VALERIA

Photographers outside snap pictures of celebrities as they pose on the red carpet. Inside the ballroom, a diversity of all kinds of celebrities are mingling together. The atmosphere is filled with excitement as conversations and laughter can be heard from every corner of the room.

I refill my tray with drinks and move around the room, offering them to the guests. As you've probably guessed, I'm not a guest. I'm just a caterer, putting on a respectful smile as I pretend to like serving these privileged people. I hate my job, but the salary helps provide for my family.

I have two younger siblings who are twins, and I'm their sole guardian. I'm the only family they have left, so they count on me, and I'm not about to let them down. I made a promise to care for them with my life the day Mom died.

Suddenly, my eyes fall on two people I'd rather avoid. Every time we run into each other, they make it their mission to make my life miserable. Especially when I was in high school. I shudder, thinking about it.

First, there's Rebecca Nina Mathew, with her golden blonde hair, deep brown eyes, and smooth, fair skin. Physically, she's stunning, but her personality is another story—truly dreadful. Next to her is her sister, Sylvera Andrea Mathew, with white blonde hair, steel gray eyes that everyone envies, and a cute heart-shaped face. Truly beautiful, but more on the cute side. Compared to her sister, she's not that bad, but sometimes I can't help but think she's acting. She's mimicking her sister for some reason, but then again, I could be giving her too much credit. I shrug mentally.

I turn my back to hoping they don't recognize me when the ballroom doors swing open, and a loud announcement echoes welcoming the members of the Kane family. The Kane are the richest family in the country, or at least they were until a few years ago, but they're still very influential.

A man in his forties walks in the room arm in arm with a woman. His copper hair has streaks of gray, and his brown eyes contain such dominance. He wears a smile on his face, softening his rough features. This man is William Kane.

Beside him was a beautiful woman with lustrous brown hair and almond-shaped eyes twinkling in the light. She wears a long red gown that hugs her curves, and the deep V-cut neckline accentuates her figure with a slit on the side. She has an angelic smile, but her eyes show deceit and arrogance. She is Adelia Kane, the wife of William Kane.

Behind them, there is a young woman with copper hair and almond-shaped eyes, which already proves who she is. She wears a black off-shoulder dress that exposes her shoulders with floral patterns at the hem. She is their daughter, Georgia Jade Kane.

As they gracefully descend the stairs, people are captivated by their elegance. Photographers and paparazzi prepare their cameras and microphones for pictures and interviews. Meanwhile, the caterers refill their trays and approach them, hoping to get their attention, but I already know it's futile. Such people don't care about waiters; we are below in everything. Money, power, jewelry, houses, cars, and even their food are above ours.

Mr. Kane strides to the stage and clears his throat before starting his speech: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to thank you for attending this event despite your busy schedules. We are here to celebrate the return of my son, who I haven't seen for over a decade." His voice is as rough as his looks.

"I'm certain many of you are curious as to the reason I sent him abroad. I knew one day he would take care of the company, but I wanted to see the humble aspects of life. I wanted him to enjoy his childhood before shouldering so many responsibilities. And I knew I wouldn't be able to accomplish it here, so I made the decision to send him abroad, and during his time there, he lived a good life and gained experience from various individuals."

"Now, I'm proud to say my son is ready to enter the business world. Without further delay, I present to you my son, Xaiden Esteban Kane, the new CEO and face of Kane Corporation."

Claps resonate through the room as the door swings open once again and a young man walks in. He's irresistibly handsome with his tan skin, sleek jet black hair, and those hazel-green eyes. Women are swooning over his looks; even married women can't help but peek at him. While the men look at him with envy, they can't deny that his handsomeness is simply on another level.

There's something else that catches my attention, and it's really strange—he doesn't look anything like Mr. and Mrs. Kane.

He strides to the stage, and all eyes are fixed on him as he starts his speech. "Good evening. Thank you for your presence tonight. It feels good to be back by my father's side." His voice is deep and smooth, sending shivers down my spine, but everything he says contains no sincerity. The worst lie I've ever heard.

"Father," he turns to Mr. Kane, "as I take on my new role, I hope I can make you proud. I'll make sure to work hard and eliminate every threat that stands in the way of our success. Not literally, though," he lets out a small laugh, but I can feel the sarcasm in his tone. He whispers something in Mr. Kane's ears, which makes him turn red in anger, but he keeps his composure.

He turns back to the audience and says, "Let's make a toast to our future and prosperity." Being the nearest person to the stage, I present him with a tray holding a single glass of champagne, and he snatches it. He raises his glass, and the guests join in, clinking together. He sips his champagne and returns the glass back to the tray.

Walking off the stage, he blends into the crowd, leaving an air of mystery around him. The party carries on with passion as couples swirl on the dance floor, and laughter floats around every corner. I head to the kitchen,swapping one tray for another as my other colleagues prepare the next course.

At around 1 a.m., guests start leaving, and others are even drunk because of excess alcohol. Photographers start packing their equipment, and we, the caterers, are tasked with restoring the venue to its original state.

When all the guests are gone, we switch into cleaning mode. Taking off the decorations, washing the dishes, and scrubbing the floor. All the work takes 2 hours, and I get back home at around 3:30 a.m., looking forward to sleeping.

I insert the keys and unlock the door to enter the quiet living room. I find Kasey, the twins' babysitter, sleeping on the couch. She must've been tired. I grab a soft blanket from my closet and place it over her shoulders, making sure not to wake her up.

"Thank you, Kasey," I murmur, running my hand through her red hair. I retire to my room for the night. After taking a refreshing shower, I slip into my pajamas and head to bed. The moment my head touches the pillow, I'm fast asleep.

Waking up at 7:30, I'm still tired from yesterday's event, but more energized than when I went to sleep.

Once I'm done making my bed, I complete my morning routine and head to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Rummaging through the fridge, I gather the ingredients before starting to cook.

"Hello, Valeria," a voice startles me, making me almost drop the spatula, but I catch before it falls. I turn to Kasey with a smile.

"Good morning, Kasey. Want some breakfast?" I ask as I flip the pancake.

"No, thank you. I need to go home," she answers.

"Please, stay. Take it as a thank you for babysitting the twins so late last night," I insist. Kasey is the only person that I can entrust the twins to, and they love her a lot.

I still remember when they first met her; they loved her instantly, which was unusual considering their usual wariness towards strangers. I think it's understandable considering the things they've been through. They are young, but they have gone through things children their age shouldn't have, and I always feel proud that they never carry any hatred for this world.

"No, I'm sorry," she refuses. "My parents must be worried about me."

The word parents stirs a pang in my heart. Parents used to be the most important thing for me, until they didn't. That word is almost non-existent in my life, and it's all because of him.

"You're right," I tell her with a bittersweet smile. "You should check your bank account; I left a small bonus for staying here so late."

"Thank you, Valeria," and she leaves.

I continue making breakfast, which includes eggs, toast, milk, pancakes, and a steaming cup of coffee for me. I start setting the table when I hear the twins' voices.

"Good morning, Val," they greet in sync. My full name is Valeria, and 'Val' is the nickname they gave me when they were toddlers and couldn't pronounce my name correctly. Even when they could finally speak properly, the nickname stuck.

"Hello, Girls! How are you?" I ask, serving them their meal.

"We're fine," they respond in sync again. I remember when I used to be amazed every time they did those twin things; it was even better since they were identical twins with the same raven black hair and ocean blue eyes.

They are so identical, making it difficult for people to distinguish one from the other. They not only share the same eyes and hair color, but their faces are similar, from their foreheads to their cheekbones, and the shapes of their lips and noses are similar. All the same, but as their sister, I can easily tell one from the other.

Between the two, Mira is the oldest, and Maïra is the younger twin. The only thing that makes them different from each other is that Mira has a mole on the bottom of her right eye.

We finish eating our breakfast, and the twins help me clean up everything. I return to my room to catch up on some much-needed sleep.But instead of sleeping, I find myself thinking, and my heart throbs when I recall what Kasey said earlier.

When was the last time someone other than the twins worried about me? When was the last someone apart from them worried about my well-being? Worried if I was healthy? Or even checked if I was okay?

It's not like I want someone in my life; I'm content with having just the twins by my side, but it doesn't hurt to wish for something more, does it?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

What are your thoughts on this character? It's the first chapter, and it's exciting to think about the next chapters.

This story will not be perfect as it is my first story so please be patient with me. Also, if you'd like to have faster updates, this story is also on Wattpad and on Inkitt under the name Xealta. But I will warn you, the book cover there will be different. To recognize it, here's the picture of it.

Warning: This story will contain themes of rape and depression so please don't report my story. I've already warned you.

Enjoy your reading, and like, comment, and subscribe for more ❤.

^^^XEALTA^^^

VALERIA

Waking up from my nap, I feel energized, but my spirit is still low. I'm sure spending time with the twins is gonna lift my mood. They're my light in the darkness. My hope when I feel dispirited, and discouraged. They're my warmth when I'm cold. I know it sounds cheesy, but that's what I think of them. I think my life without them is unimaginable, especially since Mom's death.

I was laying in bed, staring at my ceiling feeling numb. It had already been a week since Mom died, I didn't know what to do. I felt lost.

The tears I'd been holding slid down my cheeks as I sobbed. I didn't know what to do, and most of all, I felt guilty. I felt guilty that I didn't try enough, I wasn't a good enough daughter to her, and now, she was gone. What was I supposed to do without her? What about the twins? They were too young to experience this. They didn't even know the meaning of death.

As love, death is always unexpected, sometimes, we are prepared to face it and we know when it's our time to go, but other times, it hits us like a truck in the most unpredicted ways.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Mira, and Maïra came in. I hastily wiped my tears, but they wouldn't stop. I couldn't stop sobbing.

They gently approached me, and climbed on the bed with a bit of struggle. They hugged me as I cried. They were stronger than me, they weren't crying, but I knew it was because they didn't understand. They didn't understand the reality of death.

"Val, why are you crying?" Mira ask in a small voice.

It felt so hard to say those words. "Mom is gone."

I felt so helpless, like I was in an ocean, and the water was trying to drown me. To push me down, and just make me give up, but deep down, I knew I couldn't do that. I couldn't selfishly give up because if I did, who would take care of the twins? Who would feed them, and give them all the love they deserve? There was no one else to do that apart from me, and I had already promised Mom that I would care for them, protect them like she protected me. But I was barely hanging on, the grief felt too much for me, and I was feeling tempted to let the water submerge me, and give up. It was just so hard.

"She's not gone forever," Maïra said, staring at me with her sparkling blue eyes.

"She's right. Mom will never be gone as long as we have memories of her," Mira continued.

"Do you remember what Mom used to say?" Mira asked, and my lips quivered as I said that phrase.

"Nothing is never really gone as long as we keep them in our heart."

Mom used to say that all the time. I think it was her way of preparing us for her death, guess I wasn't prepared enough for it.

"That means that Mom is not gone. She's here, we just can't see her," Maïra held my hand as if offering me her support.

"But, we can feel her here," they put both of their small palms on my chest, where my heart is located.

I took both hands and kissed them, "Thank you so much. I love you," I said with a small smile. I could feel some of the pain in my heart disappearing, leaving behind this warmth of love.

We laid on the bed and they hugged each side of me. At that moment, I promised to make sure to give them everything they deserved, be it love, care, anything because they deserved.

Children maybe small, and young, but sometimes, they're wiser than most adults.

Ever since that day, they've been the blessings of my life. Sometimes, I wonder how I was alive before they were born?

I get off the bed, and go to the living room to find the twins watching TV. They haven't even noticed my presence.

"Girls," I call them, but they don't respond. They're totally fixated on their cartoons.

"Girls," I call again, but still no response.

"Maïra, Mira! " I call louder this time, which startles them, and they turn their attention to me.

They give me a sheepish smile, and it's like I've been struck by Cupid's arrow. I really can't resist them, especially their puppy eyes, so cute. They know how to pull at my heartstrings, those little cheeky girls.

"Go get ready, girls," I tell them. "I'll bring you to the beach like I promised to."

They squeal as they disappear into their respective rooms to pack their things. I head back to my room, and change into some jean shorts, and a white T-shirt with a multi-colored butterfly drawn on it. On the back, it's written 'Spread your wings' in the colors of the rainbow. Tying my hair into a ponytail, I add cute small butterfly earings, white sandals, and some lip gloss. Once I'm done, I open a bag, and pack in the essentials needed for a trip to the beach which includes bikinis, sun cream, lotion, and towels, changing clothes, and some other stuff.

"Girls, be ready to go in 10 minutes," I shout, then go to the kitchen to take the picnic basket I had prepared as a surprise for them. They're so gonna love it.

The girls join me in the living room wearing similar outfits, but of different colors, blue jean shorts, and a blue T-shirt for Mira, and white jean shorts, and a purple T-shirt for Maïra. They love to match their styles. They each takes their turn as I style their hair. Two piggy tails for Mira, and a braid for Maïra.

I take out my phone, and snap a picture of them as they pose. Then I snap a selfie of the three of us. I love taking pictures like this, it's the best way to preserve the happiness of the past.

"Time to go," I tell them, and the carry their small backpacks containing all theirs toys while I sling the other bag over my shoulder, and get the picnic basket.

We exit the apartment, and go through the elevator. The door closes and I click on the button for the first floor. When we're down, the door dings as it opens, and we walk out to the car.

I secure the twins in the backseat making sure they have on their seatbelt. When everything is in the car, I get in and starts the engine.

I turn on the A.C as it is really hot outside, and the twins sing along with the radio as it plays "Let it Go" from Frozen. They love this song. We all learned a bit of singing from Mom, and I remember how we used to sing together before. The karaokes, when we were cooking, we loved to sing. I think it was our way to forget the pain, and have a peaceful moment, even if it didn't last long. I close my eyes, letting their harmonious voices ease the worries of my mind. I used to sing too, but I stopped because the 'me' that used to sing got silenced by what we call life. And it's a part of myself that is meant to be forgotten.

"Let it go, let it go

I am one with the wind and sky

Let it go, let it go

You'll never see me cry

Here I stand and here I stay

Let the storm rage on

My power flurries through the air into the ground

My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around

One thought crystallizes like an icy blast

I'm never going back, the past is in the past."

They continue singing the lyrics as I drive. 30 minutes later, we arrive at the beach. The air is salty, and fresh, we can hear the sound of seagulls in the distance, and the ocean waves at us.

We walk down the sandy slope, and find a good spot to set our picnic. I lay out a blanket, and I find the twins watching the ocean with longing. I'm sure they're thinking about Mom. They were really young when Mom died so they don't remember much about her, but the memory of her that mostly sticks to their minds is when Mom brought them to the beach.

Mom made it a bit of a tradition to spend time with the twins at the beach almost every weekend, and when she died, I continued what she left behind. I always make sure to show them a lot of pictures of her, so they could never forget what she looks like, and what she was like. Kind, passionate, and strong.

"Can we go swim now, Val?" Maïra asks as I take out the food from the basket.

"Not yet. Let's eat lunch first, I made a picnic for us," I reply.

They squeal when they see the food on the blanket. "Come help me finish setting up everything."

"Yes, Val!" They say in sync, and come help me finish setting everything.

When we're done, we start digging into our lunch. Maïra takes a sandwich while Mira sips onher orange juice.

"Thank you, Val. You're the best," They beam at me.

Their smile is everything it takes to lift up my mood. Like I said earlier, they are the blessings of my life.

"I'm glad you like it," I smile back at them before taking a bite of my apple.

Lunch passes by slowly, the twins are talking about a cartoon they saw, and I listen silently to what they have to say while eating. When we finish our lunch, I pack everything back in the basket.

"Can we go swim now?" Mira asks this time. They really love the ocean.

"Not yet. You've just finished eating, if you go swimming now, you'll get cramps," I explain.

"But-" I cut her off, "No buts. Come lay down with me, and enjoy the breeze. You will have time to swim, I promise we will only leave at sunset."

She nods, and we lay down with both of them at either side of me. Mira on the left, and Maïra on the right. The gentle breese brushes up my skin as I breathe in the fresh salty air. Minutes later, I find the twins asleep with their heads on my chest. I kiss their forehead, and closes my eyes for small nap.

Later, when I open my eyes, the twins are still asleep. I cover them with another blanket, and quietly stand up. I walk towards the ocean, it looks so blue and glimmering under the sunlight. When the waves splash, I dip my feet inside the water, and shiver from the cold temperature, but soon get used to it.

I remember coming here back when I was in High school, I always felt like this was the only place where I could be free. Where I could feel like my life wasn't such a tradegy.

When I return, the twins are awake, and they excitedly change into their bikinis.

"Don't forget to put on some sunscreen." They groan when they hear it. I don't know why they don't like putting on sunscreen. It's good for their skin, and prevent sunburns.

I squeeze the bottle, and gently apply it on their arms, legs, and faces. They grab their toys, and run towards the water.

"Don't go too far, and make sure to stay within my line of sight," I warn them.

"Yes, Val. Bye!" They shout back.

VALERIA

Sitting on the blanket, I observe the twins playing with sand, and water. With the shovel, the scoop sand, and pour it in the plastic bucket. They add in some water, then flip it upside-down, and tap it before remove the bucket revealing a sand castle. They seem to be having so much fun.

Suddenly, the sound of feet walking on the sand catches my attention. I gaze around to see if there's anyone else on the beach, but I see no one. Minutes later, the sound seem louder, and steps are approaching. I look right to find a man walking towards me.

When he is closer, I notice familiar hazel-green eyes. I stand up, and he stops right in front of me. I feel small compared to his towering height. He has on a light blue shirt and black pants.

He just looks at me, without saying anything. I look back at him, waiting for him to either leave or say something.

"Val!" The twins shout, running towards me. They stop in front of us, and looks at him curiously.

"Wow! He's really tall like a tree," Maïra comments cranning up her neck to look at him. They looks like ants in front of a giant.

"And handsome too like Adonis," Mira continues. Both of them love Greek mythology, especially when it's about the God's, and their powers. They know everything about it.

"Thank you, little ladies," he says with a smile on his face. He seems completely different from last night.

They giggle hearing him call them 'little ladies'.

"Val, who is he?" Mira asks.

I don't know how to introduce him in front of the twins. I don't even know him, except his name so I'm not sure how to address him.

"You told me I was as handsome as Adonis, so call me Adonis," he tells them before I can say anything. "That's my name, Adonis."

"You big liar," Mira glares at him. "We know your name is not Adonis."

"I take back what I said. You're really ugly," Maïra continues. 

Oh, there it is! That rude attitude. It's their wariness against strangers. It's to make people know that they're not as naïve as they seem. To make them understand that they can't be tricked by sweet words, and flattery. Like I said before, they've been through a lot, and they already know that this world is not unicorns and rainbows. Thank God they still act like children their age, but they're more aware of the reality of life than other children. Sometimes, it makes my heart ache that they couldn't live in that fantasy a little longer, but I know they're gonna be fine.

He chuckles, "You're really interesting. Most children get scared when they see me, but the two of you are acting rude. My real name is Xaiden."

"Your name sounds weird," Mira says, frowning.

"Tell that to my ancestors. I was named after my great-great-granfather," he answers with a small laugh.

"I'm sorry if they offended you, Sir," I enter the conversation with an apology, bowing my head.

"No, it's fine. I quite like them, and they're cute," he responds, still smiling then he walks away.

I sigh in relief, I finally feel like I can breathe again.

"Girls, how many times have I told you not be rude to strangers?" I scold them, showing them the 'I am disappointed' look.

"We're sorry, Val," they apologize in a small voice. I just feel scared they're gonna do something that may put them into trouble, especially when it comes to offending those wealthy people. They have the power to shatter everything I've worked so hard for the past 5 years.

"It's fine. I know you're only being protective of yourselves," I bend down, and hug them. I know they're just scared of being used again by an adult. There was an incident that happened once, and that traumatized them badly.

"Do you still want to play?" I change the topic. They nod silently.

"Just wait here, I'll change and join you into the water," I kiss their foreheads, and leave to change into my bikini. When I'm back, we go into the water, and I play with them until sunset.

XAIDEN

Walking, I chuckle recalling the attitude of those twins. They look adorable, but the woman that was with them seems familiar. Not just from last night's party, I think I've seen her somewhere else, but I can't seem to recall it. I shake those thoughts off, and start the car to go to the office.

I'm officially starting my work on Monday, but I'm going there today to see how things are. I haven't been there for 15 years, and I'm sure things have changed ever since William took over.

I do not consider him as my father, not after everything he's done to me, and my mother. In front of other people, he is considered as an angel, a father who takes care of his children, and a good husband. When in reality, he's no where close to being an angel.

Moments later, I arrive at Kane Corporation. I look up at the giant building covered in huge tinted glasses, at the top, it's written 'Kane Corporation' in bold. I park the car, and enter the building. I approach the woman at the front desk, she doesn't even notice my presence. She just continues applying lipstick while chewing gum.

"Excuse me," I voice out politely to make my presence known.

"So annoying," she utters under her breath thinking I won't be able to hear, but I do.

"Yeah! What do you need?" she asks in a bored tone, rolling her eyes. She's disrespectful, and rude. Who even hired her?

"I think you should watch your tone," I warn, but she doesn't even flinch.

"Look here, Sir. I don't think you have an appointment so you should just leave," she answers.

"And why would I need an appointment to enter my own office?" I ask in a cold voice, my eyes glaring at her.

She finally turns to me, and the moment she looks into my eyes, she freezes, and her lipstick falls out of her hand. Her eyes are agape as she realizes who she was talking to.

"S-sir, I-I'm sorry. I didn't notice you were here," she quickly bows down her as she apologizes.

"Come see me in my office on Monday," I tell, and leave while clenching my fist. Entering the elevator, I visit every department, and so far, I've been more than disappointed. Some employees aren't working, others are forcing the interns to do their work while the managers, and directors are abusing their authority. Even the janitors aren't working accordingly. The floors are dirty, and the windows have finger prints all over them as if they had never been cleaned.

The doors of the elevator opens on the last floor, and I walk in the hall. The walls are painted an ugly grey colors, dying plants by the corner, and the office of my supposed assistant is on the right. It seems that person isn't here today.

I walk towards the glass doors with 'Kane' written in a golden color. I open the door, and enter my office. At least the office seems clean, and in order. There's a glass table with a chair by the wall. On the other side, there's a black couch with a small wooden table in front. By the side there's a lamp, and there's a painting on the wall behind the couch.

This place changed so much. I remember when I was small, I used to come here with my mother. I adored this place because it was always welcoming, and so organized. People were kind, and they had a lot of respect for my mother.

But then, things started to change after William slowly took over the company since Mom had to take care of me. A year later, I wasn't allowed to go to the company again, and then Mom died. Everyone has forgotten her, they have forgotten she was the real heiress of Kane Corporation before William took over.

I clench my teeth as I think about all the horrible things he did. It's surprising how he kept his angelic facade for so many years, but the truth always comes out. Either one way or another, William's reputation is gonna hit rock bottom one day, and I will be the one to give him the last blow.

By the time I get back to my penthouse, it's already 7 p.m., and I'm feeling frustrated. I spent the afternoon reviewing files, and documents of the past years. It's even worse than I thought. Stocks has been declining, the company resources has been used, but I don't even know what they were used for, and the account books doesn't match.

In my room, I change into some sweatpants, and a shirt before going to the underground gym. I put on the boxing gloves before punching the bag to release all my frustrations. Over the years I spent in Spain, I developed some anger issues, but they're not too bad to the point of using violence when I'm angry. I've trained for years to control my anger issues so when things go South, instead of being angry, I search for a solution.

After remove the gloves, I drop to the floor, and start doing push-ups. One I'm done with my workout, I jump in the shower, and change into my sleepwear. Heading to the kitchen, I eat some light snacks before going to my office.

Opening my laptop, I get to work, and review contracts. While working, I realize just how much work I will have to do to restore everything in order. There's so much to fix in the company. Suddenly my phone rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. Picking up the phone I say,"What do you want?"

There's only one person that calls me in the middle of night without caring what time it is, my best friend, Dominic.

"Hello, I'm fine, and thank you for caring," he answers sarcastically.

"Why did you call?" I ignore his sarcasm.

"Can't I call my best friend to ask how he's going? You're so mean," I can hear the pout in his voice, making me roll my eyes. I'm already immune to his antics so whatever he has to say enters one ear, and goes out the next.

"Let's get down to business. When are you coming?" I ask.

"I'll be there in a week," he responds seriously this time. This is what I like about Dom, even though he's a drama king, he always knows when it's time to be serious, and when it's time to joke.

"Fine. On my side here, things hasn't been that good," I sigh. "I'm still reviewing contracts, and files. The company isn't in the greatest shape."

"So what are you going to do?" He asks.

"I'm going to change everything. I already have some plans, but I just need to improve them, and put them to use," I answers, flipping through the pages of a contract.

"Good luck! I'll be there soon to help," he wishes me before he hangs up.

I never wanted to involve Dominic in all this, but being the idiot that he is, he decided to still side with me. I feel really lucky to have a friend like him.