At the table with previous Masters…


    "Mr. Smith…", a man''s voice got Jarred''s attention.


    "Yes?", Jarred turned toward the voice.


    He saw an older man, and a youngdy following behind him. Jarred stood up to face them, he does not like when someone looks down on him.


    "I am Reginald Sinir, president of the Sinir group." The man slightly turned to the youngdy next to him. "And this is my granddaughter, Stefanie."


    "Nice to meet you.", Jarred responded politely. He was curious, why did they approach him? Jarred was never the one to hold back. "Why are you looking for me?"


    Reginald nodded in approval. He does not like to beat around the bush either. "I believe that a union between Smith and Sinir families will be beneficial for all. My granddaughter is avable…"


    Jarred eyed youngdy who is probably in her early twenties and he understood that the old man is suggesting a marriage. It is not the first time he is approached with such requests openly and he knows how to handle them. "Don''t you think that she is young for me?"


    Reginald almost choked on his saliva. He coughed for some time while Stephanie patted his back thoughtfully.


    nor was listening to the conversation from the start and burst intough. She knows that the old man didn''t suggest his granddaughter for Jarred. And she knows that Jarred is aware of that as well.


    "I was suggesting Stephanie for your nephew, Charles.", Reginald rified when he caught his breath.


    Jarred nced at the dancefloor. "My nephew has a date, and they are engaged to be married."


    Reginald frowned when he realized that Jarred rejected him. "The word is that she is just a nurse. What benefit can she bring to the Smith family?"


    "My nephew and me are attending this event because of that youngdy. Don''t underestimate her.", Jarred voice carried a hint of threat. Why does this random person care if the woman of Charlie''s choice is a nurse or a queen? How is that impacting his Sinir family? But he knows that the old man is throwing insults only because he got rejected.


    "Hmph!", Reginald could not hide his displeasure. "She knows few people? How can thatpare to bonds which family creates?"


    Jarred''s eyes dimmed when he thought how Smiths are arge family, but a dysfunctional one where siblings would backstab each other just to climb higher in order to seize more power, more money, more, more… it''s never enough.


    Jarred never found any proof, but he suspects that at least one of his cousins caused the ident where his wife and his sister perished making him a widower and Charlie an orphan. Why would anyone do that? Because without an heir, Jarred would lose his position at the head of Smithsonite corp. But he didn''t allow them to have their way. He adopted Charlie and decided to raise him as his own. And he protected him well, all until that unfortunate incident in Las Vegas. But that was a blessing in disguise. Thanks to that incident, he uncovered number of people who are coveting Charlie''s future position, and they connected to Hill sisters and Whites and Charlie found Emma. Jarred hopes that Charlie has enough people he can trust in his circle, so that the history does not repeat itself. Because some of Charlie''s cousins are ruthless.


    "Mr. Sinir…", Jarred spoke in a dangerously low voice. "I will not forget your words. And I hope that you don''t forget mine: blood rtionships don''t mean loyalty."


    Jarred went back to his seat, ignoring the presence of Reginald Sinir and his granddaughter.


    Jarred watched his nephew and Emma dance with smiles on their faces and remembered that he advised Charlie to dy as much as possible introducing Emma to the rest of the family. He knows how that is only dying the inevitable when their family is alerted of the fact that Charlie has a woman he loves… a woman who will get a target on her back when they realize that she will get the right to im a portion of the Smith''s fortune. Jarred hopes that this dy helps Charlie and Emma to grow stronger and they can face together whatever ising.


    …


    Ron is standing nearby entrance to thedies'' room. He is waiting for Z who is inside.


    Ron knows that girls can take their time in the restroom, so he got his phone and started ying a game. With his peripheral vision he can see the door opening and closing as women get in and out, but he does not need to look up. When Z gets out, she will walk to him, right?


    He was beating the fourth level boss when he heard woman''s voice: "Ron? Ronald? Is that you?"


    Ron got a start. That is not Z, or Oni or any other female who would call him. It''s a voice of an older woman and he finds it strangely familiar. In that one second he lost half a life and he paused the game before looking up.


    "Ron, my dear! It is you!", woman eximed and walked close to him. "How did you get here? Where have you been all this time? Why didn''t you call home? …"


    The woman was raining questions on Ron and he felt sweat trickle down his back. What is his stepmother doing here? He wanted to ask her, but images of her abusing him for years shed in his mind and he lost his voice. He was unable to move.


    "… Are you surprised to see me? Happy? Probably not as happy as I am to see you. Your father went crazy when you disappeared without a trace. He is missing you, but I miss you more, my dear…", she leaned closer to him and arched her eyebrow suggestively. "When are youing home?"


    She reached with her hand to touch Ron''s cheek.


    PAK!


    The woman yelped in surprise when her hand was pped away.


    "What are you doing with my man?", Z asked angrily.


    Z does not know what is going on. When she got out of the restroom, she saw that woman leaning closer to Ron while talking in an alluring voice… something about missing him and asking him to go home. But what struck Z was that Ron was petrified. For some reason, he is afraid of that woman, and Z will not allow her to hurt Ron. When Z saw that woman reaching to touch Ron, Z had to react and p her hand away. Well, she would punch and kick her few times, but they are at the party, and Sarah told them to avoid violence if possible.


    Z linked her arm with Ron''s.


    "Do you know this woman?", she asked Ron without removing her fierce gaze from an outraged stepmother.


    Ron snapped out of his daze and looked at Z. Somehow, her confident and gentle eyes told him that it''s going to be OK, and that she is there for him.


    "She is not important.", he responded.


    "What do you mean, I am not important?", his stepmother raged. "Who is this girl? Is she the reason you left me?"


    Ron closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath topose himself. He felt Z''s hand move into his, and their fingers inteced.


    Ron looked at Z and smiled before turning to the woman. "I left home, stepmother, not you. And you should know why I left. Don''te near me anymore." He looked at Z and guided her back into the ballroom. "Let''s go, dear. Do you want to dance more, or should we get something to eat? …"


    Ron''s stepmother balled her hands into fists. "This is not the end of it, Ron! Wait until I tell your father!"


    Ron and Z went to the dancefloor.


    "Are you OK?", Z asked with concern apparent in her eyes.


    "Thank you.", Ron wrapped his arms around her while pulling her closer.


    She ced her hands on his back awkwardly. "It seems you need a hug."


    "Yeah. It seems so.", he admitted.


    Little by little, Z rxed and few secondster, she hugged him back.


    They moved slowly while holding each other tightly.


    ---


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