Chapter 14

The grand hall of the Tate residence was brightly lit. "Darren, you and Winona have been seeing each other for quite some time now. When are you going to make things official?" asked Darren's uncle, Colin Tate. He leaned on his cane and gave Darren's shoulder a friendly pat. Winona immediately linked her arm through Darren's and said sweetly, "That's really up to Darren, Mr. Tate." All eyes turned to him. "No rush," Darren replied calmly, lifting his glass. Winona's smile froze in place. "How can you not be in a rush?" Darren's mother, Nydia Atkinson, frowned. Nydia continued, "You should be ready to settle down. I think Winona's a great match—well-educated, graceful, beautiful—" "There's no rush," Darren repeated. His wine glass hit the table with a sharp clink, silencing the room in an instant. It was the first time Darren had ever lost composure at a family gathering. The air grew thick with tension. People quickly tried to ease the tension with jokes and new topics, b