I walked into the office and heads turned in my wake. I didn’t care if it was my height or my expensive suit that caught people’s eyes, but I strutted across the room like I owned the place.

In a way, I did.

I walked over to the elevator and pressed the button to go up. A few people waited for one to come down to either of my sides, and I kept facing straight ahead as they turned to each other to mutter and gossip. I didn’t bother listening to what they said. It was all the same.

They loved to talk about how I was smart, sophisticated, and savvy. That part, I loved to hear. I was totally in control of my world and my father’s empire, and I didn’t mind that people envied me for that.

The rumors I hated were the ones about how my father must have helped me get to where I was. That I’d spent all my life riding on his name and his money, instead of building up my own life and career without much of Dad’s help. None of them knew the real me, or the life I’d endured to get where I am now. Still, no matter how much I hated hearing it, I never let those emotions show.

Be in control at all times.

That was the motto I’d set up for myself, and I’d followed it just fine over the years. So what if people talked shit behind my back? I was going to show them just what my effort brought me, and I was doing it my way.

The elevator doors finally opened and I walked inside. None of the other people waiting followed me in, and after a few seconds, the doors slid shut with only me inside.

Well.

Not that it was unexpected. I was the big boss around here, and most people naturally kept out of my way. None of that stopped them from gossiping about me, though.

As I was left alone, I swept my hand through my thick, blond hair and frowned to myself as I thought about cutting it short. It got in the way when it was long enough to fall over my forehead and tickle the nape of my neck. But I was too busy with work for even a quick trip to the high-priced salon I visited to have my hair cut.

The inside of the elevator was reflective, as though the walls were made of mirrors. I’d checked myself at home, but I didn’t mind checking again. Everything had to be perfect and in place. The shined black shoes, pressed dark slacks and matching jacket, the navy-blue shirt under it and the blue and black striped tie were all perfectly in place without even a stray thread to mar the picture of perfection. I’d styled my hair away from my forehead and I pushed it back just a little more. I held my briefcase at my side, a gold diamond watch on my wrist and a small ring on my pinkie finger. I kept my right hand free of accessories because it was my dominant arm.

The elevator stopped on my floor, and I shrugged my shoulders to readjust how the jacket had settled, even though I knew it was already perfect. I strode onto the floor, heading straight for my office. There were fewer people here, but I still caught their attention.

My PA was already at her desk and working, and I gave a small nod of approval. I’d given her instructions the day she started working for me, and one of them was that she always be there earlier than me in the morning and be ready for anything I needed her to do. She stood up as I walked over to her desk, lifting a cup of take-out coffee from her desk and holding it out to me.

“Thank you, Jennifer,” I said, accepting it.

I took a sip and almost sighed at the taste. I gave another small, near imperceptible nod of approval. Like she could see it, she beamed for a moment, then schooled her face to professional politeness.

“Please patch any important calls over to me,” I instructed. “If it’s not so important, please handle it yourself.”

It was going to be a busy day, and we both knew it.

“Yes, sir,” she said with a sharp nod.

I nodded back and walked over to my door, pushing it open with my shoulder. I moved over to my desk and set down the coffee and briefcase, then rounded it as I took off my coat. It was still a bit early, and the air hadn't quite warmed up yet, but I might as well be prepared early. I draped the coat over the back of my chair and sat down. I pulled some important documents out of my briefcase, then set it down to the side.

Finally, I took another sip of my coffee, cracked my fingers, and got down to work.

I had about twenty minutes to look over some papers; then the calls started coming in. My PA took care of some of them, but I still got the bulk of them, and I settled into the busy environment with ease, taking phone call after phone call and ending them with both sides satisfied.

It hadn't been easy starting out, but I’d made my fortune as a financial trader. Of course, there were plenty of people under the impression I got so many investors because of my father’s connections. Quite the contrary, I’d distanced myself as much as I possibly could from the Thompson family name. There was the occasional investor who called me up because they saw my name and connected it to my dad’s but as far as I cared, Thompson was just another name. Working with me didn’t mean they would get any perks out of my dad.

Not that he would give perks to anyone, even his sons. My old man was nothing if not a proper businessman.

Most of the morning was spent taking calls, and by the time it hit lunch I was starting to feel the strain. I’d got used to being busy and it barely phased me anymore. I’d learned early on that you didn’t get anywhere without hard work. I’d wanted to make a name for myself, with my time and my sweat, and I had.

My PA popped in with my lunch, and I barely gave her a grateful nod before going right back to work.

The calls were starting to grow less frequent in the afternoon. I caught some bites in between the calls, then tossed the remains of lunch into the trash can to my side behind the desk.

It was the usual, busy day. That was until my PA walked into my office, looking hesitant. I glanced up at her but finished the call I was on before giving her my full attention.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked, frowning. “Did you get a difficult client?”

She shook her head. “Um, not a client, sir. She says she’s your sister? She’s on another line for you.”

My sister…

Emily.

My frown deepened. What could she possibly want from me?

“She’s my half-sister,” I grumbled to myself.

My PA shifted her weight from foot to foot, looking at me with partially concealed anxiety.

I rarely ever took personal calls in the office. I’d chosen Jennifer in particular to be my assistant, because she knew little of my background, and didn’t look into it as long as it didn’t help her do her job. She knew I had at least one brother, but that was it.

Seriously, though, what could Emily possible want?

“Just let her know I’m too busy,” I said dismissively, waving at Jennifer. “Unless the calls have stopped coming?” I added, arching an eyebrow.

She winced. “Uh, no, actually, sir. There was a call that came in before hers; I promised you’d call back after you were done with your recent call. I just wanted to see if you’d be talking to your sister or not…”

“Tell her what I just told you,” I said, already looking away.

Whatever Emily had to say to me, it could certainly wait until office hours were over. She and I weren’t particularly close, and I couldn’t remember the last time she even called me. It probably wouldn’t be anything important.

But Jennifer wasn’t leaving to go patch through my next call, and I looked back up at her with a frown. She had her hands clasped in front of her, though her fingers kept twisting, and she shifted slightly from one foot to the other some more. I wondered if the heels she was wearing were starting to feel uncomfortable on her feet.

“Is there something else I can help you with?”

“It’s just that,” she started slowly. “I’m sorry sir, but she said it had something to do with your dad.”

My frown deepened even further. What could Dad possibly want from me? Even knowing it was about him, I still felt reluctant.

Right here was where I’d built my world. I’d all but thrown my past away because it was exactly what led me to where I was, in my new life in Asheville, North Carolina, where I could get away from it all. The place was perfect; no family in sight and I found my peace in the mountains I loved to hike. Where none of my dysfunctional family could butt in.

I still saw Dad on occasion because he’d gripe at me until I either met up with him or he’d show up at my office. The latter was something I didn’t want to happen, so I usually gave into his demands. Come to think of it; it had been a while since I’d received as much as a call from him.

I’d been happy that he was finally leaving me alone.

Dad and I just didn’t get along, no matter what the old man felt. He thought I was busy, but really I made whatever excuse kept me from going home. I hadn't been back for years, not since I left there for college.

I’d always wanted to leave after my mother died. She had pretty much been my world growing up because dad was always busy. Losing her had been a big blow, and what was worse was how quickly Dad found a woman to replace her. I was against him remarrying and he’d done it anyway. He gave all his affection to his new wife and the family she gave him, and I moved myself to the side, distancing myself before they had the chance to push me out.

My brothers were the only ones in the family I talked to with any regularity, and even then, they rarely wanted to talk to me because I’d made it clear I wanted out of the family’s clutches.

Now, here was my sister, calling me over something to do with my father. It was just strange enough to have me curious.

I refocused on my PA who was still squirming in front of me and sighed as I waved a hand at her.

“Patch her through.”

She looked visibly relieved as she left my office. A moment later, the phone at my desk rang. I took a deep breath to steel myself, before picking up the call.

“Hello?” I said, my voice coming out the same as if I was taking a formal business call, the pitch just right to make a man think competence and a woman think of sins.

“Trent?” came the light voice. “It’s me, Emily.”

“What can I do for you, Emily?” I tapped a rapid beat on my desk with my fingers as I worked to keep my impatience out of my voice. She’d barely spoken, and already I wanted to cut the call.

“Sorry for calling you up at work,” she said. You don’t sound very apologetic to me, Emily, I thought to myself as she hesitated. “But I’m afraid it’s something important. It’s Dad.”

I rolled my eyes. “Not everything to do with Dad has to be important, so you’re going to have to be a little more specific than that. I am in the middle of my working day, and you’re holding me up right now.”

There was a short silence. When her voice came again, it was just a tad colder. Not too much though. I’d never heard Emily ever sound cold or angry, even as spoiled as she must have been, growing up the only daughter for Dad to dote on.

“You’ll want to come back home for this, Trent. I know you can't be bothered with the rest of us but don’t you at least care what’s happened to him? Just come back home, Trent,” she finished with a lilt of pleading at the end.

Why the fuck should I? I wanted to growl down the line. After everything I’d done to distance myself from my family, to act like I wasn’t one of them… I was finally free of them. And now what? Just because she said so, I had to head back to Charlotte, the place I’d left all those years ago without a single glance back? Back to a life I’d wished for so long that I could leave behind, a name I’d wanted to leave behind.

It wasn’t that I hated my father. If something were really up with the old man, it would worry me. The first few years when it was just me, Mom and Dad had been wonderful and the best years of my life. I did, however, resent all of Dad’s choices ever since Mom passed away, and the demands he’d made on my life as if he had the right to just because he’d fathered me.

My life was mine to live how I wanted. I wasn’t ready to give that up, even for my father.

“Trent?” Emily said, her voice questioning.

I was brought out of my revelry, and I realized I must have been silent for too long. I couldn’t help myself. I was in control of everything else in my life, but this was something I couldn’t do anything to change. When it came to my complicated family, it was so easy to forget myself.

“Yes?” I murmured to let her know I was still listening.

“Can't you come back?” she asked simply, but the question was far more complicated than any of them truly realized.

I kept my silence. If this was another of Dad’s schemes to try and drag me back there… he was going to be so fucking disappointed.

“Dad had a heart attack,” she said, at last, a note in her voice I’d never heard before. Was it desperation? Grief?

The words were dropped so suddenly, so quietly, that it took me a minute for the words to sink in. When they did, I felt my gut clench uncomfortably.

“I’m sorry, what?” I said, my voice tight, hoping I’d just misheard. “Dad had a what?”

“A heart attack,” she repeated, her voice clear. “For this much, do you think you can finally come home? I know he’d want to see you, Trent.”

When… how?

Those were the primary thoughts running through my brain. I wanted to say it was impossible, but when was the last time I’d talked to Dad? He’d been fine then, but I was pretty sure it was more than a year ago. It was a hard pill to swallow that a strong, proud man like my father could have had a heart attack. He worked himself hard but he’d always kept fit and healthy!

At least… as far as I’d seen, which I had to admit, wasn’t much lately.

Well, fuck.

“Give me a day,” I said to Emily, my voice a bit abrupt, but I didn’t care.

Immediately, I cut the line, because I didn’t want to hear whatever else she had to say. As much as I hadn't wanted to go back, I knew…

It’s time.