Tonight the spotlight belonged to Damon. It belonged to the co-chairs of his foundation, Lara and Gideon. It belonged to their deceased mother, Cerys. The understanding that it might be uncomfortable for both Yvonne and Constance wasnât lost on him, and Amir had glanced her way several times just to check. The young Rutherford was in high demand though; not unsurprising, given who her father was. When she finally seemed to have a moment to herself, Amir took a break from his networking and made his way toward the youngest of the Rutherford clan. The smile he wore was genuine. Sheâd always been too kind.
Whilst he mightnât have been on good terms with the rest of her family, itâd take being utterly soulless to be able to hold it against someone like her.
âWell, somebodyâs popular tonight,â he said in greeting. âIâve politely waited my turn.â
The embrace wasnât exactly typical white tie conduct, but he didnât care.
âYou look even more beautiful than your mother.â
Yvonne remembered reassuring Edmund when she insisted he stay with the diplomats they were having a pleasant conversation with before her attention was being requested elsewhere. He had already done her a huge favor, flying from the US to London so that she didnât have to spend an evening celebrating a family she could never be a part of miserable and alone. Or worse, with a relative stranger who would spend the evening comparing pedigrees.Â
Edmund was a small saving grace in that he kept Yvonne from wanting to jump off the building to end the misery. The least she could do was have him meet people with connections to get him to where he wanted to go. Connections that his father couldnât give him.Â
She thought she could survive without him by her side for a while; she had always managed well enough at any other event. But this -- this was testing her. People from all ends of the affluent introducing themselves to her, congratulating her siblings through her, admiring a woman she didnât know and she doubted they knew themselves. Each smile was harder to fake and each groan was harder to silence as time passed, with Yvonne doubting her decision to leave Edmundâs side much faster than she hoped.
As if life decided to give her a break, Amir made himself known and immediately the first real smile appeared on Yvonneâs face as she met his embrace with her own. âAmir!â she greeted, unable to contain her excitement, âYouâre too nice, I hate it.â One tight squeeze more, and she let him go. âLike seriously, cut in next time,â she said in a more hushed volume before laughing.
âOkay, now youâre just fibbing. How have you been? I havenât seen you in so long.â
