His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

Eventually, we made our way through the crowd, and Carlos led me to a group

older women.

of

Carlos briefly introduced my name and current area of concentration and bluntly stated that I needed some success.

Just when I thought Carlos was being rude, these ladies greeted me warmly.

As they started talking to me, I quickly realized that they were all leaders in my field. Entrepreneurs, investors, women I had admired from a distance. And now, they were speaking to me as if I belonged among them. Their advice was insightful, and I found myself completely engrossed in the conversation. I forgot

about everything else-the party, the guests, and even Carlos.

These ladies offered a lot of advice on my current situation and they even gave

me their business cards. I was flattered.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

When I finally realized how much time had passed, I excused myself and went looking for him. I found him on the balcony, staring out into the night, his expression pensive. "I'm sorry," I said as I approached. "I got so caught up in the conversations... I didn't mean to be a bad companion."

Carlos turned slightly to look at me, his eyes soft but distant. "It's fine," he said. "As long as people knew I had a companion, that's all that mattered."

His words made me pause. I had misunderstood him. I thought he'd invited me because he wanted my company, but maybe it was just for appearances. Maybe he was like a child who didn't want to attend a salon party without a date. "I didn't realize you were so childish," I teased, trying to lighten the mood. "But if you need someone to come to these things with you, I'll be your date anytime,"

Carlos didn't respond to the joke, but I thought I saw the corner of his mouth

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His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

twitch, just slightly.

As the night wound down, it was clear I would need to stay longer to work with some of the new partners I had met. But the thought of being away from Cyrus tugged at my heart. He was back at Carlos's house, and I knew he must be missing me by now. Blair could stay with him, but I wasn't comfortable leaving him alone

to manage everything.

Sensing my dilemma, Carlos offered, "I can head back right away. Cyrus will be

fine with me."

His offer touched me deeply. I hadn't expected him to care about my son's feelings like that. Tina whispered again, "Carlos's wolf said he's doing this for you." My heart softened.

I smiled at him. "Thank you," I said quietly. "That means a lot to me." And with that, I turned my full attention to the work ahead.

Blair came to join me first thing after he finished his business and we started meeting investors like crazy, facing rejection after rejection with a smile on our faces.

But the result was good and we still achieved success.

After securing some great partnerships and investments, Blair and I decided to celebrate over a few glasses of wine. We sat in a cozy corner of the venue, toasting to our success. The deals we had closed would be game changers, and I couldn't help but feel proud of what we'd accomplished. Blair, always the more outgoing one, kept refilling our glasses, and soon the wine was flowing freely.

"I have to say, Doris," Blair began, swirling his glass thoughtfully, "Carlos really helped us out with this. He's got connections I didn't even know existed." He took a sip before glancing at me curiously. "So, what's going on between you and him? You two seem... close."

I paused for a moment, unsure how to answer. My thoughts drifted to the time I 00.31

His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

spent at Carlos's house, and the conversation I had overheard about his fiancée. It still lingered in the back of my mind, creating a sense of uncertainty about where we stood. "Honestly, Blair, I'm focused on my career right now," I said, shaking my head slightly. "I'm not ready to commit to a relationship. There's too much at stake for me to get distracted."

Blair nodded, his expression shifting to one of admiration. "I respect that. It's not easy being so dedicated to your work. Most people get caught up in relationships and lose focus. But you... you're different." He smiled, raising his glass again. "To women who are slaves to their careers, in the best way possible."

We laughed and clinked our glasses once more before calling it a night. The drive back was quiet, giving me time to reflect on everything. Blair's words echoed in my mind. I had always been committed to my career, but lately, the lines between work and personal life had started to blur. Carlos was a part of that blur, and I couldn't deny the connection we shared, but it wasn't the right time to explore it.

The next day, I returned to the city where I lived and made my way to Carlos's house to pick up Cyrus. As I walked through the door, I was greeted by the housekeeper, who smiled warmly. "Cyrus has grown a lot while you were away," she said, ruffling his hair. "He's taller, smarter, and stronger. You should be very proud."