Page 24 of Claimed By The Other Brother

"What about you? What kind of clients do you typically handle?"

"Corporate accounts, mostly. Crisis management, media relations, brand positioning." I warm to the topic, something I actually know how to talk about.

"A lot of damage control when executives say the wrong thing on Twitter."

His mouth curves into a smile.

"I can imagine. The media landscape has become a minefield."

"You're telling me. Last month, I had a client whose CEO made an offhand comment about remote work that went viral. We spent two weeks putting out fires."

"How'd you handle it?"

"Controlled the narrative. Got him on a few sympathetic platforms to clarify his position. Issued a company-wide statement emphasizing their commitment to flexibility." I take a sip of my wine.

"Sometimes it's about letting the storm pass and redirecting attention."

"Smart." He's looking at me with something like respect.

"It's rare to find someone who understands that silence can be strategic."

"Not everything needs a response. Sometimes engaging just adds fuel."

Barbara has turned to talk to my mother, leaving Dax and me in our own bubble of conversation. I'm vaguely aware that I should probably be talking to Miles, but he's stepped away from the table again, phone pressed to his ear.

"Miles mentioned you've been together three years," Dax says.

"Almost. We met at a corporate event where I was working." I glance toward where Miles is now pacing near the bar, still on his phone.

"He was covering it for his outlet."

"And you've been in Chicago thewhole time?"

"Yes. I grew up in Texas, but I moved here for college and never left. I love the city."

"It's a good city." He swirls his wine thoughtfully.

"Very different from New York."

"Have you always lived in New York?"

"Most of my adult life. I went to Harvard for undergrad and business school, then moved to New York when I started working for my father's company." There's something guarded in his expression when he mentions his father.

"After he died, I took over. That was ten years ago."

"Miles mentioned that. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." He pauses.

"It was a long time ago."

There's more he's not saying, layers beneath the polite response. I want to ask about it, want to understand the distance between him and Miles, but it's not my place.

"Do you enjoy the work?" I ask instead.

"Running the company?"

"I do. It's consuming, but rewarding. Building something, expanding it, seeing strategies pay off." He looks directly at me.