Chapter 112 Worthless
Emily wanted to entertain Byron with the story of Katie’s new day as an intern. It took Katie a few tries to get the hang of a multi-line phone, but by the end of her four-hour shift, she was doing great answering calls and putting them through to the right people. She even took the initiative and tried to sell Emily’s brands to a few companies. That kid was definitely going places!
Sadly, she found Byron staring at his computer screen in his home office. He had probably just returned from work too, but still hadn’t changed from his work clothes. Emily hoped this wouldn’t become a pattern after his shocked reaction to his father’s message.
“Have you talked to Teddy?” she asked gently.
“No, and I’m not going to.” He continued staring stubbornly at the screen, but it didn’t seem like he was getting much work done.
“Well, how much money does he need?” Emily came closer and rested one hand on his shoulder. “Maybe I could send him something—”
“I already sent him the money,” Byron said gruffly. “The amount he was asking for was like nothing to me.”
“Oh, that’s good,” Emily said, “Then you’ll talk to him eventually?”
“I’m trying to get some work done here,” he said in a tone so cold it sent a chill down her spine.
“You just got back from work,” Emily insisted, “Let’s go to the beach. This warm weather won’t hold out for much longer!”
Byron agreed, but she knew he was only doing it for her. He didn’t seem in the mood to do anything fun that day.
They went for a swim in the cool, refreshing waters of the ocean. Even though it was September, this northern bay of the Pacific was as warm as it was going to get, having been gathering the sun’s rays all summer long.
Emily was counting on this little outing to remind Byron that they were living in what could practically be called paradise. Floating in the water, they had a stunning view of the distant mountains, outlined in pale blue and white against the sky. The hills closer at hand displayed their dark green forested slopes, and the city’s skyscrapers competed with the natural landscape, showing off their architectural grandeur.
It would be hard to find a place equally beautiful anywhere in the world. Eventually, Byron seemed more chipper. When they waded out of the water to lie down on the blankets in the sun, he actually smiled.
His body glistened with ocean water. He had acquired quite a nice tan over the summer, and with his hair slicked back, he looked ready for a photo shoot.
“I thought you might feel better after a swim,” Emily said.
“Thanks for bugging me to get out of the house,” he replied, “I know I can count on you to keep me from falling into my worst habits, like working too much.”
Emily felt pleased with the outcome, until he added. “This doesn’t mean I’m okay with Teddy. He’s a con artist, and I’ll never speak to him again. Please don’t try to persuade me.”
Emily grunted with annoyance. “Of course I have to persuade you. How do you know what’s really on his mind if you don’t speak to him?”
“I already know,” Byron said, “And as soon as I start speaking to him, he’ll lull me into trusting him again with his classic Teddy charm. But I won’t have any more of it.”
Emily turned over onto her stomach, the sun already starting to burn her skin. “I think you’re being ridiculous,” she mumbled, her cheek against the woven straw blanket. “What did Dr. Williams say about this whole debacle?”
Byron made an annoyed face. “He said I shouldn’t let my sense of self-worth be determined by my father or anyone.”
“Very wise,” Emily noted.
“Yeah, it’s easy for him to say. His father was a respectable doctor too, not like mine.”
“You don’t know what kind of issues he might have had with his father,” Emily said, “We all have problems with our parents.”
Byron fidgeted on his blanket, the muscles in his arms and chest tensing for a moment. “Most people have parents who love them. How am I supposed to feel worthy if even my own father doesn’t care about me.”
Emily was struck by how despondent he must have felt to say something like that. “He does care.”
“Only when he needs money,” Byron scoffed. “Anyways, it’s a nice day, and I don’t want to ruin it by talking about that guy.”
He seemed to be doing better for the moment, but Emily was disappointed that even his therapist couldn’t get through to him regarding his father. It was a sore point that she feared might never get resolved in Byron’s tortured mind.
