Page 14 of Worship Him

She nods, concern etched on her face. "Alright. But if you need anything..."

"I know where to find you," I finish with a small smile. "Thanks, Amy."

When I finally pull into my driveway and see Jasmine through the window rocking Avery gently in her arms, I'm reminded of why this is so important.

Avery deserves to know her father, and Adam deserves to know his daughter.

6

ADAM

The champagne flows, and the buzz of polite conversation fills the air. My date, Madison, walks close to me, her sequined dress catching the light with every step.

"Smile, darling," she whispers, her breath warm against my ear.

I plaster on a grin. "Just remember why you're here."

She laughs softly, but it lacks warmth. "Your company throws one hell of a party even when it’s a charity gala."

"That it does." I steer us toward a group of potential investors, noting their watchful eyes as we approach. "Evening, gentlemen."

They turn, faces lighting up. "Adam Ryder," one of them says, extending a hand. "Always a pleasure."

"Likewise," I reply, shaking hands all around. "This is Madison."

She gives them a practiced smile. "Nice to meet you all."

I dive into conversations about the latest app updates and future projections. Madison stands by my side, nodding at the right moments but clearly bored out of her mind.

"Your company's resilience is impressive," one investor says, swirling his drink.

"Comes with the territory," I reply smoothly. "We hit a bump, we bounce back stronger."

Another investor leans in. "What's next on the horizon for SynapseX?"

I glance around the room before answering, ensuring everyone's attention is on me. "We're looking into AI integration for our graphic design software. Something that will revolutionize user experience."

"Ambitious," someone comments.

"That’s how we became dominant in the industry," I smirk, raising my glass.

A waiter passes by with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Madison grabs one and nibbles delicately. Her presence here is purely for show—a pretty face to distract from the chaos that’s been my life lately. She’s performing well in her role, for now.

As we move through the crowd, I catch snippets of conversations about stocks and market trends. Someone mentions my name, and I pivot towards them.

"Adam! Heard you're making waves again," an older man in a sharp tuxedo says.

I shake his hand firmly. "Just staying ahead of the curve."

Madison shifts beside me, her eyes glazing over at another round of business talk.

"Excuse me," she says sweetly before slipping away towards the bar.

The man chuckles as she leaves. "Women—never interested in shop talk."

"They've got their own priorities," I say dryly.

He nods sagely before diving into a question about our latest quarterly earnings report. We exchange numbers andprojections like they're trading cards until another familiar face appears at my elbow.

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