I stood at the edge of the rooftop, a glass of champagne in hand, watching the sun fall behind the New York City skyline. The golden light hit the edges of the skyscrapers, making them glitter like my future—bright, sparkling, and seemingly infinite. My 29th birthday celebration was in full flow behind me, the clink of glasses and bursts of laughter a perfect backdrop to my lucky life.
"Dylan! There you are, birthday boy!"
I turned to find Jake, my best friend since boyhood, slipping through the mob with two fresh flutes of champagne. He handed me one, clinking his glass against mine with a grin.
"To another year of being disgustingly rich and inappropriately handsome," he toasted, his eyes flashing with mischief.
I laughed, taking a sip of the bubbly. "You forgot how brilliant and charming."
"Oh, how could I forget? It's not like you ever let anyone forget those particular features." Jake rolled his eyes, but his smile never wavered.
I peered around the party, taking in the spectacle. New York's elite congregated on my balcony, dressed in their finest. Models, celebrities, and business tycoons—all here to congratulate me. It was just as I'd always envisioned my life would be.
"Quite the turnout," Jake said, following my gaze. "Though I see a definite lack of your flavor of the month. What was her name again? Candice? Chloe?"
"Cynthia," I corrected, shrugging. "And she's last month's news. You know me, Jake. Why settle for one when you can have them all?"
Jake shook his head, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face. "One of these days, Dylan, you're going to have to grow up."
I waved off his concern. "Why? I'm living the dream, Jake. I've got more money than I could spend in 10 lifetimes, I'm operating my father's firm better than he ever could, and I've got the city at my feet. What more could I possibly want?"
Before Jake could answer, a noise at the terrace door caught our attention. The crowd dispersed, revealing a remarkably attractive woman in a glittering gold outfit. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her gaze swept the crowd with determination.
"Well, well," Jake mumbled. "Speaking of flavors of the month,. Isn't that Adriana? Your ex from last year?"
I felt a sense of anxiety. Adriana and I hadn't exactly parted on the nicest of terms. "What's she doing here? She wasn't on the guest list."
"Looks like she's on a mission," Jake remarked as Adriana started making her way towards us, her look resolute.
I adjusted my tie and plastered on my most attractive smile. "Adriana! What a great surprise! I didn't expect to see you here."
Her red lips twisted into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Dylan, dear. Happy birthday." She leaned in, kissing my cheek, her aroma surrounding me. As she pulled back, she murmured in my ear, "We need to talk. Privately."
A chill rushed down my spine despite the warm evening air. "Of course," I responded easily, retaining my composure. "Jake, would you excuse us for a moment?"
Jake nodded, his forehead wrinkled with anxiety. I walked Adriana to a quieter section of the terrace, my mind racing. What could she possibly want?
"You're looking well, Adriana," I replied, leaning on the railing. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?"
Adriana's smile faded, her eyes darkening. "Cut the charm, Dylan. I'm not here for pleasantries."
I felt my own smile vanish. "Then why are you here?"
She took a step closer, her voice low. "I think you know why. Or have you forgotten our little... indiscretion from last summer?"
My blood ran cold. Images flew through my mind—a crazy weekend in the Hamptons, too much champagne, a moment of weakness that I'd tried hard to forget. "Adriana, we agreed never to speak of that again. It was a mistake; we both realize that."
"A mistake with consequences, Dylan," she screamed. Her hand moved to her stomach, and my world shifted on its axis.
"What are you saying?" I managed to choke out, though I already knew the answer.
"I'm saying, happy birthday, Daddy," Adriana's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You're going to be a father."
The noise of the party faded to a dull roar in my ears. This can't be happening. Not now, not when everything in my life was perfect. A child? With Adriana? It was impossible. And yet, the expression in her eyes told me she wasn't lying.
"How... how long have you known?" I stammered, my usual eloquence deserting me.
"Long enough to be sure," she said. "I thought about treating this quietly, but then I realized—why should I? You've spent years using women and putting them aside. It's time you faced the repercussions of your choices, Dylan."
I felt the blood drain from my face. "What do you want, Adriana?"
Her smile was predatory now. "Oh, I guess you know what I want. But we can debate the details later. For now, I'll let you enjoy your celebration. After all, it might be the last one you have as a free man."
With that, she turned on her heel and strolled back into the crowd, leaving me stuck in place, my mind reeling.
I don't know how long I stood there, staring blankly at the city lights, before Jake's words broke through my lethargy.
"Dylan? Are you okay, man? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I opened my mouth to react, to brush off his concern with a smart jest, but no words came out. How could I describe what had just happened? How could I tell my best buddy that my carefree life might be over?
Before I could gather my thoughts, a quiet fell over the assembly. I turned to see my father's lawyer, Mr. Thornton, waiting at the terrace entrance. His visage was solemn, his presence unexpected and foreboding.
"Mr. Blackwood," he cried out, his voice going over the strangely silent terrace. "I apologize for the interruption, but I'm afraid I have some urgent news regarding your father's will. It can't wait."
I felt the weight of every eye on the terrace turn to me. My heart pounded in my chest, a sense of foreboding washing over me. First Adriana's bombshell, and now this? What else could possibly go wrong on what was supposed to be the best night of my year?
As I made my approach towards Mr. Thornton, my mind raced. What news about my father's will could possibly be so urgent that it couldn't wait until morning? And how would that affect the empire I'd inherited?
Little did I realize, as I followed Mr. Thornton off the terrace and away from my own birthday party, that my entire world was about to be turned upside down. The life I knew, the future I had planned—it was all about to change in ways I could never have imagined.
The last thing I heard as the elevator doors closed behind us was the increased buzz of chatter from my party guests. I had a nagging feeling that by the time I returned, if I returned at all, I would no longer be the same Dylan Blackwood they had come to honor.
What news awaited me at my father's stud? And how would it compare to the bomb Adriana had already dropped? As the elevator descended, I couldn't shake the sensation that this was the beginning of the end of my carefree existence.
Little did I know that was merely the beginning of the hardest year of my life.