In the afternoon, Justin’s private jet landed back in Lincourt City. On the way home, his phone rang—it was his mother, Heidi.“Hello, Mom,” Justin answered.“Are you free tonight after work? Come home and have dinner with me. It’s been ages since I’ve seen you,” Heidi said, not waiting for his reply before continuing. “And don’t try to use work as an excuse. I already called your secretarial team. They told me you don’t have any meetings, events, or overtime scheduled for tonight.”Justin’s expression darkened as he shot a warning glance at Sam in the front passenger seat. Catching his boss’s stern look in the rearview mirror, Sam understood the message loud and clear: “Keep your team in check.”Awkwardly, Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose. How was he supposed to know one of the assistants would leak his boss’s schedule to Heidi? Now he was caught in the crossfire.“Mom, if you miss me, I’ll come visit. But you can’t keep using that as an excuse to sneakily set me up on blind dat
In Haven State, Justin and Zac had just wrapped up a busy morning of work and were stepping out of the central hospital building when a small figure darted toward them from across the street. “Hi! I got separated from my aunt. Can I borrow your phone to call her?” It was Alex. From afar, he had already spotted these two men. One of them exceptionally handsome. Definitely someone who would match his mom perfectly. “Oh? Where’d this little guy come from?” Zac walked over, ruffling Alex’s hair. He turned to Justin and asked, “Do you know him?” Justin shook his head, his tone cool and detached. “No.” That cold, detached voice—why did it sound so familiar? Alex wondered, squinting at Justin thoughtfully. He couldn’t quite place it, so he decided not to dwell on it. Alex never liked making things hard for himself. Zac scanned the area, frowning. “What’s your name? Where are your parents? How could they lose track of you like this?“Tell you what,” Zac continued. “How ab
“Hello, Aunt!” Alex’s cheerful voice came through the phone. Helen froze mid-step as she was about to push the door open, her heart plunging into freefall like a roller coaster. Hearing Alex’s voice brought her crashing back to solid ground. “Alex, where did you go? Do you have any idea how worried I was when you disappeared?” Helen’s voice trembled, a mix of relief and frustration. The thought of losing Alex on her watch terrified her. How could she face her sister, or the entire family, if something had happened to him? “Um…” Alex’s big, expressive eyes darted nervously, guilt flashing across his face. “Uh-oh, Aunt Helen sounds mad,” he thought to himself.Justin and Zac stood nearby, keeping an eye on Alex as he made the call. Worried that Alex might struggle to explain their location, Justin reached out, ready to take the phone and provide the address himself. But just as his hand extended, Alex confidently recited their exact location into the phone, his words cl
“Oh, okay, Aunt,” Alex replied obediently, handing the phone back to Justin. Although Alex didn’t understand why his aunt didn’t come over to thank them—something he found quite impolite—he knew he couldn’t afford to be rude himself. With a polite smile, he sincerely said, “Thank you, Mr. Yates and Mr. White. My aunt is waiting for me over there, so I’ll head back now.”Justin frowned, his concern evident. What kind of parent or guardian lets a child wander off and doesn’t even come to fetch them? Letting the kid walk back alone felt irresponsible.“We’ll walk you over,” he said firmly, unwilling to let the child go by himself.Alex waved his hand. “It’s fine, Mr. Yates. It’s really close! I’ll call you when I get home, okay?” A glimmer of mischief flashed in Alex’s big, sparkling eyes. Now that he had Mr. Yates’s phone number, staying in touch wouldn’t be a problem. “Alright, but be careful. We’ll watch you until you’re safe.”“Got it!” Alex chirped, jogging to the corner be
When Sean first saw them again at university, he was thrilled. However, when he learned that Haley had children and that she had been pregnant during the earthquake, his emotions took a heavy toll. That night, he returned to his dorm and cried in private. Haley’s survival and her safe delivery were nothing short of miraculous, but the thought of her enduring so much pain enraged him. He cursed Justin inwardly for being such a bastard. The next morning, when they crossed paths again, Sean’s eyes were visibly swollen. After graduating, Sean chose to stay in Merika State, where he launched a tech company that quickly became a major success. Meanwhile, Haley and Helen teamed up to open an art gallery. Haley’s name made a triumphant return to the art scene, with her focusing on her creations while Helen managed operations and acted as her agent. *At the gallery, Haley donned an apron and worked alongside her team, arranging paintings and preparing the exhibition space for an up
Haley slumped into the front passenger seat, exhaustion etched on her face. Helen started the car and handed her a coffee. “Here, sis, I got you a coffee. Take a sip to perk up.”“Alex, hand the coffee to your mom,” Helen instructed.“Okay,” Alex replied, carefully passing the coffee from the back seat. “Thanks, Alex,” Haley said with a tired smile, taking the cup from him.Lately, her time had been consumed by preparations for the art exhibition, leaving little room to spend with her children. The family had stepped in to help. Alex stayed with Helen, while Chase spent time with Wilfred. They were now on their way to pick up Chase and Wilfred. Tonight, Evelyn had booked a table at a restaurant to celebrate Haley’s upcoming art show, wishing her success in advance. Over the past five years, Haley’s life had been smooth and fulfilling, free of worries and full of support.In Wilfred’s office, he was wrapping up his work while Chase sat at a small desk nearby, studying business m
“Hello, Mom.”“Where have you been? I messaged you to meet at the restaurant, and why didn’t you go? Do you know that poor girl has been waiting for you forever?” Heidi’s angry voice came through the phone. This time, she hadn’t set him up with some heiress from a wealthy family. Instead, she had found a girl who bore a striking resemblance to Emily.“Mom, didn’t I tell you already? I’m not interested in blind dates.”“At least give me the courtesy of checking her out! Show a little respect for me, will you?” Heidi ranted, so agitated that she felt like her heart might give out. “If you weren’t going to show up, you could’ve just told me!”Justin sighed. His schedule was packed, and he genuinely hadn’t had a moment to check his messages. As he glanced around, he thought he caught sight of Alex’s small figure out of the corner of his eye. Squinting, he looked again, but all he saw was a potted plant nearby. Maybe he had imagined it. Distractedly, he replied, “Fine, Mom. When I g
Justin pushed open the private dining room door, carrying Alex in his arms. The reactions around the table were varied. The female business partner, in particular, looked utterly shocked. Spotting Alex was as if she had seen someone incredibly influential. It hadn’t crossed her mind that they might know the Walker family.Zac was momentarily surprised to see Justin walk in with a child, but the moment he recognized Alex, it all made sense. His tone turned casual as he remarked, “How’d you run into Alex?”He stood, giving up his seat to make room for them.Justin settled into his seat, placing Alex on his lap rather than letting him sit separately. Alex didn’t mind at all. He was quite content to stay where he was. Noticing Alex might be hungry, Justin picked up a fork and began offering him small bites of food. He even instructed the server to bring a fresh set of utensils for Alex. Once Alex was taken care of, Justin turned to Zac and responded, “I bumped into him while I was o
“Sis, I’m pretty handsome, right?” Justin asked, grinning proudly.And just like that, his voice shattered the illusion Haley had briefly fallen into.She gave him a look. “Don’t flatter yourself. Let’s go.”The two headed downstairs, where William was already waiting to drive them to RC Corporation. He pulled into the underground parking garage, and they made their way up to the executive floor.Inside the president’s office, Haley still wasn’t fully at ease. She had him run through the negotiation script one more time, rehearsing the key points like a stage play. Only when Justin delivered his lines with calm precision did she finally relax.“This shipment is critical for the international project’s timeline,” she reminded him. “You read through the materials yesterday—you get how important this is, right?”Justin nodded.“Don’t stress too much. Just channel that cool, commanding energy you had a minute ago,” Haley said, coaching him seriously. “Get in there and bluff your way
Following Haley into the kitchen, Justin was about to speak when he caught the sound of her voice—she was chatting with Helen.Haley had just poured herself a glass of water from the fridge. Helen, as always, was talking non-stop at her side.“Sis, with Justin calling you ‘sis’ every day, doesn’t it kinda feel like you’ve got yourself a younger, puppy-eyed boyfriend?” Her tone was teasing, full of mischief. “Kinda like that matchmaking event I set up for you back then.”She nudged Haley’s shoulder, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.That one line pulled both of them back to that night at the bar.Haley shot her a look. “You’re pregnant. Can you not let your imagination run wild for once? If you’re that curious, have Zac call you ‘sis’ every night.”“Oh, come on. What’s the harm in a little gossip?” Helen giggled. “Honestly though, this amnesia version of Justin is kind of adorable. All innocent and wide-eyed. You’re telling me you don’t feel anything?”“No,” Haley answered flat
Haley pressed her fingers to her temple, her headache building. “Prepare a full briefing. I want all the contract details, background on the partner company, and a response script. He needs to memorize everything by tomorrow. He’s going to that meeting.”She gestured toward Justin, clearly making him responsible.“Yes, ma’am,” Sam replied.“And one more thing,” Haley added, her tone sharp. “Find a new supplier. Once this delivery is done, terminate the contract. We’re not working with unreliable partners.”“Understood.”As Sam left, Haley turned to Justin, looking down at him from where she stood. “Memorize the talking points. Lock the key contract terms in your head. Tomorrow, you’re facing their CEO. Think you can handle it?”Justin blinked up at her with wide, innocent eyes. “Don’t worry, Sis. If it’s something you asked me to do, I’ll make sure I get it right!”*That evening at Mistletoe Villa, Helen had just returned from a prenatal checkup. Everyone was gathered in the l
“You want your memory back, right? Great. Go ahead and read through these files and sign off on them. That’ll jog your memory in no time.”Haley pushed the day’s workload onto Justin’s desk. Memory loss or not, she was sure his business instincts and decision-making skills were still in there somewhere.It was just like when she had lost her memory. Her painting skills and foreign languages had still been there, buried in her subconscious.Justin didn’t need to recall every detail of the past. As long as he could function in the office and resume his role as president, that was good enough.He froze. Sure, he wanted to grow closer to Haley and get her to care about him again, but going back to work so soon? That hadn’t exactly been the plan.Still, realizing what she wanted, he didn’t argue. Instead, he obediently picked up the first document and started reading carefully.Then, suddenly, he asked, “Sis, what’s the project timeline for the international expansion? I don’t remembe
Zac jogged off in a hurry, not daring to stick around and witness more of Justin’s embarrassment.Justin, having failed to sneak into Haley’s room, had no choice but to sulk back to the guest room the housekeeper had prepared for him.*The next morning, Haley came downstairs for breakfast. She hadn’t slept well—staying up late to work, only to get riled up by Justin all over again. The dark circles under her eyes were impossible to hide, no matter how much concealer she applied.She stepped into the dining room and spotted Justin already sitting at the table.“Morning, sis!” he chirped.He looked every bit the picture of youthful energy, dressed in a clean athletic tracksuit, his expression bright and full of life. He really did look like a high school senior.Haley took one look at his well-rested, cheerful face and felt an unexplainable surge of irritation rise in her chest.She didn’t say a word. Ignoring him completely, she walked to her seat and sat down. Her gaze swept t
After dinner, Haley returned to her room to get some work done. There were a few reports she still needed to read through, so she made herself a cup of coffee for a quick energy boost.She had just stepped inside and closed the door when a sudden force hit from behind, pushing through the door and into her back. She stumbled forward, nearly spilling the coffee all over herself.Her brows furrowed in irritation. She turned around—only to see Justin already halfway into her room, the door swinging shut behind him.He froze, looking immediately guilty. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” he blurted out.His voice carried that youthful warmth, clear and gentle like an 18-year-old boy. His lowered gaze and sheepish expression were tinged with a kind of helpless remorse that made it hard for Haley to stay angry.She stepped back, putting distance between them. Her tone turned cool. “What are you doing in here?”Justin took that as permission to step fully inside and shut the door behind him
At that moment, Justin furrowed his brows and stared at Haley with confusion, as if trying hard to place her face. After a long pause, his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. He pointed at Haley and exclaimed, “Sis!”That one word stopped Zac in his tracks. He blinked. Did Justin… just slip into little brother mode?And he wasn’t the only one thrown off. Chase and Alex stood frozen, mouths slightly open. Alex placed a hand on Justin’s forehead, then leaned in to check again.No fever.So why was he calling their mom sister?And now… what were they supposed to call him?Haley's gaze locked on Justin, intense and searching. She scanned him from head to toe, as if looking for a clue—anything to explain this strange behavior. But she found nothing.Justin, noticing her silence, instantly wilted. His lips curled into a small pout. “Is it because I’m useless? Is that why you’re ignoring me, sis?”“Sis?” Haley turned slowly toward Zac, her voice low, suspicious. “What is that abou
Zac straightened up and wiped the last traces of tears from the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand.“Haley’s fine,” he said. “Just a few minor injuries. You’ve been out for over two weeks. She healed a long time ago. Right now, she’s temporarily managing RC Corporation for you.“She went on a business trip to that island project you were working on. I heard the scenery’s amazing. Chase and Alex went with her.”“Managing?” Justin repeated, his voice faint.“Yeah,” Zac nodded. “She didn’t accept the assets or shares you left her. She’s just acting as president until you wake up and can take over again.”Zac hadn’t originally known all this. He had only overheard Haley explaining it to the family after she agreed to step in. He had been surprised, even though, in hindsight, it made sense. Justin had written up a will before the rescue mission, leaving everything to Haley. It was bold but not unexpected.Justin lowered his gaze, eyes dimming as he quietly muttered, “Temp
“The building at the heart of the island is a massive wedding chapel,” the staff member explained cheerfully. “The first floor is for the ceremony itself, the second for the banquet. The third floor is reserved for dressing and makeup, and from the fourth floor up, it’s all accommodations. The very top level is the bridal suite.”The more he spoke, the deeper Haley’s frown became. Something wasn’t adding up.“So this is an all-inclusive wedding venue?” she cut in.The man chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, no, no. This place isn’t open to the public. Mr. Yates built it exclusively for his wife. Just the two of them. One couple. That’s it.”Haley was at a loss for words.Even Alex, the more clueless of the twins, caught on. His eyes sparkled as he tugged at Haley’s hand. “Mommy! Uncle Justin built this place for you! It’s so romantic!”Five years ago—around the time he and Chase were born—their dad had already been planning a wedding for their mom.Suddenly, Alex didn’t feel quit