Page 15 of Worship Him

Madison returns with two glasses of champagne.

"For you," she says with a wink.

I take it but don't drink. "Thanks." My mind is already racing through strategies to finally close this chapter with Destiny and focus entirely on what's ahead for SynapseX—and maybe find some semblance of normalcy again.

Madison loops her arm through mine again, looking around to make sure all the women know I’m taken for the night. I resist rolling my eyes.

We continue to navigate the room, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries until the night blurs into a series of practiced smiles and hollow laughter.

The noise from the crowd fades when I make my way to the bar, finally alone for a moment. The bartender slides a whiskey in front of me without asking. Perks of being a regular, I suppose.

"Ryder," a voice calls out, familiar but not quite welcome. I turn to see Ben, an old acquaintance from our mutual college days. He’s all smiles, clearly having had a few too many.

"Ben," I nod. "How’s life treating you?"

He claps me on the back, nearly spilling my drink. "Oh, you know, same old grind. My twins are driving me crazy, as always. But hey, enough about me. How’s Destiny? She tired of you yet?"

I tighten my grip on the glass, the amber liquid catching the light. "Actually, we’re in the middle of a divorce."

Ben's smile falters. "Oh man, I had no idea. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It’s complicated," I say, keeping my tone even. "But it’s for the best."

"Wow," he says, shaking his head. "You two seemed perfect together."

I take a sip of whiskey, letting the burn settle before speaking again. "Life has a way of surprising you."

"Yeah," Ben mutters awkwardly, clearly at a loss for words now.

I seize the opportunity to steer the conversation away from my personal life. "So, how’s your business going? Last I heard you were expanding."

His face brightens as he dives into an update about his latest ventures. I nod and make all the right noises but my mind is elsewhere—thinking about Destiny and everything we built together that crumbled apart.

"Enough about that," Ben says finally, looking relieved to have finished his spiel. "Anything exciting happening at SynapseX?"

"We’re making strides with AI integration," I say smoothly. "It’ll be game-changing."

Ben whistles appreciatively. "Always making big moves, huh."

"You know it." I raise my glass in a mock toast. Part of me is growing irritated with repeating the same lines and hearing the same responses. But I pretend to be interested and excited. It’s how I remain one of the biggest players in the tech industry.

We chat for a few more minutes before Ben excuses himself to rejoin his group. I watch him go, feeling an odd mix of relief and frustration.

The bartender catches my eye and raises an eyebrow in silent question. I shake my head; one drink is enough tonight.

Madison’s laughter rings out, high and hollow, as she entertains a cluster of socialites by the grand piano. The sound is grating, almost making me wince.

I scan the room, my smile never faltering. Networking events like this are a necessary evil. Tonight, every handshake feels like a chore, every laugh forced.

"Adam, there you are!" Another voice, another eager handshake. "I’ve been dying to hear about your latest project."

I nod, engaging in yet another conversation about our planned AI integration. "We're developing a new algorithm that predicts design trends before they happen," I explain.

"Impressive," the man replies, his eyes wide with interest. "You’re always ahead of the game."

"That's the goal," I say, but my mind is elsewhere—stuck on the unfinished business with Destiny.

Madison sidles up to me again, her champagne glass nearly empty. "You look like you’re plotting world domination over here."

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