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</div><div style="text-align: center">《 Ray Jr 》<br/>
Location: Abendblume<br/>
Addressing: Alvaro <a class="username" data-user-id="288" data-username="Flannel King" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/288/">Flannel King</a>​</div><br/>"Oh?" Ray inquired, his brows rising without actually opening his eyes. He wasn't surprised Hale had called him in, after all, his father was implementing quite a few changes. He trusted Alvaro's backing after it had been given the night before and understood he would need to keep things business as usual, at least until the senior Hale was moved to step down. Alvaro spoke first of a suggestion made for his brother, of which his father had countered for encouragement for him instead. Encouragement that Alvaro was delivering half-heartedly.<br/><br/>"He wants to distract me from my purpose after all the years he encouraged my focus." Ray had entertained surface dalliances but nothing more than that. He'd always been focused, something Hale Sr. had recognized. He'd not understood it for the disinterest that it was.<br/><br/>"My father is worried," he decided with a nod. "Perhaps I would agree to those terms if he would agree to mine. After he's stepped down, and I've stabilized Abendblume, maybe then it is time for me to work on a family. Not before that though." Despite his true nature, he understood the importance of family and carrying on the family legacy. He wanted children eventually. He wanted a whole manner of things, but wants were something that came after needs were met.<br/><br/>"What ghosts are bothering you now?" Ray wondered. "Are you worried about history repeating itself?" If so, he understood that as something to be mindful of. Alvaro had good instincts, and if something was bothering him, he wanted to understand it.