Arthur didn’t decline. A faint smile curved his lips. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
“And of course your sister should come too,” Loren added sweetly. “We all live nearby, don’t we?” Her tone was gentle, but her eyes gleamed with challenge when they landed on me. “Sister, why do you look so tired? I’m the one who's been sick for years, remember?”
I had no interest in this game. “Just focus on taking care of yourself. Stop worrying about others. Maybe if you stopped thinking so much, you wouldn’t be so anemic.”
Her expression faltered before she quickly masked it with a smile. Arthur’s brow furrowed, deeper this time, but he said nothing.
Thankfully, the host announced the start of the seminar, bringing a welcome end to this farce. I walked straight to my seat. One more second around them, and I would’ve thrown up.
I’d be getting married in Hawaii soon. It was likely I wouldn’t be able to continue my research after that. This seminar was important—not just for the institute, but for me. I needed to secure a strong partnership for the team and close the chapter on the years I’d poured into this work.