eight for a day or two. He felt the familiar pang of loss, not for Sarah, but for the family he thought he was building,

to the stage for another round of speeches. They gushed about their future, about the suc

Emily, "that while I'm not her father by blood, I am her father i

hank you for being the father I always needed." The room erupted in applause. Liam just

to his table, her smile

r. "That was a lovely moment, wasn't

ic," he replied,

int. "A wedding gift. Emily has her heart set on it. You know

n old house. It was a prime piece of undeveloped coastal l

ely. "It would mean the world to Emily. A place to start her new

erself appeared, her face flushe

use. It's the least you could do. I mean, you probably can't even afford a real gift. That

hey saw him as a pathetic relic of the past,

face to Sarah's smug one. He took

, his voice q

faltered. "Wha

e stood up, and his height made both women take a small

udden quiet. "But I can't give you that property. You see, it's

that

raised at over fifty million dollars. The proceeds from its development will fund scholarships for underprivile

rah had so carefully crafted of Liam being a poor, bitter failure was shattering in real time. Sarah

ing voice cut thr

man! Sorry

flamboyant but ridiculously expensive suit. He ignored everyone el

rd announced loudly. He then seemed to notice Sarah and Emily for the first time. He peered at them o

suddenly a philanthropist with a fifty-million-dollar foundation and a friend who casually name