There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line. Alexander''s eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, did I hear you right? Did you just say you''re on a date?" he asked, sounding more incredulous than he intended. "Yeah, that''s right," Christian''s voice came through the phone, sounding way too rxed. "I''m on a date."


    Alexander''s jaw practically dropped. "You''re on a date? Right now? While you know you''re supposed to attend tonight''s banquet?" He could hardly believe his ears. Christian was the one who had been nagging him about the importance of this event for weeks. Now, he was ditching it for a date?


    Christian sighed, clearly not in the mood for a lecture. "Yes, Alex, I ditched tonight''s banquet. Can''t a guy take a break every once in a while?"


    Alexander was still trying to wrap his head around it. "But... you were the one who reminded me about the banquet! You made it sound like the world would end if I didn''t show up, and now you''re not going?"


    Christian chuckled softly, unbothered by Alex''s shock. "Look, just for tonight, I wanted to do something that doesn''t involve work or business. I needed a break, man. It''s been ages since I went on a peaceful date. I''ve earned this."


    Alexander was torn between being annoyed and amused. It was hard to stay mad at Christian, especially since he''d done so much for Alex over the years. Still, the thought of being tricked into going alone was irksome. "I guess I can''t really me you," Alex admitted with a sigh. "You''ve pulled me out of enough fires to deserve a night off. It''s fine, I''ll manage. It''s not like it''s your event anyway."


    Christian felt a twinge of guilt but was still smiling. "Thanks, Alex. I really appreciate that. Sorry to bail on you, though."Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    "Don''t worry about it," Alexander replied, trying to sound casual. "You have every right to do whatever you want. But next time, maybe give me a heads-up before you decide to ditch an event. I wouldn''t mind joining you in ditching."


    Christianughed heartily. "Deal. Next time I''ll make sure we both get a break. Thanks for understanding."


    With that, the phone call ended, and Christian slipped his phone back into his pocket, heading back to his table. He spotted Talia looking at him with a smile, her eyes sparkling under the dim restaurant lights. The sight of her made his heart beat a little faster, and he couldn''t help but smile back. This was exactly the kind of break he needed.


    Meanwhile, Alexander ced his phone back inside his suit jacket, feeling a mix of emotions. He nced around the grand ballroom, taking in the sight of thevishly dressed guests and the elegant décor. He was about to make his way to the bar to grab a drink— something strong to help him loosen up a bit-when he heard a familiar voice calling his name.


    "Alex!"


    He turned around to see his father approaching him, a broad smile on his face. "There you are, son," his father said, patting him on the back. "When did you get here?"


    "Not too long ago," Alexander replied, trying to keep his voice light. Thest thing he wanted was to let his father know he was contemting sneaking out for a quick drink.


    "Well, it''s about time we make our rounds and greet the guests," his father said, nodding toward the crowd. "You know how these things go."


    Alexander heaved a small sigh, knowing there was no getting out of this. He hadn''t even managed to get a sip of alcohol yet, and he could already feel the tension building in his shoulders. But he nodded, putting on a polite smile. "Of course, Dad. Let''s go."


    As he walked behind his father, he noticed a waiter passing by with a tray full of champagne sses. Without hesitation, Alex reached out, snagging a ss and downing it in one go. The bubbles tickled his nose, but the cool liquid was a wee relief. He quickly ced the empty ss back on the tray, feeling a little better.


    Alexander''s father, Michael Harris, stepped onto the stage, his wife, and their son, Alexander, following close behind. Michael approached the microphone, tapping it twice to get everyone''s attention. The chatter slowly died down, and all eyes turned to the stage. "Good evening, everyone," Michael began, his voice warm and weing. "Thank you all for being here tonight. It''s a pleasure to see so many familiar faces at the Harris annual charity banquet."


    Apuse erupted from the crowd,


    and Michael nodded, a smile spreading across his face. He waited for the pping to subside before continuing. "As you all know we hold this event every year to give back to ourmunity, to support those in need, and to make a difference where we can. And none of this would be possible without your generosity and your support. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being here and for


    your contributions."


    Another round of apuse followed, guests nodding in agreement. Michael took a moment to nce at his son standing beside him. "I''d also like to take this opportunity to thank my son, Alexander, for making the time to attend tonight. After all,st year he decided to grace us with his absence."


    Laughter rippled through the room, and Alexander rolled his eyes, a sheepish grin on his face. He leaned toward his father, whispering, "Really, Dad?"


    Michael chuckled, then turned back to the audience. "And now, I''d like to invite Alexander to say a few words."


    Alexander''s eyes widened in surprise. He hadn''t prepared a speech. Heck, he hadn''t even thought he''d be called up to say anything. But the smile on his face didn''t falter as he stepped up to the mic, his mind racing toe up with something, anything, to say. ire, sitting at a table near the back, raised an eyebrow as she sipped her champagne. She could tell Alexander was caught off guard, and she was curious to see how he''d handle the situation. If he messed up, well, that would be an entertaining end to her night. "Good evening, everyone," Alexander began, his voice steady. "Thank you for joining us tonight. I hope you''re all enjoying yourselves."


    He paused, ncing around the room, his eyesnding on ire for a brief moment. She held his gaze, a slight smirk ying on her lips.


    That''s right, Alex, let''s see how you pull this off, she thought.


    Realizing he was still in front of a crowd of people, Alex cleared his throat, chuckling softly. "I, uh, wasn''t expecting to speak tonight, so you''ll have to forgive me for being unprepared. My father has a knack for keeping things... spontaneous."


    The guests chuckled, easing some


    of the tension Alex felt. He smiled, rxing a little. "I just want to say that it''s incredible to see so many of you here supporting this cause. Your generosity truly makes a difference, and we are so grateful for each and every one of you. Let''s make tonight a night to remember, and here''s to making a positive impact together."


    Apuse filled the room as Alex


    stepped back, relieved to have


    gotten through it without any major blunders. Michael took the mic again, his voice booming with pride. "Thankyou, Alex. And now, everyone, please enjoy the rest of your evening. The bar is open, the


    music is ying, and we have plenty of delicious food, so make


    yourselves at home!"


    The guests pped once more, and the trio made their way off the stage. As they walked, Michael turned to his son, raising an eyebrow. "You didn''t prepare anything, did you?"


    Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I''ve been busy, Dad. You know I don''t have time for this."


    Michael''s expression turned slightly stern. "Alexander, we have an image to uphold. This is important. Don''t let it happen again."


    Alex nodded, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I got it," he muttered before making a beeline for the bar. If he was going to get through the rest of the night, he definitely needed a drink.