CHAPTER TWENTY THREE – RECONCILIATION ATTEMPTS

Alex Zaslav paced nervously in front of the upscale Italian restaurant, checking his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. His sister Karina was running late, and he dreaded the thought of leaving his best friend, Miguel Eladio, alone at the table for too long. "Come on, Karina," he muttered under his breath. "Don't make this harder than it already is." Just then, he spotted his sister hurrying down the sidewalk, her long brown hair windswept and her cheeks flushed from the brisk walk. "I'm so sorry, Alex," Karina said, slightly out of breath. "The subway was delayed, and then I couldn't find my phone, and—" Alex held up a hand, cutting her off. "It's fine, you're here now. But listen, before we go in, I need you to promise me something." Karina raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" "Please, for the love of all that is holy, try to be civil with Miguel tonight. I know you two have your... differences, but this dinner is important to me. Can you do that?" Karina's expression hardened.