Chapter 121

March. Halden & Co. was swamped with work. Sebastian poured all his focus into the business, and Halden's numbers kept climbing steadily. At the end of the month, he showed up at a formal gala. He'd slimmed down noticeably, but in a classic black-and-white suit, he still looked sharp-handsome enough to make plenty of women give him more than a second glance. Champagne in hand, Sebastian looked every bit of elegance, yet the sadness in his eyes couldn't be hidden. The one person he wanted to see was no longer around. Gregory, father of Valerian, came over with a friendly chuckle. "Sebastian, pal, why're you standing off to the side alone? There's a whole pack of stunning ladies just waiting for a word from you." Sebastian smiled politely. "You're too kind, Mr. Bennett." Seeing Sebastian wasn't really in the mood to socialize, Mr. Bennett switched topics. "Honestly, I have to thank you. Ever since you brought Valerian in, he's really grown up. Kid finally looks like a man and can handle