Chapter 89: A Bad Hair Day

Dominic Sebastian had survived being removed as CEO, the Board scrutinizing his personal expenses, the collapse of his publicity campaign, and Alexander ignoring his attempts at reconciliation.

Apparently, a handful of hairs finally sent him running to a doctor.

Technically, Victoria had made the appointment.

Dominic had merely agreed after spending most of the night examining his head with two mirrors and his phone’s camera, convinced that several bald spots were hiding beyond his normal line of sight.

Victoria wasn’t permitted to check.

"You’ll make it worse."

"I haven’t even looked."

"Exactly. Don’t."

That’s how mother and son ended up sitting side by side in a dermatology clinic, wearing sunglasses far too dark for indoor use.

They’d also managed to coordinate their outfits without intending to.

Dominic glanced at Victoria’s cream-colored jacket, then at his own.

"Why are you wearing that?"

Victoria looked him over.

"I didn’t know you were planning to wear beige."

"It’s cream."

"That’s what people call beige when they paid too much for it."

Dominic removed his sunglasses, only to discover that Victoria’s were nearly identical.

"Seriously? Those too?"

"These are completely different. Yours are charcoal."

He stared at her.

Several patients outside the neighboring clinic were already watching them.

"Why are you dressed like this anyway?"

"This is what I wear when I need to see a doctor. It’s lucky."

"You have a doctor’s outfit?"

"I’ve never received terrible news while wearing it."

"You’ve probably worn it twice."

"Three times."

"Compelling evidence."

Victoria ignored him.

Dominic glanced toward the clinic door.

"Just to be clear, this appointment is for me. You aren’t hijacking it."

"I would never."

"No rashes."

Victoria looked offended.

"That was barely a rash!"

"Mother."

"I promised!"

The clinic door opened several minutes later.

Victoria stood first, and Dominic reluctantly followed.

Behind them, someone whispered.

"Isn’t that Dominic Sebastian?"

His shoulders stiffened.

Another patient glanced over while someone discreetly raised a phone.

Neither mother nor son noticed.

The dermatologist was considerably less alarmed about Dominic’s hair than Dominic was.

That annoyed him.

After examining his scalp and asking about his health, medications, sleep, and recent stress, the doctor sat back.

"I don’t see evidence that you’re going to wake up tomorrow completely bald."

Dominic visibly relaxed.

Victoria did too.

"I told you."

"You told me I might need vitamins."

"Same general spirit."

The doctor continued before they could argue.

"The shedding may be related to prolonged physical and emotional stress, but we’ll need to rule out other causes. For now, try not to panic whenever you notice loose strands."

Dominic glanced at Victoria.

She looked away.

He’d spent part of breakfast counting strands.

Apparently, she’d told the doctor.

Traitor.

"So it’ll grow back?"

"It may, depending on the underlying cause. Let’s complete the assessment before making any promises."

That wasn’t nearly as comforting as Dominic wanted, but he accepted the recommended treatment plan and follow-up instructions.

Victoria leaned forward.

"While we’re here..."

Dominic closed his eyes.

"Mother."

"It’s one question."

"You promised."

Victoria discreetly pulled back her collar.

"I’ve had this rash for several days."

Dominic stared at the ceiling.

"This was my appointment."

"It’ll take thirty seconds."

"You said you wouldn’t ask about it!"

"Technically, I’m showing it."

The dermatologist laughed.

Dominic didn’t.

Several minutes later, Victoria had her own instructions.

Outside the examination room, Dominic held the paperwork and looked at her.

"You owe me half the consultation."

"I brought you here!"

"You also got examined."

"I’m your mother!"

"What does that have to do with billing?"

Victoria reached for her purse, visibly offended.

"I cannot believe you’re asking your own mother to split a medical consultation."

"The Board charged my entire PR campaign to my personal account. I have considerably less money than I did before you encouraged half those ideas."

"I did not encourage half!"

"Exactly. Some were entirely yours."

She stared at him.

Finally, Victoria pulled out her card.

"Fine. I’ll pay."

Dominic handed her the bill.

"And the pharmacy."

"Dominic!"

"My hair isn’t the only thing recovering."

For once, Victoria couldn’t argue.

Lunch was Victoria’s idea.

"You haven’t eaten properly," she said as they left the clinic.

"I ate breakfast."

"Coffee and one piece of toast."

Dominic sighed.

They chose a respectable little cafe several streets away, hoping to avoid unnecessary attention.

Dominic had added one new accessory.

A cap.

Victoria eyed it as they walked from the car.

"That’s subtle."

"Shut up."

"You’ve never worn a cap with that outfit."

"I’ve evolved."

Victoria smiled.

Unfortunately, a strong gust of wind solved the argument for both of them.

The cap lifted straight off Dominic’s head.

He froze.

"My cap!"

It bounced along the pavement before another gust caught it.

Dominic ran after it.

"Dominic!"

"Get it!"

"I’m wearing heels!"

He lunged just as the cap skittered past an outdoor table, attracting several amused glances.

Someone lifted a phone.

Dominic finally caught the cap, but his relief vanished when he noticed the camera.

"Did you just take my picture?"

The diner lowered his phone.

"No."

"You literally—"

Victoria grabbed his arm.

"Leave it. Shouting won’t make the photograph disappear."

Dominic reluctantly followed her to their table.

Unfortunately, the wind had exposed the thinning area the dermatologist had examined earlier.

By the time their food arrived, the first photograph from the medical building had appeared online.

Dominic Sebastian Spotted Leaving Dermatology Clinic With Victoria Sebastian

Then came the cafe photograph.

Dominic chasing his airborne cap, hair disheveled, and the thinning patch clearly visible.

That was the one people shared.

DOMINIC SEBASTIAN’S BAD HAIR DAY?

STRESS SHOWING? FORMER CEO SPOTTED WITH NOTICEABLE HAIR LOSS

And inevitably:

SEBASTIAN HAIR LOSING MORE THAN HIS CEO SEAT?

Dominic stared at his phone.

The comments were multiplying.

Some were sympathetic.

Stress can do terrible things. Leave him alone.

Maybe stop photographing strangers at medical clinics?

Others were considerably less charitable.

Karma came for the hairline.

First the groom, then the CEO chair, now the hair?

And:

At least something finally left Dominic before he could leave it waiting outside a government office.

Victoria saw his expression change and took the phone.

"Stop reading."

Dominic didn’t respond.

His face had gone completely blank.

Victoria knew that expression.

It was considerably worse than anger.

"We’re leaving."

Their untouched lunch remained behind.

Dominic made it home before he exploded.

The front door had barely closed before his cap hit the floor.

"They photographed me outside a fucking clinic! And now they’re zooming in on my scalp!"

Victoria followed him inside.

"Stop looking at it."

"They’re sharing it everywhere!"

"Then don’t help them by refreshing the page every thirty seconds."

Dominic spun toward her.

"Easy for you to say! Nobody’s posting close-ups of your head!"

"Not today."

"This isn’t funny!"

"I wasn’t joking."

He paced the room, repeatedly touching his hair despite the dermatologist’s instructions.

Victoria watched his trembling hands.

"Dominic. Give me your phone."

"I’m not twelve!"

"Then stop behaving like the comments section is a court ruling."

That stopped him.

Only briefly.

"They’re laughing at me."

Victoria’s expression softened.

"Some are. But there are also people telling them to leave you alone."

"I don’t care about them."

"I know."

That was the problem.

He always found the cruelest voice in the room and treated it like the only one speaking.

Victoria reached for her own phone.

"I’m calling your therapist."

Dominic’s face hardened.

"No."

"You don’t have to like it."

For once, Victoria wasn’t interested in winning the argument. She wanted to keep her son from spiraling over something the dermatologist had calmly told him could be manageable.

Dominic stared at her before finally sinking onto the sofa.

"Fine."

But he kept his phone clenched in his hand.

And every few seconds, the screen lit with another notification.