Chapter 116: Yours or Mine?

Victoria and Conrad Sebastian’s divorce naturally became the latest subject of discussion among the Sebastian Group’s Board of Directors.

Given how many of them were relatives, distant relatives, or related through marriage, this was probably inevitable.

Conrad Sebastian had disappeared from public life years ago after turning the CEO position over to Dominic. More curiously, he’d continued assigning his voting proxy to a longtime colleague on the Board instead of either of his sons.

People had noticed.

Speculation had always swirled about what his prolonged absence meant for his marriage, especially when Victoria kept attending social functions alone, and Conrad showed no particular inclination to return.

Nobody had confirmed anything.

Nobody had denied much either.

Now there was nothing left to speculate about.

Conrad and Victoria Sebastian were officially divorced.

A month later, Dominic was painting when his phone rang.

He almost ignored it.

He’d finally gotten the color right after spending an unreasonable amount of time making it wrong, and stopping now seemed like an excellent way to lose whatever cooperation his hand had finally decided to offer.

Then he saw the caller ID.

A hospital.

Dominic frowned and answered.

Less than five minutes later, the paintbrush slipped from his fingers.

Conrad Sebastian had been admitted in serious condition.

And for some inexplicable reason, Dominic was listed as his emergency contact.

Why me, of all people?

His father had spent years living somewhere Dominic couldn’t even reliably identify on a map, yet he’d apparently remembered his son’s telephone number when filling out the medical paperwork.

Dominic called Victoria first.

Then Andrei.

Within the hour, all three of them were at the hospital.

The attending physician met them in a private consultation room.

"Are all of you relatives?"

"Yes."

His attention settled briefly on Victoria.

"Your wife?"

"Ex-wife," Victoria corrected. "Recently."

The physician paused.

"Understood."

He looked between Dominic and Andrei.

"And you two are his sons?"

"Half-brothers."

The answer came simultaneously.

Dominic looked at Andrei.

Andrei looked back.

Victoria sighed.

"You could’ve simply said yes."

Neither man acknowledged her.

The physician continued.

Conrad’s condition was serious. His kidney function had deteriorated significantly, and although the medical team was still stabilizing him and assessing his immediate needs, transplantation was now one of the options they needed to consider.

"If a living donor becomes part of that plan, close biological relatives are among the people we can evaluate. That doesn’t automatically mean either of you will be compatible, or even medically suitable to donate."

Dominic frowned.

"A kidney transplant is major surgery for the donor too, correct?"

"Yes."

"How long is the recovery?" Andrei asked.

The physician explained that recovery varied and that no decision would be made before a potential donor underwent a full evaluation.

Andrei nodded thoughtfully.

"I’ll be tested."

Dominic turned.

"You’ll be tested?"

"Yes."

"You’re running Sebastian Group."

"I’m aware."

"Unlike me, apparently."

Andrei glanced at him.

"You said it."

"I was quoting your face."

"My face didn’t say anything."

"It rarely needs to."

Victoria rubbed her temple.

The physician looked between them.

Dominic pointed toward Andrei.

"He already took my office. He’s not taking one of my kidneys too."

Andrei stared at him.

"I don’t need your kidney."

"Not directly."

"It’s for our father."

"Still suspicious."

"Dominic."

"I’m thinking."

"You’re being ridiculous."

"I can do both."

The physician appeared to be reconsidering whether biological relatives were necessarily an advantage.

Victoria finally intervened.

"Would both of them being tested make this faster?"

"It could help us determine whether either is a suitable potential donor."

"Good. Test both."

Dominic looked at her.

"Excuse me?"

Victoria looked back.

"You were just objecting to your brother donating."

"I was objecting to his assumption that he should go first."

"I made no such assumption."

"You volunteered first."

"Because someone had to."

"So did people for the Titanic."

Andrei stared at him.

"That comparison doesn’t even make sense."

"It doesn’t need to. I was under pressure."

Victoria closed her eyes briefly.

"I divorced your father a month ago, and somehow I’m still dealing with this."

That finally silenced both of them.

For approximately five seconds.

Andrei looked back toward the physician.

"If we’re both potentially compatible, how is the better donor determined?"

"There are several factors. Blood type and crossmatching are important, but we also evaluate the donor’s overall health, kidney function, anatomy, and whether donation would be safe for that individual. Compatibility isn’t the only consideration."

"So being younger doesn’t automatically make him better?"

Dominic asked.

Andrei turned.

"I’m older than you by two years."

"Exactly. Ancient."

"You’re nearly forty."

"Still younger."

"By two years."

"Those are two years my kidneys haven’t been abused by executive stress."

Andrei stared at him.

"You were CEO longer than I have been."

Dominic paused.

"That is unfortunately true."

Victoria sat back.

"Perhaps Conrad should find a third son."

Both men turned toward her.

"What?"

She shrugged.

"Apparently, he had surprises before."

"Mother."

"What? At this point, I’d prefer documentation."

Even Andrei failed to hide his smile.

The physician cleared his throat.

All three looked at him.

"As I was saying, neither of you should treat this as a competition. Living donation is entirely voluntary. You would each be evaluated separately, and either of you can withdraw at any point."

Dominic’s amusement faded slightly.

"Would Dad know if one of us backed out?"

"No. A potential donor’s medical information is private. If someone isn’t proceeding, the recipient is generally told only that the person isn’t an available donor."

That seemed important.

Dominic glanced at Andrei.

For once, his brother’s expression held no rivalry.

Andrei was actually willing to do it.

Despite everything.

Despite growing up without Conrad for years and joining the Sebastian family long after Dominic had already been acknowledged as the son.

Dominic looked away.

That made his own decision considerably easier.

"Fine."

Andrei raised an eyebrow.

"Fine?"

"I’ll get tested."

"I already said I would."

"Yes, and I’m saying I will too."

"You don’t need my permission."

"I wasn’t asking."

Victoria looked between them.

"You realize your father only needs one kidney?"

Dominic frowned.

"We know."

"Because of the way you’re behaving, I’m concerned he’ll wake up with three."

Andrei coughed.

Dominic looked offended.

"This is a serious situation."

"I’m delighted you’ve finally noticed."

The physician managed to maintain a professional expression, although Dominic suspected it took effort.

They would begin with preliminary testing.

After that, the transplant team would determine whether either brother could proceed to the more extensive donor evaluation.

Nothing had been decided yet.

Conrad himself hadn’t even spoken to them about whether he wanted one of his sons to donate.

That conversation would have to wait until he was well enough to have it.

As they left the consultation room, Andrei glanced toward Dominic.

"You know, if we’re both compatible, I’m still doing it."

Dominic stopped.

"Why?"

"Because you just started your new business."

"You’re running an entire corporation."

"I have executives."

"I have employees."

"You paint."

"I also manage things."

Andrei looked unconvinced.

Dominic pointed at him.

"Don’t underestimate the administrative burden of paint."

"I wouldn’t dream of it."

"You also have children."

Andrei’s expression changed.

Dominic hadn’t said it as a joke.

For once, Andrei didn’t have an immediate answer.

"You have a family depending on you," Dominic continued. "I’m the more practical choice."

"And what exactly are you?"

Dominic opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Victoria, walking a few steps ahead, answered without turning around.

"Also family."

Both brothers went quiet.

Dominic looked at Andrei.

Andrei looked back.

Neither seemed particularly pleased by how effectively she’d ended the argument.

Finally, Dominic sighed.

"We’ll let the tests decide."

Andrei nodded.

"The tests."

They resumed walking.

Several seconds passed.

Then Dominic glanced sideways.

"But if we’re equally compatible, mine."

Andrei didn’t even look at him.

"We’ll see."

Apparently, even kidneys were going to become a competition between the Sebastian brothers.