Carlton ✔

✦| Epilogue

Carlton's POV

"And the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award goes to," the enthused host of the awards announced, "Carlton Hargrave."

The entire auditorium burst into a round of applause and cheers as I made my way up the stage to receive the crystalline trophy shimmering under the auditorium lights. The claps of the crowd resonated on the stage beneath my shoes, travelling into my body and giving me an adrenaline rush.

Adel Khan, my idol and role model himself handed me an award that I couldn't even imagine I would get to see up so close, in the wildest of my dreams. Or that I would be holding it and calling it my achievement.

Mr. Khan shook my hand and patted my back, muttering to me, "Congratulations kid, you've earned it."

My heart beat wildly in my chest but I hid it behind my awfully-professional pair of glasses. The crowd consisted of the biggest corporate entities in the world. If someone had told me one year ago that I'd be standing here, I would slap them for raising my hopes up too high!

The after party of the corporate event was a flamboyant and flashy extravagance for the news outlets to photograph the fuck out of. And for that reason, I wore the best attire I could find, tailored to fit me. Several journalists asked me to be photographed and comment on my feelings which I couldn't really express. A sort of disappointed lingered in my heart because my father couldn't be here. He would've been so proud of me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Caden slapped my back harshly. "There's the entrepreneur of the year!" He gripped my neck from the back and wringed it tightly.

"Ow!" I groaned and pushed him back playfully, handing the award to Enzo to keep it safe.

Caden grinned mischievously. "Finally, you've got one too!"

Was that supposed to be a mock? I squinted at him. "I got it within one year. It took you eight years!"

He smirked at me. "I built my company from ground-up, whereas you just inherited it and rebranded it."

I scowled at him, but knowing that he was just pulling my leg. Yet I snapped back. "Rebranding is way harder. Especially when-"

Caden's giggle filled my ears and calmed me down. He gripped my shoulders, digging his gaze deep into my eyes. "We're even then." His demeanour became gentle, his eyes softly smiling at the trophy in my hands. And he looked...proud? "I've got something for you."

My eyes widened when he handed me a watch box, with a logo of 'Vacheron Constantin' on the top. I almost choked on my own breath. Hurriedly, I lifted the lid open, almost fainting at the site of the limited edition watch worth hundreds of thousands of dollars manufactured by the oldest watch company ever. And the most surprising thing? It wasn't even on the market yet.

My head snapped up at him with utter bewilderment. "How did you find this?! I've been trying to get my hands on it for months!"

"I know." His lips twitched in an optimistic, know-it-all manner as he wrapped his arms around my neck. "Guess you still have some things to learn from me." He turned me around so the journalists would continue taking pictures of me, but in my heart I was screaming like a child.

My eyes wouldn't leave my brand new watch throughout the event. I couldn't even believe that it was there.

"It's beautiful." Breanna's acrylic nails grazed my wrist as we drank champagne together.

My eyes drifted to her hair tied up in a bun, and a striking, pink, silk gown encasing her ivory skin. It looked so good on her. I gripped her chin and made her look at me. "You look stunning."