Chapter 13 Would You Regret Not Doing It?

Sabrina turned to Curtis with a serious expression. "You may not realize it, but your grandfather is actually an easygoing and pleasant man to hang out with. With all due respect, I think you have it backward—I'm not the one who needs to change; you are." She continued, "If you don't want this to happen again, then don't bring your work home. Focus on your family when you're at home. Think about it—if work is the only thing that matters to you, then why even come home? Why agree to a marriage you didn't want in the first place?" Curtis loved his grandfather. He cared about what the old man thought. The reason he had agreed to get married was because his grandfather was dying and Daniel really wanted to see his grandson get married. Curtis himself had zero expectations for the marriage. The problem was that Curtis showed very little of his concern outwardly. Few people could tell how much Curtis cared from the way he interacted with Daniel. "What's that supposed to mean?" "I mean your grandfather loves you to bits. I can see that every time I spend time with him. He's proud of you, very, very proud. But I can't see any emotional indication from you when we're together. Everything you do seems devoid of your feelings and intent. How is anyone supposed to know you actually care if you don't show a single sign of it?" Some people had a major case of emotional constipation. Some people overshared their feelings. Curtis, for his part, was at the extreme end of the former. Sabrina saw the confusion in his eyes and sighed. "You know Daniel's health is deteriorating, right? You know he's only got one year left, right?" she spelled it out. "So why do you still act as if your work is your only focus? Work can bring you a sense of achievement that nothing else can, but the good your family brings you is equally irreplaceable. Work and family do not substitute for each other, okay?" She hesitated before adding, "Imagine a year from now when Daniel's gone. Will you regret not having spent more time with him while you still had the chance?" Curtis fell silent. He might be used to being at the top in his professional life, but it did not mean he was incapable of listening to other people's opinions. No one had ever confronted him with these perspectives before, but then again, who would? He was the guy standing on the top. Why would he stoop lower and care about their opinions? The absence of such advice had deprived him of these insights. He had never cared about the issue of family before. "Fine. I understand," he finally said. "I'll think about it. For now, go to sleep." He set the book on the bedside table and switched off the only light in the room, plunging it into complete darkness. Sabrina froze on her couch and gritted her teeth. That jerk! He did not even care if she needed the light or not! She couldn't help but think that maybe she shouldn't have offered him advice after all. Let this apathetic individual experience some regret for once! * Three days passed, during which Curtis adhered to a rigorous work schedule, leaving early and returning late each day to avoid encountering Sabrina in the company. Duke entered the office with a stack of documents. "Mr. Walton, here's the investigation report. Those higher-ups all had their fingers deep in the embezzlement pie… and more, too. Turns out, they are also involved in industry espionage and trade secrets." Curtis might have ordered the executives to give him an answer in three days, but it did not mean he had not initiated his own investigation. As he read the report, his expression grew increasingly stern. "I have one last message: these executives are planning a welcome party in your honor tonight at 7 pm. What do you say?" Duke asked calmly. Normally, Duke would spare Curtis from such invitations, as Curtis had a strong aversion to these types of events. It did not take a genius to figure out that the execs were just trying to curry favor with Curtis, but they were foolish to believe it would work so easily. If Curtis could be swayed so readily, his business would have collapsed long ago. Duke anticipated that Curtis would have his own thoughts on the matter, and his expectation was confirmed by Curtis's expression, which remained devoid of emotion. "Is that so? If they insist on having me, then perhaps I should attend after all." Duke nodded without seeking further explanation. * The executives breathed a collective sigh of relief. "I really thought he was gonna decline, given our involvement in all of this…" "Hey, let's not use 'we' 'cause there's no ‘we.' It wasn't us. We're only stuck in this situation because we have no choice." "Word has it that Mr. Walton isn't one to enjoy these types of events. Are you sure he isn't using this as some sort of test? What if he becomes furious and fires all of us at once?" The executives had varying opinions on Curtis's decision to attend the party. Some viewed it as a positive sign, while others regarded it as a potential warning. The real purpose of the party was to mitigate Curtis's dissatisfaction with them so that they could, hopefully, be safe from being fired. "Enough with the negativity already. We won't know what he's thinking until tonight." Some, though, believed that the party alone might not suffice. "Perhaps we should invite more guests..." "Are you out of your mind? Mr. Walton already dislikes these events. There was an incident where someone invited a group of his business partners, and what happened? Mr. Walton was livid and terminated their contract!" "That was at HQ, though. Maybe he acts differently out here. After all, he accepted our invitation. What does that say, you think? Besides, we'll only appoint two people to help smoothen things out." "In that case, who should those two be?" * "Adkins, Roth! You two are joining me for an event tonight," the supervisor declared as she walked out of the office. Sharon Carter was the definition of a girlboss. She was tough as a nail and smart as a whip. Few in the administrative department would question her decision because everyone was afraid of her. While she could be intimidating, she also provided ample opportunities for learning and growth. If the company needed someone reliable and competent to resolve some issues, they looked for Sharon. The administrative department seldom required staff to meet with clients or attend events, but there were occasional exceptions, and this was within Sabrina's job description. "Yes, ma'am." Nina leaned in close and whispered, "Just you wait, Sabrina. You won't be strutting around as if you own this place much longer." Sabrina found her threat perplexing. "Oh, come on, Nina. Get a life. I doubt the CEO from HQ will even glance your way. In fact, he might just fire you on the spot for trying!" Felicia retorted. Nina's face darkened. "I didn't ask for your opinion, b*tch. Is that who you are now? Sabrina's lapdog, hoping for a pat on the head?" The office, which was typically quiet, fell into an even more profound silence after Nina's comment. Their colleagues stared at her in disbelief.