Chapter 81: A Solo trip to England

The bluntness of Selen’s words was exactly what Clancy needed to hear. There was no tenderness in her delivery, but there was an undeniable truth to it. She was convincing him not with affection, but with the raw logic of accountability.

Clancy knew she was right. He could not be a better father to his own children if he was still running away from the ghosts of his own upbringing. He took a slow, deep breath and nodded once. "I will go," he simply declared.

Right there, he picked up his phone, dialed a number, "Patrick," Clancy said as soon as his assistant picked up. "Yes, Mr. Avelino?"

"I am leaving Spain tonight. I am flying back to Kent," Clancy commanded, his voice shifting instantly into the authoritative, decisive rhythm of a man running an empire.

"I need you to take full charge of the Spanish operations while I am away. I want this region running seamlessly, Patrick. Is that understood?" He said authoritatively.

"Perfectly, sir," Patrick replied without hesitation. "I will oversee everything here. Your flight coordinates will be sent to your driver within ten minutes." Patrick said.

"Good. Have the jet ready by the time I reach the hanger." he said. "And one more thing, Patrick. This one is personal," he said and turned to Selen who was watching him, so he took a few steps away from her.

"I need you to be here for my wife and kids. Be around them whenever you can and tell me whatever they may need even before they realise it" he said. "Okay, sir," Patrick replied.

Clancy hung up the phone and turned back to Selen. A decision had been made. "I will call the boys from the jet," Clancy said, holding her gaze for a brief second. "Thank you for the blunt honesty." he added with utmost sincerity.

"Take it as a thank you for your sandwich" she said and went up the stairs. Clancy gave a genuine smile at her words and yelled to her retreating frame.

"Say goodbye to the kids for me!" he added. "Will do!" She responded, not stopping in her tracks and he walked away, neither of them turning around again.

Clancy walked out into the cool night, where his driver was already waiting by the car. Clancy climbed into the back, and his phone buzzed with the flight details from Patrick.

"To the hangar," Clancy ordered. "Yes sir," his driver responded as they drove out of Selen’s driveway.

When they reached the airfield, his private jet was prepped and waiting on the tarmac. Clancy boarded immediately, nodding to the flight crew as he took his seat by the window.

"We are cleared for departure, Mr. Avelino," the flight attendant said. "Flight time is just over two hours." She announced

"Thank you. Let’s go," Clancy replied. As they jet off into the sky, he took out his phone and responded to his father’s message, "The golf course at the club sounds good" he texted his father and then called his brother.

"Julian, I would be honoured to be my niece’s godfather" he said and Julian’s excitement was evident in his tone.

Their conversation was rescheduled for when he landed and they hung up. As Clancy placed his phone down, he felt a sense of relief wash over him.

Things were not perfect yet, but this was the most he had been at peace with all of his family in years. And it felt almost perfect to him.

*** the following day in Kent, England"

Clancy watched the white ball slice through the air before landing a few metres away from the hole.

His father, Jimmy, held his position for a second before finally lowering the club.

"You are overthinking the swing, Clancy," Jimmy said, resting the club head on the grass.

He kept his eyes on the distance. "You always did that. Just hit the damn thing." He said as he swung his club in the air in demonstration.

Clancy tightened his grip on his own club. "I’m not thinking about the swing, Dad." he defended. "Then you are thinking about Spain," his father said, stepping aside to give Clancy a clear view of his shot.

"Julian told us that you accepted the godfather position. He was relieved. He was worried that you would say no." His father said.

Clancy stepped up and aligned his boots. "Of course I accepted. I am here, am I not? I took the flight for the ceremony this Sunday." Clancy said.

"Being here physically is fine, but it does not mean your head is in it," Jimmy said, pulling a scorecard from his pocket to write down his score.

"A godfather is not just a title you accept to please your brother. It is a promise to be there for that little girl if anything happens to her parents." His father said.

Clancy took a breath, drew the club back, and swung. Jimmy let out a short laugh. "Too much tension in your wrists." His father stated. "Yeah," Clancy agreed, his voice dropping as they started walking toward the carts.

"Selen and I... it’s better than it was. The months in Spain have been quiet. But there’s still a wall between us. I look at her, and I can see she is just waiting for the old Clancy to show up again." Clancy said honestly.

Jimmy stopped walking and turned his sharp eyes toward his son. "And will he?"

The question was blunt. Clancy met his father’s gaze.

"No. I have changed. Taking this responsibility for Julian’s daughter... I want it to be a sign. For Julian, for you, but mostly for Selen. A sign that the past is buried. That I can handle responsibility. That I can be a better father and husband." He said with honesty.

Jimmy resumed walking, as he spoke, "Signs do not mean anything, Clancy. Women like Selen do not care about symbolic gestures. They care about consistency.

You think accepting your role automatically makes you a better husband or father? Tomorrow, do not just stand at an altar in a nice suit holding Julian’s baby. Show up every single day when things get boring or difficult." his father advised.