●Carlton●
The following evening, I was stuck. Instead of heading back to the nightclub to be with the girl I had been obsessing over, I was playing the role of the dutiful son.
Coming home for the first time in five years had triggered a bizarre performance from my mother. She'd spent so many hours hovering, even crying about the "guilt" of sending me to an overseas boarding school. I seriously doubted the sincerity behind the tears, but I had to play along with whatever psychological game she was running.
The charity event had started hours ago. It was the usual high-society routine: mostly auctioning cheap items for a ridiculous amount of money with a claim that the money was to help the less privileged but I doubted that, and a lot of forced mingling to "raise awareness."
I had managed to stay unbothered in a corner until Mom appeared with a bubbly blonde in tow.
The girl looked about my age and radiated a hyper, high-energy mood you could spot from a mile away.
"Kelly, I bet you have been looking forward to meeting Carlton."
Mom was all smiles as they approached. I could already feel a headache forming. Life was always easier when she just ignored me. Kelly held out her hand, and as I took it, I noticed the way she was gawking. She was looking at me like I was a dessert she had been craving all day.
"I didn't know he was this handsome," Kelly said.
Mom laughed, taking a sip from her glass before dumping it on a passing waitress's tray.
"I've got strong genes," she joked.
It was a blatant lie. I looked nothing like her. While my brother Kyle had inherited her hazel eyes and brown hair, I was the walking image of my father.
"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me," Kelly added.
I had no idea what she was talking about, and frankly, I didn't care. My mother grabbed another glass from a different waiter, nearly draining it in one go before turning to leave.
"I will leave you two."
I watched her walk off, already getting tipsy. My whole family had a habit of being high on something. Alcohol, drugs, power. I was not any different either.
"So, I heard you are in business."
Kelly's voice pulled my attention back to her. She was pretty, I would give her that, but she was not the type I usually went for. There was something about that "sweet and innocent" act that grated on my nerves. It was fucking pathetic to look at.
"Yeah." I responded curtly while taking a drink and downing it in one go. I watched her flip her hair with a smile, clearly pleased with herself.
"So am I," Kelly said, her eyes lighting up as if she'd been waiting for an opening. "I'm in fashion. Mostly modeling, but I'm trying to transition more into the creative side because honestly, I don't want to just be a face forever, you know?"
She laughed lightly and continued without pause. "I've worked for a few big brands already. Paris Fashion Week was insane. So exhausting but totally worth it. The fittings alone take hours, and the designers are so particular. One of them literally changed an entire collection because he didn't like how one dress sat on my waist."
Oh my god. When would she stop yapping. And who the hell even asked her any of this. Last I checked, I gave zero fucks about what she had been doing with her life.
She went on anyway, sipping her drink, clearly enjoying the sound of her own voice. "…Though my dad insists that I should go back to the company. I have like eight percent of my shares there." Another hair flip. "I'm so sorry, I've been talking about myself this whole time. What about you? What businesses are you involved in?"
Finally. Silence. Or at least close to it.
I parted my lips, ready to give her a short answer and be done with this conversation, when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I did not care who it was. I was just grateful for the interruption.
I pulled it out and checked the screen. It was Jeff.
A friend from high school. Not someone I was close to back then, but we reconnected after college. He believed in my ideas and we started the business together where he had now become one of my major investors.
I excused myself, already stepping away, wanting to be as far from this girl as possible.
"Hey man, how have you been doing," he greeted through the phone.
I walked past the sea of people and headed to the back where it was deserted, the noise of the event dulling behind me.
"I'm good. Just busy with all the opening plans," I replied. I could hear a girl laughing and kissing him even through the phone. He probably had two girls on the bed with him. Typical Jeff.
"Just wanted to call and tell you that Max Corp Energies have agreed to the merger. They'll be getting twenty five percent. I bet you've already been informed," he said with a satisfied sigh. Was he really talking business while getting laid?
"Andrea informed me about it," I said. "And please don't ever call me when you're busy having sex."
He laughed, completely unbothered. "Sure."
I ended the call and slipped the phone back into my pocket. I pulled out a cigar and a lighter, leaning against a pillar as I took a slow drag before letting the smoke out just as slowly. My head felt heavy. Maybe it was time to leave, but I doubted Mom would let me. She had already reminded me about the family photos after the charity event at least a hundred times.