Chapter 37

I storm out of Mercer Industries with my head in a jumble. I get into my car and drive away, not even sure where I'm headed.

This morning I woke up the happiest man alive, and now all that happiness is slipping through my fingers like sand. No matter how hard I try to hold on to it, it's scattering in the wind.

It hurts to think that Reese believes my father is trying to pull my strings. My dad isn't a bad person, or a bad parent, but he's a ruthless businessman. Deep down, it hurts more that she might be right. That I might've been too na?ve to see it.

Childish. Foolish. Not smart enough.

She's too much for me, I'm not enough for her.

She's no doubt already regretting what happened last night—at least the "in the office" part of it.

The thought slashes across my chest, cutting deep.

What if the backlash from the sex tape is enough to end our relationship before it even starts?

One thing Reese made crystal clear: if I stay at Mercer Robotics, we're done.

Should I go back on my word to my father?

I sure don't like the sound of that, but what's the alternative?

I grit my teeth and grab the steering wheel so hard my knuckles hurt.

As the skyscrapers of upper Manhattan come into view, I finally realize where I'm headed. My brother's office.

I park in his building's space reserved for guests and sit in the car, alone, in the semi-darkness of the underground garage, thinking.

What now? What do I do?

Do I really have to choose between my family and the woman I love? Can I stand to disappoint my dad? To confirm that I'm incapable of taking responsibility for the family business? That I don't deserve to be his successor?

And what am I doing in my brother's basement, anyway? Can't I solve a problem on my own without running to a responsible adult for help?

Yes, I can. I will solve my own problems. Reese deserves to be with a man. I'm not just going to sit here and feel sorry for myself.

I'm about to put the car into gear when a knock on my car window makes me jump.

I turn my head and find Gabriel on the other side, peering down at me with a curious expression.

He beckons for me to exit.

I get out of the car. My brother is standing there hands shoved into his suit pants, head tilted to the side, staring at me interrogatively. "When security alerted me my brother was about to pay me a visit, I didn't know what to expect." He raises one brow. "Then when you sat in the car for half an hour without coming out, I thought I'd better come to check on you."

I shrug, running a hand through my hair. "Just needed some me time to think."

Gabriel nods, understanding passing between us. "My parking facilities are state-of-the-art and you can do all the thinking you want here, but perhaps you'd like to come up to my office instead?"

I hesitate, but then I know I can't keep bottling everything up inside. I nod.

Gabriel places a hand on my shoulder, a small smile forming on his lips. "Let me guess, women troubles?"

An hour and a half later as I drive home from my brother's office, I'm nowhere near closer to finding a solution. Gabriel confirmed I can't exclude the possibility that Dad, by postponing the decision, is trying to bend me to his will without me even noticing. But my brother also asked if I was ready for the consequences of a fallout with our father should I choose Reese over him.

What's Dad going to do? Fire me?

And even if he does, would that really be so terrible?

Except for the fact that I'd be out of a job, and no one would hire the son of a billionaire to do anything, I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Now I finally understand why Gabriel resisted the easy path of coming to work in the family business with every ounce of will he had in him.

And maybe that's what I should do too, set out on my own. Grow up. Start a company.

To do what?

To make a difference in the world. To create something that I believe in, rather than just pleasing my father's shareholders. To be my own boss, make decisions for myself, and not have to live in the shadow of my father's legacy. No matter how easy and downhill that road has been, maybe it's time for a little uphill climb.

I stop at a red light, and a thought occurs to me. It's mere seconds, but the idea takes clear shape in my mind. And then I laugh because maybe, just maybe, the way for me to grow up is to go back to thinking like a child.