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quips.
    “Have a good day.”
    I end the call and make my way to the shower before the tailor is set to arrive in an under an hour.
    By mid-afternoon, I am dressed and ready for the car to arrive.  I printed off the speech Estelle emailed through, had a quick read of it and made some adjustments.  I screw my cufflinks into place and give my shoes a quick polish.  A few minutes later, my phone buzzes with a text indicating the car has arrived, so I gather my things and walk out, locking the door behind me.
    The John Dunston Awards night is held each year in the ballroom at the convention center.  Receiving a nomination is a highly prestigious honor in itself, and an accolade we have been granted in previous years.  However, we are yet to win an award.
    I smile at familiar faces and make small talk with the likeminded people surrounding me.
    “Congratulations on reaching the number one position,” Barry Weld, CEO of Sports Medicine Distribution says, shaking my hand firmly.
    “Thanks, Barry.  Congratulations to you also.  I saw SMD had been nominated for an award tonight.”
    He nods.  “Yes.  There’s a lot of stiff competition, though.”
    “That there is.”
    Our conversation is interrupted as a busty blond walks up beside us. “Gentlemen,” she purrs.
     
    “Veronica,” Barry states.  “You’re looking gorgeous, as always, tonight.”
    “Thank you, Barry,” she coos.  “And who is your friend?”
    “This is Benny Duncan, from Duncan Realtors.  Benny, meet Veronica Hale.  Veronica is my associate’s assistant.”
    “Nice to meet you,” I say, holding my hand out.  She takes it, shaking it limply, before turning her attention back to Barry.  She fawns over him, which he clearly revels in, so I excuse myself and take my seat before the auctions start.
    “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have a fantastic array of items for you to spend big on.  As always, monies raised from tonight’s auction will be donated back into our local charities, which work tirelessly in our community.  First up, we have a four-night stay at The Hamptons’ newest exclusive resort.  What an item, ladies and gentlemen!”
    The bidding continues with items I am not interested in, until the final auction item is presented and I realize I haven’t bid on a single thing.  I need to do my part for the community, so without listening to what I am bidding on, I win the item for seven thousand dollars.
    At least I’ve done my part.  I’ll find out what I bought at the end of the night.
    As the evening turns to the awards ceremony, I sip my whiskey and wait for the presentation that matters to me most.  I am seated at a circular table with a bunch of people I have no interest in making small talk with, so I spend the time making a deal with myself.
    Our family business has been nominated for an award at this particular event for the past fifteen years, yet we have never walked away with the prize.  Tonight is the first time we have been nominated for this particular award, and if I win, I’ll take it as sign that I will divorce Regina.  No more giving a shit about pleasing anyone, no more going along with my parents’ superficial social stature standards they care about.  No more giving a fuck about anyone but myself.
    If my parents want to cut me off and kick me out of the business I have taken to a place that exceeded their vision and potential, then so be it.  I’ll move on, build another life myself, where I’m not constantly under someone’s thumb. 
    This isn’t the life I envisioned for myself, and this definitely isn’t the man I know I am.
    I buried my true self deep within my gut when I was pressured into a marriage I didn’t want a part of.  But now, that man is clawing to be let free.
    And I’m determined to let him out.

CHAPTER FIVE – MAKENNA
     
    “I love your dress!  Who’s the designer?”
    “Thank you.  It’s Armani,” I answer with a smile.  The woman sitting next to me nods