Page 139 of The Exception

“Actually, can I—” He tugged on his collar then glanced between Lily and Pierce. “Can I speak to Jasper and Graham alone for a minute?”

My stomach plummeted, and I worried that something was wrong. Something he didn’t want Pierce and Lily to know.

“Of course,” Lily said, giving my hand a squeeze. “Absolutely.” She smiled, and I appreciated everything she’d done. The way she’d been there for my family, for me, especially on one of the biggest days of the year for the château.

I held her hand, not ready to let her go. When she glanced back, I mouthed, “Thank you.” She nodded, and I knew she understood.

“Sloan is okay, but the doctors have cautioned us that she needs to severely limit her stress for a while now. I keep telling her that she has to slow down. Has to off-load some tasks, and she has. But this situation with the board has been a major stressor.”

Jasper shot me a look as if to say, “See!”

“We’re also concerned the board will deny our request to relocate to LA and refuse to let Graham take over in London.”

The board had been playing hardball on that, and I didn’t see it changing in the near future. Donahue seemed determined to punish me for thwarting Moretti’s merger offer. And until the judge lifted the temporary restraining order to grant me the additional ten percent of the shares I’d garnered by marrying Lily, we were at an impasse.

It was only Jasper, Sloan, and I who had these relocation restrictions. No one else in the company. I understood why the policy had been put in place, even if it was frustrating.

“The last thing I want to do is add stress,” I said, feeling responsible. I was the leader of our company. I was her older brother. AndIwas the one who’d been flying back and forth between LA and France—putting a strain on everyone. I was the one who’d been stirring up shit with the board. “She should be enjoying her pregnancy. Taking care of herself.”

“Agree one hundred percent,” Jasper said.

I didn’t know what I was going to do about the situation with the board, but Lily’s comments and Sloan’s current predicament had definitely reminded me of my priorities.

It also showed me the importance of trusting others, of communicating your needs. I wanted the people in my life, the people I loved, to know they could come to me. But clearly, I was doing a shitty job of it. If Sloan had approached me sooner about managing her workload, she wouldn’t be in the hospital right now. If I hadn’t been fighting with the board, she—and Jasper—would be a lot less stressed.

“We’ll keep working on a solution,” Jasper said. “We know how important it is.”

Jackson’s shoulders relaxed. “Good. Thank you.”

I called out to Lily and Pierce that we’d be back soon.

Jackson led us through the hallways of the hospital until we reached a room. He knocked softly on the door then opened it slowly.“Hayati?”

She said something I didn’t catch, and then Jackson waved us in.

“Hey.” I smiled at Sloan when I stepped through the doorway. It was a relief to see her awake and sitting up. This was good. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” She smoothed her hands over her stomach. “Baby’s good. I’m ready to get out of here.”

Jackson had already told us as much. But even so, I knew she had to be scared. I’d been terrified when I’d heard that she was being taken to the hospital, and I could only imagine how I’d have felt if it had been Lily. I didn’t let myself go there, couldn’t.

Jasper and I shared a look. Sloan might be able to put on a good front for everyone else, but we weren’t buying it.

I needed to make some changes. I needed to show them that we were a team—my siblings and I. And Lily and I. That I would listen to them and work with them, not make decisions for them.

I stepped closer to the bed and took Sloan’s hand in mine. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Jasper took a seat on the bed next to her, and Jackson excused himself to take a phone call. “Me too, Sloaney Baloney.”

Sloan rolled her eyes at the childhood nickname but laughed anyway. “You guys didn’t have to come to the hospital.”

“Of course we did,” I said. “We’re family. And as a family, we need to make some changes.”

Sloan sighed, her hands resting on her stomach. “I know.”

“You do?” Jasper and I shared a look.

“Yeah. I do. I thought I was handling stress, but clearly, my body doesn’t agree. Landing in the hospital was a big wake-up call.”

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