The evening was overly stimulating for Chris, but he endured it with far more grace than he'd expected of himself. It was funny how life changed. The last time he'd attended parties like this before his father's illness, before his brief stint working at the company, before Sky, he'd always wanted to escape. It had all been so exhausting and boring, just empty small talk and political maneuvering.
But now? Now he was actively networking. He knew who was who, or was eager to find out. He knew what they did, what companies they ran, what connections they could offer. He found himself genuinely interested in conversations about market trends and investment opportunities. And judging by the way his parents kept catching his eye from across the room, looking pleased and a little surprised, they were thinking the same thing.
He had matured. A lot.
