If Only

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Unexpected Confessions

JADE

They played a song through the speakers that had the unmistakable vibe of the 60s or 70s. Some of the older attendees made their way to the dance floor, losing themselves in the music, reliving their youthful years.

I remained in my secluded corner, finally tearing my gaze away from my phone and finding something else to focus on. It wasn't long before my mother whisked me away to meet the other Founders, accompanied by their spouses and the Legacies who had gathered around my father. They sat in chairs arranged around a table, engaged in casual conversations that had nothing to do with business.

I was introduced to my father's inner circle, the team that helped him run the organization.

Clayton and Sofia Robertson, whom I had met before, occupied the second-highest tier in the hierarchy of the Founders. Seated next to them was none other than Tyrone himself, hands casually tucked into his pockets. He occasionally glanced in my direction, offering me a warm smile that made me flinch and avert my gaze.

Next in line were my so-called 'uncle' Harold (my father's cousin) and Sylvia Gibson, Cora's parents. I couldn't help but notice the eerie resemblance between Sylvia and Cora. Cora was like a younger version of her mother, sharing the same facial structure and round, innocent eyes that drew you in. Even their hair colors matched. The only notable difference was the color of their eyes – Cora's were a shade of green while her mother's was a lighter shade of blue that could be mistaken for gray.

Following them were Arnold and Lydia Conneray with their children, Rebecca and Agatha. I couldn't suppress a smile as I observed Agatha's spirited attempts at humor, met with Rebecca's efforts to shut her down. The looks on their parents' faces were priceless, and I could detect the smug satisfaction on Agatha's face, signaling her victory as the free-spirited one.

I was introduced to the rest of them: Frank and Elizabeth Schmidt with their son Drew, originally from Germany but now part of my father's league after taking a chance on moving to America. Lastly, there were Christian and Emily Wullen with their son Alex.

From my observations, it was evident that they held my father in high regard. I struggled to discern whether their admiration for him was genuine or if they simply played along with his attempts at humor, laughing at his jokes and nodding in agreement to everything he said. I even contemplated the idea that I might be the only one in this circle who didn't wholeheartedly agree with my father.

He was renowned as a philanthropist, leading his league in efforts to make the world a better place. But deep down, he knew there were gains to be made. That knowledge alone made me question if his heart was truly in the right place. As for the rest of his co-founders, I couldn't be so sure.

*****

"You're leaving so soon?" Agatha's voice carried a tinge of sadness as I said my goodbyes, holding me at arm's length and pouting like a child.

It was getting late, and my energy was waning. My father had finally decided it was time to head home, and I couldn't have agreed more. I quickly rose to my feet to announce my departure to the other Legacies, with whom I had started to form some connections.

I smiled sympathetically, returning Agatha's warm hug before turning to the others.

"My dad wants to go home," I said, trying to sound regretful, though secretly I was more than ready to leave. My father had mentioned he needed some rest before his upcoming travels.

Rebecca, in her charming British accent, stepped forward to embrace me. She gently patted my back for comfort and spoke, "It was lovely meeting you, Jade. I hope we can catch up sometime, preferably not at one of these parties."