’t gon’ really mean much.”
“I still don’t know where to start to fix us, though,” she admitted, desperation etching deeper lines into her face.
“You stay consistent… even when she doesn’t answer… even when she shuts you out… even when she acts like you don’t exist.”
“You really think that will work? I really don’t want to mess this up again,” she whispered.
“Then don’t. Be better. Not perfect… just better. Even if it doesn’t work out for y’all, at least you can say you tried.”
She nodded slowly.
I observed Vanessa for a second longer, and I could tell she was truly sorry; and not the kind of sorry people say when they’re caught, but the kind that makes a person want to do right even when nobody’s watching.
I’d dealt with enough “I’m sorry” situations to know the difference.
People mess up… that’s life. But it ain’t the mistake that defines you, it’s what you do after.
Some people apologize just to clear their conscience, and others change.
And Vanessa looked like she was ready to change.
Still… convincing Ajori to forgive her? That was a whole different story.
Because hurt like that doesn’t just come from one moment; it builds over time.
And from what Ajori shared with me, her mama ain’t just slip once.
I exhaled quietly, glancing back at Vanessa.
Yeah… she might’ve been ready, but earning that forgiveness? That was gonna take more than words. And I already knew, Ajori wasn’t the type to give in that easy