  &quot;Michael,&quot; He called in greeting, extending his hand to him for a handshake.
  Michael took the hand he offered. 
  &quot;How is Cristina and the baby?&quot; Michael asked, his face warming up into a smile.
  &quot;They are fine and both send their love,&quot; He said and continued,&quot; Cristina blamed me for not inviting you over yesterday. She had prepared your favorite but I told her you were already tired by the time we left the office, but she still believed I could have tried harder.&quot;
  Michael smiled. Poor Stephen, he knew how much Cristina must have blamed him. Stephen and Cristina got married four years ago and welcomed their first child a year ago. Both moved to the state shortly after their wedding.
  The two still behave as if they recently got married and are still on their honeymoon despite having been married for four years, the euphoria doesn t seem to 

  But his mother had. She had given him up at birth, never looking back.
  Never coming back.
  Michael knew he had done well for himself, perhaps he couldn t have done this better if he had both parents. 
  He looked into Bryan smiling brown eyes and a knot tightened inside of him. He felt something missing inside of him, like a void waiting to be filled but he had decided a long time ago never to have children of his own because he can t stand it if their mother chooses to leave.
   Just like his mother had...
  That was why he made sure he used protection always with his mistresses, no matter how safe they d insisted they were. He always did. He can t stand the thought of unknowingly fathering a child and abandoning him or her or not knowing about the child. Soon he d be going for a vasectomy, that way he d be certain he can t father a child. 
  Ever.
   	&quot;Look at how cozy he is 

  When Stephen picked him up three days ago at the airport, he had been surprised he was alone. Michael had demanded he take him directly to the company against Stephen s suggestion, who thought it a better idea if he went directly to his country home to relax and start work the next day but Michael was eager to get it done and get it done quickly. He has some unfinished business back home which can t be delayed longer than necessary.
  Stephen had taken one look at his boss-determined face and ordered the chauffeur to drive directly to the company. It was on their way that Stephen had filled him in on his suspicion. The company s account doesn t look too good to him, it seems someone had been falsifying the account, defrauding the company but in a way not quite noticeable.
  Stephen, not certain, had decided not to take risks and invited his boss over. 
  Michael listened to him with ra

&quot;Michael,&quot; He called in greeting, extending his hand to him for a handshake.
  Michael took the hand he offered. 
  &quot;How is Cristina and the baby?&quot; Michael asked, his face warming up into a smile.
  &quot;They are fine and both send their love,&quot; He said and continued,&quot; Cristina blamed me for not inviting you over yesterday. She had prepared your favorite but I told her you were already tired by the time we left the office, but she still believed I could have tried harder.&quot;
  Michael smiled. Poor Stephen, he knew how much Cristina must have blamed him. Stephen and Cristina got married four years ago and welcomed their first child a year ago. Both moved to the state shortly after their wedding.
  The two still behave as if they recently got married and are still on their honeymoon despite having been married for four years, the euphoria doesn t seem to be waning and doesn t look like it will be. Whenever Michael was in the state, he always made sur

Chapter 32