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“It's not as if I had a choice.”
“Yes, you do, my son. You know that.”
“As far as I know, there's no way to bring Daphne back.”
“She didn't...”
“Then the matter is closed.”
“Ah, Thomas...”
“I have to go, or I'll end up being late for tonight's appointment.” I knelt so that I was at eye level with my daughters and made them look at me. “I want you to behave, respect Grandma, and don't drink too much liquid after eight o'clock at night, or you'll end up wetting the bed. Did you hear that?”
They shook their heads, nodding.
“Now, come and give me a kiss.”
My twins came closer, and each gave one of my cheeks a kiss before pulling away and going back to their grandmother.
“Tomorrow morning, I'll pick them up to go to school.”
“And the driver?”
“He's coming back this weekend from a trip with his family.”
“I get it.” My mother put her hands on the girls' shoulders. “You can leave them with me, and they'll behave, won't they, my little angels?”
The girls nodded.
“See you tomorrow, daughters.”
“See you, Dad,” they said in chorus.
As much as I knew they would be safe and that my mother would take as good care of them as she had of me, deep down, if it were up to me alone, I would never leave their side. I was afraid. Even though the accident that had taken their motherwas in no way my fault, I still felt responsible. They were all I had left and the most important thing to me. The thought of something happening made my chest ache.
I got back into my car as they entered the house and drove to the event space, which was in a building overlooking the Statue of Liberty. The well-lit and luxurious venue showcased the fortune of the diamond company responsible for the event to its most esteemed clients. This wasn't the case for me, as I hadn't bought jewelry, especially women's jewelry, for a long time. However, I was there to do business, and I wanted to meet the CEO in person and convince him that my law firm would be the best one to serve him.
Practicing in various sectors and defending the most important people in New York, Lennox and Associates had built a reputation that went back generations, my father before me and my grandfather before him. We were big lawyers who were paid millions by big corporations.
My two brothers and I had graduated from Harvard with honors, following the family history. All the associates working at the firm had to have this great university on their CV. However, even though the path was clear, Tyler and Deborah chose a different path.
My brother went into the judiciary and became one of the judges of the state of New York, while she became a prosecutor, leaving me to take care of the family business.
I liked what I did- the man I was in court and out of court since many matters were resolved without escalating. I didn't lose cases because I was ruthless, but I also weighed up the risks very carefully before getting involved. My fame preceded me and further enhanced the reputation of my firm.
I had about fifty other lawyers working for me, associates who dealt with all kinds of matters and were hand-picked by myself or those I had confidence in.
“Good evening, sir...” The doorman looked at me as I approached the entrance with the stream of guests.
“Lennox, Thomas Lennox.”
“Of course!” he quickly recognized my name on the list. “Welcome.”
I nodded and entered the room.
The décor reflected the company's luxury, starting with the chandeliers at the entrance, which were large, extravagant, and sparkled so much that they almost blinded anyone who looked directly at them for too long.
My ten-thousand-dollar suit was certainly not the most expensive item among the guests' outfits.